Matabot

It takes a more zany comedy approach than the book, but it does work.

The cast are great and work well in their roles.

But - the episodes clocking in at 25 minutes is ridiculously short, it was really frustrating to just watch a few mins and then bang. Over. Wait another week.

Quite enjoyed the "show within a show" The Rise and Fall Of Sanctuary Moon" perhaps it should have it's own spin-off as well!

I quite enjoyed this adaption of Martha Wells first novel. I have already read the books.

Looking forward to the next season but please please please make the episides longer! I was watching two episodes back to back every 2 weeks towards the end to avoid the frustration of the way too short length.

Update after all 10 episodes: This is a really good show and a great adaptation, in many ways. The episodes still feel too short, but Murderbot, Mensah, Gurathin (maybe especially) and Ratthi contributes really well to making the show even better. It's been confirmed for season 2, and I'm looking forward to the introduction of a very important character...

In summation: Wait until all episodes are out and binge it in one go.

Big fan of the books, and a lot works for this adaptation. But trying to make a whole season out of the first novella (!) is quite crazy, and results in 20 minute episodes where episode 3 literally is about travelling somewhere. Where is the proper story arc and goal of each episode? It doesn't make sense. If it had a short season of longer episodes, or combined the first few novellas for a longer season, it would be fine, but this just doesn't make sense. You don't get to settle into the episode before it's over. The only way to watch this properly is to binge it. I'll watch them as they come out, but I'd prefer to have them all available already. I love severance and other great apple TV-productions, so this is a let-down to a great universe with lots of potential. The adaptation in itself would benefit from more in-depth coverage of the corporate system etc., something the books doesn't focus much on, perhaps due to it being from Murderbot's perspective (and it doesn't care)...

Also, as others have said, Murderbot should have its helmet on.

I had high hopes for Murderbot, and in many ways it delivers. The concept of a sarcastic, self-aware SecUnit trying to navigate human interaction while secretly binge-watching soap operas is gold. The 20-30 minute episodes work perfectly for this tone-if they had stretched to an hour, I'm not sure I would have stuck around. It's just the right size for light, slightly quirky sci-fi.

That said, I can't ignore the flaws. The biggest? This is a semi-intelligent AI that hacks its own governor module and defeats far more advanced bots... yet it never tries to improve itself. No scavenging for parts, no copying superior code, no attempt to upgrade its weapons or armor. It just carries on in the same fragile, underpowered body as if nothing happened. For a machine that's supposed to be adaptive and strategic, this feels lazy and illogical.

Then there's the design choice for Murderbot's suit. You can clearly see there's a human inside-it's essentially a black wetsuit with some padding. Why not use the actor's head and build a more robotic body to sell the illusion? Right now it looks more like cosplay than a multi-million dollar production.

Despite all this, I still enjoyed the season. Murderbot's deadpan humor and awkward charm make it watchable, and the supporting cast does a solid job. But I can't shake the feeling that it's a show holding itself back-more focused on surface-level quirks than exploring the full potential of its premise.

Murderbot offers a fresh, engaging plot with a unique central character and a ok sci-fi world genuinely compelling.

Each episode though clocks in at around 20 minutes of actual content, stretched to about 25 minutes with previews, credits, and ads. It feels like just as you're starting to sink into the story, it's already over. The result is a stop-start experience that doesn't quite let the emotional or narrative weight land.

It's disappointing, because this world and several characters have the depth to sustain longer episodes. Instead, we get something that often feels more like a high-quality teaser or mini mico series than a fully satisfying viewing experience.

Great story, very good cast, high production value on screen; sadly, these 20-minute episodes are the letdown. I was delighted watching the first three episodes and the wait for the next week made me realize how short 20 minutes truly is. The story could have greatly benefited from a longer runtime. I believe the narrative would have been more engaging and satisfying if the show had been produced as a feature film, allowing for deeper engagement with the plot and continuing a strong character bonding for the audience. The brevity of each episode feels cut off and leaves the audience hanging to soon.