Murderbot

This should be an amazing show. The humor, writing, and acting are all top-notch, and the visuals are fantastic. However, with only 10 episodes per season and each one running just 22 to 24 minutes, it feels frustratingly brief.

I doubt we'll ever return to the good old days of TV seasons with 22 to 26 episodes, but let's be honest-this feels severely limited. In terms of total content, it's the equivalent of just five full-length episodes. That's even less than what typical UK series offer. (Personally, I even find 10-episode seasons too compressed-it takes me a while to get truly invested).

Unfortunately, my review focuses more on this structural aspect than the creative side, simply because I believe it's the most critical (and maybe only) flaw. In my opinion, this is a misstep. Time will tell if others feel the same.

P. S. If this series were a person, I'd rename it M. Short Shorty McShortface. From ... This would be an amazing show. The humor, writing, and acting are all top-notch, and the visuals are fantastic. However, with only 10 episodes per season and each one running just 22 to 24 minutes, it feels frustratingly brief.

I doubt we'll ever return to the good old days of TV seasons with 22 to 26 episodes, but let's be honest-this feels severely limited. In terms of total content, it's the equivalent of just five full-length episodes. That's even less than what typical UK series offer. Personally, I even find 10-episode seasons too compressed-it takes me a while to get truly invested.

Unfortunately, my review focuses more on this structural aspect than the creative side, simply because I believe it's the most critical flaw. In my opinion, this is a misstep. Time will tell if others feel the same.

P. S. If this series were a person, I'd rename it M. Short Shorty McShortface.. from Shortistan..... on planet Shortia.

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.

Alexander Skarsgard kills it in another hit in a long line of hits from Apple TV. I can't say enough about Apple TV. They continue to put out great shows, it reminds me of when HBO was in their prime and everything they put out was great. That's Apple TV now. I never read the books so I had no idea what to expect so I was pleasantly surprised by how much I enjoyed this. Murderbot is about a rogue security robot (Skarsgard) who gains the gift of free will. It reluctantly agrees to join a new mission protecting scientists on a dangerous planet when all it wants to do is stop killing and enjoy life free on its own. It may start off a little slow for some but stick with because it gets better and better with each episode. It's definitely best watched as a binge watch. This series does a good job raising ethical questions that apply to us today.

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.

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.