Image Apple TV Press
By Jon Donnis
Apple TV+ has confirmed that Murderbot, its sharp-edged blend of science fiction and deadpan comedy, will return for a second season. Based on Martha Wells' award-winning novellas, the series stars Alexander Skarsgård as the titular android and has quickly carved out a reputation as one of the year's most original new shows.
Created and helmed by Chris and Paul Weitz, the show's first season adapted the opening novella of Wells' Murderbot Diaries series. Since its launch, it's become something of a sleeper hit, earning glowing reviews and a Certified Fresh badge on Rotten Tomatoes. Critics have praised the series for its offbeat tone, satirical bite and standout central performance from Skarsgård, who also serves as executive producer.
The first season follows a rogue security unit who's hacked its own governance system and just wants to be left alone to binge soap operas. Instead, it finds itself reluctantly protecting a team of humans in dangerous territory while pretending to still be under corporate control. The show balances moments of existential angst with perfectly timed humour, often in the same breath, and has drawn comparisons to everything from The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy to Severance.
Skarsgård brings a dry wit to the role, making Murderbot equal parts cynical and strangely sympathetic. The supporting cast includes Noma Dumezweni, David Dastmalchian, Sabrina Wu, Akshay Khanna, Tattiawna Jones and Tamara Podemski, all of whom help ground the series in something warmer and more human, even as the story unfolds across alien landscapes and corporate-owned space stations.
Speaking about the renewal, Chris and Paul Weitz said they were thrilled to return to Martha Wells' universe and continue working with Skarsgård and the creative team. Apple's head of programming, Matt Cherniss, called the show "brilliantly original" and hinted at more to come, both for the central character and the in-universe soap opera Sanctuary Moon, which Murderbot remains obsessed with.
With its mix of sharp writing, inventive world-building and a central character who'd rather do anything other than save the day, Murderbot has managed to feel fresh in a genre that often leans too heavily on familiar beats. It's funny without undercutting the stakes, and thoughtful without taking itself too seriously.
Season two doesn't have a release date yet, but with the finale arriving last week and the response so far, there's no doubt fans will be ready to follow Murderbot wherever it grudgingly goes next.
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