A lot of companies are forcing AI garbage down our throats these days. That makes it extra hard for any advanced artificial intelligence to win our affections. But that’s exactly what Alexander Skarsgård is going to try and do on Apple TV+‘s upcoming series Murderbot. He plays the titular robot with some very relatable, very human-like problems. And we now know what he’ll look like while dealing with them. The streaming site has shared its first-look at the sci-fi comedy thriller.
Apple TV+ has given viewers their first glimpse at Murderbot before the series debuts on Friday, May 16. These photos show both a masked and unmasked Skarsgård in the starring role. Fans of author Martha Wells’ best-selling book series The Murderbot Diaries probably now why Skarsgård’s slightly perturbed/exhausted face is especially funny. But for those who aren’t familiar with the novels Apple TV+ shared a delightful description of the story:
Murderbot is a sci-fi thriller/comedy about a self-hacking security construct who is horrified by human emotion yet drawn to its vulnerable clients. Played by Skarsgård, Murderbot must hide its free will and complete a dangerous assignment when all it really wants is to be left alone to watch futuristic soap operas and figure out its place in the universe.
We get it. We totally get it, Murderbot.
The show comes from the writing, directing and producing team of Chris and Paul Weitz (About a Boy, Mozart in the Jungle). It also stars David Dastmalchian (Late Night with the Devil), Noma Dumezweni (Presumed Innocent), Sabrina Wu (Joy Ride), Akshay Khanna (Critical Incident), Tattiawna Jones (The Handmaid’s Tale), and Tamara Podemski (Outer Range).
The ten-episode first season will debut with two episodes. New episodes will then release revery Friday through July 11.
Hopefully during that time everyone leaves Murderbot alone so he can watch in peace like he wants. As humans that’s all we want, too.