Like many fans of The Murderbot Diaries, I was both thrilled and deeply wary when I heard that Apple TV+ was adapting Martha Wells’ beloved series. On one hand, more Murderbot! On the other… well, adaptations are tricky, aren’t they? They can capture the heart of the source material (The Expanse), fumble it (Wheel of Time), or turn it into something unrecognizable (Foundation—which, to be fair, I ended up loving once I let go of my expectations).
So, how will Murderbot fare? Will it be faithful to the books? Will it alienate fans? And what about the casting choice that threw me for a loop?
Murderbot’s Snark and Humor—Can TV Capture It?
One of the greatest joys of the Murderbot Diaries is Murderbot’s voice—snarky, self-deprecating, socially anxious, and filled with dry, dry humor. The books succeed because we’re in Murderbot’s head. That’s where the magic happens.
How will the show pull this off?
- Will there be a voiceover narration? (Risky, but it’s worked before.)
- Will we get some clever on-screen text of Murderbot’s internal thoughts?
- Or will they try to make Murderbot’s inner turmoil visible through acting alone? (That’s asking a lot of an actor, even one as talented as Alexander Skarsgård.)
It’s a tough challenge, and I hope the production team understands that Murderbot’s charm doesn’t just come from action scenes—it comes from their personality.
The Skarsgård Question: Wait, That Guy?!
Speaking of Murderbot’s personality… let’s talk about casting.
When I first heard that Alexander Skarsgård was playing Murderbot, I was stunned. I know him best as the incredibly male, intensely sexual vampire Eric Northman from True Blood, and that is not how I pictured Murderbot.
Which is interesting, because Murderbot doesn’t really have a gender. They don’t care about gender, don’t perform it, don’t think about it. And yet, somewhere along the way, I must have unconsciously imagined them as vaguely feminine—perhaps because Martha Wells is a woman? Maybe? I didn’t realize my own bias until Skarsgård was announced.
Now, I’ve seen a few images of him in the role, and they do seem to have gone for a more androgynous look—which is the right call. But is it androgynous enough? Time will tell.
And I have to ask: Did they consider casting a woman? Or someone non-binary? I can’t help but feel that this was a missed opportunity.
Adaptation Anxiety: Will They Get It Right?
Book-to-screen adaptations always walk a fine line between staying faithful to the original and making changes to suit a different medium. Some (The Expanse, Dune) manage to respect the spirit of the story even when making significant changes. Others (Wheel of Time, The Golden Compass) have struggled, often alienating fans.
Apple TV+ has already taken on a sci-fi behemoth with Foundation, and while it was visually stunning and narratively ambitious, it was not a faithful adaptation. (I got over it, but many fans didn’t.)
Will Murderbot get the same treatment? Will the showrunners keep what makes it Murderbot, or will they Hollywood-ize it, turning our anxious, TV-loving, reluctant hero into something more traditionally “heroic”?
I’m both excited and nervous to find out.
The Bottom Line: Cautiously Optimistic
At the end of the day, I want this adaptation to be good. I love these books. I love Murderbot’s voice, their reluctant found-family dynamics, their sarcastic but deeply caring nature. I want the show to do them justice.
But I’m also bracing myself for the possibility that it won’t. That the nuances of Murderbot’s identity might get flattened. That the humor might not translate. That they’ll turn it into a generic action-packed sci-fi thriller instead of the deeply character-driven, introspective, and often hilarious story that it is.
So I’m preparing for that first episode with a mix of excitement and dread. Here’s hoping Apple TV+ gets it right.
What do you think? Are you excited? Nervous? How did you picture Murderbot before the casting was announced? Let’s discuss in the comments!
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Hopefully they will stick to the story. Was not enamoured with what they did with Foundation nor the latest Dune adaptation, in my opinion two of the greatest stories ever written
So two of us in the “nervous” camp.
Cam.
I’m reading it for the 3rd time. I too pictured a female. Corporal Deitrich in Aliens 2 was my visual reference for whatever reason. Science Fiction to the screen can be awesome or stupid. I hope they do it right.
Deitrich! Yes, that would be a visual. I don’t visualize a military haircut, though that would make sense.
yeah, I really hope they exceed my expectations!
Cam.
Interesting.
I reckon it’s unconscious bias as although I knew Murderbot was genderless I instinctively (?) thought of it as a muscular but skinny male…
Yes, very interesting! Perhaps each reader brings a bias toward their own gender?
Very, VERY interesting!
Cam.
I listened to the murderbot diaries through audible. As Kevin R Free was the narrator. I was expecting someone male, but Kevin has a great deadpan voice which fits really well. I hope the tv adaptation is just as good.
Yes, I’ve heard this from other readers who listened to the audiobook. The male narrator made them think “male” so Alexander Skarsgard wasn’t the brain stalk twister it was for others.
Cam
Same! It has not been difficult to imagine Skarsgard in this role because of the male narrator.
Most of what I’ve seen him in (let’s be honest it’s almost all True Blood) has him being very cold and detached. It’s not much of a stretch.
I’m just waiting for The Rise And Fall Of Sanctuary Moon.. seriously though, like you I’m concerned about how they will deal with so many of the best parts featuring Murderbot’s inner voice. In terms of gender I incline towards somewhat female (being one of those myself), my headcasting being Tilds Swinton.
Tilda Swinton would be a super interesting choice! She was marvellous in Orlando.
You’ve hit on what I think is the magic of Murderbot being the internal dialogue. Martha Wells has created a story that I think many of us identify with and can in some way put ourselves into their position. That Murderbot regularly has the helmet on and faceplate opaque means that their appearance is not given a lot of detail, allowing each reader to make their own image of Murderbot. This makes them more accessible to people from many different backgrounds. They can look like me or someone I relate to, whoever I am and it doesn’t make the story weak.
I want to like the show, while trying not to get too hopeful that they will be able to capture this particular magic in a video format that is as effective as the written format.
Yes, that first episode is going to be super interesting!
Cam.
The fact that they cast generic pretty cis het white guy Alexander Skarsgard makes me pretty sure the series is going to suck. Murderbot is sexless, genderless, and has zero sexual orientation. They should be played by a non binary actor, even better if they’re a female non binary actor. Emma D’Arcy or Vivo Ortiz come to mind for me.
Yes, I thought they had missed an opportunity there, too, as I mentioned.
But because I would love to see a *well done* version of Murderbot on screen, I’m still keeping my fingers crossed that this version will be it.
Although it took four or five serious tries before someone nailed Lord of the Rings — and even the Peter Jackson version doesn’t make some people happy.
Cam
Murderbot’s preferred pronoun is not “they”. It is “it”. It feels like a strong statement by it that Murderbot not only does not have a gender but is not a human.
I hope it’s pulled off similarly to Resident Alien with an inner monologue to the viewer. I just finished the first 4 novels and pictured a younger Alan Tudyk as Murderbot (and heard Patton Oswald as ART for some reason). I didn’t really give much thought to MB’s genderlessness until it went into the shop and mentioned skirts. I think I was influenced into thinking of it as more male by the pictures released from the show because that’s how I learned about these amazing books. Starting the 5th now!
Oddly, I heard Alan Tudyk as ART. 🙂
In my mind they (Murderbot) presented as metrosexual. I think it was largely because of the snark and the addiction to media. Plus it made the connection with ART that much more poignant. On the other hand, a portrayal similar to The Expanse’s Bobbie could also fly quite well.
Yes! I liked Bobby very much!
Murder it uses it/its pronouns, not they/them.