From SRP author Cameron Cooper:
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!
Cameron Cooper
SRP Author
Check Cam’s books here on Stories Rule Press.
