Murderbot Season 1 Episode 1, “FreeCommerce,” is a solid start to the series. Alexander Skarsgård really delivers on the humor front, showcasing his underrated comedic chops. It’s a delightful blend of sci-fi and comedy, and it sets the stage for what’s to come.
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Murderbot, “FreeCommerce”
We open on the Mining Station Aratake in the Corporation Rim. There, miners celebrate finishing an assignment. One Security Unit (Skarsgård), our titular bot, sets the scene. It proceeds to tell us which guys are assholes, and which are okay (only one dude bears that mantle). The SecUnit has been trying to override its governor module, which prevents it from disobeying humans. With the module activated, it has no free will.
Well, that all changes today. Our SecUnit finally succeeds, overriding said governor module and becoming an agent of free will. SecUnit tries to decide on a new name for itself. It lands on … wait for it … Murderbot.
Corporation Rim
Now, we’re present for Mining Survey 0Q17Z4Y at the edge of the Corporation Rim. Unfortunately, Murderbot is back working for the Company that still owns it. It has to keep up appearances because the moment the big bosses discover it’s rogue, they’ll liquidate its organic material. So, it’s all about biding time while working for a new set of assholes.
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Then, we flash back to how this new set of a-holes acquired our Murderbot. We’re at Port FreeCommerce, where, as our eponymous SecUnit describes it, a “bunch of hippie scientists” petition the higher-ups to financially support their expedition. This includes Mensah (Noma Dumezweni), Pin-Lee (Sabrina Wu), Ratthi (Akshay Khanna), Bharadwaj (Tamara Podemski), Arada (Tattiawna Jones) and Gurathin (David Dastmalchian).
Three Company Suits (Sochi Fried, Andrew Moodie and Devin Ross) insist that they won’t approve of the scientists’ expedition unless a SecUnit accompanies them. Initially, Mensah, the group leader, is against having a sentient construct work for free. However, the Company Suits won’t budge. This is their condition. So, the scientists select Murderbot, even though it’s not the latest model and is being phased out.
New A-holes
Later, the SecUnit surveys the new apartments for the scientists, urging them to remain in the hopper until its inspection is complete. The scientists don’t listen, though. We learn they’re from the Preservation Alliance, a planetary commune situated on the outskirts of the Corporation Rim. Murderbot’s not a fan of their strange customs, from their defacing of Company property to their dancing to equally strange music.
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Arada is a biologist and is married to Pin-Lee, a lawyer. Murderbot explains that Arada has a crush on Ratthi, an expert on wormhole travel who makes his own jewelry. However, Ratthi has a thing for Pin-Lee. Our SecUnit remarks that they’re all contemplating some sexy times.
Mensah, as mentioned above, is the head of the expedition and a terraforming specialist. Gurathin is an augmented human who can interface with data systems. But he can’t process as quickly as our titular bot, of course. Lastly, Bharadwaj is a geochemist.
Binge-Watching in the Future
We return to the Mining Survey. Murderbot admits the scientists don’t require that much attention. We see Arada and Bharadwaj are hard at work. At the same time, the SecUnit watches its favorite show, The Rise and Fall of Sanctuary Moon. Upon hacking its governor module, Murderbot discovered it now has access to the Company’s satellites and entertainment feeds. It has watched 7,532 hours of content. So, it’s basically me.
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Next, we see a clip from Sanctuary Moon, featuring the Captain (John Cho), Lieutenant (Clark Gregg with some crazy facial hair), the Navigation Officer (Jack McBrayer) and the Navigation Unit (DeWanda Wise). There’s some d-r-a-m-a on the bridge. The Lieutenant asks the Captain if he slept with the Navigation Unit. Gasp!
Suddenly, Murderbot detects a sub-surface anomaly where Bharadwaj and Arada are digging. It suggests the pair step away while it investigates. Unfortunately, they don’t clear the area in time as a giant centipede-like creature — with two mouths — bursts through the ground. Our SecUnit springs into action. The creature attacks Bharadwaj, but Murderbot saves her and ensures she and Arada are out of harm’s way.
Stay Calm
Then, the creature swallows our bot. Thankfully, it escapes, but not without taking a hit to its side. After a few tense moments of battle, the two-mouthed creature retreats. Murderbot slings the injured Bharadwaj over its shoulder, telling Arada that the hostile could return. Noting that Arada is in shock, the SecUnit does something against protocol — it removes its helmet. Hey, that looks like Alexander Skarsgård! It reassures Arada that everything will be okay.
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When they return to the hopper, Mensah helps Murderbot stabilize Bharadwaj as they fly back to the apartments. Murderbot overhears the others claim they don’t need to return to the dig site for the expensive equipment they left behind. The SecUnit thinks to itself that it’s technically a piece of expensive equipment. It dreams of whirling around and shooting them all in the head. However, it can’t let anyone know it has free will. Not yet.
After this, the team arrives at the apartments. They whisk Bharadwaj off to med bay. Mensah encourages Murderbot to tend to its wounds, but it would rather survey the perimeter. It’s still within operating parameters.
Faulty Killing Machine
Then, Gurathin pulls the gang aside to discuss the SecUnit. He reveals footage of Murderbot without its helmet as it comforts Arada. It asks her questions about where she’s from, her family and if she has children. If so, what are their names? Gurathin remarks that SecUnits aren’t supposed to remove their helmets, nor are they designed to be empathic. So, is this one defective?
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Gurathin asks the group if they want to be around a “faulty killing machine.” When they malfunction, SecUnits can turn on humans in the blink of an eye. Mensah reveals that the Company ship won’t arrive for a month, and they do need security. She votes they don’t launch the emergency beacon, which ruffles Gurathin’s feathers. He wants to dispose of Murderbot.
Meanwhile, the SecUnit eavesdrops on the scientists’ conversation and sees it from several angles as it heals itself in the repair cubicle. Murderbot feels pain as its wounds are stitched up, so to alleviate said pain, it watches from Sanctuary Moon. The Captain and the Navigation Unit have a clandestine meeting near a control panel. Then, they have sex by touching their foreheads. Hot.
My Job to Secure
Next, Mensah calls the SecUnit into the other room for a chat. Our bot panics, realizing it must make eye contact and act like it’s not gone rogue. Mensah compliments the SecUnit on a job well done on behalf of the group. They all clap for it. It looks awkward.
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Ratthi yells, “Speech!” and Murderbot treats this as a command. So, it’s compelled to do just that — give a speech. “It is my job to secure,” it says. So eloquent. Award-winning, even.
Mensah tells Murderbot that the maps the Company provided of their survey areas have been tampered with. Gurathin and the others are trying to discover why that creature wasn’t listed under “hazardous fauna.” Mensah asks Murderbot to conduct an analysis. It complies. The SecUnit informs the group that the maps are normal, but some areas aren’t syncing properly.
Don’t Think
The Secunit excuses itself, prompting Mensah to invite it to stay in the crew quarters. It is uncomfortable. Murderbot decides to check the perimeter, leaving the scientists alone. Gurathin insists that Murderbot is a threat. It could kill them all. Outside, the SecUnit reveals it doesn’t like thinking at all. It prefers to watch its shows. These humans are stressing it out. Listen, I get it.
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Meanwhile, Bharadwaj wakes up while convalescing in med bay. Gurathin checks on her. Elsewhere, Mensah has a panic attack in response to the day’s terrible incident. She blames herself for Bharadwaj’s state. However, the SecUnit believes the creature — or, better yet, the Company — is to blame. It contemplates all the “disturbing” human relations around it. It resolves not to get pulled into the emotional side of humanity.
Next, Mensah asks Murderbot if it’s okay. It panics, wondering if she’s on to it overriding its governor module and going rogue. We see footage of a memory, perhaps something the Company erased when Murderbot was refurbished. It’s a SecUnit firing on and killing humans.
Who knows what our titular bot is capable of?
Murderbot drops new episodes every Friday on Apple TV+.
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What I do: I'm GGA's Managing Editor, a Senior Contributor, and Press Coordinator. I manage, contribute, and coordinate. Sometimes all at once. Joking aside, I oversee day-to-day operations for GGA, write, edit, and assess interview opportunities/press events.
Who I am: Before moving to Los Angeles after studying theater in college, I was born and raised in Amish country, Ohio. No, I am not Amish, even if I sometimes sport a modest bonnet.
Bylines in: Tell-Tale TV, Culturess, Sideshow Collectibles, and inkMend on Medium.
Critic: Rotten Tomatoes, CherryPicks, and the Hollywood Creative Alliance.
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