Alexander Skarsgård’s New Apple TV+ Sci-Fi Show Debuts With 100% Rotten Tomatoes Score Ahead Of Release

Days before its release, Apple TV+’s Murderbot has earned a lauded 100% score on Rotten Tomatoes. Murderbot is a science fiction action comedy series starring Alexander Skarsgård as a high-tech robot who’s forced to hide his newly acquired free will. The show is based on The Murderbot Diaries books by American author Martha Wells, and will be available to watch on 5/16/25.

Critics granted early access to Murderbot have praised the show for various reasons, though many of the 19 reviews on Rotten Tomatoes cited Skarsgård’s leading role as the highlight. Collider’s 8/10 review praises Skarsgård’s performance, saying, “Skarsgård’s Murderbot is awkward and endearing, with comedic timing that takes you by surprise.” Other reviews highlight Apple TV+’s continued success in the science fiction genre.

What This Means For Murderbot’s Apple TV+ Debut

Murderbot’s Biggest Winner Looks To Be Alexander Skarsgård

Apple TV+ is no stranger to TV shows debuting with positive reviews, and continued critical success could lead to award acclaim and some audiences. That said, to achieve the broader success the platform found with shows like Ted Lasso or Severance, word of mouth is going to have to be a factor. With so many shows available on different streaming platforms, positive reviews aren’t enough to determine what the viewership numbers will look like. It does seem to be a massive win for Alexander Skarsgård, regardless.

TV fans will recognize Alexander Skarsgård from a variety of hits, be it Succession, Big Little Lies, True Blood, or something else. However, the 48-year-old Emmy and Golden Globe winner hasn’t been the leading actor in a TV series since 2008’s Generation Kill. He’s starred in some feature films, but his most distinguished work has been in supporting roles on TV. The unanimous praise in Murderbot’s reviews for Skarsgård indicates a personal win, proving that he can carry a show on his back.

Our Take On Murderbot’s 100% RT Success

Apple TV+ Is Becoming A Reliable Service For Sci-Fi Fans

Apple TV+ isn’t the biggest streaming service, but I’ve spent years praising its efforts to develop television to match the quality of HBO. Science fiction has undoubtedly been its strong suit, with titles like Severance, Silo, For All Mankind, Foundation, and more, receiving critical acclaim. There’s no better platform out there for the genre, and Murderbot’s positive reviews indicate it will further bolster that reputation.

Part of what makes Murderbot so exciting is that it’s an entirely fresh lens on science fiction, compared to the TV we’re used to. The comedic tone makes Murderbot feel closer to the film Mickey 17 than to another distant future sci-fi epic like Foundation, assuring something fresh and potentially more approachable than Apple’s other titles in the genre. Apple is sticking to its guns while also avoiding redundancy.

Sources: Rotten Tomatoes, Collider