Apple TV+ has launched Murderbot, a science fiction series that strongly channels the Ridley Scott influence on Blade Runner and Murderbot, setting the stage for a new exploration of synthetic life before Ridley Scott’s own next project, Blade Runner 2099. While Blade Runner remains a cornerstone of science fiction and cyberpunk, Murderbot presents a fresh take on these classic themes, blending deep existential questions with a lighter touch, arriving months ahead of its spiritual ancestor’s sequel series.
Murderbot Bridges the Legacy of Blade Runner with a Modern Twist
Blade Runner, directed by Ridley Scott, left a permanent mark on science fiction cinema, pioneering the cyberpunk genre and sparking widespread fascination with themes of artificial intelligence, human identity, and corporatism. The original 1982 film, its sequel Blade Runner 2049 helmed by Denis Villeneuve, and the highly anticipated Blade Runner 2099 series (starring Michelle Yeoh and Hunter Schafer with Scott returning as producer) have cemented this franchise’s status as a benchmark in sci-fi storytelling.
Murderbot, starring Alexander Skarsgård as the titular SecUnit, emerges as a thought-provoking successor to these films—though not officially part of the franchise. Based on Martha Wells’ celebrated series The Murderbot Diaries, the show unfolds in a future where artificial security units navigate loyalty, free will, and identity as they protect a team of planetary explorers. Skarsgård’s Murderbot is an android troubled by its own social anxiety and tragic past, but who paradoxically grows attached to the unpredictable humans it is assigned to guard. Even if Murderbot operates outside the literal world of Blade Runner, the echoes are clear: this is a story about synthetic beings questioning their existence, autonomy, and place in a human-dominated universe.
Shared Themes of Artificial Life and Corporate Control
Murderbot draws heavily from the existential inquiry that defines Blade Runner, interrogating what it means to be a sentient construct in a world shaped by corporate interests. The show is narrated from the perspective of an artificial being fixated on understanding both itself and the humans that surround it, much like replicants in Blade Runner searched for meaning in their artificially bounded lives. In the words of Blade Runner, the core ethical dilemma surrounds whether replicants should have ever existed; Murderbot extends this:
“should constructs have any autonomy at all.”
—no attribution provided
The series takes concepts like the governor module—controlling its obedience to humans—and reframes them as an evolution of the baseline tests seen in Blade Runner 2049. While Blade Runner posed the possibility of corporations like Tyrell wielding unchecked power over artificial life, Murderbot imagines a society where such control is already realized, and where constructs are widespread, legally bound, and yearning for personal agency. Its worldbuilding—complete with omnipotent companies and gradations of bot consciousness—draws direct inspiration from Blade Runner’s neon-tinged urban sprawl, with added doses of comic relief and warmth.
Through this lens, Skarsgård’s portrayal of SecUnit feels both familiar and fresh, providing a protagonist who is as emotionally fraught as any replicant but with a distinctive balance of humor and heart. Behind the camera, showrunners Chris Weitz and Paul Weitz, along with directors Aurora Guerrero and Roseanne Liang, craft a universe keenly aware of its philosophical heritage but ready to reach new audiences.
The Visual Divide: Cyberpunk Grit Versus Modern Cleanliness
Even with its strong narrative parallels, Murderbot distinguishes itself visually from Blade Runner’s classic aesthetic. While Blade Runner 2099, led by director Jeremy Podeswa and produced for Prime Video, is expected to resurrect the iconic, rain-drenched, neon-lit cityscapes and bleak atmosphere of its forebears, Murderbot’s settings are notably unsaturated. The planets depicted are comparatively plain, the android armor is functional but lacks radical flair, and the environments are much cleaner than the genre’s established visual code. As the anticipation grows for Scott’s sequel—which remains officially under wraps—viewers expect the tone and look of Blade Runner 2099 to immerse them once again in pure cyberpunk ambiance.
By contrast, Murderbot uses its lighter tone and accessible world as a backdrop for grappling with intense themes. Fans longing for the gritty undertones and visual boldness of Blade Runner might find Murderbot’s approach milder, but many will appreciate that it still asks essential questions about freedom, sentience, and identity—framed through an often comedic, more optimistic outlook than its predecessors.
Murderbot’s Release Timeline and Narrative Direction
Murderbot’s inaugural season premiered on May 15, 2025, on Apple TV+, following the journey of a rogue security android who gains independence and must mask this new autonomy while protecting a team of scientists on a hazardous world. The first season’s episode rollout is as follows:
1. FreeCommerce – May 16
2. Eye Contact – May 16
3. Risk Assessment – May 23
4. Escape Velocity Protocol – May 30
5. Rogue War Tracker Infinite – June 6
6. Command Feed – June 13
7. Complementary Species – June 20
8. Foreign Object – June 27
9. All Systems Red – July 4
10. The Perimeter – July 11
Adapted from the first book in Martha Wells’ series, the initial episodes carry a lighter tone peppered with humor, but the source material soon delves into the darker aspects of Murderbot’s history and the dystopian system it inhabits. There is already speculation that, should a second season be commissioned, the show could evolve into territory far more aligned with the somber, philosophical core of Blade Runner.
The Path Forward: Competing Visions and Lasting Influence
As the entertainment landscape gears up for the arrival of Blade Runner 2099, Murderbot has already secured its own distinct place as a thoughtful, entertaining tribute to Ridley Scott’s influence on Blade Runner and Murderbot. While Murderbot is unlikely to supplant Blade Runner’s iconic status—particularly in terms of visual style—it offers a valuable alternative for viewers curious about artificial consciousness but less inclined toward unrelenting darkness. Fans of Scott’s world now have the choice between the polished, lively journey of the SecUnit on Apple TV+ and the return to gritty cyberpunk in Prime Video’s upcoming series.
The success of both Murderbot and Blade Runner 2099 will likely reaffirm the relevance of cyberpunk and artificial intelligence narratives in contemporary culture. With talents like Alexander Skarsgård, Michelle Yeoh, Noma Dumezweni, and the creative direction of Ridley Scott, Martha Wells, Chris Weitz, Paul Weitz, Aurora Guerrero, Roseanne Liang, and Jeremy Podeswa shaping their respective projects, the legacy of stories that question what it means to be human is assured continued life on screen. The Ridley Scott influence on Blade Runner and Murderbot is unmistakable, as each work forges new ground while honoring the philosophical roots set decades ago.
