Whilst there's a degree of likeability to this tale, its handling lets it down. "Murderbot" has a rather eccentric, black comedy vibe. The idea of a robot that's liberated itself from its programmed restraints, quietly observing humanity from its own unique viewpoint, is intriguing. Having Alexander Skarsgård in the lead, isn't a bad move either. He does well in somewhat " out there" drama's, as he did with "True Blood". Regrettably, the incessant, almost obsessive need these days to tick, by now drearily predictable, DEI boxes, gets in the way. The result is peripheral characters, who are mostly tiresome woke caricatures. Its a shame too, because there is genuine talent on offer. David Dastmalchian, for example, exceeds his characters limitations, handing in an acerbically understated, engaging performance, as an AI augmented scientist, who is suspicious and antagonistic towards the robot. Beyond this, we have decent, if unremarkable special effects and a story that has legs but is hamstrung by the tone of this series. In summary, mildly making fun of woke human characteristics through the lens of a robots perspective, really doesn't make them any less woke. As has been the case with many DEI tainted series, this represents another largely missed opportunity. What a shame, once again.
