Murderbot’s eccentric humor has made Apple TV+’s newest science fiction series a delightful bright spot among the streamer’s darker (but no less compelling) sci-fi offerings. ShowrunnersPaul WeitzandChris Weitz’s adaptation of authorMartha Wells’ ongoing novella series hasn’t strayed far from her charmingly idiosyncratic tone, remaining faithful to the characters and the plot of herfirstMurderbotnovella,All Systems Red, while fleshing out the surrounding galaxy with original scenes and composite characters. Including “clips” from the media-addicted Murderbot’s (Alexander Skarsgård) favorite television show,The Rise and Fall of Sanctuary Moon, has gradually become one of the series' most successful additions and running gags. During aMay interview with Tor, the Weitzs citedthe lateDavid Lynch’s surrealist oeuvre as a guidepost for how they transformed Wells' brief descriptions ofSanctuary Moon’s on-page silliness into an endearing onscreen product— while also praising the overlooked benefits of letting actors and directors indulge in some cheesy melodrama.
‘Murderbot’s ‘The Rise and Fall of Sanctuary Moon’ Captures the Low-Budget Soap Opera Mood
A selectively used highlight,The Rise and Fall of Sanctuary Moon’s series-within-a-series set-up distinguishes itself from the rest ofMurderbot’s cooler-toned color palette— whites, grays, and dusty landscapes — through vividly realized production design, a big-name cast having a blast, andimpeccably merging the fervently campy energy ofStar Trek: The Original Serieswith the kind of dramatics— severe expressions, loaded pauses, and prolonged camera zooms — the daytime soap format has spent decades perfecting. Set aboard a futuristic spaceship,Sanctuary Moonfollows an intrepid crew of heroes andtheir many misadventures. Plot twists, cliffhangers, secrets, betrayals, and messy love triangles rule the day, enough so that a betrayed lover interrupts a life-or-death scenario to publicly confront their human loved one about their infidelity with a mutual colleague —an android who’s incapable of feeling affectionor desire (Murderbot’s voiceover confirms just how much of an unrealistic fantasy this plot is).
Indulgent fantasy or not,The Rise and Fall of Sanctuary Moonhas hundreds of in-universe episodes to its name with no end in sight. Although it’s implied that a good chunk of the media-watching population considerSanctuary Moontrashy TV, those who aren’t elitist detractors are devoted fans — including, of course, our favoritesocially awkward android, who uses its specialized programming to memorize plot points. It’s easy to understand why Murderbot, a label-defying non-human constructed in a factory, forced into monitored submission, and designed toprotect its clients through violence, likesvanishing into the cheesiest of melodramatic worlds. The terms “space opera” and “guilty pleasure” exist for a reason, after all.
David Lynch’s Emotional Intensity Inspired ‘Murderbot’s Approach to ‘The Rise and Fall of Sanctuary Moon’
AlthoughSanctuary Moontechnically counts as an affectionate satire of its most obvious inspiration (one that revels inStar Trek: The Original Series’ dated, low-budget glory),the sincere tone driving the actors’ exaggerated performances matches the “with their entire chest” commitment required by the soap opera medium. This touch gives the intentionally outrageous creation asense of place and texture, as doesMurderbot’s budget allocation, which has spared no expense on their fake TV show.Sanctuary Moonbursts off the screen like a fireworks show thanks to its active camera, sleekly tailored costumes, and highly saturated colors — in Episode 6, a planet oozes withiridescent, deeply purple skiesand a radiant pink moon.
Before directing several ofMurderbot’s 10 episodes, includingthe premiere, which introducesSanctuary Moonas a joke good enough to stretch across multiple callbacks, the Weitzs recruited familiar faces for some of the corniest cameos known to humankind. Technically,each guest actor plays an actor with a starringSanctuary Moonrole.John Cho’s Eknie Jef Chem portrays the dashing, stylish, and adulterous Captain Hossein (a wink towards Cho’s time on theEnterprisebridge in theStar Trekreboot movie trilogy), whileClark Greggis Arletty, aka Lieutenant Kulleruu, Hossein’s romantic partner.DeWanda Wisecompletes the love triangle as Pordron Bretney III Roche/Nav Bot 337 Alt 66, whileJack McBrayer’s Breillor MocJac rounds out the main crew as Navigation Officer Hordööp-Sklanch. Even Skarsgårdjoins the playground in Episode 4, when Murderbot’s damaged, delirious sensors project it into an episode ofSanctuary Moon. (Talk about coping mechanisms!)
“I Haven’t Done It Since ‘True Blood’": Alexander Skarsgård Broke His Own Rules for Apple TV+’s Critically Acclaimed ‘Murderbot’
The creators, Skarsgård, and Jack McBrayer take us behind the scenes for the making of ‘Murderbot’ Season 1 in this exclusive Q&A.
Discussing how they approached visualizingMurderbot’s beloved serial, Chris Weitz told Tor: “I think that all writers and actors and directors have instincts which sometimes are very campy and sort of ‘bad,’ but they would secretly love to perform that way without too much retrospection. Sothe chance to act badly or seemingly badly, or to be really over-emphatic and over-emotional, was a really appealing thing to offer to people.“Murderbot’s guest stars took that idea to heart; asWise shared with USA Today, “We’re gonna play it for real and sincerely, with sprinkles of comedy.”
In the same Tor exclusive, Paul Weitz reflected on howDavid Lynch’s unconventional body of work impacted their willingness to embrace the kind ofunfiltered, extreme intensitywe’ve all been taught, by and large, to avoid:
“It’s interesting going back and looking at a lot of David Lynch’s films now, and reading interviews with great actors who feel like he gave them the opportunity to do things as actors that they never were able to do before. There’s an emotionality in those movies which, if you pluck them out and put them into a soap opera, they’d be like, ‘Oh, that’s completely suitable.’ Andit’s soap opera acting, and there’s an over-emotiveness to it, but also, it’s art.”
Camp Can Have Artistic Value, Whether It’s David Lynch or Murderbot’s Trashy TV
Weitz’s assessment of Lynch’s distinct style isn’t inaccurate. A creator who was never afraid toreference his influences,Twin Peaks, in particular,incorporates soap opera, film noir, and classic melodrama tropes into a primetime drama: love triangles-quadrangles, small-town murders,surprise dopplegangers, overwrought yet authentic acting that different directors might either call fearless or terrible, and even its own self-aware show-within-a-show,Invitation to Love. This aspect of his already experimental style can be divisive, especially for people who aren’t familiar or patient with Lynch’s reference points — i.e., the scenery-chewing spectacle andDramatic Chipmunkcamerawork that was commonplace in older films and television, daytime soap or not.
Yet even Lynch’s funniest aesthetics can hardly be considered satirical. When approached in good faith and with the right touch,over-the-top performances can tap into adistressingly raw accuracy and vulnerabilitythat resonates with audiences. Lynch’s actors responded to his vision and emotional sincerity with their own, much like how viewers often must surrender themselves to the whims of a Lynch endeavor and just hang on for the ride. Once we’re immersed in his world, once every production element has coalesced into an arresting and unsettling whole, we can be properly swept away by whatever dream-likenightmare Lynch has decided to unleash. Whether the contributions of his cast and crew are too cloying to be impactful depends on personal taste — but few can doubt their authenticity or their commitment.
InSanctuary Moon’s case, this fake program on a fictional sci-fi show based on a novella doesn’t strive forartistic grandeur. Neither does it scream “Lynchian” at first glance, at least based on what clipsMurderbothas shown thus far. Betweenthe color schemes, the retro-futuristic feel, and the goofy but earnest passion, however, the shoe fits. Plus, the enthusiasm drivingSanctuary Moon’s snippets is infectious and, quite frankly, adorable. Murderbot draws solace from the serial’s epic absurdity and safe predictability, drowning out the stresses it can’t escape in favor of its preferred comfort watch. Many of us who do the same countTwin Peaks,Blue Velvet, andMulholland Driveas comfort media. Whether Murderbot would be a fan of Lynch is a different question, but even its messy, lofty standards should begrudgingly approve of this surprising connection to one of the mostinsightful and intentional melodramaticsto ever do it.
