Though Alan Tudyk’sResident Alienseason 4 is going on right now, Apple TV+‘sMurderbotis the perfect show to watch while waiting for new episodes.Resident Alienseason 4is already off to a strong start, and Alan Tudyk and the rest of thecast ofResident Alienare clearly set to add another great season to one of the best comedy shows on TV right now.Reviews forResident Alienseason 4prove as much, and the show already has a perfect 100% score onRotten Tomatoes. Just about the only thing that can slowResident Aliendown at this point is its weekly release schedule.
Waiting for new episodes is easily the worst part ofResident Alien, but Apple TV+ already has a solution in store. Anyone who can’t wait for new episodes ofResident Alienseason 4 to come out can watch Apple TV+‘sMurderbot, which has already released five episodes.Alexander Skarsgård leads the cast ofMurderbotas the titular SecUnit, an android hired to protect a group of hippie explorers on a hostile alien planet. LikeResident Alien,Murderbotis a high-concept and deeply funny science fiction comedy series, and there are plenty of things that make it the perfect companion show toResident Alien.
Apple TV+’s Murderbot Is Extremely Similar To Alan Tudyk’s Resident Alien
Murderbot & Resident Alien Both Follow Main Characters Who Are Outsiders Trying To Be Loved In A Sci-Fi Comedy Setting
The premise ofMurderbotis essentially the same as the premise ofResident Alien. Murderbot is a “rogue” SecUnit, and it named itself Murderbot because it - at least nominally - wants to kill humans every chance it gets. Harry (Tudyk) inResident Alienis an alien who was sent to Earth to exterminate all human life.In bothMurderbotandResident Alien, however, the protagonists quickly abandon their mission and learn to love all the strange and uncomfortable parts of humanity. Really, the only difference is that Murderbot is an android, while Harry is an alien.
They also have so many thematic similarities.Murderbotsees its SecUnit trying to overcome its social anxiety and general discomfort around humans who like it for no apparent reason, whileResident Aliensees Harry begrudgingly learn to love the very people he’s been sent to kill.BothMurderbotandResident Alienare stories about weirdos and outsiders learning to love and accepting the changes that are inherent to being loved. A lot of their humor also rests on how strange Murderbot and Harry are and how awkward their interactions tend to be in worlds that weren’t made for them.
Murderbot Season 2 May Also Have A Better Chance Of Happening Than Resident Alien Season 5
Murderbotis the perfect show to watch even whileResident Alienis still releasing new episodes, but it may also carry the latter’s torch forward.Resident Alienhas had some notorious problems with getting renewed.Despite its excellent reviews and strong fanbase, each season ofResident Alienoften seems like it could be the last, andResident Alienseason 5 is certainly not guaranteed. We have no idea if USA will renew the series for another season until they tell us they will, and the entire situation is just precarious.Murderbot, on the other hand, has a much better chance of getting to a second season.
Murderbotis based onThe Murderbot Diariesby Martha Wells, and there are already six more books for it to adapt after season 1. Wells also works as a consulting producer forMurderbot, so the show has the direct collaboration of the original author.Chris and Paul Weitz, the showrunners ofMurderbot, have also already explicitly stated that they want to make more seasons and even hinted that they’re already thinking about how to adapt the second book(viaGizmodo.) On top of it all, Apple TV+ has built a reputation as a premiere source of sci-fi TV, and continuingMurderbotwould help with that branding.
The Perimeter
July 11
There is, of course, a chance thatResident Alienwill continue andMurderbotwill be the one to end.Resident Alienis already a certified hit for USA, both critically and commercially, and the network has every reason to continue it for another season. The exact decision-making process they employ may be a mystery, but it wouldn’t be surprising to seeResident Aliencontinue.Murderbot, on the other hand, is more of an unknown.Murderbot’s Rotten Tomatoes scoreis phenomenal, but ifMurderbotisn’t drawing in audiences, it won’t get renewed, no matter how many books there are to work with.
Murderbot
Cast
Murderbot, released on June 20, 2025, is set in a high-tech future where a rogue security robot gains free will. To remain undetected, it must join a mission to protect scientists on a perilous planet, while its true desire is to indulge in watching soap operas.
Resident Alien
A television adaptation of the comic book series, Resident Alien is a sci-fi comedy that stars Alan Tudyk as an alien who crashes on Earth with one mission - destroy humanity to save the planet. When Tudyk’s character takes the identity of a doctor, he arrives at a small town and begins to act the role preparing his plan. As time passes, he develops human emotions against his will - but his plans are further complicated when he meets the son of the mayor - who can see his actual appearance.
