The bestStar Warstelevision show,Andor, recently finished its second and final season, but Apple TV+‘sMurderbotis the perfect show to watch in its absence.Andoris almost universally recognized as thebest TV showStar Warshas ever made. It was a critical darling with 97% onRotten Tomatoesand topped nationwide viewership charts (viaTHR). It was such a groundbreaking, amazing show that many have wondered ifStar Warscan ever outdoAndor. There’s truly nothing quite like it, and the fact that it’s over has likely left many fans with a big gap in their watchlist.
Nothing can completely replaceAndor, but Apple TV+‘sMurderbotmay scratch the same itch.Murderbotfollows the titular Murderbot (Alexander Skarsgård), an android, known as a SecUnit, who has secretly hacked its own programming and gained independence from its corporate masters. Despite that, Murderbot is roped into protecting the rest of thecast ofMurderbot, a group of naive scientists exploring a hostile alien world.Murderbotis an action sci-fi comedy series, but it also has more than a bit of darkness that makes it perfect for fans ofAndor.
Apple TV+’s Murderbot Perfectly Fits With Andor’s Darker Take On Sci-Fi
Murderbot Is More Comedic, But It Features A Sci-Fi World As Dark & Brutal As Andor’s
While it is a comedy series,Murderbotactually shares a lot of tonal similarities withAndor. That’s mostly thanks to theCompany inMurderbot.The Company is an all-powerful, manipulative, exploitative, and deeply evil organization, not unlike the Empire inStar Wars. The world ofMurderbotis one that desperately wants to either enslave or kill its titular SecUnit, just as the galaxy inAndoris a gritty depiction of fascism and unchecked tyrannical power. BothMurderbotandAndoralso focus on the underdogs who buck against their sinister overlords and their constant struggle for survival.
Perhaps the most important similarity betweenMurderbotandAndoris their general feeling. From the beginning,Andorhad a frantic, paranoid mood as Cassian, Luthen, and others desperately tried to avoid the Empire and the ISB while simultaneously undermining it.Murderbothas that same feeling as Murderbot and its humans are hunted down by a mysterious organization that desperately wants to kill them and cover up the murders.Murderbotmay have more comedy to break up its tension, but it often feels like a life or death situation with danger around every turn, just asAndordoes.
In keeping with the darker tone,Murderbotalso features the same moral complexities thatAndordoes.Neither of these shows are about legends or even necessarily heroes: the characters ofMurderbotandAndorfeel like real people in awful situations. They do bad things and have to live with the consequences. When they kill a character, it’s real and gory and awful. When they choose to depict oppression, they don’t pull their punches, and they’re not subtle about their social commentary. If you likedAndorfor its gritty, no-holds-barred take on science fiction, you can’t go wrong withMurderbot.
Murderbot Has Some Surprising Ties To The History Of Star Wars
Murderbot’s Author Wrote A Star Wars Legend Book & The Show Uses Technology Made For The Mandalorian
Murderbotalso has some surprising connections toStar Warshistory. Martha Wells, who wroteThe Murderbot Diaries, whichMurderbotis an adaptation of, also wrote theStar WarsLegendsnovelRazor’s Edgein 2013. Meanwhile,Murderbotfeatures the fictional “show within a show,“The Rise & Fall of Sanctuary Moon.InReturn of the Jedi, the forest moon of Endor is referred to as a sanctuary moon, and though Wells hasn’t outright confirmed it,Murderbot’sSanctuary Mooncould easily be a reference to Endor. It would make sense for a formerStar Warswriter to include a nod to the movies in one of her later books.
The connections betweenMurderbotandStar Warsgo beyond just Martha Wells, however. AnotherStar Warsshow,The Mandalorian, famously used a new kind offilm technology known as the Volume. The Volume is essentially a set that replaces conventional green screens with a vast array of LED screens that can put any background onto a scene as it’s being filmed.Murderbotalso used the Volume to film the scenes that take place inThe Rise & Fall of Sanctuary Moon(viaCollider), which gives it yet another major connection toStar Warshistory, albeit from a more technological angle.
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I can’t speak for Martha Wells or Paul and Chris Weitz, but I think it’s safe to sayMurderbotdraws at least some measure of inspiration fromStar Wars.Almost every piece of science fiction since 1977 has been influenced byStar Wars, but it’s easy to see inMurderbotthrough things like the Company’s similarities to the Empire. At the very least,Murderbotis another great addition to the sci-fi genre in its own right. It may not surpassAndor- there may never be a sci-fi show that does - butMurderbotis still a great time for any fan ofStar Wars.
Murderbot
Cast
Murderbot, released on July 30, 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.
Andor
Andor is a Star Wars prequel series set before the events of Rogue One, following Cassian Andor as he navigates a world of danger and deception. The series delves into his transformation into a pivotal figure in the struggle against the Galactic Empire.
