Read this review to see if the Murderbot episode “Escape Velocity Protocol” is worth watching.
About Murderbot
- Season 1, Episode 4: “Escape Velocity Protocol”
- Directed by Toa Fraser
- Written by Chris Weitz & Paul Weitz
- Synopsis: While an enemy targets Murderbot, an ally plans their escape. The team deals with leadership changes and a dire ultimatum.
- Airdate: May 30, 2025
- Starring: Alexander Skarsgård, Noma Dumezweni, David Dastmalchian, Sabrina Wu, Akshay Khanna, Tamara Podemski, Tattiawna Jones, John Cho, Clark Gregg, and Jack McBrayer
If you want to avoid spoilers for this episode skip to the overall section at the end.
Warning: Spoilers for Murderbot Season 1 Episode 4 “Escape Velocity Protocol”
Recap Murderbot (2025): S1E04 – “Escape Velocity Protocol”
Apple TV+’s Murderbot Episode 4 is a thrilling adaptation of Martha Wells’ novella series.
The episode begins at a SecUnit production factory in the Corporation Rim section, filled with glitching computers, inconsistent quality control, and unhappy workers. The factory is also full of rumors, with each cyborg designed with a unique face as a security measure. The cliffhanger resolution is a brutal one, with the SecUnit beaten to a pulp and Murderbot barely functioning.
The enemy SecUnit dumps Murderbot onto a metal work table and prepares a combat override module, which will hijack all of Murderbot’s programming, including its free will. The PreservationAux crew is experiencing their crisis, with Mensah (Noma Dumezweni) trying to raise Murderbot over the comms, while Pin-Lee (Sabrina Wu) urges Mensah to go back with them. Arada (Tattiawna Jones) and Ratthi (Akshay Khanna) hear how their de facto leader flexed her authority, prompting Ratthi to seize a gun and embark on a self-appointed rescue mission.
The battered Murderbot struggles to restore its mobility systems and faces an evil SecUnit attempting to snap a combat override module onto its neck. It uses a stalling ploy by singing the in-world soap opera Sanctuary Moon’s theme song, but the SecUnit snaps the module in place. Murderbot falls limp, estimating it has 10 minutes to subvert the programming before disaster strikes. Mensah, an “intrepid galactic explorer,” enters the scene by shoving a spiked mining drill into the SecUnit’s back and out through its chest. Murderbot’s scrambled awareness allows it to understand the situation. Inspired by this, Murderbot unconsciously projects itself and Mensah into the world of Sanctuary Moon, interpreting a threat proximity alert as a hostile starship emerging from a wormhole. Both the real Murderbot and its Sanctuary Moon counterpart scream their lungs out.
Ratthi and Arada are concerned about Ratthi’s safety and the need to reconsider their throuple contract due to the planetary-mystery-turned-emergency situation. They arrive at the DeltFall habitat and hear Mensah’s distress call. Ratthi tries to fire a gun but finds the door locked and controls unresponsive. The heroic SecUnit insists that Mensah abandon ship and escape. Mensah’s gun blasts through the habitat wall, and Ratthi and Mensah barely get a moment to hug before the SecUnit follows them through their escape route. Arada and Pin-Lee crush the SecUnit with the spaceship, but it’s too late.
Murderbot shoots itself in its manufactured heart, turning its last gasp of autonomy into defiance.
Overall: Watch Murderbot (2025): S1E04 – “Escape Velocity Protocol”
A pivotal scene from the Murderbot novels was modified for “Escape Velocity Protocol” while maintaining its unique style. Some of the show’s most serious moments were intercut with incredibly humorous ones. This episode, the best of the season thus far, was a lot of fun to watch while also moving us through the events at breakneck speed. Although I wish I could start watching Episode 5 right now, I do like that the show never fails to leave me wanting more. Until next week!
Apple TV+ debuts new Murderbot episodes every Friday
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