Rapid Insights: ‘Murderbot’ Delivers a Sharp New Take on Emotional Sci-Fi

Apple TV+ recently premiered an offbeat new sci-fi-action-comedy based on an award-winning book series and it already has critics and audiences buzzing. The series stars Alexander Skarsgård as a sentient and hilariously snarky security cyborg who must hide his secretly-gained free will while protecting a team of scientists as they explore a dangerous new planet.

Here’s what you need to know about Murderbot:

Vault AI uses index scores to describe the impact a given story/theme/element will have on specific KPIs: 
≤79 Disappointing  80-89 Challenging  90-109 Average  110-119 Promising  120+ Outstanding

How does this show compare to Apple’s other sci-fi series? 
It skews more male. For Murderbot, we’re seeing an audience composed heavily of men (73%) as well as those 30+ (68%). While the show’s age skew matches its streaming brethren, its gender tilt sets it quite apart from Apple TV+’s previous genre entries (Dark MatterSilo, Hello Tomorrow!, SeveranceInvasionFoundation – all 59-64% men), potentially due to its cyborg-generated action and violence.

Why are so many viewers tuning in? 
For the suspense and excitement. The show follows a quirky group of peaceful scientists exploring a potentially lethal alien planet (Dangerous Mission, 130), and audiences are eager to see how (and if) their cynical security robot–the titular Murderbot–will choose to protect them with its built-in weaponry and military-like fighting skills (Stylized Action & Violence, 144). At the same time, Murderbot must hide the fact that it has an internally rich Secret Life (126)–the cyborg hacked its source code and granted itself free will–lest the scientists destroy it for going rogue, adding a whole new layer of tension. The group’s fraught Team Dynamics (145), filled with dramatic irony, are a major selling point for the show as Murderbot considers its approach to working with its humans (Teamwork, 127).

What’s making the show so bingeworthy? 
Wry humor. While the action and suspense are bringing viewers in, it’s Murderbot’s dry wit that’s keeping them watching. Events in the show are punctuated by the cyborg’s droll internal monologue as it weighs in on the scientists’ ill-advised choices, flinches away from oddities like human eye contact, and generally comments on the absurdities of humanity (Sarcastic Humor, 136; Twisted Humor, 129; Cynicism, 110). Murderbot’s continual sense of snarky Annoyance (129) (it would rather be watching soapy melodramas on a TV satellite feed than interacting with the team) contributes to the show’s overall comedic sensibility.

How is the show’s social buzz? 
Stellar. After the early April trailer produced an “outstanding”-level spike (to 130), the mid-May drop of the first two episodes maxed out our social buzz meter (at 160), where it’s been hovering ever since. This pattern of online activity so far resembles the premiere of Apple’s Silo, currently on its third season.

What will help push this series into a second season? 
Murderbot’s evolution. The cyborg’s twisted sense of humor and advanced security capabilities combine with its social awkwardness, generalized anxiety, and aversion to human interaction to create a uniquely memorable character that can easily drive future seasons of the show as it grows and evolves. Its hilariously Awkward Misadventures (121) in dealing with the scientific team and its Inner Conflict (120) between newly-born personal desires and a strange, budding sympathy for humans are key drivers for the series’ longevity.

Introducing Genre DNA™


Redefine your understanding of TV subgenres

Introducing Genre DNA™ – TV subgenres redefined by groundbreaking AI analysis to reveal the true drivers of viewership.

See the insights that others can’t

Genre DNA™ goes beyond traditional TV genre classifications by analyzing over 1,000 scripted and unscripted series on both linear and SVOD platforms from the last 5 years.

Each Vault Genre DNA™ report offers a precise analysis of your chosen TV subgenre, uncovering its unique drivers of viewership.

*Publicly released trailers for series are evaluated using Vault’s algorithms – utilizing our proprietary 120K+ story element database alongside viewership performance and other datasets – to identify unique combinations of stories, themes, characters, and genre elements that will drive success.

Stay in the know

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Rapid Insights: ‘Duster’ Reveals How J.J. Abrams Reboots 1970s Noir for Today

Max just released an exciting new crime thriller co-created by J.J. Abrams that represents his first return to TV writing in more than twelve years. Set in the 1970s and named for its protagonist’s sporty Plymouth, the series follows a slick career getaway driver and the FBI agent intent on using him to take down a crime syndicate.

Here’s what you need to know about Duster:

Vault AI uses index scores to describe the impact a given story/theme/element will have on specific KPIs: 
≤79 Disappointing  80-89 Challenging  90-109 Average  110-119 Promising  120+ Outstanding

Does this show appeal to the typical J.J. Abrams TV audience? 
No. For Duster, we’re seeing a viewership that skews heavily to men (66%) and those aged 30+ (73%). Even accounting for the differences in TV platforms, the show appeals significantly more to men than Abrams’ previous series: Lost, Alias, and Fringe all landed best with women (57-62%) in their initial linear broadcast and are now roughly gender-balanced on streaming.

What type of story is Duster telling? 
A freewheeling one. The show is a fun, fizzy, eclectic mix of a broad range of genres, with Western (123) showdowns and Action (120)-packed car chases and shootouts welded onto a Crime (130) Thriller (117) framework and topped off with elements of J.J. Abrams’ famous “Mystery (112) Box”–all wrapped in a stylized 1970s package.

Why are viewers tuning in? 
For the suspense and excitement. When Tough Guy (129) Jim, a professional getaway driver for a growing crime syndicate, is ensnared by a tenacious FBI agent determined to take them down, his life on the edge careens wildly off course. Audiences are eager to watch Jim try and scheme his way out of trouble as things spiral out of control (Scary Situations, 120), the bodies start piling up, and he’s forced to play a life-or-death game with the ultimate stakes (Dangerous Mission, 135). The show’s high octane Action & Violence (117) also pushes its thrills to another level.

What’s making this show so can’t-look-away bingeable? 
Its twists and turns. Jim, as completely at ease within the criminal underworld (Criminal Organization, 116) as working hand in hand with the FBI (Moral Ambiguity, 130), ultimately sets in motion an increasingly chaotic showdown of violent clashes and forceful confrontations between the warring parties. There is plenty of Scheming (124) and Betrayals (112) on both sides. With everyone fighting to come out on top, audiences will be on the edge of their seats.

What will help Duster reach a second season? 
Its central partnership. Opposites Attract (120) in the Unlikely Friendship (116) that develops between the cocky, charismatic lawbreaker Jim and the playfully tough, on-the-rise Fed who forces his cooperation. As the FBI’s first Black female agent (US Federal Agency, 114), Nina is determined to take down a criminal empire and prove her worth, while Jim is hellbent on saving his own neck. The grudging-respect-turned-unexpected-rapport that flowers between them as they find a way to work together sets up a compelling story engine that can easily propel future seasons.

Introducing Genre DNA™


Redefine your understanding of TV subgenres

Introducing Genre DNA™ – TV subgenres redefined by groundbreaking AI analysis to reveal the true drivers of viewership.

See the insights that others can’t

Genre DNA™ goes beyond traditional TV genre classifications by analyzing over 1,000 scripted and unscripted series on both linear and SVOD platforms from the last 5 years.

Each Vault Genre DNA™ report offers a precise analysis of your chosen TV subgenre, uncovering its unique drivers of viewership.

*Publicly released trailers for series are evaluated using Vault’s algorithms – utilizing our proprietary 120K+ story element database alongside viewership performance and other datasets – to identify unique combinations of stories, themes, characters, and genre elements that will drive success.

Stay in the know

Subscribe to get Rapid Insights delivered to your inbox or follow us on LinkedIn

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Rapid Insights: ‘The Eternaut’ Shows How Survival Sci-Fi Travels Beyond Borders

Netflix recently released a chilling live-action adaptation of an iconic Argentinian graphic novel, offering up another compelling addition to the current wealth of post-apocalyptic sci-fi dramas. Taking place in Buenos Aires, the show follows a group of survivors fighting back against an alien invasion after an otherworldly toxic snowstorm kills off most of the population.

Here’s what you need to know about The Eternaut:

Vault AI uses index scores to describe the impact a given story/theme/element will have on specific KPIs: 
≤79 Disappointing  80-89 Challenging  90-109 Average  110-119 Promising  120+ Outstanding

Who’s been tuning in for this new Spanish-language series? 
We’re seeing an audience that’s mostly men (69%) and those 30+ (60%). While most other post-apocalyptic shows aim for the same general viewership sweet spot, The Eternaut skews more toward men than most; the streaming audiences for series like The Last of Us, Silo, Falling SkiesThe Walking Dead and its spin-offs, and The Stand all land slightly lower (55-64% men). The exception in this genre is Fallout, which represents an even more heavily targeted approach (73% men).

What does The Eternaut have in common with other series in this genre? 
Characters fighting to survive. One of the hallmarks of post-apocalyptic storytelling is a protagonist struggling against overwhelming odds in a dangerously hostile environment, and when the planet itself has turned against them, their chances seem increasingly bleak. In The Eternaut, the backdrop is the devastated city of Buenos Aires, and the small group of survivors at the center of the story are in just as much peril (Life in Danger, 133) and have to rely just as much on their wits (Survival Skills, 132) as, for example, The Last of Us’s Joel and Ellie and Fallout’s Lucy. For all of these shows, these survivalist elements are important drivers of longevity.

What’s making this show so compulsively watchable? 
Its unique threat. The series’ most original aspects are driving its bingeability, led by the antagonistic Alien Lifeform (160) taking over Earth and wielding a toxic snowstorm as a weapon of mass destruction (Biological Warfare, 134). Audiences simply can’t look away from the Scary Situations (152) that result, and, with the survivors’ World Turned Upside Down (160), viewers are anxious to see how and if they’re able to reclaim their city from the hostile invaders.

What will help push The Eternaut to a second season? 
Its locale. Though initially a limited series, there’s always a chance for more, and it’s the show’s Non-US Setting (123) that could ultimately open up the storytelling possibilities for American audiences. The survivors’ Dangerous Mission (126) in a novel environment–Buenos Aires rather than New York, D.C., or California–is what will keep viewers interested should the story continue through another season.

What’s driving viewership in the show’s native Argentina? 
The human-alien war. Local audiences are expected to be most drawn to The Eternaut’s intensely thrilling Action & Violence (124) as well as the alien invaders’ cataclysmic Biological Warfare (113). Argentine viewers are looking for even more of an edge-of-your-seat, heart-pounding thrill ride than their American counterparts

Introducing Genre DNA™


Redefine your understanding of TV subgenres

Introducing Genre DNA™ – TV subgenres redefined by groundbreaking AI analysis to reveal the true drivers of viewership.

See the insights that others can’t

Genre DNA™ goes beyond traditional TV genre classifications by analyzing over 1,000 scripted and unscripted series on both linear and SVOD platforms from the last 5 years.

Each Vault Genre DNA™ report offers a precise analysis of your chosen TV subgenre, uncovering its unique drivers of viewership.

*Publicly released trailers for series are evaluated using Vault’s algorithms – utilizing our proprietary 120K+ story element database alongside viewership performance and other datasets – to identify unique combinations of stories, themes, characters, and genre elements that will drive success.

Stay in the know

Subscribe to get Rapid Insights delivered to your inbox or follow us on LinkedIn

Past Rapid Insights: Miss one? Check out previous issues here

Rapid Insights: ‘Ransom Canyon’ Turns Romance into the Western’s Secret Weapon

Several weeks ago, Netflix premiered a buzzy new romantic western that puts a more heightened emotional spin on a classic American genre. The show stars Josh Duhamel and Minka Kelly as longtime friends-turned-lovers against a backdrop of family feuds, power struggles, and the small-town way of life in Texas ranch country.

Here’s what you need to know about Ransom Canyon:

Vault AI uses index scores to describe the impact a given story/theme/element will have on specific KPIs: 
≤79 Disappointing  80-89 Challenging  90-109 Average  110-119 Promising  120+ Outstanding

Which of the show’s dual genres is the audience tuning in for? 
Romance. Ransom Canyon has a viewership that leans heavily toward women (63%) and those aged 30+ (68%)–a much closer match for romantic dramas like Virgin RiverSweet Magnolias, Firefly LaneWhen Calls the Heart, and Cedar Cove (67-77% women) than more traditional westerns like Yellowstone, Deadwood, Lawmen: Bass ReevesGodless, or 1923 (which skew 53-62% men). Still, its rugged western setting tempers the female skew slightly, offering a broader draw than traditional romantic dramas.

What is resonating most with viewers? 
Surprisingly, the high school drama. Though the show’s headliners are its two adult stars, the fact that Ransom Canyon also explores Teen Life (148) in its rural Texas setting, showcasing the football players, cheerleaders, and troublemakers that make any small-town story relatable, ultimately carries more weight. This element is the top driver for ratings, longevity, and social buzz and the second-highest for bingeability, outstripping both of the lead characters’ storylines in each area.

Why else are viewers adding this show to their queue? 
To watch the messiness of Falling in Love (137). In the town of Ransom Canyon, Emotions Run High (137) as various characters become locked in romantic entanglements and bitter feuds, torn between their desires, traditions, and responsibilities (Inner Conflicts, 118). Central to this set-up are old friends Staten and Quinn, who reconnect just as Quinn is growing close to another man (Love Triangle, 114). Audiences are eager to see the pair’s complicated love story play out–especially as they begin to act on their Sexual Desires (121), which aids with bingeability.

What type of emotional experience are audiences looking for? 
A sweet and loving one. Through Staten and Quinn as well as various other couplings, both teen and adult, that take place in the town, viewers are leaning in to feel the heady rush of new love and emotional vulnerability They want to relish feelings of Awe (137), Amazement (137), and Anticipation (137) right alongside the characters and imagine themselves in similar moments of Distraction (137)Submission (137), and building Trust (137).

What will help propel Ransom Canyon into future seasons? 
The clash between ranching dynasties. The series explores the rising friction among several of the town’s most influential clans (Family Tension, 120) as they fight to preserve their Family Legacies (119) and protect their rural way of life from outside forces. This broader backdrop, combined with the show’s exploration of the town’s teenaged generation, will serve as a crucial story engine for seasons to come.

Introducing Genre DNA™


Redefine your understanding of TV subgenres

Introducing Genre DNA™ – TV subgenres redefined by groundbreaking AI analysis to reveal the true drivers of viewership.

See the insights that others can’t

Genre DNA™ goes beyond traditional TV genre classifications by analyzing over 1,000 scripted and unscripted series on both linear and SVOD platforms from the last 5 years.

Each Vault Genre DNA™ report offers a precise analysis of your chosen TV subgenre, uncovering its unique drivers of viewership.

*Publicly released trailers for series are evaluated using Vault’s algorithms – utilizing our proprietary 120K+ story element database alongside viewership performance and other datasets – to identify unique combinations of stories, themes, characters, and genre elements that will drive success.

Stay in the know

Subscribe to get Rapid Insights delivered to your inbox or follow us on LinkedIn

Past Rapid Insights: Miss one? Check out previous issues here

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