
Back to All News
Love, Death Robots': The Story Behind the Anthology Series' First-Ever Sequel
Netflix Staff
Entertainment
18 May 2022
Global
Ever since its debut in 2019, Love, Death Robots has subverted expectations. So for Season 3, the NSFW anthology of animated stories is, again, doing something completely unexpected: a sequel.
The new episode Exit Strategies welcomes back K-VRC, XBOT 4000, and 11-45-G, the trio of inquisitive droids at the center of Three Robots, as they continue their investigation into the cause of the end of the (human) world.
Just like any archaeologists, human, robot or otherwise, they are going on information that is piecemeal at best, says Exit Strategies writer John Scalzi. And they have to make assumptions, they have to guess, and sometimes they get it wildly incorrect. When they do, hopefully, it's funny.
While the original Three Robots episode was based on a short story by Scalzi, the acclaimed sci-fi author of the best-selling Old Man's War series and the Hugo Award-winning Redshirts, this time around he wrote the script, too - concurrent with a short story.
Ahead of Love, Death Robots' Season 3 debut, Scalzi talked about revisiting these characters, why he wanted to write the script and the surprising experience that helped prepare him for the collaborative process.
How did it feel to return to these characters?
For me, the thing that was great is I wrote the characters because, years ago, a friend of mine kept poking me until I contributed to her anthology, Robots Vs. Fairies. I knocked it out in about an hour. The fact that something I did to keep my friend from annoying me has gone on to have such a long life - first in the book, then the first season, then being the only episode that is explicitly a sequel - just tickles me. And it thrills me, because the longer I'm with those characters, the more I love them.
The episode manages to make a point, without being heavy-handed. Is that a line you're aware of walking?
Oh, absolutely. This is the thing I'm very conscious of in my science-fiction generally. Your first job is to entertain people. If they're aware I'm coming with a point with a capital P then immediately a bunch of walls go up. My interest is less in lecturing people than it is in letting them have a good time and then once they get out the door they can think about the things that they've seen.
With the first Three Robots, Philip Gelatt adapted your short story, but here you've written both, right?
They were written in tandem. Because [executive producer] Tim [Miller] said, Can we have a sequel? So I pitched a treatment, then wrote a script, then wrote a short story that was more in the style of the original story. It was interesting to present this story in different media. Having the original animated version gave me a real solid grounding of how I wanted those characters' personalities to proceed. XBOT 4000 is massive yet neurotic. K-VRC is enthusiastic, but not the smartest kid on the block. And then 11-45-G is basically Daria - from the MTV television series Daria. Just completely deadpan and the smartest of the group. Just having that mix of characters made it a lot easier to come back and say, What sort of scenarios are you going to put them into? We know the format has to basically be: We are at the end of the days of humanity. And they're fascinated by human culture. So how can we continue that and not just have it be a rehash of what's been done before? 'Cause there's a fine line between having a mode and having a shtick.
How did you find the collaborative process of adapting your work?
I can understand why a lot of novelists don't like it. The good news for me was before I became a novelist and short story writer, but after I'd become a journalist, there was a period of time where I was doing a lot of corporate consulting. And that consisted of coming in and saying, What is it you need? How do you need it? Let me do it. What are your notes? So, weirdly enough, corporate America was much more useful for me, in terms of dealing with the collaborative filmmaking process, than fiction was. That's not to say I accepted every single note. I argued with Tim back and forth. And one of the great things about Tim, in particular, is that you can say to him: No, I think this is bullshit, and here's my 10-point list why. And he will actually listen. Sometimes he'll be like, You're wrong, but you never got the feeling he wasn't listening.
In terms of the science fiction community, how do you feel that Love, Death Robots as a whole is perceived and valued?
To have Love, Death Robots come out and immediately there are so many hot takes - both from the science fiction community and the people who are watching in the film-television community - has been really gratifying. It wasn't a pebble thrown into the ocean that sinks straight down with barely a ripple. It was a big fucking splash.
Love, Death Robots Volume 3 premieres May 20.
More from Netflix
11/07/2025
Back to All News
Too Hot to Handle: Italy Is Coming on July 18 Only on Netflix
Entertainment
11 July 2025
GlobalItaly
Link copied to clipboard
July 11, 20...
11/07/2025
Back to All News
Netflix Will Release Death Inc. Seasons 1, 2 and 3
Entertainment
11 July 2025
GlobalSpain
Link copied to clipboard
Season 1
Season 2
Se...
10/07/2025
Back to All News
Netflix Presents the Official Trailer for SuperestarPlay Video
Play Video
Entertainment
10 July 2025
GlobalSpain
Link copied to clipboard...
10/07/2025
Back to All News
Bringing Culture Into Focus on My Brilliant Career': Firs...
09/07/2025
Back to All News
Netflix Has Released the Trailer for Letters From the Past, Sp...
09/07/2025
Back to All News
Netflix Announces the Start of Filming for Aquel, the New Seri...
09/07/2025
Back to All News
Netflix Set to Adapt Solo Leveling' Into Korean Live-Acti...
08/07/2025
Back to All News
Lust. Betrayal. Obsession. Fatal Seduction Returns with a Smou...
08/07/2025
Back to All News
The Monster of Florence: The Four-Episode TV Series Directed b...
08/07/2025
Back to All News
Shooting of 53 Sundays, Cesc Gays New Project, Is Finished
Entertainment
08 July 2025
GlobalSpain
Link copied to clipboard
Download the f...
07/07/2025
Back to All News
Vir Das Finds His Voice Again in Netflix's Fool Volume, Pr...
07/07/2025
Back to All News
The Long-Awaited Trailer is Here: Alice in Borderland' Se...
07/07/2025
Back to All News
Anime for Every Fan: Fueling a New Era of Global Storytelling
Entertainment
07 July 2025
GlobalUnited StatesJapan
Link copied to clipboard...
07/07/2025
Back to All News
She Walks in Darkness, Agust n D az Yanes New Film, Premieres ...
05/07/2025
Back to All News
Superestar, the Story of a Star Who Never Changed. Premiering July 18
Entertainment
05 July 2025
GlobalSpain
Link copied to clipboard
Dis...
03/07/2025
Back to All News
Netflix Announces the Premiere of Im Still a Superestar, a Doc...
03/07/2025
Back to All News
Get Ready for Even More Action! Netflix Has Confirmed the Thir...
03/07/2025
Back to All News
Get ready for even more action! Netflix has confirmed the thir...
01/07/2025
Back to All News
A Line Crossed: Netflix Drops Explosive Trailer for New Series, MarkedPlay Video
Play Video
Entertainment
01 July 2025
GlobalSouth Africa
...
01/07/2025
Back to All News
Neil Patrick Harris to Host What's In The Box - A Bold New...
01/07/2025
Back to All News
Feel the Beat: Glass Heart' Main Trailer and Title Song RevealedPlay Video
Play Video
Entertainment
01 July 2025
GlobalJapan
Link co...
01/07/2025
Back to All News
Watch: A Line Crossed: Netflix Drops Explosive Trailer for New...
30/06/2025
Back to All News
NASA Is Coming to Netflix This Summer
Entertainment
30 June 2025
GlobalUnited States
Link copied to clipboard
NASA and Netflix are teami...
30/06/2025
Back to All News
Netflix Releases Trailer for Petra Costas New Documentary Apoc...
30/06/2025
Back to All News
Netflix releases trailer for Petra Costas new documentary Apoc...
30/06/2025
Back to All News
Bel n Cuesta and Karra Elejalde Star in El ni o, the New Film ...
30/06/2025
Back to All News
A New Dangerous Troll Awakens: Netflix Unleashes Teaser for Troll 2Play Video
Play Video
Entertainment
30 June 2025
GlobalNorwayDenmarkSwe...
29/06/2025
Back to All News
A Secret Society, Ritualistic Killings, and a Century-Old Curs...
27/06/2025
Back to All News
Let the Final Games Begin With Squid Game' Season 3 Complete Coverage Guide
Entertainment
27 June 2025
Global
Link copied to clipboar...
27/06/2025
Back to All News
Squid Game: Unleashed: Celebrate the Epic Series Finale With N...
25/06/2025
Back to All News
Its Worth It by Dani Rovira Arrives at Netflix on July 11thPlay Video
Play Video
Entertainment
25 June 2025
GlobalSpain
Link copied to cl...
25/06/2025
Back to All News
Step Into the Game IRL With Squid Game Season 3-Inspired Produ...
25/06/2025
Back to All News
Teaser for Action Thriller Series Trigger' Unleashes Tens...
25/06/2025
Back to All News
Love, Conflict and Family Drama: Netflix Drops The Trailer For...
25/06/2025
Back to All News
The Ripple Effect of K-Content: How Netflix Viewers Are Embracing Korean Culture
A giant Young-hee presides over the Red Light, Green Light g...
23/06/2025
Back to All News
Squid Game By the Numbers: How Player 456 Took Over the World
From left to right: Park Sung-hoon, Kang Ae-shim, Lee Jung-jae, Hwang Dong-hyuk...
22/06/2025
Back to All News
Fall For Me - Erotic Summer Drama by Sherry Hormann Starts August 21
Netflix / Julia Terjung
Entertainment
22 June 2025
GlobalGermany
L...
22/06/2025
Back to All News
Wall to Wall': Gripping Thriller Set in an Apartment Comp...
20/06/2025
Back to All News
Turn Your Netflix to "Fool" Volume: Vir Das Drops a New Special on July 18!
Entertainment
20 June 2025
GlobalIndia
Link copied to clipboar...
19/06/2025
Back to All News
A Father. Two Kids. And the Videos She Left Behind. Catalog to...
18/06/2025
Back to All News
F ria, the New Netflix Series Starring Vinicius Neri, Fabio La...
18/06/2025
Back to All News
One Man Against All Odds: Ziam' Trailer Teases Thrilling ...
17/06/2025
Back to All News
WIF Welcomes 2025 Fellowship Class
WIF 2025 Fellows Class Photo
Social Impact
17 June 2025
United States
Link copied to clipboard
Today,...
17/06/2025
Back to All News
My Brilliant Career Series Adaptation Now in Production in Sou...
17/06/2025
Back to All News
Netflix and TF1 Group Join Forces to Bring TF1 to Netflix Members in France
Entertainment
17 June 2025
GlobalFrance
Link copied to clipbo...
17/06/2025
Back to All News
Two Graves Arrives on Netflix on August 29
Entertainment
17 June 2025
GlobalSpain
Link copied to clipboard
Download the first images
Net...
12/06/2025
Back to All News
Brick: No Way Out - Mystery Thriller With Matthias Schweigh fe...
12/06/2025
Back to All News
Irresistibly Cute Trailer for My Melody & Kuromi' Unveils...
12/06/2025
Back to All News
Netflix Gets Animated at Annecy!
Top row from left to right: Fixed (Film), In Your Dreams (Film), Long Story Short (Series)
Bottom row from ...