The residence, warns Jamaican nurse Brianna (Michelle Greenidge), is usually a “lethal” surroundings for aged folks. “You lucky like plucky you never smash your head on the corner of the coffee table, or land teeth first on the iron doorstep!” she says, fatalistically, as Sue (Sue Johnston) tries in useless to clarify that she didn’t “have a fall”, however fainted on account of low blood stress. In any case, Sue – widowed two years in the past – has wound up in hospital with a sprained wrist and is discharged along with her arm in a sling.
At least she has her son, Michael (Paul Ready), to depend on. Except that Michael – gutless, whiny and lined in purple blotches from a drug trial he’s joined for fast money (“if it was dangerous”, he says, “do you really think drug companies would do it?!”) – is shifting again in along with his dishonest ex. His resolution? A robot carer, preloved and bought on a 24-month contract. Cocking snooks at an period the place all the things is on subscription and on the normal course of late-capitalist journey, the preloved Ann Droid robot is ineffective with out an web connection, and is delivered by overburdened supply driver Cass (Sarah Kendall), who we later uncover has accomplished a PhD on Chaucer. Sue is appalled.
Arriving at a second when debates round AI and robotics may be pretty binary (people – good! robots – dangerous!) this comedy from Aussie comedian Kendall and TV mainstay Diane Morgan gives an intriguing perspective. What if robot carers have been incompetent and socially inept … but additionally thoughtful, compassionate and lovable? It’s not a lot of a spoiler to say that Sue develops an unlikely bond with Linda (performed by Morgan), who reminds her when to take her treatment but additionally devises a programme of social actions for her to stave off isolation and despair. If a few of the extra techy themes recall Channel 4’s 2010s sci-fi drama Humans – with its moral quandaries about utilizing machines as carers and intercourse companions – the extra human components of the collection, particularly Sue’s grief over the loss of life of her husband David, recall one thing extra like Stefan Golaszewski’s weepy sitcom Mum. Add in a heavy dose of Morganian deadpanning a la Philomena Cunk and Mandy, and the zinger-heavy household drama Johnston mastered in The Royle Family and you’ve bought the gist of the factor.
Yet despite these acquainted parallels, Ann Droid feels splendidly contemporary and funny, set in a world that pulls on current tech tropes whereas remaining foolish and singular. Much of this is right down to Morgan, who commits to the bit completely as Linda, with the right degree of unblinking stiffness. Credit should additionally go to her fellow bots – who embrace Roxy (Nicole Sadie Sawyerr) and Keith (Ed Jones) – and are as unnerving as they’re loyal. The distinction between these extremely stilted creations and the quirky characters that encompass Sue – amongst them, smug acquaintance Phyllis (Margot Leicester) and salt-of-the-earth bestie Eileen (Kathryn Hunter) – solely make the collection extra surreal. Not that it wasn’t already: Linda is hooked on The Apprentice and the novelty pop track Cotton Eye Joe, and makes use of her laser-beam eyes to taser the Brazilian jiu-jitsu teacher who slept with Michael’s spouse (“I used a low amperage”).
It is additionally – relying in your mileage for comedies about loss of life and loss – a tearjerker. Johnston is often heartbreaking as Sue, struggling to discover a new regular with out David. At the top of the primary episode, Linda does one thing so touching and means a lot to Sue that she will be able to’t assist however heat to her. Later within the collection, Linda is referred to as on to offer some applicable phrases whereas Sue’s good friend Tom (David Hargreaves) scatters his cousin’s ashes. Seeing a robot parse the trivia of human emotion like this for the primary time is poignant. Not that issues are unhappy for lengthy. It’s off to the seaside funfair, the place Eileen warns towards happening the rollercoaster due to a Swedish girl who was “skewered like a shish kebab” in an accident.
Back in the actual world, the elder-care robots are already right here, notably in Asia. Is it dystopian or – in international locations the place there merely aren’t sufficient folks to take care of an ageing inhabitants – is it just pragmatic? Gladly, Ann Droid treads rigorously and with a lot heat relating to the fact that many older folks discover themselves remoted and in want. Sure, it’s a present a couple of robot, however it’s shot by way of with a love and care which are completely human.
