| Worth seeing: | for the unconventional and unexpected friendship that develops between Sue and Linda but don't expect this exploration of future technology to offer any real insights into our future |
| Featuring: | Diane Morgan, Sue Johnston, Amanda Bright, Andrea Valls, Carla Woodcock, Danny John-Jules, Ed Jones, Kathryn Hunter, Margot Leicester, Matt Barkley, Maximilian Osinski, Nicole Sadie Sawyerr, Nimisha Odedra, Paul Ready, Rupert Vansittart, Sarah Kendall, Tom Hargreaves |
| Key crew: | Joseph Roberts, Pippa Brown, Sarah Kendall |
| Channel: | BBC iPlayer, BBC1 |
| Length: | 29 minutes |
| Episodes: | 6 |
| Broadcast date: | 17th July 2026 |
| Country: | UK |
WHAT’S IT ABOUT?
As Michael (Paul Ready) moves back in with his estranged wife Renee (Andrea Valls), to assuage his guilt at leaving his elderly mother Sue (Sue Johnston) alone, he buys her an android home-help, carer and companion (Diane Morgan).
But being a bit of a failure in pretty much everything in life, Michael can only afford to buy her an aging, bottom of the range model. Sue isn’t too bothered about that, as she doesn’t want her anyway. Or so she thinks.
Sue soon learns to live with her – and rely on her – to help her around the house, provide friendship and teach her a thing or two about life that only an android could know.
WHAT’S IT LIKE?
Created by Diane Morgan – known to fans of Philomena Cunk, Motherland and Mandy – Ann Droid was always going to be worth a look.
Taking the role of the eponymous android, Morgan’s deadpan delivery effectively demonstrates the often difficult relationship between humans and technology.
Anyone familiar with Alexa will recognise the occasional misunderstanding and the frustration – and humour – that can cause.
Casting her alongside an elderly character – the type least likely to be comfortable with new technology – provides further avenues for fun.
It’s good to see her reunited with her Motherland co-star Paul Ready, who’s as henpecked now as he was then – previously by fellow parents at the school gate and now by his estranged-wife, mother and new assistant.
The overarching story lacks originality – man feels guilty about leaving his mother to cope when he moves out and the predictable arc of what follows – and offers little surprise. And while Morgan’s depiction and portrayal of the walking, talking Alexa is initially insightful, it becomes a bit of a one-gag show.
With the android – renamed Linda – being an out-dated model, opportunities for gags seem to be missed – Sue doesn’t even have to turn Linda off and on again, for example – similarly, why call the show Ann Droid if this isn’t the character’s perfectly acceptable name – and much of the time, Linda is more of a socially-limited companion than a ground-breaking piece of technology – and the interactions between her and other androids also feel wanting. No chance of the AI taking over here.
The warmth of the unexpected and unconventional friendship that develops makes for a pleasant viewing experience, a perfectly easy watch and constant light entertainment, but it lacks the imagination to explore the future that it’s hinting at.
Lacking the bite of Philomena Cunk or the edge of Mandy, it feels a little like Morgan is trying to play it safe to appeal to a more mainstream audience.
There are sprinklings of genius, as the show explores some philosophical avenues that might seem beyond the intellectual level of a simple sitcom, and no shortage of memorable moments, but with a handful of supporting characters with little new to offer and a thoroughly predictable wider storyline, it feels like – as with Mandy – Morgan has created an original character but failed to life up to her own potential.