AIBU to think the robot was better company than Sue's son?

[Devilwearspradaxo]

I have finished watching Ann Droid on BBC and absolutely loved it. I have seen many threads on here and reddit where people are relying heavily on AI and dare I say.. are entering relationships of sorts. I always thought these people were a bit mad.. but after watching Ann Droid, my opinion has changed slightly.

Sue had an awful son. Had no real interest in his mum. He was rude, arrogant and forgetful. The day the robot was sent back he forgot his mums medication, forget it was her 50th anniversary and made fun of her having a dinner party. After moving back in, his priority was going on a date! I know its a tv series and not real however, it got me thinking... humans can be horrible and maybe thats why people are relying on AI too much. Linda didnt forget Sue's medication, she was keeping Linda busy to keep her mind off her 50th anniversary, she instantly recognised Sue was depressed... etc.

Anyway, i would have sent the son away rather than the robot. What a horrible man he was.

Me too! I have a number of friendly acquaintances, but I have very few friends, just 2 friends from many years ago who I see 6-8 times a year and have a pub lunch with. Then there's DH of course who's a constant in my life, and my 2 adult DC who have busy lives, but I manage to see 2-3 times a month, but I would love a robot friend like Ann Droid! There all the time for me when I need her, and someone to chat shit to and moan at, but can shut her down when it suits! 😆

Without wanting to sound Peak MN I wonder if it’s a quite nice commentary on how autism is valuable in society. There are lots of people out there who can’t necessarily ‘read’ social cues but are really invested in making people feel loved.

Saying this as an autistic older daughter who might not always get the ‘why’ but wants to help someone water a flower because they get it’s important to someone.

Does anyone remember the TV series Humans? Ann Droid was the humorous version of that.

TwoLeftSocksWithHoles I loved your comment, let’s both save up and share a ‘Linda’ 🌷🤣

Yes, a weakness of the show was that the son and his wife were just caricatures. But there was plenty else to enjoy!

I felt a bit sorry for the son towards the beginning of the series, Renee treated him awfully although he was being a doormat. But yes, towards the end he became a massive self involved twat and I really didn’t like him.

I do agree with what a previous poster said though about how he also had stuff going on, a divorce and job loss, which to be fair is a lot to deal with and probably added to his twattiness, not to excuse his behaviour but I understand it a bit more after thinking about it from that perspective. I hope if there is a series 2 he’s toned down a bit and has a bit of a redemption.

I thought it was excellent and I'd love an Ann Droid in my dotage. Michael was a twat but Renee and the Martial arts bloke were insufferable. I don't laugh at much on TV but that series was hilarious and Diane Morgan is a genius, the funniest comedienne ever. She deserves to be recognised as it's been decades of slog for her to get where she is.

Another budding fan here. I say budding because I’m only on episode 3. Watched the first one weeks ago then got interrupted by holidays and life in general. The very first one made me cry, that bit about planting the flower. ‘Dead David’ 😢😂.

I think it’s very deliberate that the majority of the characters are not nice, and in quite a caricatured way. It’s quite allegorical I think (is that the right word?). It’s not accidental that basically none of the humans care about Sue at all really. That awful frenemy she has, can’t remember her name!

Yes, you’re spot on. Everyone around her not being particularly nice really highlighted how she needed a robot to bond with!

He was amazing as the ships doctor in the terror

I loved the droids attempting social interaction and laughing hysterically in the background of the charity shop ❤️

I am the exception. This was Metal
Mickey for the twenties. I watched the trailer and cringed. Read the reviews and decided to try a few episodes. Still cringing. Caricatures and it kind of upset me that the premise of the son being ‘hopeless’ is an expectation that a child should support a parent practically, emotionally and in every way. As a burnt out carer, who is expected to do it all by medics, neighbours and other professionals, I didn’t find it funny. This is where unrealistic and unreasonable expectations are born. Even setting that view point aside, I felt I’d gone back to the eighties and that an episode of ‘sorry!’ might follow.

That’s literally the point of the show

That’s not the point. The point was he wasn’t expected to do those things, he was choosing to. But he wasn’t even kind to her and she realised that.

I liked the bit in the shop when Sue said “I look in the mirror and see an old woman looking back at me” and Linda chirps “Sue, that old woman is you”

This, he had only moved back in as his wife was shagging around. Not to support his mum.

I did like the fact that the robot delivery truck driver had a PhD. Nice bit of satire on robots making well qualified humans a bit, well, redundant (or that’s how I took it).

I’m not sure I understand what you mean The point was he wasn’t expected to do those things, he was choosing to. what things are you referring to?

For me, it was a tired trope- ineffective son who ‘should have’ been helping his mum/keeping her company/ planting her rose/getting her medicine and whatever else. Sure he was taking advantage of free accommodation when it suited but it’s not on children to take care of their parents and be their companion and for me this started from a position of presumption that he ought to be ‘looking after mum’ and he was shown doing a bad job as a contrast to a robot. I also disliked that Sue Johnston seemed pretty able and capable of planting her own rose so it wasn’t a great depiction of ageing and needing care either.

this was just one reason to dislike it - the ‘what would a robot make of the human world?’ has been done many times - The Jetsons, Futurama, the eponymous Metal Mickey and, same comedic formula of ‘fish out of water’ but with an alien, Mork and Mindy.

i know I’m in a minority here and in terms of critical reviews too, but I’m not unique either - there are other threads on here with people who can’t get on board with this comedy.

Sue is the burnt out carer; she cared for her husband until he died.

I don’t think it’s set up so the audience dislike Michael because he doesn’t give everything up to care for Sue, or that, as we’re told, he didn’t do it for his father either. It’s that he prioritises a cheating, controlling partner over his mother.

I don't think @TwoLeftSocksWithHoles meant to be snide! More affirming/funny 💐

Admittedly I only watched 3 or 4 episodes but I don’t remember it being mentioned that Sue cared for her husband, only that he had been dead for a while. I don’t recall it being mentioned how he died up to that point nor that she was burnt out caring for him.

It’s that he prioritises a cheating, controlling partner over his mother … and there it is. In saying he prioritises his partner over his mother, there’s the assumption that he SHOULD be obligated to his mother. The choice of partner is irrelevant- he’s an adult, he doesn’t have to live with his mum,
plant her roses, entertain her and be responsible for her not being lonely. It’s there too in that he has to buy the robot to leave his mother’s house in the first instance and it’s presented as a ridiculous decision by him showing he can’t be bothered ergo: he is leaving his responsibilities and needs to do something to enable his departure even though Sue seems to be pretty competent and a long way off needing care.

@TwoLeftSocksWithHoles i read your response as being sarcastic not snide! A case in point of how seeing the ‘funny’ can vary.

I would very much like an android. Especially if she did ironing. Perfect.