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Ann Droid the TV show - somewhere to chat about it

Phased
HI all
What really stood out to me about the recent BBC TV comedy series Ann Droid is how much the robot character feels like an accidental metaphor for the autistic experience. Watching a character try to navigate the world by logically analyzing social rules, copying behaviors to fit in, and managing literal interpretations of language feels very familiar. And I admit I found that a little unsettling.
Underneath all, I experienced it as it's a really sharp social commentary about how growing old has become in our society.  Massive gaps in social support and the way techno fixes are being looked to to patch over an overstretched social care.  Also how family and informal social care networks are overstretched too for supporting their loved ones.
I am maybe overdoing my analysis, but I'd suggest that it manages to be a profound, dark critique of modern social isolation whilst still managing to maintain its warmth as a light comedy.
And in my opinion less "cringemaking" than some of Dianne Morgan's other work...
Oh and it made me laugh too!
thoughts and discussion good people?
Parents

  • Diane Morgan got the idea for the series from watching a program on Japanese house maids, in Japan the use of robots to look after the elderly has become a reality. The Japanese culture was always very family orientated, the young are now taking jobs and careers further from home and lead a more modern life.

    I find Diane quite funny, she said, “ the Japanese elderly get a robot, the British elderly get cats.” I don’t imagine a cat could carry out many duties.

    I couldn’t get on with her Mandy character but found her brilliant in Motherland, Sue’s son was also in Motherland playing a similar “doormat”.

    The program is very thought provoking, and I agree that it’s laced with autistic identity. The treatment of the robots when they are old, is Diane drawing a comparison to how we treat the elderly when they are seen to be no longer of use. I’ve heard older people draw comparisons to being chucked on the scrap heap.

    I thought the message Linda recorded for Sue was very heartwarming.

    I didn’t realise it’s all filmed about 10mins from my mothers town I might try and spy on the next series. 
    Touching on  “Detectorists” and “Small Prophets”, there is a lot of autistic identity in both, niche interests, loners and people who don’t quite fit into the norm, I wonder if neurotypical people notice all the small details?

  • in reply to Roy

    thanks for the insight  - one of the small details may be autistic people hiding in plain sight maybe? i find it interesting how small details can be so fascinating yet so rejected at the same time by some people

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