Ann Droid; The Hairdresser Mysteries

“Ann Droid feels wonderfully fresh and funny, set in a world that draws on existing tech tropes while remaining silly and singular. Much of this is down to [Diane] Morgan, who commits to the bit entirely as Linda, with the perfect level of unblinking stiffness. Credit must also go to her fellow bots – who include Roxy (Nicole Sadie Sawyerr) and Keith (Ed Jones) – and are as unnerving as they are loyal. The contrast between these highly stilted creations and the quirky characters that surround Sue – among them, smug acquaintance Phyllis (Margot Leicester) and salt-of-the-earth bestie Eileen (Kathryn Hunter) – only make the series more surreal. Not that it wasn’t already: Linda is hooked on The Apprentice and the novelty pop song Cotton Eye Joe, and uses her laser-beam eyes to taser the Brazilian jiu-jitsu instructor who slept with Michael’s wife (“I used a low amperage”).”
Hannah J Davies, The Guardian

“It is [Sue] Johnston and Morgan who are the stars, although the series doesn’t properly take off until episode two. Episode one establishes how grief-stricken Sue still is two years after her husband Dave’s death, and her description of her broken-hearted solitude really hits home. “Dave’s gone, Michael’s left, I’ve got no grandkids,” she says. “Soon I’ll lose my independence and then I’ll probably lose my marbles. I don’t know how to do this last bit alone, but I don’t want to spend it with a robot.” Happily she comes to revise that opinion as Linda proves her worth in a series of escapades that examine the human condition and suggest that having a robot carer might not be so bad after all. It is daft, but deceptively deep.”
Carol Midgley, The Times

“It’s a harmless cosy crime show, to be enjoyed with a cup of tea and a biscuit. Yes, another one. You know the drill: picturesque setting, amateur sleuth, silly murder neatly solved within the hour. There is a warm, feel-good tone. But, if we’re being honest, it’s a bit rubbish. And, my goodness, does writer Jim Cartwright go overboard on the Seventies theme.”
Anita Singh, Telegraph