In my eyes, Diane Morgan is a comedy genius that can never do wrong — and I will willingly lap up every single morsel of comedy TV that she gives me.
We’ve already known her for unmissable shows such as Mandy, Cunk On…, Motherland and After Life, alongside appearances on the likes of Last One Laughing and Mock the Week. Now, she’s offering up something different in the form of new BBC iPlayer comedy, Ann Droid.
Morgan plays Linda, a secondhand AnnDroid Z58/100 Basic Eldercare Robot gifted to widow Sue (Sue Johnston) by her son Michael (Kevin Ready). Basically, it’s like Channel 4‘s Humans meets a Royale Family and Motherland reunion that we weren’t expecting.
It’s as touching as it is funny, and fans have already given Morgan’s character the nickname “Philomena Clank.” It’s an unlikely friendship that I’m incredibly here for, put it that way.
With Ann Droid episodes arriving on the streamer from July 17, I can’t help but be annoyed with the abundance of hilarious comedy already on the platform that nobody seems to be talking about.
You’ll no doubt binge the new Diane Morgan series in the blink of an eye, so stay on iPlayer for these three underrated comedy gems once you’re done.
Funboys
Our first pick comes from the Northern Irish contingent of comedy, which in my opinion has been grossly overlooked (seriously, tell me if you’ve ever heard of this show before…).
In short, we follow three young, socially awkward men — Callum (Ryan Dylan), Jordan (Rian Lennon), and Lorcan (Lee R James) — as they navigate adulthood, romance, and friendship in rural Ballymacnoose.
No, Ballymacnoose is not a real place, but that doesn’t stop Funboys being both fearless and beautiful, and having humor. A heart-warming ensemble, think of antics that fall somewhere between This Country and The Inbetweeners.
Smoggie Queens
On the complete other end of the comedy spectrum is Smoggie Queens, which, like Funboys, has just released its second season. Creator Phil Dunning plays Dickie, who leads a rag-tag gang of LGBTQ+ Middlesbrough natives in their local town.
From full-on drag shows courtesy of mothering queen Mam (Mark Benton) to an unexpected guest cameo from Drag Race judge Michelle Visage as Dickie’s work colleague, Smoggie Queens is outrageous from start to finish. Bold, brash and always on point with its cultural references, it holds space for somewhere you can feel safe and seen.
If that isn’t enough, season 2 cast Monica Dolan as Mam’s ex, and there isn’t a TV show on Earth that couldn’t benefit from adding Dolan to its cast.
Things You Should Have Done
If you’ve seen Chi with a C on YouTube and TikTok, you might recognize Lucia Keskin’s main character in Things You Should Have Done.
In this full-format version, stay-at-home daughter Chi is suddenly forced to fend for herself when her parents die in a car crash. She learns she will only inherit the house on the condition that she completes a list of ‘Things You Should Have Done’ left in her parents’ will.
From there, chaos ensues. Again, we’ve got multiple seasons to stream here, and I think casting Bridget Christie as Ruth in season 2 was a particular stroke of genius. Much like Ann Droid, we’re balancing grief and laughs here, but the careful tightrope is walked incredibly well.
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