The article marks the launch of the BBC comedy Ann Droid by looking back at notable robots from television and presenting the Guardian’s top 20, arguing that robotic characters have long been a distinctive part of small-screen entertainment.

– Ann Droid, starring Diane Morgan as an elderly care robot opposite Sue Johnston, is used as the prompt for the retrospective.
– The piece frames TV robots as enduring comic, dramatic and sci-fi figures, ranging from helpers and butlers to killers and impostors.
– The section provided counts down entries from 20 to 15, beginning with Twiki from Buck Rogers in the 25th Century and including South Park’s Awesom-O, Robert the Robot from Justin’s House, Cameron from Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles, Robot B-9 from Lost in Space and Dolores Abernathy from Westworld.
– Several entries are highlighted for their cultural roles or quirks: Twiki’s catchphrase and link to Dr Theopolis, Cartman’s cardboard robot disguise as Awesom-O, Robert’s place in children’s television, Cameron’s advanced human mimicry, and Robot B-9’s famous “Danger, Will Robinson!” warning.
– The article mixes factual context with light humour, noting dates of broadcast, performers and plot details while celebrating the variety of robot characters across decades of television.