Why do we love robots so much?

Well, we all love machines, right? Especially the ones which make our lives easier. Let’s face it, most of us can’t be separated from our iPods, laptops and iPhones these days. But how about when they turn against us? The time when our TV and cinema screens were full of clunky dustbins and oversized toasters just happy to help has long gone.

Now robots look more like supermodels and want to wipe us out. In fact, some of them are more hard-on than hard disc. Well, that’s progress for you. But we still love them, right? Despite the fact they want to kill us.

Anyway, hecklerspray has decided to come up with the 20 models from TV and cinema that are a cut above. Enjoy!

20. Max


No one is safe from Max’s deadly whisk – not even Norman Bates. If you’ve never seen Black Hole, get it out now.

19. Metal Mickey

Ok, this was a crap British TV series during the 80s, so we apologise to US readers who are scratching their heads right now. But it has got us feeling nostalgic. Sad, we know.

18. Gort

About eight foot tall and with a penchant for melting things, Gort is one robot you don’t want to mess with. In the 1951 film The Day The Earth Stood Still, Gort and his friend Klaatu come down to earth to tell us to stop being nasty to each other – or else! It’s actually quite frightening.

17. The Iron Giant

Vin Diesel as a huge, lovable robot who saves mankind? The world has gone mad. But the film is a real tear-jerker. Not surprisingly for a film based on Ted Hughes‘ brilliant book The Iron Man, which he wrote for his kids to help them get through their mother’s (Sylvia Plath) suicide. Not that any of us at hecklerspray were bawling near the end. Much.

16. Robby the Robot

This huge dustbin from Forbidden Planet is the kind we could all do with. He cooks, cleans, drives and even tells jokes. Maybe we should get him for Hecklerspray Towers.

15. Johnny-5

OK, after watching Short Circuit, who didn’t want your very own robot buddy – with a cool laser gun? Even if he did look like a Dyson vacuum cleaner.

14. Data

A robot who wants to be a human. How flattering. Needs to sort out his bad complexion though.

13. Maria

Amazing that a robot in a film (Metropolis) set in 1927 can actually look more futuristic than a lot of them do today.

12. ED 209

Has a robot ever made a better introduction? Just brilliant.

11. C-3PO

OK, so he’s R2D2′s not-so-straight man, but the pompous git is still one of the best characters in Star Wars.

10. MechaGodzilla

How can you improve on Godzilla? Make him out of metal and give him more weapons. We were almost sad when the real Godzilla defeated him.

9. Roy Batty (Rutger Hauer in Blade Runner)

“Wake up! Time to die.” Does Rutger Hauer dream of electric sheep? Who cares! He’s simply brilliant in this film.

8. T-1000

The shape-shifting assassin from Terminator 2 almost eclipses Arnie has the hardest bastard in the universe.

7. Cylons

We used to think we knew the cylons. They were big, shiny robots that said ‘by your command’ a lot. Now they are sexy, sultry supermodels that seduce you – now that’s progress.

6. Bender

How can anyone not love a robot that smokes cigars, drinks too much and tells jokes? He’s certainly the best thing in Futurama. Not sure about the name though.

5. Robocop

There was a (very short) time when he was the biggest movie star in the world. He’s still pretty cool today.

4. T-800 (Arnie from Terminator)

Robotic actions, emotionless delivery of dialogue – talk about the perfect role for Arnie. Shame his acting technique did not improve after that.

3. Marvin the Paranoid Android

Possibly the most popular character in The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy, Marvin takes robot personalities to a new, er, low – very low.“Life? Don’t talk to me about life!”

2. Optimus Prime

Never has a truck been so cool.

1. R2-D2

Surely, the outright winner and the hero of Star Wars.