Not Quite Human (1987) Characters, Setting & Themes Explained

The movie takes place in a suburban American town in the late 1980s. The primary settings include a local high school where Chip attends classes, a junkyard that serves as a key location for confrontations, and Washington, D.C. where corporate interests threaten to patent Chip. The suburban setting emphasizes the contrast between normal family life and the extraordinary presence of an android.

• setting
• suburban america
• high school
• locations

The film is set in the 1980s United States, a period defined by rapid advances in personal computing and robotics. This era shapes the story through its gadgetry, school-life scenes, and corporate intrigue. The decade's technological optimism and anxieties about emerging technology are reflected in Chip's quest to be understood as human.

• 1980s
• time period
• era
• setting

The film explores identity through Chip, an android designed to pass as a human teenager. His quest to belong raises questions about what constitutes personhood. As Chip learns and navigates social situations, the story prompts viewers to reconsider what it means to be truly human, blurring the line between machine and person.

• identity
• personhood
• android
• belonging

Family is central to the film. Dr. Jonas Carson treats Chip as a son rather than an experiment, while Becky helps him fit into a human family. The dynamic between the inventor, the android, and the daughter drives the emotional core, as they work together to protect Chip from those who would exploit him.

• family
• bonds
• adoption
• relationships

The film examines the ethics of creating sentient machines. Vogel's attempts to capture Chip for military use and patenting raise questions about exploitation of created life. The password-protected self-destruct mechanism represents the moral limits of technological power and scientific ambition.

• ethics
• technology
• moral dilemma
• exploitation

Chip Carson is an android built by Dr. Jonas Carson to look and act like a teenager. Designed to test whether an android can blend socially, he attends high school alongside Becky. Despite his mechanical nature, Chip develops a growing sense of individuality and a deep desire to belong to a family.

• chip
• android
• protagonist
• teenager

Dr. Jonas Carson is the brilliant scientist who creates Chip and acts as a protective paternal figure. He enrolls Chip in high school to test his social integration, while also defending him from his former employer Vogel, who wants to capture the android for profit and military purposes.

• dr jonas
• carson
• scientist
• creator

Becky Carson is Dr. Jonas's daughter who befriends Chip and helps him navigate the social norms of high school. She becomes his key ally in fitting into a human family and protecting him from danger, forming a sister-like bond with the android.

• becky
• carson
• daughter
• sister

Gordon Vogel is a defense contractor and former employer of Dr. Jonas Carson who serves as the film's main antagonist. He seeks to capture Chip for reprogramming and military use, driven by profit and the desire to exploit the android's advanced technology.

• vogel
• antagonist
• villain
• corporate

Eron Jeffries is a fellow student at Chip's high school who notices his differences from other teenagers. She becomes an ally to Chip as he learns to navigate teenage life and social dynamics, offering friendship during his adjustment period.

• eron
• student
• friend
• ally

Not Quite Human is a family-friendly science fiction comedy TV movie. The tone remains light despite moments of suspense from Vogel's pursuit. Humor arises from Chip's literal interpretations of language and social situations, while the story delivers a hopeful message about defining one's own humanity.

• comedy
• family
• sci-fi
• tone

Chip is an android designed to look and act like a human teenager, but he processes situations literally and lacks innate social instincts. His quest for belonging and growing sense of individuality drive his character arc as he learns to navigate human relationships and find his place in the family.

• differences
• android
• human
• teenager