Not Quite Human II
Encyclopedia
Not Quite Human II is a 1989 television program written and directed by Eric Luke
and starring Jay Underwood
, Alan Thicke
, and Robyn Lively
. As the second of three films in a series based on the Not Quite Human
novels by Seth McEvoy, it follows the social development of an android that is designed to appear human, this time as he enrolls in college and is on his own for the first time. The filming locations were Arizona State University
, Scottsdale
, and Phoenix
.
), the android, installing specially-ordered software designed to enhance his facial expressions; it is later discovered that he also inadvertently intakes a computer virus
that causes him to malfunction very gradually, diminishing control over his own system's functions. Initially, the virus simply causes Chip to have momentary memory lapses resulting in poor judgment, but within three days it will completely destroy his internal systems, wiping his memory. That same day, Dr. Jonas Carson (Alan Thicke
) and his daughter, Becky (Robyn Lively
), attend Chip's high school graduation. Chip mentions that he wants to attend college and has already signed up for the summer session; however, his father does not feel Chip is ready to be on his own. Later, Dr. Carson finds Chip standing motionless in his room with a note attached to his shirt that says he has turned himself off and does not want to be turned back on until his dad agrees to let him attend college. Becky enters the room and manages to persuade her dad to grant Chip's request, and Chip suddenly turns to them and says "Thanks, Dad", revealing that he had merely been acting like he had turned himself off.
Since Dr. Carson only reluctantly agreed to allow Chip to attend college, he and Becky secretly follow him to the school in a vehicle that is set up as a monitoring station in order to watch from a distance. At the school, Chip sees a girl in a lab coat passing through the hall and becomes infatuated with her. The next day, he follows Roberta (Katie Barberi
) into the robotics lab and asks her out on date, where she informs Chip that she is an android. Excited by this revelation, Chip tells her that he is also an android. Chip soon learns that Roberta is not able to decide anything for herself, so he introduces her to the concept of free will by reprogramming her. When Roberta chooses to go with Chip instead of returning to Dr. Phil Masters (iCarly
s Greg Mullavy) and the other scientists who developed her, the two of them are forced to flee. Prof. Victoria Gray (Dey Young
) discovers that her fellow scientists are responsible for distributing a virus designed to disable competitors' androids, so she joins Dr. Carson in trying to catch up with Chip to provide the antidote.
After being relentlessly pursued a great distance, Chip and Roberta finally manage to escape the scientists, and they are surrounded by desert when Roberta explains that running has used up almost all of her power. With the virus's effects growing more pronounced, Chip is unable to control his body very effectively as he carries Roberta and desperately searches for a power outlet to recharge her. Not finding an adequate power source, Chip slumps to the ground as the virus overtakes him, saying haltingly to Roberta, "I... love... you." Dr. Carson and Becky arrive just a moment later with Prof. Gray, and they manage to successfully administer the antidote just before Chip's systems failed completely. Once he is fully revived, Chip reveals that he had utilized his magnetic finger to write all of Roberta's programming and memories to a diskette before she lost all power, preserving the character and personality of the girl that he had fought to protect. A photograph at the end shows the Carsons together with Roberta and Prof. Gray.
Eric Luke
-Film:Eric Luke began his career in film writing. Previous film work included: Explorers for Paramount Pictures, co-plotting the Gargoyles pilot five-parter for The Walt Disney Company, numerous screenplays for MGM and others, and also wrote and directed the latter two films in the Not Quite Human...
and starring Jay Underwood
Jay Underwood
Jay Underwood is an American actor.In 1983, he attended Moreau Catholic High School for one year in Hayward, California. He is married to Julie Underwood and has three children. His most recognized work includes portraying Ernest Hemingway in The Young Indiana Jones Chronicles, "Bug" in Uncle...
, Alan Thicke
Alan Thicke
Alan Thicke is a Canadian actor, songwriter, and game and talk show host. He is best known for his role as Jason Seaver, the patriarch on the ABC television series Growing Pains.- Early life :...
, and Robyn Lively
Robyn Lively
Robyn Elaine Lively is an American actress. Lively is best known for her role in the film Teen Witch, as well as for her roles in the TV shows Doogie Howser, M.D., Twin Peaks, and Saving Grace.-Early life:...
. As the second of three films in a series based on the Not Quite Human
Not Quite Human
Not Quite Human is the name of a series of young adult novels by Seth McEvoy about a widower scientist, Dr. Jonas Carson, whose lifetime work was to create an android. Dr. Carson names the android Chip. In order to conceal his project from those who would use Chip or Dr. Carson's skills for...
novels by Seth McEvoy, it follows the social development of an android that is designed to appear human, this time as he enrolls in college and is on his own for the first time. The filming locations were Arizona State University
Arizona State University
Arizona State University is a public research university located in the Phoenix Metropolitan Area of the State of Arizona...
, Scottsdale
Scottsdale, Arizona
Scottsdale is a city in the eastern part of Maricopa County, Arizona, United States, adjacent to Phoenix. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, as of 2010 the population of the city was 217,385...
, and Phoenix
Phoenix, Arizona
Phoenix is the capital, and largest city, of the U.S. state of Arizona, as well as the sixth most populated city in the United States. Phoenix is home to 1,445,632 people according to the official 2010 U.S. Census Bureau data...
.
Plot
The film begins with Chip (Jay UnderwoodJay Underwood
Jay Underwood is an American actor.In 1983, he attended Moreau Catholic High School for one year in Hayward, California. He is married to Julie Underwood and has three children. His most recognized work includes portraying Ernest Hemingway in The Young Indiana Jones Chronicles, "Bug" in Uncle...
), the android, installing specially-ordered software designed to enhance his facial expressions; it is later discovered that he also inadvertently intakes a computer virus
Computer virus
A computer virus is a computer program that can replicate itself and spread from one computer to another. The term "virus" is also commonly but erroneously used to refer to other types of malware, including but not limited to adware and spyware programs that do not have the reproductive ability...
that causes him to malfunction very gradually, diminishing control over his own system's functions. Initially, the virus simply causes Chip to have momentary memory lapses resulting in poor judgment, but within three days it will completely destroy his internal systems, wiping his memory. That same day, Dr. Jonas Carson (Alan Thicke
Alan Thicke
Alan Thicke is a Canadian actor, songwriter, and game and talk show host. He is best known for his role as Jason Seaver, the patriarch on the ABC television series Growing Pains.- Early life :...
) and his daughter, Becky (Robyn Lively
Robyn Lively
Robyn Elaine Lively is an American actress. Lively is best known for her role in the film Teen Witch, as well as for her roles in the TV shows Doogie Howser, M.D., Twin Peaks, and Saving Grace.-Early life:...
), attend Chip's high school graduation. Chip mentions that he wants to attend college and has already signed up for the summer session; however, his father does not feel Chip is ready to be on his own. Later, Dr. Carson finds Chip standing motionless in his room with a note attached to his shirt that says he has turned himself off and does not want to be turned back on until his dad agrees to let him attend college. Becky enters the room and manages to persuade her dad to grant Chip's request, and Chip suddenly turns to them and says "Thanks, Dad", revealing that he had merely been acting like he had turned himself off.
Since Dr. Carson only reluctantly agreed to allow Chip to attend college, he and Becky secretly follow him to the school in a vehicle that is set up as a monitoring station in order to watch from a distance. At the school, Chip sees a girl in a lab coat passing through the hall and becomes infatuated with her. The next day, he follows Roberta (Katie Barberi
Katie Barberi
Katie Barberi is a Mexican actress best known for her work in telenovelas.-Early life:Barberi was born in Saltillo, Coahuila, to a Mexican father of Italian descent and an American mother. Because of the nature of the careers of both her parents, Katie Barberi attended many different schools...
) into the robotics lab and asks her out on date, where she informs Chip that she is an android. Excited by this revelation, Chip tells her that he is also an android. Chip soon learns that Roberta is not able to decide anything for herself, so he introduces her to the concept of free will by reprogramming her. When Roberta chooses to go with Chip instead of returning to Dr. Phil Masters (iCarly
ICarly
iCarly is an American sitcom that focuses on a girl named Carly Shay who creates her own web show called iCarly with her best friends Sam and Freddie. The series was created by Dan Schneider, who also serves as executive producer. It stars Miranda Cosgrove as Carly, Jennette McCurdy as Sam, Nathan...
s Greg Mullavy) and the other scientists who developed her, the two of them are forced to flee. Prof. Victoria Gray (Dey Young
Dey Young
Dey Young is an American actress and sculptor.Young was born in Bloomfield Hills, Michigan, the daughter of Pauline, a sociologist, and Donald E. Young. Her older sister is actress Leigh Taylor-Young; her brother Lance is a writer/director. She attended Kingswood School...
) discovers that her fellow scientists are responsible for distributing a virus designed to disable competitors' androids, so she joins Dr. Carson in trying to catch up with Chip to provide the antidote.
After being relentlessly pursued a great distance, Chip and Roberta finally manage to escape the scientists, and they are surrounded by desert when Roberta explains that running has used up almost all of her power. With the virus's effects growing more pronounced, Chip is unable to control his body very effectively as he carries Roberta and desperately searches for a power outlet to recharge her. Not finding an adequate power source, Chip slumps to the ground as the virus overtakes him, saying haltingly to Roberta, "I... love... you." Dr. Carson and Becky arrive just a moment later with Prof. Gray, and they manage to successfully administer the antidote just before Chip's systems failed completely. Once he is fully revived, Chip reveals that he had utilized his magnetic finger to write all of Roberta's programming and memories to a diskette before she lost all power, preserving the character and personality of the girl that he had fought to protect. A photograph at the end shows the Carsons together with Roberta and Prof. Gray.
Character development
In each of the three Not Quite Human films, Chip is at a distinct level of development in his social awareness. While Chip had difficulty carrying on a sensible conversation in the first film and didn't notice how people perceived him, in Not Quite Human II he communicates fairly well but just takes some statements too literally. For instance, when a restaurant waiter asks if the group enjoyed their leek soup, Chip scans the floor and asks "Did I leak soup?" He also sometimes comes close to inadvertently revealing that he is an android, such as when he successfully chases his bus going at full speed down the road. It is this naivety and peculiarity that hinder Chip's efforts to form friendships. Chip's roommate, Brandon Wilson (Scott Nell), does his best to engage Chip in the social scene, but Chip still feels like an outsider. This is why Chip is so glad to encounter Roberta, another android who is also not very developed socially.Cast
- Jay UnderwoodJay UnderwoodJay Underwood is an American actor.In 1983, he attended Moreau Catholic High School for one year in Hayward, California. He is married to Julie Underwood and has three children. His most recognized work includes portraying Ernest Hemingway in The Young Indiana Jones Chronicles, "Bug" in Uncle...
... Chip Carson - Alan ThickeAlan ThickeAlan Thicke is a Canadian actor, songwriter, and game and talk show host. He is best known for his role as Jason Seaver, the patriarch on the ABC television series Growing Pains.- Early life :...
... Dr. Jonas Carson - Robyn LivelyRobyn LivelyRobyn Elaine Lively is an American actress. Lively is best known for her role in the film Teen Witch, as well as for her roles in the TV shows Doogie Howser, M.D., Twin Peaks, and Saving Grace.-Early life:...
... Becky Carson - Greg Mullavy ... Dr. Phil Masters
- Katie BarberiKatie BarberiKatie Barberi is a Mexican actress best known for her work in telenovelas.-Early life:Barberi was born in Saltillo, Coahuila, to a Mexican father of Italian descent and an American mother. Because of the nature of the careers of both her parents, Katie Barberi attended many different schools...
... Roberta - Dey YoungDey YoungDey Young is an American actress and sculptor.Young was born in Bloomfield Hills, Michigan, the daughter of Pauline, a sociologist, and Donald E. Young. Her older sister is actress Leigh Taylor-Young; her brother Lance is a writer/director. She attended Kingswood School...
... Prof. Victoria Gray - Scott Nell ... Brandon Wilson, Chip's Room-Mate
- Mark ArnottMark ArnottMark Arnott is an American actor and martial artist. He is best known for his recurring role as Mark on the NBC television show Cheers, and as Jeff Andrews on Return of the Secaucus 7, John Sayles' debut film as a director...
... Moore, Dr. Masters' Assistant - Mike Russell ... Miller, Dr. Masters' Assistant
- Ty MillerTy MillerTy Wesley Miller is an American actor, probably most well known for his role as The Kid on The Young Riders, which ran for three seasons...
... Austin, Bus Punk - Eric BruskotterEric Bruskotter- Career :Bruskotter started acting in the mid-80's appearing in television shows like Mr. Belvedere and Amazing Stories. He gained notoriety when he appeared in the film Can't Buy Me Love in 1987...
... Rick, Bus Punk