Break In, Break Loose story
An elderly man driving home hits a pedestrian, then discovers that it is a "Hubot", one of a population of intelligent, lifelike humanoid robots that are now commonplace in society. Seeing a group of Hubots approaching, the man panics and returns to his farm, but the Hubots follow, capturing the man and his wife. In the struggle, two of the Hubots are damaged and one of them, Mimi, is seized and taken away by Silas, a black-market Hubot dealer, who has been tracking them in hopes of capturing and selling them. The remaining Hubots, led by a human, Leo Eischer, includes Niska, Fred, Gordon, Flash, Marylyn and Max. Leo instructs the Hubots to hide out at a nearby church, then he leaves with Max to search for Mimi. In his absence, Niska assumes leadership and instructs the others to head for the church, but after they leave she returns to the farm and murders the couple to stop them talking. In the nearby city, Hans Engmann goes to buy a new Hubot for his widowed father- in-law Lennart, to replace Lennart's outdated Hubot, Odi. Jonas, the Hub- Market manager (who is in league with Silas) pressures Hans into buying an expensive nurse/housekeeper model, Vera, and clinches the deal by offering Hans an additional free Hubot - Mimi, who has been reprogrammed by Silas and now has no memory of her past life. Hans' lawyer wife Inger reluctantly agrees to try the Hubot, whom they name Anita. Inger insists that Anita be treated as a part of the family, youngest daughter Sofia sees her as a friend, but teenage son Tobias ("Tobbe") soon develops an attraction to Anita. The Engmann's neighbor, Roger, who lives with his partner Therese and stepson Kevin, is resentful of the introduction of Hubots at his workplace, and is further alienated by Therese's handsome Hubot trainer/companion, Rick. The lonely Lennart balks at handing over Odi to be destroyed at a Hubot disposal facility, so he takes him home and hides him in his basement. Later, frustrated by Vera's controlling manner, Lennart secretly reactivates Odi. Directed by: Harald Hamrell. Story by: Lars Lundström.
23 total · 7 major · 16 minor
| Theme | Level | Motivation |
|---|---|---|
| coping with a loved one being in peril | major | Leo's beloved, the Hubot Mimi, was hauled off in a van by a black-market Hubot dealer. Leo resolved to track her down and rescue her. |
| family affairs | major | A central storyline concerns how Inger worried that her widowed, retiree father Lennert had grown overly attached to his beloved Hubot, Odi. Another central storyline revolves around how Hans' decision to bring home an attractive lady Hubot servant created tension within his family. |
| father and daughter | major | Inger looked out for her elderly father, Lennart. |
| husband and wife | major | Hans distressed his wife, Inger, by bringing home an attractive lady Hubot servant. |
| loneliness | major | The story explores the widowed, retiree Lennart's attachment to his beloved Hubot servant, Odi. His dependence on Odi, coupled with his distance from his family, can been interpreted as symptoms of his isolation and loneliness in old age. |
| master and servant | major | Lennart had a Hubot manservant, Odi, whom he treated almost as a companion. By contrast, the Engmann's an attractive lady Hubot whom they intended to treat more or less as an appliance. |
| sexual norms in society | major | Inger likened their new Hubot servant, Anita, to a sex toy, and worried over what her teenage son Tobias might do. Numerous other allusions were made to the Hubots being used for carnal activities. |
| AI companion | minor | Lennart was devastated with his beloved Hubot companion, Odi, malfunctioned. |
| anti-technology way of life | minor | The titular phrase "Real Humans" is a reference to a movement that is opposed to the use of Hubots in society. |
| black markets | minor | Mimi was sold on the Hubot black market. |