The Secret Life of Machines (Series 2)
The Secret Life of Machines is an educational television series presented by Tim Hunkin and Rex Garrod, in which the two explain the inner workings and history of common household and office machinery.
The series consists of 18 episodes, each of which covers a particular set of machines. The series uses animation to help explain various aspect of how the subject devices function. The animation for the series was done
by Hunkin himself in a uniquely recognisable format.
How does a car work? And how about an internal combustion engine, a quartz watch, a telephone, a radio set, and a video recorder? The Secret Life of Machines (Series 2), consisting of the second six episodes of the series,
investigates devices used outside the home.
| Episode 1 - The Car |
Episode 1 - The Car
This episode explores how a car functions, covering the body/chassis component only. The bodyshell of a Ford Cortina is cubed in a car crusher.
Episode 2 - The Internal Combustion Engine
This episode explores how an internal combustion engine functions. A running engine is carried to the centre of a "carhenge" - a replica of Stonehenge made entirely of car bodies - by several men in white coveralls.
Episode 3 - The Quartz Watch
This episode explores how a quartz watch functions. Tim Hunkin's closing narration is interrupted when an oven in the background bursts open, followed by a sped up and reversed recording of a watch in said oven baked to destruction.
Episode 4 - The Telephone
This episode explores how a telephone functions. Stop motion animation of various novelty phones dancing across a stage.
Episode 5 - The Radio Set
This episode explores how a radio functions. Multiple radios (which have been converted into remote-control cars) are driven around, sometimes colliding into one another.
Episode 6 - The Video Recorder
This episode explores how a video recorder functions. Scrap video recorders are arranged to spell out "THE END." The camera then zooms out, revealing Tim watching a recorded version of the epilogue.
| Related Links |
| The Secret Life of Machines - wikipedia The Secret Life of Machines is an educational television series presented by Tim Hunkin and Rex Garrod, in which the two explain the inner workings and history of common household and office machinery. |
| The Secret Life of Machines (Series 1) This explains the inner workings and history of six household appliances: vacuum cleaners, sewing machines, central heating systems, washing machines, refrigerators, and television sets. |
| The Secret Life of Machines (Series 3) This is a television series presented by Tim Hunkin and Rex Garrod, concentrating on office-related technology such as word processors, photocopiers and fax machines. |
| James May's Cars of the People This is a BBC television series hosted by James May, looking at how the car became an everyday part of people's lives. |
| Inventions that Changed the World This is a BBC documentary series presented by Jeremy Clarkson, looking at some of the inventions that helped to shape the modern world. |