The Secret Life of Machines (1988)

Documentary · History

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. According to Hunkin, the show's creator, the programme was developed from his comic strip The Rudiments of Wisdom, which he researched and drew for the Observer newspaper over a period of 14 years. Three separate groupings of the broadcast were produced and originally shown between 1988 and 1993 on Channel 4 in the United Kingdom, with the production subsequently airing on The Learning Channel and the Discovery Channel.

IMDb rating: 9.3 (216 votes)
Seasons: 2
Language: EN
Type: TV series

Browse seasons by rating shape → Open in Rising Shows app → View on IMDb

Ratings refreshed Jul 3, 2026 · 2 seasons indexed

Cast

Seasons

Season 1 (1988)

7.90 avg 5 episodes 8.1 → 8.0

Season 1 episodes — IMDb ratings
#	Title	Rating	Votes
1	The Secret Life of the Vacuum Cleaner	8.1	9
3	The Secret Life of the Sewing Machine	7.8	6
4	The Secret Life of the Refrigerator	7.8	7
5	The Secret Life of the Central Heating System	7.8	6
6	The Secret Life of the Television Set	8.0	6

Season 3 (1993)

7.80 avg 3 episodes 7.6 → 7.8

Season 3 episodes — IMDb ratings
#	Title	Rating	Votes
1	The Secret Life of the Fax Machine	7.6	6
3	The Secret Life of the Word Processor	8.0	6
4	The Secret Life of the Electric Light	7.8	6