A Thing About Machines story
A writer believes machines are conspiring against him. Directed by: David Orrick McDearmon. Story by: Rod Serling.
11 total · 2 choice · 3 major · 6 minor
| Theme | Level | Motivation |
|---|---|---|
| inanimate object come to life | choice | Various mechanical objects in Finchley's house cam alive to persecute him. |
| technophobia | choice | Mr. Finchley was utterly terrified of his home appliances, which from his point of view were out to get him. |
| attitude of superiority | major | Finchley talked down to every person he met. |
| human vs. technology | major | Mr. Finchley was either being terrorized by him home appliances and other machines, including his automobile, or else he was totally delusional. |
| poetic justice | major | The abusive Mr. Finchley was himself destroyed by the very machines he had often broken with such contempt. |
| boss and employee | minor | Mr. Finchley's secretary quit on the spot after he showered her with verbal abuse. |
| coping with a bad boss | minor | The secretary finally had enough of the overbearing Mr. Finchley. |
| coping with a tough customer | minor | The repairman tried to defuse the situation but Mr. Finchley was being intolerable. |
| gastronomy | minor | Mr. Finchley was a stereotypically cantankerous gourmet food critic. |
| the battle of the sexes | minor | Mr. Finchley made derogatory and gender specific remarks to his secretary who in turn told him off. |