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Author: spacemarine50

Oct 16th 2012 at 2:11:10 AM

I like the idea, I think it's definitely trope-worthy. When the description is expanded and the examples added, I'll be happy to give it my hat. I'd like to mention some of my ideas. However, bear in mind that I am still kind of a newbie on this wiki.

It's probably a sister trope to MyCarHatesMe. Also see PercussiveMaintenance - I think characters genereally apply this when they encounter an uncooperative vending machine.

Is there a '''supertrope''' to this? One page mentions PlotDrivenBreakdown, but vending machine malfunctions are usually miner problems and not that important for the plot. Is there (should there be) a supertrope, something like '''Machines Hate People'''? This could include the office environment; things like printers, xerox machines etc, and also electronic devices, for example I noticed broken tv sets when characters try to switch programmes but they can't for some reason, or the ever popular broken cell phones (crushed, wet, no signal).

YourTelevisionHatesYou is connected a bit, too, but it concerns the programs which seem to take the advantage of the characters' emotional state.

EDIT: MockingMusic is probably a sister trope.

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Anyway, here is another example for the vending machines.

* At the beginning of TheXFilesFightTheFuture, Mulder goes to buy something to drink. He puts money in the machine, pushes a button, then next one, then all of them. He whacks the machine and then jiggles it angrily. He notices that the machine is not plugged... and he finds there a bomb. The bomb the FBI is looking for in another building.