History Recap / DoctorWhoS15E4TheSunMakers

* BrokenAesop: The story is supposed to be a right-wing allegory about how taxation is bad, written by an openly Conservative writer. However, ignoring a few throwaway flippant comments made by the Doctor, the story is really about the evil of taxation that targets the poorest in society, and societies that strip away social safety nets so the untaxed rich can rake in massive profits. The reason for this situation is privatisation, where every utility (including sunlight) is run by corporate interests and the government is viewed only as an extension of the MegaCorp. At the very least, it comes across as left-wing in an Occupy kind of way. If you choose to read into the fact that the Doctor wins by inspiring a populist revolt to execute their leaders while quoting Creator/KarlMarx, it becomes actively ''Communist''. Not what you'd expect from something written by a UsefulNotes/MargaretThatcher supporter in 1977.

* BaldOfEvil: The Collector

* GodGuise: The Company.

* HypnoticEyes: The Doctor. It works a little too well.

* LoanShark: Tax arrears are dealt with like this.
* LovesTheSoundOfScreaming: the Collector anticipating Leela's painful execution.

* MisterBig

'''Leela:''' Well, the column has stopped moving.
-->'''The Doctor:''' So?
-->'''Leela:''' It is not important?
-->'''The Doctor:''' WHAT?! We might have gone right through the time spiral, why didn't you tell me?
-->'''Leela:''' I tried to, but you wouldn't let me.
-->'''The Doctor:''' You didn't!
-->'''Leela:''' I ''did!''

* ProfessionalButtKisser: Praise The Company. Hade to The Collector.

* {{Pun}}: The Doctor spoofs Creator/KarlMarx when he tells the workers they have nothing to lose but their claims.
* PunnyName: "Usurians" = usury
* TheQuisling: Hade.
* LaResistance

* TheEasyWayOrTheHardWay: "I've heard that one too."

* VisualPun: when Leela is captured the Collector orders her status to be set as "pending". When we next see her she's hung on a wall.

'''Production code:''' 4W

Written by Creator/RobertHolmes. This four-episode serial first aired from November 26 to December 17, 1977.

%%* LeastIsFirst -ZCE: How is this relevant to the story?

* ProfessionalButt-Kisser: Praise The Company. Hade to The Collector.

* EmotionBomb: The Company uses a anxiety inducing agent to control the human workforce - under the pretext of it being an air purifier (company officals take special pills that make them immune). The Doctor puts a stop to it, and the workforce becomes really alive (and angry) as a result.

* BrokenSystemDogmatist: The [[KnowNothingKnowItAll snooty]], [[CampGay foppish]], [[TheQuisling boot-licking]], and [[EvilDebtCollector completely]] [[CorruptCorporateExecutive disconnected]] [[RulesLawyer character]] of Gatherer Hade to a tee. When the Doctor and Leela, along with disillusioned citizens, form a rebellion, the mysterious [[MorallyBankruptBanker Collector]] running the whole operation sets a reward of 5000 talmars for their capture, which Gatherer Hade praises as an excellent strategy, only for the Collector to metaphorically backstab Hade by taking the reward money out of ''his'' income! He exclaims in protest at this, but doesn't outright reject the system either; to keep his pocketbook safe, he goes off to try capturing the Doctor instead. Hade, being an accessory to the oppression, later gets LaserGuidedKarma, when trying to stop the rebelling workers from loitering in the sun, who then throw him off of one of the kilometre-high buildings of the city.
--->'''Hade:''' Fortunately, as the Gatherer, I have certain powers. [[BadNewsInAGoodWay I will encourage your supervisor to allow you increased output.]]
--->'''Cordo:''' But, your Honour, I already work a double shift now! I have only my three hours sleep time away from the Foundry.
--->'''Hade:''' Twenty one hours a week. [[InsaneTrollLogic You must manage without sleep time until the debt is paid.]]
--->'''Cordo:''' It will kill me!
--->'''Hade:''' Take your Q capsule.
--->'''Cordo:''' But your Honour, the high medical tax on Q capsules!
--->'''[beat]'''
--->'''Hade:''' [[QuitYourWhining Citizen Cordo, you complain too much.]] [[AppealToWorseProblems Thank the Company you're warm and fed.]]
--->'''Cordo:''' ''[exasperated and downtrodden]'' Praise the Company.
--->'''Hade:''' [[ThatWasntARequest You may go.]]

* LeastIsFirst

->'''Cordo''': Praise the company!
->'''Mandrel''': Stuff the company!

The one with the offhand bit of ''Film/LogansRun''.

* IncrediblyLamePun: The Doctor spoofs Creator/KarlMarx when he tells the workers they have nothing to lose but their claims.

* NiceHat: Gatherer Hade wears one.

* ProductPlacement / BlandNameProduct: One of the props in the story was designed to look like an oversized [[https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-5215013/Barclaycard-washes-Sussex-beach-40-years.html Barclaycard]]. When someone expressed concern that Barclays might complain, the prop was redesigned to look somewhat less like a Barclaycard.

* BrokenSystemDogmatist: The [[KnowNothingKnowItAll snooty]], [[CampGay foppish]], [[TheQuisling boot-licking]], and [[EvilDebtCollector completely]] [[CorruptCorporateExecutive disconnected]] [[RulesLawyer character]] of Gatherer Hade to a tee. When the Doctor and Leela, along with disillusioned citizens, form a rebellion, the mysterious [[MorallyBankruptBanker Collector]] running the whole operation sets a reward of 5000 talmars for their capture, which Gatherer Hade praises as an excellent strategy, only for the Collector to metaphorically backstab Hade by taking the reward money out of ''his'' income! He exclaims in protest at this, but doesn't outright reject the system either; to keep his pocketbook safe, he goes off to try capturing the Doctor instead. Hade, being an accessory to the oppression, later gets LaserGuidedKarma, when trying to stop the rebelling workers from loitering in the sun, who then throw him off of one of the kilometer-high buildings of the city.

Written by Creator/RobertHolmes. This serial first aired November 26-December 17, 1977.