History Recap / DoctorWhoS16E1TheRibosOperation

* AttackAnimal: Shrivenzale guards the vault holding ribos wealth and the jethrik.

But all is not as it seems. The jethrik has been planted there by one [[LargeHam Garron]]: ostensibly a real estate agent showing the planet to a client (Graff Vynda-K, a psychopathic ex-dictator with a talent for [[ChewingTheScenery shouting and grinding his teeth at the same time]]). But Garron is really a SnakeOilSalesman running a ViolinScam. Together with his friend Unstoffe, he's trying to trick the Graff into paying an inflated price for the allegedly (but not really) jethrik-rich planet. It works, and the Graff's million-opek down payment is stored in the royal treasury for the night. The GenreSavvy will not be surprised to learn that, next morning, the money and the jethrik are gone, and the guards have no idea what the Graff Vynda-K is ranting about.

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->'''The Doctor''': ''Ah! You want me to volunteer, is that it? And if I don't?''
->'''The Guardian''': ''Nothing.''
->'''The Doctor''': ''What? Nothing? You mean nothing will happen to me?''
->'''The Guardian''': ''Nothing at all. (pause) Ever.''

* NoPeripheralVision: The Doctor and Leela hide behind some screens in the treasure room. Guards come in, stand against the wall ''just beside the screens'' and still don't see them.

* CrazyEnoughToWork: The Graff's second-in-command suggests using the seer to find the Doctor, as they could spend months searching for him otherwise.

* GrimUpNorth: The universal cover story for aliens visiting Ribos is to claim to be "from the North," where the winters are harsher and there are fewer settlements.

* DamnedByFaintPraise: Lampshaded. Leela praises the Doctor's actions quite faintly, to which he says he doesn't like getting faint praise.

--> '''The Graff:''' And where are (the Doctor and Romana) -- your two accomplices?

'''WARNING! THERE MAY BE UNMARKED SPOILERS!'''

[[caption-width-right:350:Romana is kinda missing the point of camouflage..]]

* AliensSpeakingEnglish: A peculiar variant. Garron affects a strong [[BritishAccents Somerset accent]] as part of his con, apparently to sound like more of a rube. The Doctor identifies it as such, and goes so far as to wonder why an accent specific to [[TheWestCountry a few counties]] on an InsignificantLittleBluePlanet is being heard on Ribos. [[JustifiedTrope It eventually turns out that Garron is either a native of Earth, or spent some time there in the past]].

* AliensSpeakingEnglish: A peculiar variant. Garron affects a strong [[BritishAccents Somerset accent]] as part of his con, apparently to sound like more of a rube. The Doctor identifies it as such, and goes so far as to wonder why an accent specific to [[TheWestCountry a few counties]] on an InsignificantLittleBluePlanet is being heard on Ribos. [[JustifiedTrope It eventually turns out that Garron is either a native of Earth, or spent some time there in the past]].

When the Graff finds out he's being scammed, both team TARDIS and the scammers have to make a run for it, avoiding the treasure room's watch dragon in the process. Unstoffe is rescued by a heretic named Birno, who was cast out for saying the planet moves in relation to the stars. Unstoffe is deeply impressed by Birno's theories and kindly tells him that he's right -- he's from the stars, and one day, people will speak of Birno as the prophet of the future. Their ActionFilmQuietDramaScene is interrupted when Garron contacts Unstoffe via radio and tells him to run. Unstoffe hands Birno his radio device in order to protect him. It has rather the opposite effect, and Birno is brutally murdered by the Graff for helping Unstoffe.

* ArmchairPsychology: Romana is very fond of it.

In the ensuing battle, the Graff's best friend dies as well, and the Graff suffers a ''severe'' VillainousBreakdown as a result. Since the local prophet-woman has been saying that only one person will survive, he immediately proceeds to murder her and strap a bomb to his one remaining soldier, telling the man that he's destined to make a HeroicSacrifice. The Graff, now having war flashbacks, walks away while the soldier stays behind to get blown up. Unfortunately for the Graff, the soldier is actually the Doctor in a bucket helmet, who strapped the bomb to the Graff with a bit of sleight of hand and merrily laughs as the Graff gets blown to pieces.

* VindicatedByHistory: Dicxussed In-Universe Unstoffe tells Binro the Heretic that he will be vindicated in his claims about astronomy and Ribos being one of many planets in the universe.

* GrenadeTag: The Doctor [[spoiler: brutally murders the Graff by strapping a bomb to him]].

* VindicatedByHistory: Unstoffe tells Binro the Heretic that he will be vindicated in his claims about astronomy and Ribos being one of many planets in the universe.

* ActionFilmQuietDramaScene: Unstoffe's friendship with Birno.

Watch it [[http://www.dailymotion.com/playlist/xz2jv_tardismedia_the-ribos-operation/ here]]

[[TheHerosJourney True to form]], the White Guardian gives the Doctor some supernatural aid. Her name is Romanadvoratlelundar. She's a still-wet-behind-the-ears Time Lady, fresh out of the Time Lord Academy, where she acquitted herself rather better than the Doctor ever did. And she can out-smug the Doctor.

But all is not as it seems. The jethrik has been planted there by one [[LargeHam Garron]]: ostensibly a real estate agent showing the planet to a client (Graff Vynda-K, a psychopathic ex-dictator with a talent for [[ChewingTheScenery shouting and grinding his teeth at the same time]]). But Garron is really a SnakeOilSalesman running a ViolinScam. Together with his friend Unstoffe, he's trying to trick the Graff into paying an inflated price for the allegedly (but not really) jethrik-rich planet. It works, and the Graff's million-opek down payment is stored in the royal treasury for the night. The GenreSavvy will not be surprised to learn that, next morning, the money and the jethrik is gone, and the guards have no idea what the Graff Vynda-K is ranting about.

A godlike guy in a casual white suit, The White Guardian, interrupts the Doctor's puttering around in the TARDIS to give him a quest: [[GottaCatchEmAll find all six segments]] of the [[CosmicKeystone Key To Time]]. Why and how and what the thing does isn't explained just yet, but The Black Guardian apparently wants it too. The parts have to be gathered before... well, there's a deadline, but it's not entirely clear when it is. But sooner would be better.

* CompensatingForSomething

* FateWorseThanDeath: The White Guardian hints at one (see page quote)

* GrenadeTag

* IncrediblyObviousBug: averted - but the Graff finds it anyway.

* LargeHam: Garron, the Graff Vynda-K, and the Seeker

* PlotCoupon: The parts to the key of time.

* Really700YearsOld: Romana gives her age as about 140 years old - a mere time tot!

--> '''The Graff:''' And where are (the Doctor and Romana) - your two accomplices?

* TheShill: Unstoffe
* SnakeOilSalesman: Garron
* VindicatedByHistory: Unstoffe tells Binro the Heretic that he will be vindicated in his claims about astronomy and Ribos being one of many planets in the universe.[[invoked]]

A godlike guy in a casual white suit, The White Guardian, interrupts the Doctor's puttering around in the TARDIS to give him a quest: [[GottaCatchEmAll find all six segments]] of the [[CosmicKeystone Key To Time]]. Why and how and what the thing does isn't entirely clear, but The Black Guardian apparently wants it too. The parts have to be gathered before... well, there's a deadline, but it's not entirely clear when it is. But sooner would be better.

The White Guardian interrupts the Doctor's puttering around in the TARDIS to give him a quest: [[GottaCatchEmAll find all six segments]] of the [[CosmicKeystone Key To Time]] before... well, there's a deadline, but it's not entirely clear when it is. But sooner would be better.

[[TheHerosJourney True to form]], the White Guardian gives the Doctor some supernatural aid.

Her name is Romana.

She's a still-wet-behind-the-ears Time Lady, fresh out of the Time Lord Academy, where she acquitted herself rather better than the Doctor ever did. And she can out-smug the Doctor.

But all is not as it seems. The jethrik has been planted there by one Garron: ostensibly a real estate agent showing the planet to a client (the Graff, a psychopathic ex-dictator), but really a SnakeOilSalesman trying to trick the Graff into paying an inflated price for the allegedly jethrik-rich planet.

It works, and the Graff's million-opek down payment is stored in the royal treasury for the night. The GenreSavvy will not be surprised to learn that, next morning, the money and the jethrik is gone, and the guards have no idea what the Graff Vynda-K is ranting about.

It's a RobertHolmes story and one of the best of Season 16; the dialogue is great.

* AttackAnimal: Shrivenzale guards the vault holding ribos wealth and the jethrik

* Compensating for Something