History Recap / DoctorWhoS30E4TheSontaranStratagem

* AbsenceOfEvidence:

** UNIT has''all'' their vehicles fitted with ATMOS when they suspect there's something wrong with it. Ross is kind enough to lampshade this when The Doctor asks. They can't get rid of them until they have proof.

* AffablyEvil: Staal is as cordial as a Sontaran even gets towards the two soldiers he meets, up until one of them [[NeverHeardThatOneBefore starts with the height jokes]].

* BlueAndOrangeMorality: The 10th Doctor's notorious loathing of guns at its least justified. The Doctor is openly snotty and dismissive to Colonel Mace all through this and the next episode for no other explained reason than because Mace carries a gun. Mace does nothing this or the next episode to deserve this snottiness.
* BluntMetaphorsTrauma: "Is the temperature significant?"
* TheBrigadier: Colonel Mace. The actual Brigadier doesn't appear.
* BrokenRecord: The factory worker Martha interviews.

* CoveredInGunge: In a distinctly non-humorous manner though.

* DittoAliens: Though there are minor differences between Staal and Skorr, despite them being clones. Like Luke Rattigan's reaction when Skorr removes his helmet:

* EveryCarIsAPinto / OverclockingAttack: {{Subverted|Trope}} when the ATMOS in the Land Rover suffers from the LogicBomb, the Doctor and Ross Jenkins run for cover... then the sat nav system fizzles and sparks a little bit.

* FunWithAcronyms: Both ATMOS and UNIT use the "using letters from within the words" cheat. Although that cheat was somewhat enforced for UNIT -- they didn't before, but then the UN started being much more sensitive about its name being used.
* GodwinsLaw: Ross the UNIT soldier compares Rattigan's followers to Hitler's youth.

* ICantFeelMyLegs: Staal's StaffOfAuthority seems to shoot some paralyzing beam.
* IdiotBall: At the start of the episode Jo Nakashima is protesting at how dangerous cars with Atmos are, and then proceeds to get into one...
** To say nothing of UNIT have ''all'' their vehicles fitted with ATMOS when they suspect there's something wrong with it.
* ImmuneToBullets: Sort of... the Sontarans' new AppliedPhlebotinum prevents guns from being fired in their presence. TechnoBabble explains that it's because of the bullets' copper jackets. Once UNIT figures that out in the next episode, they switch to a different kind of bullets, and... well, let's just say [[CurbStompBattle it doesn't end well for the Sontarans]].
* InsufferableGenius: Luke Rattigan. He doesn't like it when someone out-geniuses him. See GrammarNazi for just one example of it.

* MotorMouth: Rattigan, ''all the time''.

* NerdInEvilsHelmet: Luke Rattigan. He seems like a psychopath

* ProudWarriorRaceGuy: All the Sontarans.

* RecursiveAcronym: The episode takes the "use letters from within the words" cheat to its logical conclusion with ATMOS, which stands for "[=ATMospheric=] Omissions System." Yes, we know you don't spell "emissions" like that, but it's written on all the stickers on the car windows... and the final S has to come from System, or Rattigan's whining makes no sense. Considering what the device is supposed to do (disregarding the Sontarans' plans), "Omissions" does make sense, as it does omit the emissions on the vehicle the device is installed on.
* RealLifeWritesThePlot: The exploding ATMOS was supposed to be a more impressive faire, but it would've been too expensive to blow up the Rover (and the Army wouldn't like it, either), so it was rewritten to have the ATMOS controller give a few sparks. Also fulfills the RuleOfFunny.

* StuffBlowingUp: The Doctor's actually disappointed when EveryCarIsAPinto ''doesn't'' happen.
* TakeThat: To TheEighties in one way or another.[[note]]Really, though, the Doctor's response is so vague that it could reference ''any'' person involved with a negative 1980s event; it could be Creator/JohnNathanTurner, Creator/EricSaward or Creator/MichaelGrade in relation to the DWU; hell, it could even be a UsefulNotes/ColdWar joke, or a joke about [[DeaderThanDisco the fashion and music]].[[/note]]

* TheEasyWayOrTheHardWay: The soon-to-be-brainwashed UNIT soldiers.

* GodwinsLaw: One of the UNIT soldiers compares Rattigan's followers to Hitler's youth.

* RedBaron: General Staal the Undefeated and Commander Skorr the Bloodbringer.

* WheresTheKaboom: "Is that it?"

* ThrowItIn: The exploding ATMOS was supposed to be a more impressive faire, but for whatever reason they couldn't get it, and the tiny unimpressive sparks were considered much funnier, so they kept it.

* ICantFeelMyLegs

* HollywoodSpelling: "It's Rattigan. Two ts."

** The Colonel gives everyone, including the Doctor, a gas mask. Outside, with the masks on, the Colonel asks the Doctor's opinion of a particular gun, and the Doctor responds with, [[Recap/DoctorWhoS27E9TheEmptyChild "Are you my Mummy?"]]

* DefeatingTheUndefeatable: Staal introduces himself as "Staal the Undefeated". The Doctor comments on the nickname's lack of foresight, pointing out that if he was defeated, he would have to be called Staal the Not-Quite-So-Undefeated-Anymore-But-Never-Mind.

-->'''Luke Ratigan:''' How... do you tell each other apart?\\

* EveryCarIsAPinto / OverclockingAttack: {{Subverted|Trope}} when the ATMOS system in the Land Rover suffers from the LogicBomb, the Doctor and Ross Jenkins run for cover... then the sat nav system fizzles and sparks a little bit.
-->'''The Doctor:''' (''disappointed'') [[WheresTheKaboom Is that it?]]

'''The Doctor:''' If only that ''were'' possible. (''{{glasses pull}}'') Conditional clause.

--->'''Luke:''' You can't say ATMOS system 'cos it stands for Atmospheric Omission System. So you're saying [[DepartmentOfRedundancyDepartment Atmospheric Omission System System]]. Do you see, Mr Conditional Clause?"
* ImmuneToBullets: Sort of... the Sontaran's new AppliedPhlebotinum prevents guns from being fired in their presence. TechnoBabble explains that it's because of the bullets' copper jackets. Once UNIT figures that out in the next episode, they switch to a different kind of bullets, and... well, let's just say [[CurbStompBattle it doesn't end well for the Sontarans]].
* InsufferableGenius: See GrammarNazi for just one example of it.

* TheMissusAndTheEx: Subverted - the Doctor attempts to head this off, only for Donna and Martha to jump straight to making fun of him. "Oh, I'd rather you were fighting."

* NerdInEvilsHelmet: Luke Rattigan

* OutOfCharacterAlert

* {{Pun}}: "We have an intruder." The Doctor responds with: "How did he get in? Intruder window?" referring back to "Dalek".

* RecursiveAcronym: The episode takes the "use letters from within the words" cheat to its logical conclusion with ATMOS, which stands for "[=ATMOSpheric=] Omissions System". Yes, we know you don't spell "emissions" like that, but it's written on all the stickers on the car windows... and the final S has to come from System, or Rattigan's whining makes no sense. Considering what the device is supposed to do (disregarding the Sontarans' plans), "Omissions" does make sense, as it does omit the emissions on the vehicle the device is installed on.
* RedShirt: Red Hats.

* TeenGenius: Luke Rattigan

'''Donna:''' Sick days. There aren't any. Hundreds of people working here and no-one's sick. Not one hangover, man flu, sneaky little shopping trip, nothing. Not ever! They don't get ill.

** To "Voyage of the Damned" and "The Runaway Bride".

[[caption-width-right:350:Doctor Who Does Film/AnInconvenientTruth!]]

* {{Pun}}: "We have an intruder." The Doctor responds with: "How did he get in? Intruder window?"

* StuffBlowingUp: The Doctor's actually disappointed when EveryCarIsAPinto ''doesn't'' happen in.

* WheresTheKaboom

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

--->'''Luke:''' You can't say ATMOS system 'cos it stands for Atmospheric Omission System. So you're saying [[DepartmentOfRedundancyDepartment Atmospheric Omission System System]].

* IKnewIt: Donna's grandfather knew aliens would come but didn't expect any to be in a blue box.