Line #190 Main/ScottyTime


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4	[[quoteright:219:[[ComicStrip/{{Dilbert}} https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/dilbert_scotty_time.png]]]]
5
6	->''"I cannae change the laws of physics! I've got to have thirty minutes!"''
7	-->-- '''Scotty''' (eight minutes before the ''Enterprise'' might be destroyed), ''Series/StarTrekTheOriginalSeries''
8
9	Related to MagicCountdown, the piece of dialogue where a harried subordinate needs to fire up the engines, activate a forcefield or solve the big case. It always goes something like this...
10
11	->'''Harried Subordinate:''' I can have it running in 20 minutes.\
12	'''Boss:''' You've got five!
13
14	Inevitably, they pull it out of the bag.
15
16	The reasoning behind this sort of exchange varies. When in an emergency situation, it's usually because more time is literally not available. However difficult the task or unreasonable the deadline, nothing can be done about it. It may require the subordinate to cut corners or take risks they otherwise wouldn't, but if the consequences for failure are severe enough, [[GodzillaThreshold it may still be the best of bad options]].
17
18	In other situations, it's usually because the person calling the shots believes their subordinate can do better than they say they can. Maybe said subordinate is lazy or unmotivated, maybe they're too much of a perfectionist, or maybe they're just the type of person who works better under pressure. Or maybe, as anyone who has worked in a corporate team structure can attest, the boss doesn't have a good idea of how long the task actually requires and is making an unreasonable demand.
19
20	Extra points when the original estimate is in a given time unit and they're told they have the same number of a smaller time unit. ("I need five hours!" "You've got five ''minutes''.")
21	----
22	!!Examples:
23
24	[[foldercontrol]]
25
26	[[folder:Anime & Manga]]
27	* ''Manga/AttackOnTitan''
28	** When [[spoiler:Eren launches his attack on Liberio]], Pieck, who has the power of the Cart Titan, meets up with the members of the Cart Titan's crew. They say they can equip the Cart Titan's armor in 15 minutes, and she says, "Do it in ten."
29	** Near the end of the series, when some Azumabito engineers announce that it will take 30 minutes to get a ship ready to leave, Magath says that they need to do it in fifteen, given the stakes: [[spoiler:the fate of humanity is on the line]], and every second counts.
30	* ''Anime/EurekaSeven'': In the E7 manga, Dewey is using Anemone deliver a cancer-like virus to the scub coral in order to kill it. Woz manages to get a copy of the virus and says he'll need an hour to reverse-engineer it to make an antidote, but then adds he can do it in 15 minutes.
31	* In ''Manga/HunterXHunter'', Gon demands Neferpitou come with him to heal Kite, but she's busy healing Komugi on Meruem's orders. Gon asks how much time she'll need. Neferpitou intentionally asks for four times more time than she needs, just so Gon can reject it. After he does, Neferpitou then asks for the amount of time she actually needs, and Gon grants that.
32	* In ''Manga/JoJosBizarreAdventureGoldenWind'', Team Bucciarati heads to Sardinia in order to replay the actions of the Boss's lover to find out who took her photo, which will provide a clue to the Boss's identity. The task falls to Abbachio, whose Stand is uniquely suited to that purpose, but since their enemies are nearby, they're pressed for time.
33	-->'''Abbachio''': If we're going back 15 years... It might take 8-10 minutes.\
34	'''Bucciarati''': Do it in five.
35	* In the backstory of ''Anime/MagicalGirlLyricalNanoha'', Alicia Testarossa's mother told her superiors that the final stage of assembling and testing her new power plant would take a month. They gave her ten days. As a result, mistakes were made and the reactor failed catastrophically. Alicia was one of the casualties of the resulting accident.
36	* In ''Manga/NewGame'', Aoba is asked by her new boss, Hifumi, about her progress on an assignment. Aoba admits that she's behind schedule and asks for a two day extension, which her boss grants immediately. Aoba is forced to admit that she can actually get it done a single day.
37	[[/folder]]
38
39	[[folder:Comic Books]]
40	* ''ComicBook/StarWarsDarthVader'': After being placed in charge of the fleet, Vader establishes his dominance by asking the new Admiral how long it will take to repair the damage done in the final showdown, and then ordering him to get it done in half the time.
41	[[/folder]]
42
43	[[folder:Comic Strips]]
44	* ''ComicStrip/{{Dilbert}}'':
45	** One strip features a terrible piece of software that does nothing but erase disk drives and use the computer's sound card to swear at people. Why? Because Dilbert and his team said they would need six months to create a new software product, but the PHB only gave them one month.
46	%%** A SurprisinglyRealisticOutcome happens in [[http://www.dilbert.com/strips/comic/1999-09-13/ this]] comic. Rather than giving less time, the PointyHairedBoss gives less money.
47	%%** In his business book ''The Dilbert Principle'', Scott Adams suggests that when asking for budget money, to ask for several times more than what you need in case your boss invokes this (like something along the lines of a hundred billion dollars to upgrade all the computers). That way, what you do get is still enough or a little more.
48	%%** [[http://dilbert.com/strip/2015-02-22 This strip provides the page image.]] The boss tries to invoke this trope, but it doesn't work. This one is most likely a reference to the trope namer, as Dilbert directly tells him leadership "doesn't change the laws of physics."
49	[[/folder]]
50
51	[[folder:Films -- Animation]]
52	* In ''WesternAnimation/TitanAE'', while the eponymous ship is under attack, Kale tells his gunners he needs time to adjust its reactors. He asks for them to buy him a few hours (his tone makes it clear he knows how impossible this is). Stith replies with "What can you do with a few minutes?" Eventually rendered moot: rather than fix it his way, they wind up [[TakeAThirdOption taking a third option]].
53	[[/folder]]
54
55	[[folder:Films -- Live-Action]]
56	* In ''Film/MadMax2TheRoadWarrior'', Max succeeds in RunningTheBlockade with the Mack truck but it gets damaged in the process, so the Mechanic looks it over and gives a LongList of faults, with a clueless assistant shouting it all back to Papagallo.
57	-->'''Papagallo''': Well, what does all that mean?\
58	'''Mechanic's Assistant''': [to the Mechanic] What does that mean?\
59	'''Mechanic''': 24 hours.\
60	'''Mechanic's Assistant''': [to Papagallo] 24 hours?\
61	'''Papagallo''': You've got 12!\
62	'''Mechanic''': Okay.\
63	'''Mechanic's Assistant''': (grinning) Okay!
64	* ''Franchise/StarTrek'':
65	** In ''Film/StarTrekTheMotionPicture'', Kirk bumps up the launch date of the ''Enterprise'' by about 10 hours and forgoes the shakedown cruise because they need to intercept the alien ship heading for Earth. Despite Scotty's promises, this proves to be a horrible decision that nearly gets the ship destroyed. Thankfully Spock turns up to get the warp drive working.
66	** In ''Film/StarTrekIITheWrathOfKhan'', Spock informs Kirk, "If we go by the book as Saavik suggests, hours will seem like days," before stating that repairs on the ''Enterprise'' will take two days to complete. Turns out that "By the book" is meant as a clue that Spock's message is in code (according to Starfleet Regulations, all communications over monitored lines must be encoded), and when he said two days, he meant two hours. When Kirk shows up two hours later, repairs are a bit behind the coded schedule but ''Enterprise'' is nevertheless in better shape than Khan believes it to be. Then done dramatically in the "Genesis Countdown" scene.
67	--->'''Kirk:''' Scotty, I need warp speed in four minutes or we're all dead. ''[no answer]'' Scotty?! Sulu, get us out of here!
68	** In ''Film/StarTrekIIITheSearchForSpock'', Scotty tells Kirk that refit will take "eight weeks, sir. But you don't have eight weeks, so I'll do it for you in two." Kirk asks if he multiplies all estimates by four. Scott says he has to, "how else would I keep up my reputation as a miracle worker?"
69	** In ''Film/StarTrekVTheFinalFrontier'', Scotty says he needs two weeks to get the ''Enterprise'' operational and Kirk gives him three. The ''Enterprise'' ends up being a disaster and Scotty's reply is "I think you gave me too much time."
70	** In ''Film/StarTrek2009'', when a black hole threatens to swallow the ''Enterprise'', Scotty [[AvertedTrope doesn't give Kirk any lip]].
71	--->'''Kirk:''' Scotty, get us outta here!\
72	'''Scotty:''' YOU BET YOUR ASS, CAPTAIN!!
73	** In ''Film/StarTrekIntoDarkness'', Scotty's response to Kirk once again making impossible demands:
74	--->'''Scotty:''' It's not easy, just give me two seconds alright? ''Yer mad bastard!''
75	* Real life, and the film of ''Film/{{Apollo 13}}'':
76	-->'''Lovell:''' Freddo, how long does it take to power up the LEM?\
77	'''Haise:''' Three hours, by the checklist.\
78	'''Lovell:''' We don't have that much time.[[note]]In reality, and what CAPCOM told them shortly later, they only had fifteen minutes of life support left in the command module.[[/note]]
79	** Also:
80	--->'''Gene:''' I want whatever you guys got on these power-up procedures. I don't want the whole damn Bible. Just gimme a couple chapters. We gotta get somethin' up to these guys.\
81	'''Deke:''' They're workin' on it now.\
82	'''Man:''' I'll call over to the simulator and get an estimate.\
83	'''Gene:''' '''[[PrecisionFStrike GODDAMMIT!]]''' I don't WANT another estimate. I want the procedures. Now!
84	* In ''Film/CrimsonTide'', Vogler the electrical engineer has been trying (and failing) to fix the radio for half the movie. Creator/DenzelWashington gives him a big motivational speech and says "it's just like in ''Franchise/StarTrek'', the captain says 'I need more warp speed' and Scotty finds a way. Well you're my Scotty and I need warp speed NOW." It works.
85	* ''Film/{{Swordfish}}'': "The best hackers in the world can do it in sixty minutes. Unfortunately, I need somebody who can do it in sixty ''seconds''..." The hacker in question manages it, despite a gun to his head and some significant... distraction elsewhere...
86	* Invoked by The Wolf in ''Film/PulpFiction'': "That's in the valley, thirty minutes away... I'll be there in ten." When he pulls up, an on-screen caption informs us that it's [[LudicrousPrecision exactly 9 minutes and 37 seconds]] later.
87	%%* In ''Film/{{Inception}}'', Eames complains about his time to forge Peter Browning's identity.
88	%%-->'''Cobb:''' You're on, you've got an hour.\
89	%%'''Eames:''' I was supposed to have all night to crack this!\
90	%%'''Cobb:''' [[spoiler:And Saito wasn't supposed to be shot in the chest.]]
91	* In ''Film/TheMartian'', after Mark Watney is left alone on Mars, the plan by NASA is to launch a resupply probe to provide extra food that will help sustain him long enough for him to be picked up by the next manned Mars mission. JPL says it will take six months to ready the probe, but they're forced to cut that down to three months, because that's how long their window is to launch. The head of NASA predicts the course of the conversation to follow. The director of JPL says he needs [[BringMyBrownPants a change of clothes]] when [[spoiler: the HAB's airlock explodes and kills Mark's potatoes, forcing them to accelerate their launch window. Unfortunately, it eventually gets so bad that NASA is forced to skip their pre-launch inspection, and the result is the probe exploding on take-off.]] After that, [[spoiler: the Chinese offer to help with their own booster rocket, which necessitates more Scotty Time. After that, JPL is told to get a sixty day turnaround done in less than thirty.]]
92	* ''Franchise/MarvelCinematicUniverse'':
93	** ''Film/TheAvengers2012'': When told by Coulson that it will take 30 minutes to evacuate the SHIELD compound, Fury simply says "do better." Sure enough, when the compound implodes roughly ten minutes later, many SHIELD agents are still trapped in the rubble (though Coulson himself gets out in time.)
94	** When Nick Fury orders Maria Hill to Washington in ''Film/CaptainAmericaTheWinterSoldier'', she tells him to give her four hours to get there. Fury gives her three.
95	* In the Russian movie ''Film/{{Admiral}}'', a destroyer is vastly outgunned by a German cruiser [[FromBadToWorse when a shell knocks out their engine]]. The engineer says he can repair the damage in half an hour. The captain gives them 15 minutes as the German warship is bearing down on them. His NumberTwo says even that's too long. "In fifteen minutes they'll turn us into a sieve!"
96	* In ''Film/{{Alien}}'', Parker and Brett can be seen inflating their repair estimate after the ''Nostromo'' damages itself trying to land on [=LV426=]. It's less about appearing a miracle worker than ThoseTwoGuys being reluctant to put some elbow grease in when they're not being paid extra to do so.
97	-->'''Ripley:''' ''(voice from comm)'' How long before we're functional?
98	-->'''Brett:''' 17 hours, tell her.
99	-->'''Parker:''' ''(into comm)'' At least 25 hours.
100	* ''Film/SmallSoldiers'': Larry and Irwin are both taken aback when the CEO orders that the new toy line be ready for shipment within three months, when it takes at least six months to go through product testing and focus groups.
101	* In the climax of ''Film/TopGun'', Stinger gives the order to scramble more fighters to reinforce Maverick and Iceman. Upon being told that repairs to the ''Enterprise'''s catapults will take ten minutes, Stinger angrily remarks that the fight will be over in two.
102	* ''Film/Midway2019'' has a couple of TruthInTelevision versions.
103	** Admiral Nimitz is shown the USS ''Yorktown'' has a massive hole blasted in her deck from 500 pound bomb during the Battle of the Coral Sea. It was estimated that the damage would need three months in a dry dock in the United States to get fixed, but they reckon they can fix it in a couple of weeks. Nimitz says he wants her at sea in 72 hours. Not only do they pull it off, but ''Yorktown'' is back at sea in ''[[SugarWiki/MomentOfAwesome half that time]]''.
104	** Subverted when the Japanese carrier aircraft are ordered to change their weapons load. When Admiral Nagumo demands to know if the strike aircraft are ready yet, the harried hangar officer replies that they need more time. He is told he has five minutes. It's ultimately moot; the American strike aircraft are already on their way, and strike when the planes are still below decks, causing maximum carnage when the bombs and aviation fuel explode in the confined space.
105	* In ''Film/WonderWoman2017'', General Ludendorff asks a subordinate how long it will take him to get the chemical plant operational, and when the man estimates two days, Ludendorff replies he has until tonight. The subordinate protests that his men have not had food or rest, and Ludendorff chides them for being complacent, saying an attack could happen at any time, [[BadBoss before shooting the man]].
106	[[/folder]]
107
108	[[folder:Literature]]
109	* ''Literature/CiaphasCain'': When ComingInHot in a shuttle, Cain gets asked for an ETA and looks at the pilot, who tells him "Seven minutes". Cain dutifully tells ground control "Four minutes", and tells the pilot it's best to make sure everything's in place.
110	* Discussed in one of the ''Literature/{{Dinotopia}}'' books - in ''The Lost City'', a troodon jeweller advises his apprentice to always quadruple the estimate of how long a job will take. That way, even if it takes twice as long as he thinks it will, the client will still be impressed.
111	* The clacks system needs a renovation in ''Literature/GoingPostal'' that would cost two hundred thousand dollars (and take at least nine months). The chief engineer is offered $50,000 instead. This is another sign of the incompetence of the cutthroat board of directors, as well as Reacher Gilt's skills as a B.S. artist; he has the engineer so wound up by that point that it doesn't even occur to him that he's being given only a quarter of what he asked for. The board actually approved the full amount; Gilt pocketed the difference. Fortunately for said engineer, he keeps a hell of a paper trail through the whole thing.
112	* In ''Literature/HarryPotterAndTheOrderOfThePhoenix'', Umbridge asks Snape for some more [[TruthSerum Veritaserum]] to interrogate Harry, whom she has ''just'' caught using her fireplace for an illegal chat. He tells her that, unfortunately, she used it all up in [[ChekhovsGun the previous interrogation]] , and brewing more would take a month.[[note]]And adds that, while he has plenty of poison to work with and would completely understand if she wanted to use it on Harry, it would all likely kill him too fast to get any answers.[[/note]] She responds to this by declaring him "[[InsaneTrollLogic deliberately unhelpful]]" and putting him on probation. It's the start of her VillainousBreakdown. [[spoiler: Given [[FakeDefector revelations]] in ''[[Literature/HarryPotterAndTheDeathlyHallows Deathly Hallows]]'', he may have been lying about being out. He was lying about having ever given her real Veritaserum (according to Dumbledore in the denouement). Certainly Umbridge's accusation that he was being deliberately unhelpful, though poorly thought out, was ''correct'' -- even if he wasn't lying, he could have conveniently run out earlier, and/or conveniently forgot to restock.]]
113	* In the ''Literature/XWingSeries'' novel ''Solo Command'', Zsinj's engineer is trying to repair the hyperdrive after Kirney sabotaged it. His estimate is "Pessimistically, an hour. Optimistically, less. I'm not sure how much less." Zsinj's reply is simply: "As much less as possible." The task ends up taking the engineer 40 minutes. Zsinj makes a note to give him a bonus.
114	** In an earlier book in the series, [[AFatherToHisMen Wedge Antilles]] asks his mechanics how long their procedures will take and they inform him it'll be several hours; Wedge is clearly unhappy, but just tells them to do what they can. Once he leaves, the chief engineer notes that it'll be only one hour, and offers to play sabacc[[note]]''Star Wars'' poker[[/note]] with the others after they're done. Definitely PlayedForLaughs, especially as one part cited as needing urgent repair was completely made up. Much to their dismay, however, Wedge soon comes back and sticks around the hanger while awaiting a guest, leading them to do useless busywork so the commander doesn't catch on.
115	* In the ''Literature/PrinceRoger'' series, the unit armorer is asked to build a half-size model of a tall sailing ship. Conversation paraphrased:
116	-->'''Roger:''' How much time do you need?\
117	'''Poertena:''' Two months should do it.\
118	'''Roger:''' Can you do it in six weeks?\
119	'''Poertena:''' I can try, but the only reason I said two months is that I knew I wasn't getting three.
120	[[/folder]]
121
122	[[folder:Live-Action TV]]
123	* ''Series/BlakesSeven'':
124	** When the main characters first seize the Liberator, Jenna says she might eventually work out how to make this unfamiliar alien vessel start and stop. As their guards are getting impatient to know what's happened to them, Blake says they have two minutes, and goes to seal the airlock. They get 'start' right JustInTime to save Blake's life from a guard who's about to shoot him.
125	** In "[[Recap/BlakesSevenS1E4TimeSquad Time Squad]]", Avon says he needs five minutes to do something, then adds, "Yes I know, make it two."
126	** In "[[Recap/BlakesSevenS1E10Breakdown Breakdown]]", a neurosurgeon is operating on a member of the crew, but Blake realizes he's stalling until a Federation pursuit force arrives.
127	--->'''Blake:''' How soon can you complete [the operation]? \
128	'''Kayn:''' Thirty-five minutes. \
129	'''Blake:''' Do it in twenty. \
130	'''Kayn:''' ''[unimpressed]'' Or you'll kill me. \
131	'''Blake:''' Oh, no, no, no. In twenty-five minutes I'm returning you to your [space] station. If you haven't completed your work--\
132	'''Kayn:''' Your threats don't bother me in the least, you know.\
133	'''Blake:''' ''[calmly]'' --I shall [[FateWorseThanDeath destroy your hands]]. Twenty minutes.
134	** Subverted in the episode "[[Recap/BlakesSevenS4E4Stardrive Stardrive]]". With a Federation patrol closing in on them, the Stardrive's inventor says she needs 50 minutes to connect it up. She's told she has 45 minutes, but eventually it comes down to a few seconds they don't have, [[ColdEquation so Avon ends up sacrificing her to save the ship]] by setting the controls to launch when she makes the final connection.
135	* ''Series/DoctorWho'':
136	** In the [[Recap/DoctorWhoS27E13ThePartingOfTheWays first season finale]] of the revived series, the Doctor is scrambling for a way to take out an entire Dalek fleet using a massive transmitter array. He can rig the satellite to hit them with a brain-frying "delta wave", but...
137	--->'''The Doctor:''' Trouble is, wave this size, building this big, brain as clever as mine, should take about, ohhh, three days? How long 'til the fleet arrives?\
138	'''Davitch:''' ...Thirty-two minutes.\
139	'''The Doctor:''' ''[suddenly working a '''lot''' faster]''
140	*** He manages to rig a Delta Wave transmitter, but there's a catch: [[spoiler:He doesn't have the time to refine the transmitter so it will only target the Daleks, meaning if he activates the makeshift transmitter, it will kill all the humans as well.]]
141	** [[Recap/DoctorWhoS31E5FleshAndStone "Flesh and Stone"]]:
142	--->'''The Doctor:''' The security protocols are still online and there's no way to override them. It's impossible.\
143	'''River:''' How impossible?\
144	'''The Doctor:''' Two minutes.
145	* Inverted on an episode of ''Series/{{Friends}}''. The groom is missing and they have to stall the bride.
146	-->'''Ross:''' How long until she absolutely has to start getting ready?\
147	'''Rachel:''' Maybe an hour...\
148	'''Ross:''' I need two.\
149	'''Rachel:''' Then why did you ''ask''?
150	* In ''Series/{{Leverage}}'':
151	-->'''Nathan:''' Sophie, [[ItMakesSenseInContext how long would it take you to stage a musical]]?\
152	'''Sophie:''' Six weeks.\
153	'''Nathan:''' You have two days.
154	* ''Series/{{Lost}}'' had one during TheGreatRepair of the Ajira plane in the GrandFinale:
155	-->'''Miles:''' Hey, how much longer 'til we get this thing in the air?\
156	'''Frank:''' I still have to check the electrical and the hydraulics. Five hours, maybe six.\
157	'''Richard:''' You've got ''maybe'' one.
158	* In one episode of ''Series/TheLoveBoat'', Gopher takes a broken face-plaque to someone to fix while the ship is in port. The guy says he can do it for $100, but it will take six weeks to a year; Gopher ups the pay to $200 and it can be done by six o'clock.
159	* Gibbs of ''Series/{{NCIS}}'' did this a number of times in early seasons. One good example is when Kate tells him a certain task will take three days and responds "You have four [{{beat}}] hours."
160	* ''Series/ObiWanKenobi'': In "Part V", Roken says he'll need three to four hours to fix the hangar doors. Obi-Wan gives him one. Fortunately, Haja figures out the likely source of the sabotage and Leia is able to repair it.
161	* ''Series/ThePretender'': In the episode "Every Picture Tells a Story", Miss Parker corners Broots the tech guy right after he enters the Centre. She asks him how long it'll take him to do something. He says 24 hours, she gives him 12, and after she leaves, he says to himself that he coulda done it in ''8''.
162	* A ''Series/SaturdayNightLive'' sketch, [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OgvuJSHCsP0&ab_channel=SaturdayNightLive a parody]] of the show ''Series/{{Scandal}}'', makes fun of how all the Gladiators can get so much done in an absurdly short period of time (except for Kelsey the [[NaiveNewcomer intern]], who holds up the line by asking for details).
163	-->'''Olivia''': "It's encrypted. Huck, how long would it take to decrypt this?"
164	-->'''Huck''': "I'd say twenty-four hours."
165	-->'''Olivia''': "I need you to do it in ''one minute''."
166	-->'''Huck''': "Let me see what I can do." [Hits one key]. "Okay, done."
167	* ''Franchise/{{Stargate\|Verse}}'':
168	** ''Series/StargateSG1'':
169	*** Deconstructed with this exchange:
170	---->'''Hammond:''' Just tell me the minute we can send a probe through.\
171	'''Siler:''' That'll be 24 hours, General, minimum.\
172	'''Hammond:''' I'll give you half that.\
173	'''Siler:''' No sir, it doesn't work that way. 24 hours is the best I can do.
174	** ''Series/StargateAtlantis'':
175	*** Rodney [=McKay=] usually exaggerates the time required intentionally, either so he looks like a genius when he gets done quicker or so he can claim he didn't have enough time if he fails. By a certain point in the series, everyone knows he does this and expects him to finish his work quicker, only for him to reveal that this time, he was giving the accurate estimate. Further supported in the episode "Condemned", where the leader of the inmates immediately realizes that [=McKay=] does this. He is not amused.
176	*** Parodied often when Sheppard would ask [=McKay=] for an estimate on something impossible to judge, like how long it would be until a reactor exploded, only to then question whatever figure [=McKay=] would give him, leading an infuriated [=McKay=] to point out the number was ''meaningless'' to begin with!
177	*** And when [=McKay=] is feeling particularly like an InsufferableGenius, you get something like this:
178	---->'''Rodney:''' I'm Dr. Rodney [=McKay=], alright? Difficult takes a few seconds; impossible, a few minutes.
179	%%* ''Series/StarTrekTheOriginalSeries'': The first-ever invocation of Scotty Time is in the episode "[[Recap/StarTrekS1E4TheNakedTime The Naked Time]]". He does it in less, of course -- though in this case, he has to resort to a completely new (and untested) method of cold-starting a warp engine; one that only existed ''in theory'' until that point, and he needs Spock's help. [[GodzillaThreshold Given that the alternative is crashing into the planet below (in eight minutes), the untested procedure is pretty much the only option]]. %%What is Scotty Time? And who is this "he"?
180	* ''Series/StarTrekTheNextGeneration'':
181	** In "[[Recap/StarTrekTheNextGenerationS1E2TheNakedNow The Naked Now]]", Sarah [= MacDougal=], the ship's first chief engineer, says it will take weeks to convert the tractor beam into a repulsor, only to be upstaged by Wesley Crusher, who does it in a few minutes.
182	** In "[[Recap/StarTrekTheNextGenerationS3E2TheEnsignsOfCommand The Ensigns of Command]]", Picard orders Geordi, Wesley and O'Brien to come up with a way to get the transporters to break through a heavy radiation field to evacuate an entire colony before the Sheliak arrive to blow them up (it's the alien's world and the colonists aren't supposed to be down there; no one knew for over a hundred years because of said radiation). At the end of the episode, Geordi finally admits it would take fifteen years with a hundred-strong team, but by that time Picard decided to TakeAThirdOption and get the Sheliak to wait for a transport ship to arrive.
183	** In the episode "[[Recap/StarTrekTheNextGenerationS6E4Relics Relics]]", Scotty tells Geordi that he ''always'' overstated how much time it would take to fix something because the captain would ''always'' give him less time than he said he would need.
184	--->'''Scotty:''' And how long would it ''really'' take?\
185	'''Geordi:''' An hour!\
186	'''Scotty:''' Och, you didn't tell him how long it would '''really''' take, did ye?\
187	'''Geordi:''' Well of ''course'' I did!\
188	'''Scotty:''' Oh, laddie, you've got a lot to learn if you want people to think of you as a miracle worker!
189	** In one episode, Geordi became his own PhraseCatcher when he comes into a room and Picard asks him for a time frame. He tells him it will take 3 hours, and then ''immediately'', as Picard is starting to talk, follows up with "I know, I'll get it done in 2, but..." and then lays out some other problems they have that have to be dealt with.
190	* ''Series/StarTrekDeepSpaceNine'':
191	** "[[Recap/StarTrekDeepSpaceNineS03E21TheDieIsCast The Die Is Cast]]": After the ''Defiant'''s cloaking device is sabotaged, O'Brien says it will take ten hours to fix and Sisko gives him two. While O'Brien does end up fixing it in well under ten hours, it's also explicitly stated at one point that he's been at it for three hours, well over the time limit given to him by Sisko.
192	** In "[[Recap/StarTrekDeepSpaceNineS04E20ShatteredMirror Shattered Mirror]]", [[TheCaptain Sisko]] is the one who says he can have the ''Defiant'' overhauled in two weeks, and Mirror [[GadgeteerGenius O'Brien]] is the one who tells him he only has four days.
193	** In "[[Recap/StarTrekDeepSpaceNineS07E06TreacheryFaithAndTheGreatRiver Treachery, Faith, and the Great River]]", a harried O'Brien tries to acquire a graviton stabilizer for Sisko -- O'Brien says it would take a month to acquire, Sisko gives him three days. In enlisting Nog's help, he accidentally barters away the Captain's desk in a ludicrously long ChainOfDeals. O'Brien's ready to face the music when, suddenly, the desk reappears along with Nog, who [[SureLetsGoWithThat has allegedly been polishing it]]. The stabilizer is on hand, too, and a relieved O'Brien promises to install it in six hours; Sisko tells him to make it two.
194	** In "[[Recap/StarTrekDeepSpaceNineS05E05TheAssignment The Assignment]]", Chief O'Brien tells the pah-wraith possessing his wife that he needs 36 hours to make all the adjustments to the station that it's demanding. It gives him 13, with his wife's and daughter's lives at stake if he fails. While O'Brien was almost certainly highballing his estimate to stall for time, he'd still have failed to meet the deadline if he hadn't recruited [[HiddenDepths the surprisingly brilliant]] Rom to help him.
195	* ''Series/StarTrekVoyager''
196	** In an early episode, ''Voyager'''s new Chief Engineer B'Elanna Torres tells Captain Janeway that she won't be ready before tomorrow. Janeway says she wants the task done by the end of the day and starts to walk off, this being how the conversation would end in any other Trek series. B'Elanna however stops her. "No, Captain. When I say tomorrow, I mean tomorrow. I don't exaggerate. Tomorrow is the best I can do." The next day, B'Elanna's away team beams over to the other vessel, and when Janeway calls to tell them to hurry up, she's surprised to find they've already completed the job quickly and efficiently.
197	** In a later episode, there's the following conversation. A straight example, but far more reasonable than most:
198	--->'''Janeway:''' How much time do you need?\
199	'''Kim:''' How does 72 hours sound?\
200	'''Janeway:''' Like 24 too many.
201	* ''Series/StarTrekEnterprise'': In the episode "[[Recap/StarTrekEnterpriseS04E18InAMirrorDarkly A Mirror, Darkly]]", Trip (who's just been tortured) is ordered to get the engine of a starship a hundred years more advanced than anything he's ever seen before working, half of which is disassembled and sitting in the hangar. When he says he can fix it in two or three days, Archer demands he does it in twelve hours. This has less to do with Tucker's competence than it does with Mirror Archer being an asshole.
202	-->'''Trip:''' Sir, I don't even know what some of these systems are supposed to do. It's like I'm an engineer on a steamship, coming across the first interplanetary transport.\
203	'''Archer:''' If we don't have warp capability in 12 hours, [[ImpliedDeathThreat I'm going to find a new Chief Engineer]].
204	* Spoofed on ''[[Series/StudioC Studio C]]'' with [[https://youtu.be/9txRbld8pSM?si=og1bGX0eS-Gn8ii5 Do It In One]], where a new crew member on a Starfleet-like ship does not yet know to give the captain, who compulsively halves the work estimates he's given, an estimate at least twice the length she actually needs to complete her tasks. Catching on, she manages to exploit this quirk to give her and the entire crew a party and halving their work week.
205	* ''Series/TheWestWing'': In the season 4 episode "Election Night", Christian Slater's character is asked how long it will take to prepare a report. He answers "3 hours." The Secretary of Defense, several generals, and the White House chief of staff laugh at him, and then the latter says, "you have twenty minutes."
206	[[/folder]]
207
208	[[folder:Stand-Up Comedy]]
209	* Parodied by Creator/SuzyEddieIzzard when she talks ''Franchise/StarTrek'':
210	-->'''Kirk:''' Scotty, we need warp 5 in ten minutes or we're toast!
211	-->'''Scott:''' I can give you thirty-five miles an hour in a week.
212	[[/folder]]
213
214	[[folder:Theme Parks]]
215	* Franchise/TheMuppets do this in ''Ride/MuppetVision3D'' with the final number right before it starts.
216	-->'''Sam:''' It is a glorious three-hour finale.
217	-->'''Kermit:''' You got a minute and a half!
218	[[/folder]]
219
220	[[folder:Video Games]]
221	* [[MadScientist Lash]] from ''VideoGame/AdvanceWars'':
222	** In Mission 27: Sinking Feeling, due to her raging ego she tells her superiors she can do 30 days worth of repairs in only 17 days. She's able to pull it off if you let her, albeit at the cost of using her troops as additional manpower for the repairs -- this cripples her defensive front enough that Jess is able to swoop in and sink all her battleships with minimal resistance.
223	%%** Sturm does this to her in Mission 34: Final Front, when Lash tells him she needs 40 more days to finish construction of their missile. Sturm tells her, in no uncertain terms, that she ''will'' have it done in 30 days. Once again she does actually manage to pull this off, if you let her.
224	* ''VideoGame/ANNOMutationem'': Castor informs C that he has managed to acquire the device needed to obtain the ArtifactOfDoom, but needs several days of testing before utilizing it. C demands preparations begin immediately, ignoring Castor's warning that rushing the process would risk a spatial collapse in reality.
225	* In ''VideoGame/CallOfDuty4ModernWarfare'' at the end of the game when your squad is trying to escape from the enemy stronghold, Cpt. Price desperately calls in an evacuation from his superiors... [[spoiler:Subverted when the evac doesn't actually make it until all but two of your squad members are dead.]]
226	-->'''Price:''' Baseplate, this is Bravo Six! What's the status on our helicopter, over?
227	-->'''Baseplate:''' Bravo Six, the bird has been delayed, E.T.A. fifteen minutes.
228	-->'''Price:''' Not good enough, Baseplate! We'll be dead in ten!
229	* ''VideoGame/HitmanAbsolution'': When asked how much cocaine he's planning to buy, The King of Chinatown simply says "all" of it, then threatens Snowman if he doesn't return with an answer in five, not ten, minutes.
230	* In ''VideoGame/MassEffect2'', EDI rats out Joker for padding time estimates in order to make himself look good for coming in under them. Shepard can either tell Joker to stop it, or EDI to leave him alone.
231	* The heist in Nikolai's first season of ''VisualNovel/QueenOfThieves'' hinges upon the heroine being able to successfully forge a painting - a newly-discovered Van Gogh which is about to be unveiled at the Louvre - with only fifteen minutes in the presence of the original to do most of the work. During the actual heist, [[TheCracker Zoe]] informs the heroine that the security setup has changed - instead of the expected fifteen minutes, she now has ''ten''. With some encouragement from Nikolai, she manages to pull it off.
232	* ''Videogame/RoadOfTheDead 2'': [[spoiler:The evacuation helicopter [[PlotDrivenBreakdown breaks down just before Diane and Cocheta can escape]]. The on-board mechanic offers repairs in five minutes, to which General Sherman anwsers "You have TWO."]] Justified since A: they're a sitting duck surrounded by literally millions of zombies, and B: [[spoiler:they're about to be {{nuke\|Em}}d, and as Sherman points out, "That bomb will go off whether we're here or not."]]
233	[[/folder]]
234
235	[[folder:Web Comics]]
236	* In ''Webcomic/{{Freefall}}'', an executive sends out a requisition for 14 satellites, expecting that it will be cut down to 10, which is the number he actually needs. Instead, because the department needs to use up its money in order to avoid budget cuts in the next quarter, he ends up with 20.
237	* In ''WebComic/GirlGenius'', Agatha [[http://www.girlgeniusonline.com/comic.php?date=20160222 finds a hidden room]] in a library. The students and staff had been searching for it for centuries, but she took about ten minutes, which she justifies by pointing out she doesn't have a lot of time.
238	[[/folder]]
239
240	[[folder:Western Animation]]
241	* ''WesternAnimation/{{Futurama}}'':
242	-->'''Leela:''' The ship's fixed except for the cup-holder, and I should have that operational within ten hours.\
243	'''Professor:''' You've got eight!
244	%%* ''WesternAnimation/SpiderManTheAnimatedSeries'', during the arc based on the Secret Wars. In this case, Kirk = Spidey, Scotty = Curt Connors (in his Lizard form but still himself) and the ''Enterprise'' = Iron Man's damaged armour.
245	* in ''WesternAnimation/StarshipTroopersInvasion'' Varro is told the ship's engines will be running in ten minutes, but he wants them done in five. The response: is that a hard five minutes or a sort-of five? It's a hard five.
246	* In ''WesternAnimation/StarTrekTheAnimatedSeries'' episode "The Survivor", Scotty says that it'll take hours to repair the ship's deflector shield, but it's seemingly restored to working order within minutes. Afterwards, Kirk calls Scotty to congratulate him, but Scotty points out he's still nowhere close to being finished, causing Kirk to realise it was actually Winston.
247	* In ''WesternAnimation/StarTrekLowerDecks'' episode "[[Recap/StarTrekLowerDecksS1E03TemporalEdict Temporal Edict]]", Captain Freeman learns of "buffer time" from Boimler and bans the concept, putting everyone on strict deadlines. This causes chaos and fatigue as everyone's rushing to do everything in the strict time they have.
248	[[/folder]]
249
250	[[folder:Real Life]]
251	* In May 1942, the USS ''Yorktown'' was heavily damaged after the Battle of the Coral Sea, and it was estimated that it would take three months of repair before she was seaworthy again. After only 72 hours, Pearl Harbor dockworkers laboring around the clock had managed to patch her up enough to sail and launch/land aircraft, just barely in time for ''Yorktown'' to join two other US carriers at the Battle of Midway. As a result of this herculean effort, not only did the veteran aviators flying from ''Yorktown'' inflict more damage on the enemy than those from the ''Hornet'' (most of whom missed the Japanese fleet entirely), but ''Yorktown'' herself twice received air strikes that otherwise might have hit the ''Hornet'' and ''Enterprise''. Between both attacks, her repair teams were so effective that the Japanese pilots mounting the second attack assumed they had taken out a second, previously undamaged carrier. Since the Japanese had assumed they would only be facing the two American carriers known to be available, they falsely believed both were now out of action and were caught off guard when their last remaining carrier ''Hiryu'' was attacked and sunk by aircraft from ''Enterprise'' and ''Hornet'', ending the battle with a decisive victory for the Americans.
252	* There is a story that Stalin once ordered someone to design and build a new plane in three months. When the designer objected that the Americans needed two years, Stalin interrupted with "Are you an American?" The plane was ready in time, but there seem to have been some shortcomings.
253	* In the aftermath of the Chernobyl disaster, the Soviet authorities tried to pull this on the cleanup crews (paraphrased translations):
254	-->'''Soviet Minister of Energy:''' It gives me great pleasure to announce that Chernobyl Unit 4 [ed: that's the same reactor that had been ''blown to smithereens'' a few days before] will be back online by the end of the year.\
255	'''Civil Defense General:''' Uh, guys, we're looking at something like seven years to clean up the fallout from the site.\
256	'''Soviet Deputy General Secretary:''' You've got seven months. If you're not done by then, we'll relieve you of your [Communist Party membership] card.\
257	'''Civil Defense General:''' If that's the way it is, don't bother to wait seven months. Take my card now.
258	* Repair estimates and safety limits are often made conservatively ''precisely'' to allow some flexibility in the case of an emergency (it may take 2 days to fix problem A, but you could very well discover problem B while dealing with problem A, adding another day to the repair time), as well as account for the fact that there ''is'' no ExactTimeToFailure in RealLife.
259	[[/folder]]

Context Main / ScottyTime