"…St. Neot’s Refuge was founded in 3016 for the education of young men to the service of empire and state. In the quiet shade of Diaz’ world, each boy can develop that true sense of self-worth which will enable him to stand up for himself, and for a purpose greater than himself and, in doing so, to be of value to society; to be a man…" -School Prospectus
"Want to change the future, Turlough? Use a school." -The Doctor
"Trap for Fools" is a Fifth Doctor and Turlough story, set between Resurrection of the Daleks and Planet of Fire. Written by Stephen Fewell, and read by Mark Strickson.
Trap for Fools contains examples of:
- Adults Are Useless: None of the teachers are willing to listen to Turlough about the attacks on his classmates, and are generally unhelpful even at educating them.
- Anachronism Stew: St. Neot's, a traditional English public school in the 30th century.
- Boarding School: In space!
- Butt-Monkey: Out of all the places and times in the entire universe, Turlough ends up stuck back in a public school, his worst nightmare.
- Call-Back: Naturally, there are quite a few to Brendon School and Turlough's time there.
- Comically Missing the Point: The Doctor is startled from his digging out weeds on the cricket pitch by Turlough, demanding to know what the hell is going on at the school. Five starts explaining that weeds can interfere with the game and misdirect the ball, much to Turlough's irritation.
- A Day in the Limelight: Not unusual for the Short Trips series, but the Doctor is barely more than a guest star here, with the focus squarely on Turlough instead.
- Exactly What It Says on the Tin: The Entitlement are transdimensional beings who exist only to claim things as their own.
- Eldritch Abomination: The Entitlement, sentient dimensions where nothing exists, hence their need to consume.
- It's Up to You: When the Doctor is swept away by the Entitlement, Turlough is the only one with any chance of taking it on.
- Malicious Misnaming: One of Turlough's teachers insists on calling him "Turlog", and it catches on with everyone else.
- Mood Whiplash: The Doctor's letter to Turlough, describing the dark forces threatening to attack the galaxy, complete with sinister music swelling, is undercut by his P.S. asking Turlough to tend to the divets on the hockey pitch.
- The Nicknamer: Turlough secretly assigns his classmates rather unflattering names. Lanky Hamster, Shiny Forehead, Fat Smirker, No Threat...
- Quintessential British Gentleman: The Doctor is thriving as a boarding school groundskeeper, sorting out the hockey pitch and taking exceptional care of the cricket gear. Turlough is less enthralled by the whole affair.
- Sadist Teacher: Mr Stabbing.
- Secret Test of Character: Turlough wonders whether being stranded at St. Neot's might be one of these set up by the Doctor, possibly as some sort of punishment.
- Significant Anagram: St. Neot's is an outer space Shout-Out to Eton College.
- This Looks Like a Job for Aquaman: The Doctor insists that Turlough's expertise with the inner workings of public schools as well as alien threats make him uniquely qualified to cope with the Entitlement. Turlough is not so sure.
- Upper-Class Twit: Most of Turlough's new classmates, and their teachers as well.
- Used to Be More Social: Turlough reflects that his exile has affected his interpersonal skills, even his emotional associations. After his narration awkwardly describes clutching a pillow to himself, he realizes he no longer even automatically categorizes that as a "hug", that word having been phased out of his vocabulary long ago.
- Weirdness Censor: Nobody bats an eye at a police box suddenly appearing as the new groundsman's hut.
