History Recap / DoctorWhoS30E7TheUnicornAndTheWasp

* UnreliableExpositor: Most of the "Where were you at a quarter past four?" flashbacks when the Doctor is asking the suspects do not come close to what the character says they were doing, with funny actual stories:

* ClassyCatBurglar: The Unicorn, although she gets a lot less classy when she's exposed.

* DaydreamBeliever: Donna really wanted to meet Noddy...

* FaithHeelTurn
* FlashbackBackBack: The interrogated suspects have flashbacks (complete with wavy line dissolve) while establishing their alibis, revealing that none of them are exactly truthful. Then played with when Colonel Curbishley has a flashback ''within'' his first flashback. Then the Doctor has [[NoodleIncident a flashback of his own]] when he recalls hunting in Belgium for Charlemagne, who'd been kidnapped by an insane computer....

* GenteelInterbellumSetting

* GiantFlyer: The wasp.
* GreenRocks: Well, purple -- the alien jewellery.
* HalfHumanHybrid

* HistoricalInJoke: Christie's historic disappearance.

* InspirationNod: The references to ''Cluedo'' (''Clue'' for Americans) aren't exactly subtle. They make sure to work in Reverend Golightly (Reverend Green), Colonel Curbishly (Colonel Mustard) and Professor Peach (Plum). Similarly, Robina Redmond, Lady Eddison and Miss Chandrakala the housekeeper fit the typical characteristics of [[FemmeFatale Miss]] [[TheVamp Scarlet,]] [[ProperLady Mrs.]] [[GrandDame Peacock,]] and [[ApronMatron Mrs.]] [[ServileSnarker White]] pretty well. They really hammer it home with the "Professor Peach in the Library with the Lead Piping" line, because that's how you might say it when you declare that you want to make an accusation.
* InterrogationMontage: When the Doctor is questioning all the dinner guests about the murder of Professor Peach.

* InThePastEveryoneWillBeFamous
* InvoluntaryShapeshifting

* NeverOneMurder

* OohMeAccentsSlipping: After the MistakenConfession, Agatha, completely taken aback, slips from RP into Fenella Woolgar's Estuary English. And Robina Redmond, when outed as the Unicorn, also briefly lapses into her real accent.
* OverlyLongGag: See SuspiciouslySpecificDenial.

* PluckyGirl: The Doctor invokes this with Donna, as policewomen didn't exist in the 1920s.
* PornStash: What the Colonel was really up to when the murder took place.

* ShootTheDog: Or rather, Drown the Giant Wasp.

* SolarPoweredMagnifyingGlass: How Donna sees off the wasp the first time.
* [[{{Sssssnaketalk}} Wazzzzptalk]]: "Put thozzzzzze thingzzzzz back where you found them! It's-zzzzzzzzzZZZZZ!"

** Also, wasp: White Anglo-Saxon Protestant.
* StiffUpperLip: "She's British and moneyed. That's what they do; they (''posh accent'') carry on."
** Later, when the Doctor remarks that, despite two murders, they are having a normal formal dinner, Lady Eddison simply remarks "We are British."
* StigmaticPregnancyEuphemism: In this case, she had "malaria".

## Reverend Golightly says he was unpacking in his room. His is the only one where the narration and the flashback match up. In hindsight, also a clue that he's the actual culprit.

* VictoriasSecretCompartment: Used by the Unicorn to hold the firestone.

* LampshadeHanging: Via a ContinuityNod -- Donna finds the idea of Agatha Christie being involved in a real murder mystery as ridiculous as the idea of finding [[Literature/AChristmasCarol Dickens surrounded by ghosts at Christmas]]. The Doctor looks embarrassed, probably recalling the events of [[Recap/DoctorWhoS27E3TheUnquietDead "The Unquiet Dead"]].

## Reverend Golightly says he was unpacking in his room. His is the only one where the narration and the flashback match up. [[spoiler:In hindsight, also a clue that he's the actual culprit.]]

* BlatantLies: ''All'' the suspects' statements about what they were doing when the murder took place are this, as flashbacks show they were actually having a gay tryst, looking at period porn, etc.

The Doctor has brought Donna to [[GenteelInterbellumSetting the twenties]] for a nice garden party. Meanwhile, [[TabletopGame/{{Clue}} a Professor Peach is murdered, in the library, with the lead pipe.]]

* BitterAlmonds

* PluckyGirl: The Doctor invokes this with Donna.

* TheVicar: Subverted; he starts out looking like the embodiment of the trope, but then...

** Another one comes earlier, when Agatha makes it clear she doesn't approve of the Doctor having fun during the investigation.

* NewspaperDating: Played with. The Doctor uses sensory clues like Professor Peach's vintage car and the smells around him to determine that they are in the 1920s, then uses a newspaper to determine that they have landed on December 8, 1926. [[ItsAlwaysSpring Subverted in that they are at a garden party on a sunny, warm, day with lush greenery all around. In England. In December.

* {{Sssssnaketalk}}: Or rather, Wazzzzptalk: "Put thozzzzzze thingzzzzz back where you found them! It's-zzzzzzzzzZZZZZ!"

* OohMeAccentsSlipping: After the MistakenConfession, Agatha, completely taken aback, slips from RP into Fenella Woolgar's Estuary English.

* PassThePopcorn: Donna seems to be doing this during the drawing-room reveal, though we can't see what it is she's eating. Some glances show that it may be green grapes.
* PluckyGirl: Invoked.

* NewspaperDating: Played with. The Doctor uses sensory clues like Professor Peach's vintage car and the smells around him to determine that they are in the 1920s, then uses a newspaper to determine that they have landed on December 8, 1926. Subverted in that they are at a garden party on a sunny, warm, day with lush greenery all around. In England. In December.

* ShoutOut:
** Rusty and Gareth Roberts had a bit of fun with the script. Gareth would pop a reference in, send the draft to Rusty, and it'd come back with another one, and so forth. All told, there are about 18 titles of Creator/AgathaChristie novels directly referenced in dialogue. Such as...

** At the beginning, [[TabletopGame/{{Clue}} a guy with a colour-related name is murdered in the library with a lead pipe]]. Lampshaded by Donna, even. (See MeaningfulName)

* UnreliableExpositor: Most of the "Where were you at a quarter past four?" flashbacks when the Doctor is asking the suspects do not come close to what the character says they were doing. Usually hilariously:
## Reverend Golightly says he was unpacking in his room. Notice that his is the only one where the narration and the flashback match up.

## Lady Eddison says she was drinking her afternoon tea when we see her actually drinking some spirits from a flask.
* UnstoppableRage: [[Literature/TheMurderAtTheVicarage Murder at the Vicar's Rage]] (*ahem*) when the boys are stealing things from the church.

* GiantFlyer

* ChangedMyJumper

* SummationGathering

'''Donna:''' ''[[{{Squee}} No]].''

* {{Sssssnaketalk}}: Or rather, Wazzzzptalk: "Put thozzzzzze thingzzzzz back where you found themzzzzzzzzzZZZZZ!"

[[caption-width-right:350:[-Quick! Someone call the exterminators! Roll out the Daleks! We need massive [[Recap/DoctorWhoS28E13Doomsday pest control!]]-] ]]

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

* {{Expy}}: Between the red hair, the magnifying glass and being called a "plucky young girl", whether intentional or not, Donna virtually turns into Franchise/NancyDrew during this episode.

* InspirationNod: The references to ''Cluedo''(''Clue'' for Americans) aren't exactly subtle. They make sure to work in Reverend Golightly (Reverend Green), Colonel Curbishly (Colonel Mustard) and Professor Peach (Plum). Similarly, Robina Redmond, Lady Eddison and Miss Chandrakala the housekeeper fit the typical characteristics of Miss Scarlet, Mrs Peacock, and Mrs White pretty well. They really hammer it home with the "Professor Peach in the Library with the Lead Piping" line, because that's how you might say it when you declare that you want to make an accusation.

[[caption-width-right:350:[-Quick! Someone call the exterminators! Roll out the Daleks! We need massive [[Recap/DoctorWhoS28E13Doomsday pest control!]]-]]]