Het Grote Sinterklaasverhaal (literally ‘the big Sinterklaas story’) is a Dutch children’s television series (which was later released as a movie) about Sinterklaas.
Like every year, Sinterklaas arrives in the Netherlands much to the delight of all children and most adults. But one adult is not happy at all to see Sinterklaas coming; Gigi Dietrich, a rich business woman who, as a child, never got a present from Sinterklaas because she was a spoiled brat. Now along with her niece Ria and her henchman Professor Brausenthaler, she plans revenge on Sinterklaas and his Zwarte Pieten. She has Brausenthaler build a robot double of Sinterklaas, and has this robot commit a series of robberies. Naturally, Sinterklaas is blamed for them and forced to leave the Netherlands again before his annual holiday of December 5. Tim, a teenage boy living on the streets, sets out to prove Sinterklaas’ innocence. Meanwhile, Ria starts a relationship with one of Sinterklaas's assistants, Macho Piet, and begins to get second thoughts about her aunt’s plan. Eventually, she turns against her aunt and confesses the whole scheme while simultaneously Tim also uncovers the truth. Gigi is arrested and Sinterklaas's name is cleared.
Provides the examples of:
- Bank Robbery: one of the crimes committed by the robot Sinterklaas.
- Cassandra Truth: Tim discovers the truth about Sinterklaas's crime spree when he gets his hands on Gigi’s purse, which still contains the blueprints for the Robot Sinterklaas. But when he takes these blueprints to the police, he is not believed.
- Clear My Name: becomes a major plot after the real Sinterklaas is framed for the crimes committed by the Robot Sinterklaas.
- Comically Missing the Point/Skewed Priorities: when Brausenthaler hears that Gigi's purse containing the blueprints for the robot Sinterklaas was stolen, he is more concerned about the fact that someone could steal his invention than the (obvious) fact that the blueprints could be used to expose Gigi's scheme.
- Crazy-Prepared: Professor Brausenthaler actually invented an anti-invisibility spray, just in case he ever has to deal with an invisible intruder. It comes in handy when Tim, who made himself invisible with the help of Sinterklaas's magic ring, sneaks in to Gigi’s house.
- Cross-Cast Role: Gigi Dietrich, a female character, is actually played by male actor Danny Rook
- Establishing Character Moment: when we first meet Tim, he helps and old lady who was robbed by a street gang get her purse back, effectively proofing he’s a good guy despite being a teen living on the streets.
- Happily Married: at the end of the story, Ria and Macho Piet marry.
- Heel–Face Turn: Ria, who was already uncomfortable with her aunt’s plan to begin with, and then also falls in love with Macho Piet, which finally pushes her over the edge. Also Brausenthaler, when Tim gives him a huge dose of his own truth serum.
- Hoist by His Own Petard: Brausenthaler, when Tim snatches his truth serum and gives him a huge dose of it.
- Mad Scientist: Professor Brausenthaler.
- No Water Proofing In The Future: the robot Sinterklaas is destroyed when Gigi accidentally shoots at some sprinklers, and the resulting water causes the robot to short out and explode.
- Police Code for Everything: Brausenthaler has codes for virtually every situation imaginable, even an invisible person breaking into Gigi’s house. Since he can’t remember them all, he keeps them in a book.
- The Power of Love: Falling in love with Macho Piet causes Ria to turn against Gigi.
- Ridiculously Human Robots: The robot double of Sinterklaas looks and acts entirely like a real human, to the point that even Gigi is unable to tell the difference.
- Ring of Power: Sinterklaas’ ring is magical. It can generate an endless supply of presents, and turn the wearer invisible. Tim is given the ring when he sets out to prove Sinterklaas's innocence.
- Spot the Imposter: when Gigi’s plan is finally revealed because Brausenthaler shows up with the robot Sinterklaas at a party thrown in Gigi’s honor, while the real Sinterklaas is also present, Gigi grabs a gun and plans to shoot Sinterklaas, but is unable to tell which of the two Sinterklazen in front of her is the real one.
- Street Urchin: Tim is a slightly older-than-usual version of this.
- Truth Serums: Professor Brausenthaler invented a truth serum (which also doubles as air refresher). He uses it to make Tim confess how much of Gigi’s plan he discovered told to the police. Later [[spoiler:Tim manages to get his hands on it and uses it on Brausenthaler, effectively turning the mad scientist good.]
