Friend in the Black Market: Difference between revisions

{{trope}}

 

You're in a sticky situation; you need to get something and there doesn't seem to be a legal way of getting it. (It could be banned, rationed, from overseas or possibly just made in extremely limited quantities). If you're lucky, you'll have a [[Trope Namer|Friend in the]] [[Black Market]].

* Both Radar and Klinger from ''[[M*A*S*H]]'', who use their wits to get anything the hospital needs. (Klinger getting the job when Radar leaves)

** And when that didn't work, more than a couple times Father Mulcahy was the go-between between the camp and the ''actual'' black market.

* G'kar deals with... not really a friend, but a man he knows who deals in black market weaponry, which he needs for the [[La Résistance|resistance on Narn]]. The dealer is selling him for far more than the weapons are worth. G'Kar should know, because he sold many of those very weapons to Earth during the Earth Minbari War fifteen years earlier. In this case, the quality of the merchandise is guaranteed with the understanding that what G'kar will do to the dealer if it isn't will be unpleasant.

* In ''[[Firefly]]'', the crew of Serenity tend to ''work'' for this guy (or a variety of these guys), using their skills and ship to acquire the goods for the market. From time to time, they will be seen doing business of their own with these sorts when they need to get things like disguises for their heists.

* Dorium in the ''[[Doctor Who]]'' episode "A Good Man Goes to War". He starts out working for the villains, then learns that they've kidnapped {{spoiler|one of the Doctor's companions and her child}} and decides to run for it before the Doctor turns up, knowing how many people owe him favours. As it turns out, ''he's'' one of those people, and is drafted into the [[Gondor Calls for Aid]] scenario.

* Barney from ''[[How I Met Your Mother]]'' "has a guy" for just about everything, from a "Suit Guy" and a "Whip Guy" to a "guy in the DA's office" who "scored us front row seats to a lethal injection!"

* In ''[[Seinfeld]]'' Kramer's unseen friend "Bob Sacamano" provides many obscure, black-market products - from counterfeit Russian "rat hats" to "The Wizard" Tip Calculator for the condo association (which may be hot!). He is said to have made a fortune for having invented the "paddle with ball" toy, being the first one to attach a rubber band. Before that, Kramer insists, people would hit the ball and it would just fly away.

* Uncle Eddie from ''[[Grounded for Life]]'' has a lot of connections with suspicious people, and is often able to obtain questionable items. Pointed out in one episode:

'''Uncle Eddie:''' I know about 75 guys. }}

* Peter from ''[[Fringe]]'' has plenty of these.