Cultural references to the Doctor Who universe
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- You may be looking for Doctor Who pastiches or Doctor Who parodies.
Occasionally, elements of the Doctor Who universe are referenced in the broader popular culture. This page exists to throw a spotlight on some of these casual references made in television, comics, films and other media.
References by decade
- Cultural references to the Doctor Who universe/1960s
- Cultural references to the Doctor Who universe/1970s
- Cultural references to the Doctor Who universe/1980s
- Cultural references to the Doctor Who universe/1990s
- Cultural references to the Doctor Who universe/2000s
- Cultural references to the Doctor Who universe/2010s
- Cultural references to the Doctor Who universe/2020s
Television
- In the UK version of Queer as Folk (1999-2000) (created by Russell T Davies), the character of Vince makes various references to Doctor Who throughout the programme, and is bought a replica of K9 for his birthday. In episode three, a guy he brings home for a one-night stand lands up instead watching his Genesis of the Daleks tapes. In the same episode, Cameron comments on "the one with the shop dummies" and "that one with the maggots". He said the show scared him as a kid. Vince ends up breaking up with Cameron when he can't list "all the Doctor Whos", whereas Stuart, Vince's long-time friend, can list all 7 actors in order, even remembering that according to Vince, "Paul McGann doesn't count."
- The comedy Spaced (1999-2001) (starring and written by Simon Pegg and Jessica Hynes) features a comic book store. The door to its back room is painted to look like the TARDIS doors.
- In another episode of The Big Bang Theory[which?], a poster of Vincent Van Gogh's "The Pandorica Opens" can be seen prominently displayed in a comic book shop.
- In Misfits (2009-2013), a UK sci-fi series, a character has a Dalek toy on his desk.
- In the Disney Channel series Sonny with a Chance (2009-2011), two characters are trapped in a phone box and the title character asks why they built another time machine.
- The British comedy Outnumbered (2007-2014, 16) (which starred Claire Skinner, Samantha Bond, David Troughton and Mark Benton) has made several references to Doctor Who. The first was when Ben (one of the main characters) ended up stating that he was scared. While listing all the stuff he could be scared of, he asked, "What about those Krillitane bat-things from Doctor Who?" In another episode, Pete and Jake (a couple of other main characters) were flipping through TV shows that Jake liked but Pete didn't approve of and ended up with Doctor Who Confidential, which Pete didn't like because he compared TV shows to pork pies; they're something people like but don't want to know what went through the making of it. Ben later referenced it in a third episode when he walked into the kitchen saying, "Doctor, there is no escape! Exterminate!".
Comics
Monica's Gang
- In the parody of Back of Future[which?], at a time several different time machines from different franchises appeared, one of them was the TARDIS.
Marvel UK
- In an issue of The Spectacular Spider-Man[which?] concerning paradoxes, alternate realities and time travel, the words "BAD WOLF" are grafittied on an alley wall.
Sergio Bonelli Editore
- In La donna che cambiò la storia d'Italia (The woman who changed Italy's history), 14th volume of Storie da Altrove, a spin-off of italian comic series Martin Mystère, the TARDIS, K9, Donna Noble, the Eleventh Doctor, Amy Pond, Captain Jack Harkness (with Torchwood's logo), a Silurian, a Dalek and a Weeping Angel appear in the background in different panels. The main character's cover name throughout the story is "Lady Christina de Souza" and another character directly quotes Tenth Doctor's explanation of time heard in Blink. The villain mentions being addressed as "The Oncoming Storm" and that his name "burns in the stars, in the Cascade of Medusa herself".
- In Gli enigmi del giovane Martin, 29th volume of Speciale Martin Mystère, the Fifth Doctor and the Master appear as a cameo in the Altrove base. A woman is seen asking the whereabouts of "Captain Harkness".
- In Congiura nei cieli, 322th volume of regular series of Martin Mystère, a writer named Canton Everett is pursued by the Men in Black. All the stories listed above are written by Carlo Recagno, himself a declared Doctor Who fan.
- In La dama che incantò Arsenio Lupin, 15th volume of Storie da Altrove, once more written by Recagno, a panel depicts the Seventh Doctor fighting harpies together with Sherlock Holmes, reprising the identical pose the duo had on All-Consuming Fire's cover. Holmes recalls having met a friend the last time at Bernice Summerfield's wedding. A woman similar to River Song is seen fighting Yog-Sothoth alongside Holmes in the subsequent panel. Additionally, Lupin uses Tenth Doctor's catchphrases "I'm so sorry" and "Allons-y!", and refers to the Countess Cagliostro as "Hell in high heels".
- In Il matrimonio di Sergej Orloff, 330th volume of regular series of Martin Mystère penned by Recagno, Altrove's commander Tower is seen in Peru leading an Altrove joint mission with UNIT, led by Brigadier Alistair Gordon Lethbridge-Stewart. A Time Lord is seen in the background of Altrove's base. In a flashback, a Mu soldier is seen wearing an outfit identical to those worn by Ice Warriors.
- The TARDIS appears a few issues (and on a cover or two) of CONSTANTINE.[which?]
Prose
- The Red Dwarf novels have a number of references. Kryten, for example, owns a sonic screwdriver.[which?]
