There’s nothing better than a healthy dose of meta humor, and this week’s Doctor Who mines the meta depths with a cheeky wink. Russell T Davies has fun with “Lux,” incorporating irreverent nods to the fandom at large along with a cornucopia of Whoniverse Easter eggs. Read on for our favorite references from “Lux” to this timey-wimey series.
RELATED: Read our recap of Doctor Who‘s “Lux”
Let the Band Play
Roughly six minutes into the episode, we hear seven notes from Amy Pond’s (Karen Gillan) theme as Belinda (Varada Sethu) tells the Doctor (Ncuti Gatwa) that she wants to go home to see her parents. And that’s not the only familiar musical cue. When the Doctor and Belinda chat with the Doctor Who fans — Lizzie (Bronté Barbé), Hassan (Samir Arrian) and Robyn (Steph Lacey) — “Sad Man With a Box,” the Eleventh Doctor’s (Matt Smith) theme, plays. Admittedly, as an 11 girlie, this one packed a wallop of nostalgia and hit me squarely in the feels. Murray Gold is a musical genius, and that’s not hyperbole. Even if it’s clearly nostalgia bait, his score is always transcendent.
Run
You can play a drinking game with how many times Belinda was told to run in this episode. We know the Ninth Doctor’s (Christopher Eccleston) first words to Rose Tyler (Billie Piper) in the 2005 pilot were, “Run for your life!” so this feels like an homage to that. Firstly, 15 tells Belinda that “It helps if you run” while they make a beeline for his wardrobe collection aboard the TARDIS.
Then, he urges her to run again after Lux (Alan Cumming) ensnares him with filmstrips to steal his bi-generation energy. Lastly, Reginald Pye (Linus Roache) yells at Belinda to run before he sets the projector room and all the theater’s film reels ablaze. If there’s one thing you must do when traveling with the Doctor, it’s run like hell.
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Wardrobe and Memorabilia
Belinda and the Doctor step into the merchandise-filled world of three ardent Doctor Who fans, orchestrated by Lux in a bid to keep them entrapped in the film reel. Robyn, Hassan and Lizzie display their love for the series in this meta twist, from their wardrobe to various memorabilia.
So, let’s start with their apparel. Lizzie wears a fez as an homage to the Eleventh Doctor (fezzes are, indeed, cool) and a Telos baseball-style shirt. Telos used to be the homeworld of the Cryons before the Cybermen colonized it. Hassan boasts a UNIT sweatshirt and the Fourth Doctor’s instantly recognizable scarf. Robyn has on a Meep t-shirt, a nod to Beep the Meep from The Star Beast. Even the Doctor’s bowtie feels very much like an Eleven Easter egg.
Behind Lizzie and Hassan on the couch is a cluster of Weeping Angel pillows. As for posters, there’s a Finetime one by the bookcase, a reference to the Season 1 episode, “Dot and Bubble.” We also see two Fifteenth Doctor posters: one situated behind the bookcase, and the other to the left of the TV. On the bookcase itself, there are tons of Doctor Who DVDs and books, along with Ood and Slitheen figurines. Lastly, Robyn appears to be holding the Third Doctor’s sonic screwdriver.
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Mean Muggin’
When the Doctor and Belinda first meet the Whovians, Lizzie drinks from a “Lizzie, Don’t Blink” mug, a nod to “Blink.” There’s also a Weeping Angel mug by the TV out of which the Doctor and Belinda crawl. Hassan has a K9 mug, an ode to the titular robot dog from the classic series. Robyn holds a mug that says, “Robyn will be hydrated,” which seemingly references Lady Cassandra’s “Moisturize Me!”
At the end of the episode, we reunite with our fandom trio as they rate the story. Hassan’s mug says, “Affirmative, Hassan,” another delightful tip of the hat to K9. Meanwhile, Robyn drinks from a mug boasting an illustration of a Dalek. Lizzie, however, is quite content with her Blink mug.
Speaking of Blink…
Upon learning that his life has been adapted into a TV series, our Gallifreyan asks Lizzie, Hassan and Robyn about their favorite Whoniverse adventure. They all unequivocally answer “Blink,” a loving nod to Steven Moffat, who penned the beloved episode. The Doctor mentions the Goblins (the villains from “The Church on Ruby Road”), meeting the Beatles in “The Devil’s Chord” and standing on a landmine in “Boom,” the last of which was written by Moffat. Their answer doesn’t change, though — “Blink” is it. The trio references the episode again when they state they’ll “blink” out of existence after the Doctor defeats Lux.
RELATED: Doctor Who: 11 Easter Eggs in “Boom”
Everyone’s Important
Before the Doctor and Belinda part ways with the Whovians, Lizzie says, “We’re not important. It doesn’t matter what happens to us.” This is reminiscent of a popular Eleventh Doctor quote: “In 900 years of time and space, I’ve never met anyone who wasn’t important.” He declares this in 2010’s “A Christmas Carol.” It’s one of my favorite quotes.
Ascension
This is an Easter egg unrelated to Doctor Who, but the sequence featuring Lux’s ascension brings to mind another animated character’s ascension into space. In Star Trek: Lower Decks‘ “A Few Badgeys More,” Badgey becomes a digital god and travels to a higher plane to create his own universe. He learns everything there is to know about, well, everything.
Lux’s final words about being everything and nothing, along with Belinda’s remark that he’s finally a god, remind me of Badgey’s narrative. If Lower Decks was still on the air, I’d beg for a crossover. That said, we know Star Trek exists in the Whoniverse because 15 references it in “Space Babies.” Maybe there’s hope.
RELATED: Read our Doctor Who recaps
Doctor Who Season 2 airs on Saturdays at 3 am EST/12 am PST on Disney+ and 8 am BST on BBC iPlayer in the UK.
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