10 Most Meta Doctor Who Moments EVER

As hardcore Whovians, we all love Doctor Who, but we do sometimes tend to take it a little too seriously- and who can blame us? It's the greatest show in all of time and space, it deserves the utmost respect and recognition! However, it's important to remember that Doctor Who is also pretty silly, and that's half the charm. The show's creators are keenly aware of this, and as such, Doctor Who frequently pokes fun at itself, laughing at its shortcomings or simply reminding the viewer that they're watching a TV programme, sometimes breaking the fourth wall entirely to make sure everyone knows that it's self-aware.

These are the times Doctor Who got meta, the moments when the show was hyper-aware of its own existence and took a little time out to laugh at itself and wink at the viewer in an endearingly self-referential way. Some might say these meta moments ruin the immersion, but on the contrary, we think they add to it. If the Doctor is aware that they're in a TV show, who knows? Maybe they're out there somewhere watching along with us. Feel free to drop by any time, Doctor. There's a bowl of fish-fingers and custard with your name on it.

What could be more meta than two iconic Doctors taking the absolute mickey out of each other? This 2007 Children in Need special was penned by the King of Meta himself Steven Moffat, and it features Fifth Doctor Peter Davison crossing paths with Tenth Doctor David Tennant when their TARDISes collide, making for a magnificently meta mini-episode.

What makes this work so brilliantly is that the Tenth Doctor remembers being the Fifth, but the Fifth Doctor has no idea who the Tenth Doctor is, leading to some outrageous comedy. The Tenth Doctor is absolutely loving it, taking every opportunity he can to poke fun at his past, and by extension, fans of the classic series. There are well-meaning jabs at the Fifth Doctor's costume, his brainy specs, his trademark celery, and the fact that he's noticeably older than he was last time he appeared on-screen. The Tenth Doctor doesn't get off too lightly though, as the Fifth Doctor finally works out who he is with a brilliant joke at the fanbase's expense: "Oh no... You're a fan!"

This delightful special is made even more meta by the fact that Peter Davison is officially David Tennant's father-in-law, after Tennant married Davison's daughter Georgia, who happened to play the Tenth Doctor's biological daughter Jenny. Just like the Doctor himself, the meta moments in this episode aged very well.