10 Times Doctor Who Appeared In Other TV Shows
3. Community
Much-beloved sitcom Community is another show that's littered with Doctor Who nods, from the mention of "K9" in Season 2's Critical Film Studies, to the TARDIS t-shirt worn by Abed in Season 4's Basic Human Anatomy.
However, it's the ongoing gag "Inspector Spacetime" that people will remember the most.
This fictional show - which exists as a real show within the Community world - was first introduced in the Season 3 episode Biology 101, and follows the titular Inspector as he travels the universe in his red phone box.
On top of parodying the Doctor and the TARDIS, Inspector Spacetime also pokes fun at the Daleks, with the Inspector's arch-enemies (the Blorgons) resembling actual pepper pots, which - along with "tin cans", "rust buckets", and "annoying gits" - is how Doctor Who fans have jokingly described the Daleks over the years.
What's more, Inspector Spacetime clearly has that Doctor Who "low budget" factor, it's been on the air since the early '60s, and there are even conventions based around the show, which several Community characters attend.
In other words, Inspector Spacetime has been fleshed out in a surprising amount of detail, and considering that Community creator Dan Harmon has a soft spot for Doctor Who (his other major show, Rick and Morty, was heavily inspired by the Whoniverse), the gag seems to come from a place of admiration.