Doctor Who Series 10: 14 Easter Eggs & References You Might've Missed In 'Smile'

2. The Magic Haddock

The Doctor compares the situation between the humans and the Vardy in this episode to the tale of the Magic Haddock, a variation on The Monkey’s Paw-type story about being careful what you wish for.

This recalls the last time that the Doctor compared his current predicament to a fairy tale. In 2015's Heaven Sent, the Doctor is trapped behind a wall of unbreakable Azbantium and recites the tale of The Shepherd’s Boy, a Brothers Grimm story about a bird who pecked away at a mountain over eternity.

Interestingly, the story of the Magic Haddock seems to be an original creation of Cottrell Boyce. The Grimms did write a different story about a wish-granting fish, though, called the Fisherman and His Wife.