10 Doctor Who Easter eggs even die-hard fans might have missed

Across its six-decade history, Doctor Who has brought us Easter eggs galore.

There’s a special joy in noticing small details or clever nods to other things in a show you love, and Doctor Who fans are particularly good at finding them.

From nods to the very first episode, to callbacks to beloved sci-fi movies and shows, and even just fun little jokes for dedicated viewers, here’s a collection of some of our favorite hidden details and Easter eggs.

How many did you catch the first time round?

1. Hidden homages to An Unearthly Child – The Day of the Doctor (2013)

The special celebrating the show’s 50th anniversary, featuring David Tennant and Matt Smith, is packed with affectionate references to its beginnings. These include details like a mention of the show’s first location, Totter’s Lane, a school sign displaying the name of early companion Ian Chesterton, and the original airdate and time subtly displayed on a wall.

Totter’s Lane – The iconic junkyard where the Doctor’s story began reappears, quietly grounding the 50th anniversary special in the series’ original setting.
Ian Chesterton on the school sign – A subtle tribute to the Doctor’s very first companion, now listed as chairman of the school board at Coal Hill.
“23 November 1963, 5:15pm” scratched on a wall – The exact date and time Doctor Who first aired, immortalised as a blink-and-you’ll-miss-it piece of graffiti.
Headmaster Coburn – A nod to Anthony Coburn, writer of the very first episode, whose name appears as the school’s headmaster.

The show subtly links recent episodes back to its original debut, giving dedicated fans a nice nod without confusing newcomers – a testament to how Doctor Who always remembers its roots, even after five decades.

2. Doctor Who existing in Doctor Who – Remembrance of the Daleks (1988)

A particularly clever moment in Doctor Who occurred in the 1988 episode “Remembrance of the Daleks.” During the story, a voice mimicking a television announcer begins to introduce “a new adventure in the science-fiction series Doc…” but the introduction is cut short before the full title, *Doctor Who*, can be said.

Throughout its long run, Doctor Who has occasionally hinted at the show existing *within* its own universe. A recent example is when the Fifteenth Doctor encountered people dressed as fans in the episode ‘Lux’ – they believed he was stepping out of a television screen.

This detail isn’t crucial to the plot, but it’s a quick, amusing moment and a clever bit of writing.

3. The Cloisters of Gallifrey – Hell Bent (2015)

As a long-time Doctor Who fan, I was genuinely chilled by the scene in ‘Hell Bent’ where the Doctor revealed a secret chamber. It was filled with the frozen, silent remains of enemies he’d faced throughout his adventures – things like a Cyberman, a Weeping Angel, even a Mire helmet and a Scarecrow! The most unsettling part was seeing the severed head of an Ood amongst them – a really stark reminder of just how dangerous the Doctor’s life truly is.

While walking through the Cloisters of Gallifrey, the Doctor and Clara encounter strange beings. These aren’t living creatures, but rather ghostly remnants of the Doctor’s past – frozen memories that linger within Time Lord history. It’s like facing a gallery of all the Doctor’s old enemies…

4. Clara’s mother death date – The Rings of Akhaten (2013)

In the Doctor Who episode “The Rings of Akhaten,” Clara’s mother’s gravestone reveals she passed away on March 5th, 2005. Interestingly, this is the same day the Nestene Consciousness invaded London, as depicted in the first episode of the show’s revival, “Rose.”

Most of the episode focuses on exploring different planets and includes Eleven’s memorable speech, but this touching scene connects Clara’s past to the larger story of Doctor Who and how the show was successfully revived.

5. John Smith’s parents – Human Nature/Family of Blood (2007)

In the compelling two-part story “Human Nature” and “Family of Blood,” the Doctor disguises himself as a human named John Smith to escape the dangerous Family of Blood.

John Smith mentions his parents are named Verity and Sydney, which is a charming nod to the creators of Doctor Who.

As a huge sci-fi fan, I always find it fascinating to learn about how these shows even *started*. This one? It was a real team effort, kicked off by Sydney Newman, who was a big deal at the BBC’s drama department, and Verity Lambert. She was a total pioneer – the first female producer at the BBC – and honestly, she was the driving force in getting it made and onto our screens. It’s amazing to think about the impact of her work!

A small detail in one of the show’s most beloved episodes cleverly connects it back to where it all began.

6. A Slade soundtrack across time – Merry Xmas Everybody in multiple episodes

The iconic 1973 song “Merry Xmas Everybody” by Slade appears subtly in multiple Doctor Who episodes, such as “The Christmas Invasion,” “The Runaway Bride,” “Turn Left,” and “The Power of Three.”

You often hear the song playing softly on the radio or in stores, which makes Christmas feel surprisingly normal even in the world of Doctor Who – even with monsters around, Slade is still played every December!

7. A DeLorean in disguise – Face the Raven (2015)

The Doctor and Clara find themselves on a concealed street, a secret hideaway with unusual buildings and mysterious symbols. The set design is full of small, interesting details and clever visual gags, including one reference that science fiction enthusiasts will likely recognize.

In a particularly moving moment, a poster featuring the flux capacitor from *Back to the Future* appears alongside text written in Aurebesh (the language from *Star Wars*). This text actually spells out “DeLorean,” the name of the famous time-traveling car from *Back to the Future*.

Could we actually see a Doctor Who, Star Wars, and Back to the Future team-up? It’s starting to seem possible!

8. Billboard nostalgia and Susan – The Devil’s Chord (2024)

While in Shoreditch in 1963, the Doctor specifically refers to his granddaughter, Susan Foreman, a direct link to the very first episode, ‘An Unearthly Child’. A billboard for the band “Chris Waites & the Carollers” – the same band Susan was listening to in that initial episode – is also visible.

This all culminated in Carole Ann Ford finally returning to the show in ‘The Interstellar Song Contest’.

The reveal sparked a lot of discussion among Doctor Who fans of all ages, with many new viewers even revisiting older episodes to find out more about Susan’s adventures in the TARDIS.

9. Richard E Grant in Rogue (2024)

It’s rare for a small detail, like an Easter egg, to fundamentally alter a show’s established story, but Richard E. Grant’s cameo in ‘Rogue,’ along with its nods to previous Doctors, managed to do just that.

Colin Grant voiced the Doctor in a 2003 online animated series called ‘Scream of the Shalka,’ which was once considered separate from the main Doctor Who storyline. Now, his appearance in that episode has officially made it part of the established canon, changing what was previously accepted as true.

Throughout its long run, Doctor Who’s established history has been altered and revised – sometimes successfully, sometimes not. But this time, the changes are unlike anything fans have seen before!

10. The Doctor’s library card – Vampires of Venice (2010)

Many tributes have been paid to the late William Hartnell, but a particularly clever one appeared in the *Doctor Who* episode ‘Vampires of Venice’. When Matt Smith’s Doctor shows his psychic paper, it briefly displays a picture of Hartnell as the very first Doctor.

In the episode, the Doctor tries to use his library card, but it doesn’t work. He remembers he hasn’t updated it since he was first the Doctor.

It’s a brief scene, but it’s a lovely way to honor William Hartnell, the original Doctor.

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