Top 10 Doctor Who Parodies

Originally broadcast on New Year’s Eve 1963, just a few weeks after the first ever series of “Doctor Who” debuted, we start with the show’s first major parody, starring Clive Dunn as the now-famous time-traveller. “It’s a Square World” was one of the BBC’s leading comedy shows in the early ‘60s, and this sketch was one of its most ambitious efforts. With Dunn dressed akin to William Hartnell’s First Doctor, but going by a different name, he relays a series of suspect ramblings on rocket science, before brilliantly blasting the Beeb into outer space.

While crossover clips can sometimes fall flat, this one strikes a barmy balance between two film and TV juggernauts. Released just in time for the “Who” 50th anniversary and for “The Hunger Games: Catching Fire”, here we see Doctors One through Twelve in a brutal battle to the death. There’re creative kills aplenty here, but we’ve a particular soft spot for Four’s jelly baby slingshot, and Five’s freshly sharpened celery. It’s a Battle Royale around the big blue box, and only one can survive. Who’s your money on?

A spoof set on the first day of filming for the series’ first episode, Nicholas Briggs takes centre stage, as a bewildered reporter trying to understand what all the fuss is about. Playing on the show’s reputation for chaotic scenes in corridors, Briggs interviews showrunners, cast members, set designers and channel directors, but the premise gets more confusing with every conversation. Today, Briggs is best known for voicing the Daleks, Cybermen and some of the Doctor’s other enemies. But this was where his “Who” journey began.

Released toward the end of the original series run, Lenny Henry gets his hands on “Who” next, for a playful poke at the show, with a political twist at the end. Henry plays the Doctor in Tom Baker-esque attire, as he and Peri Brown encounter England in the year 2010. Unemployment is rife and the Cybermen walk the streets, but even the Doctor is a little alarmed when he meets their leader. A robot with a wig on, it’s Margaret Thatcher as you’ve never seen her before.

To a sketch centred on comedians Mark Gatiss and David Walliams, and one of three skits featured during “Doctor Who Night”, a 1999 BBC Two celebration of all things “Who”. Here we see Walliams play a somewhat star-struck alien antagonist, who’s desperate to duel with the Doctor, but is struggling to think of an original approach. Gatiss plays the famed Gallifreyan with glorious nonchalance, sidestepping every supposed threat that Walliams can muster. Of course, since this, both actors have appeared in the show for real.

As a lifelong “Doctor Who” fan, impressionist Jon Culshaw crammed quite a few references into the TV and radio series “Dead Ringers” – but nothing beats his Tom Baker. Channelling the Fourth Doctor’s famously expressive elocutions, Culshaw features the character in a series of hidden camera gags, including a cringey attempt at speed-dating. His timey-wimey trip on the Eurostar is today’s pick however, thanks to the sheer confusion the stunt causes.

The folks at “How It Should Have Ended” have tackled “Who” on various occasions, but this DC crossover is the best of the bunch. The short sees Matt Smith’s Doctor kill some time with Batman and Superman, by discussing his character’s hero credentials. Sporting a well-rounded English accent and an acute awareness of his own stereotypes, this Doctor skirts seriously close to the real thing – despite Batman’s intense emotional pressure.

To another late-80s sketch, this time with Dawn French and Jennifer Saunders playing Silurian guards at the Doctor’s trial. Only, they’re not very good at it. First, there’s a gossipy get-together between takes, and then they prove entirely unable to follow simple stage directions. It’s French and Saunders at their finest, but the skit wasn’t actually aired as part of their award-winning sketch show. Thankfully, it was eventually included as a bonus scene for future VHS and DVD releases.

Released in line with the 50th anniversary celebrations in 2013, this half-hour one-off debuted directly after “The Day of the Doctor”. Written and directed by Peter Davison, AKA the Fifth Doctor, it also features Colin Baker (the Sixth Doctor) and Sylvester McCoy (the Seventh), as well as a small part for Paul McGann (Number Eight) and a host of other Who-related cameos. The story? Well, it sees Davison, Baker and McCoy go to desperate lengths to get involved in the anniversary episode – and it’s a must-see for Whovians everywhere.

A classic spoof and still the best, “The Curse of Fatal Death” was originally released as a four-part series of shorts, in aid of “Comic Relief”. However, the story proved popular enough to warrant its own VHS release, earning an unconventional spot in “Who” history. Rowan Atkinson’s Doctor enjoys most screen-time, alongside Julia Sawalha, before a series of regenerations results in Richard E. Grant, Jim Broadbent, and Hugh Grant appearing as temporary TARDIS keepers. Then it’s Joanna Lumley for an Ab Fab finish. It’s weird, it’s wonderful, and it’s our winner.