For just as much as I’m a fan of all things Disney, I’m equally as big of a fan of a little English science fiction show called Doctor Who. I’m sure a good amount of you have at the very least heard of the show. It debuted on the BBC in 1963 and ran all the way through 1989, and was then brought back in 2005 and continues to this day.
Disney and Doctor Who are not necessarily two things that go hand in hand, but I’ve combed through the history of the show and the production surrounding it to find some examples of Disney bleeding into the world of the Time Lord.
The Mind Robber (1969)
Admittedly, I am starting with something that is a bit of a stretch. This classic black and white serial starring the Second Doctor, Patrick Troughton, took place in the Land of Fiction. The Doctor and his companions Jamie and Zoe came across fictional characters such as Blackbeard, Rapunzel and Sir Lancelot. This of course ties in with Disney’s vast history of adapting classic fairy tales to the screen.
Disney Time (1975)
In 1975, Tom Baker was settling into his role as the Doctor, a role he’d go on to play longer than any other actor before or since. He recorded some linking material in character for a BBC children’s program of the time, called Disney Time, which was literally just a block of various Disney material. The Doctor hadn’t seen Mickey Mouse since he debuted in 1928, so he thought he’d stop off in London and see him and some of his friends. He goes on to introduce elements from Clock Cleaners, Blackbeard’s Ghost, The Jungle Book, The African Lion, The Apple Dumpling Gang, Bedknobs and Broomsticks, Return of the Big Cat, Escape to Witch Mountain and Lady and the Tramp, all before getting a message to report back to the Brigadier.
Delta and the Bannermen (1987)
In 1987’s “Delta and the Bannermen,” the Seventh Doctor (Sylvester McCoy) and his companion Mel are looking for a holiday, and expecting to pay a toll, they are instead surprised with a galactic time travel trip to Disneyland in 1959: the rock ‘n roll era! Of course, in typical Doctor Who fashion, the ship is blown off course, and instead ends up at a Welsh holiday camp in 1959. Still, it was fun to at least hear the reference to Disneyland.
Doctor Who: The TV Movie (1996)
Following the show’s cancellation in 1989, many attempts were made to bring the show back to life. While none were truly successful until the show’s full relaunch in 2005, one did get close. That being the 1996 TV movie, starring Paul McGann. Now there’s no Disney reference per say, however the project was aired on Fox (now owned by Disney) in the US. Sadly, it didn’t do anywhere near as well as hoped, so all we got was one TV movie.
The Christmas Invasion (2005)
Doctor Who came back with a bang in 2005, and following the first series with Christopher Eccleston as the Ninth Doctor, David Tennant took over as one of the most popular incarnations of the Time Lord. In his very first episode, while recovering from his regeneration, his mind isn’t quite there. While trying to plead with the alien Sycorax to leave the Earth in peace, he ends up quoting lyrics from The Lion King’s “Circle of Life,” before realizing and saying “Sorry, that’s The Lion King.”
Empress of Mars (2017)
I can’t seem to find the exact moment that this happens, but in the 2017 episode “Empress of Mars,” Peter Capadli as the Twelfth Doctor makes a reference to Frozen while talking to a newly discovered Ice Warrior on Mars all the way back in 1881.
Doctor Who on Disney XD
Did you know that for a short time in 2015, episodes of Doctor Who starring David Tennant aired on Disney XD in the US? I’m not quite sure how long it lasted, but for a time, seasons 2 through 4 of the show were almost part of the Disney family. A statement at the time said: “Disney XD is recognized for its family-friendly programming, making the channel a great partner to introduce the David Tennant seasons of Doctor Who to a new generation of viewers.”
If you’re looking to make a jump into the world of Doctor Who, the first 12 seasons of the 2005 series are available to stream on HBO Max, while the classic series can be found on BritBox.