Father's Day (Doctor Who) - Outside References

Outside References

Posters seen advertising the Socialist Worker read 'No Third Term For Thatcher', serving to campaign against re-electing Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher in the General Election in June 1987. "The Lamb and Flag", a pub from the sitcom Bottom, is referenced in the episode. When time is damaged, one of the effects is that mobile telephones all begin to repeat the message, "Watson, come here, I need you," purportedly Alexander Graham Bell's first words ever spoken over a telephone. However, according to a recording by Watson reminiscing about the event, the words were "Watson, come here, I want you." The error was not present in Paul Cornell's original script, but crept in at some point during production.

The episode features two of the biggest hits from 1987, "Never Gonna Give You Up" performed by Rick Astley and "Never Can Say Goodbye" performed by The Communards, both of which have some relevance to the basic themes of the story. It also features the 2002 song "Don't Mug Yourself" by The Streets, indicating the damage to the timeline. Rose believes Pete to be "a bit of a Del Boy", referring to the character from Only Fools and Horses, which was airing around the time this episode is set. Humorously, Shawn Dingwall later went on to play Del Boy's father Reg Trotter in the Only Fools and Horses prequel Rock and Chips first aired in 2010.