I think it's official now...Doctor Who has entered the American television zeitgeist.
As if shout-outs on FOX's House, M.D., CBS' Criminal Minds and NBC's Community weren't enough, ABC's medical soap opera drama Grey's Anatomy has now jumped on the Doctor Who bandwagon. In last night's episode, "What Is It About Men," the series took a little time to take potshots at geek culture by featuring several E.R. patients who were injured during a stampede at a local comic book convention. Over the TARDIS.
Or as a nerdy Lord of the Rings Hobbit in horn-rimmed glasses explained, "Fifteen collector's edition replicas of the Doctor Who TARDIS in original packaging, signed by Russell T. Davies, free to the first fifteen people through the door."
I dunno, I can see a stampede over Steven Moffat signatures, but Russell T. Davies? The guy who gave us "Love & Monsters"?
Another patient named Keith had his ear ripped off after having it caught on one guy's costume. "At least we got what we came for," sighed Keith. "We got a TARDIS!"
"Well..." added his heavyset friend in a "Droid Rage" t-shirt, "...I got a TARDIS."
If you're interested in checking out the episode, you can find it here on ABC's official site. Thankfully, these mentions take place in the first segment.