If you don't live in the UK, you may be surprised how big a part of the culture "Doctor Who" is. It's much more than some sci-fi show about "a mad man [or woman] in a box", but rather a sexagenarian cultural icon so embedded in the British national consciousness that even people who'd never dream of tuning into such far-fetched nonsense have a rough idea what it's about.
Describe a room as "TARDIS-like" and pretty much any Brit would understand that it's deceptively roomy. They'd also recognise a Dalek, know that they like screaming "Exterminate!", and may even recycle an old gag about stairs disrupting their plans for world domination. (Fans are easy to spot, of course, because they'll instantly tell you Daleks have been capable of flight for years.)
