Matt Lucas guest stars as a fan of the Inspector Spacetime series. He also had a role in Doctor Who (2005) which is the inspiration for the fictional show Inspector Spacetime.
Guest star Matt Lucas' character disparages people who watch competitive cooking shows. In 2020, Matt Lucas became the co-host of competitive cooking show The Great British Baking Show (2010).
Abed and Toby discuss when Inspector Space Time discovers that he is his own grandfather and grandmother. In the classic sci-fi story "All You Zombies", by Robert Heinlein, the main character discovers that he is his own father and mother.
One subplot revolves around an awful American version of a British television show. Joel McHale starred in the failed American version of British sitcom The IT Crowd (2006) in 2007.
At the Inspector Spacetime convention one female is wearing a gold pagoda headpiece and a gold and green bathing suit. That costume is an exact copy of a Darling Mermaid Darlings outfit from the TV show Pushing Daisies (2007).