1970s

The 1970s was a temporally complicated decade in history.

Temporal complications
Due to numerous visits by the Doctor's faulty TARDIS, the 1970s merged with the succeeding 1980s, resulting in the placing of events becoming distorted and disputed. In light of this, the Accord, foreseeing a "great war spreading through time", reinforced the vulnerable decades by altering the DNA of every single person who lived within them on a temporal level so that they subconsciously realised that there were inconsistencies with history. In response to the temporal discrepancies, a dating protocol was established by the United Nations on 1 January 1990, (PROSE: The Enfolded Time) which would be used as a reference by the Unified Intelligence Taskforce. (TV: The Day of the Doctor)

Celestial Intervention Agency Coordinator Narvin described the 1970s as "unruly". (AUDIO: The Death of Hope) The Fourth Doctor once described being in the late 1970s as much the same as being in the realm of the dead. (AUDIO: Suburban Hell)

Earth trends
On Earth, repeated alien assaults and scientific disasters resulted in rapid political turnover - there were at least five different governments and Prime Ministers of Great Britain before 1980. (PROSE: Who Killed Kennedy)

According to Sarah Jane Smith, the fashion of the 1950s came back in the 70s. (TV: The Temptation of Sarah Jane Smith)

While living on Earth, Jack Harkness wore a moustache. (TV: End of the Road)

As noted by Owen Harper, NASA sent messages into space containing a map of the solar system, pictures of what humans look like along with images, voices and music including Chuck Berry. These messages were noticed by extra-terrestrial species, resulting in the Pulse being sent to Earth. (TV: A Day in the Death)

As Welshman Rhys Williams recalled, power cuts occurred, resulting in a baby boom as "people took advantage of the dark". (TV: The Gathering)

As Fitz Kreiner recalled, a number of the nine-film Star Wars series, which would be screened together in the 2040s, were produced in the 1970s. (PROSE: The Last Resort)

Jo Grant's son Matthew Jones considered Jo's bedroom to be a "throwback to the seventies". (PROSE: Genocide)

In 2005, Perry reported to whoisdoctorwho.co.uk that he used to go to school with a boy in Salford who looked like the Ninth Doctor, about thirty years prior. (PROSE: Have You Seen This Man?)

Behind the scenes

 * Having been cast as the Third Doctor in 1969, Jon Pertwee stood as the lead of Doctor Who from 1970 to 1974.
 * The 10th anniversary of Doctor Who was celebrated with the broadcast of a four episode serial which ran from 30 December 1972 to 20 January 1973. Uniting the first three actors to portray the Doctor, The Three Doctors was the first example of a Multi-Doctor story.
 * Tom Baker was cast as the Fourth Doctor in 1974, serving in the role for the remainder of the decade. He ultimately gave up the role in 1981, remaining the actor with the longest televised run as the Doctor as of 2019.