1979

1979 in

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the DWU • production history • vital statistics • releases

While the Fourth Doctor described 1979 as a "table wine year", at least in regards to Paris, (TV: City of Death) his tenth incarnation later referred to it as "a hell of a year". The Tenth Doctor elaborated that China invaded Vietnam, and the Muppet Movie came out. During this year, Margaret Thatcher was Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, and an unspecified incarnation of the Doctor helped Skylab fall to Earth — he claimed that it "nearly took off [his] thumb." (TV: Tooth and Claw)

At some point in this year, the Fourth Doctor and Romana visited Paris, and Count Scarlioni stole the Mona Lisa from the Louvre. (TV: City of Death)

Events

• 4 January - Phil Tyson was born at 3:50pm. The Vandosians believed that Shogalath had reincarnated in his body. (COMIC: Mr Nobody)
• 16 August - Edward Grainger and his granddaughter Linda helped the First Doctor and Susan Foreman stop several Slarvian eggs from gestating near the English Channel. (PROSE: Childhood Living)
• Skagra went to Earth in search of Salyavin. (HOMEVID: Shada)
• A Kaftakkrofakian called Cecil transformed everyone at a Halloween party into zombies, leaving only one survivor. (PROSE: Zombie Motel)
• 12 October - Izzy Sinclair was born. (COMIC: TV Action!)
• 21 November - Ian Dury and the Blockheads performed in concert at Sheffield, England. The Tenth Doctor attempted to take Rose Tyler to this concert. They instead ended up in Scotland in 1879. (TV: Tooth and Claw)

Unknown dates

• Dr Lavinia Smith moved from South Croydon to Moreton Harwood. (TV: A Girl's Best Friend)
• John Benton left the army and UNIT. He took a job selling second-hand cars. (TV: Mawdryn Undead)
• Paul Brown, the father of Peri Brown, died in a boating accident. (PROSE: Synthespians™)
• James Callaghan was the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom. (AUDIO: The Oseidon Adventure) Later in the year, he was succeeded by Margaret Thatcher of the Conservative Party (TV: Tooth and Claw, AUDIO: Rat Trap), who held that office until at least 1987 (TV: Father's Day).
• The last surviving members of the Luron attempted to invade Earth but their plan was thwarted by the Fourth Doctor and Leela. (AUDIO: The Valley of Death)
• Brigadier Lethbridge-Stewart and a team from the British division of UNIT travelled to Canada where they investigated sentient electricity pylons which were stalking the Canadian countryside. (AUDIO: The Oseidon Adventure)
• Patricia Ryder met her future husband Trevor, in actuality the Zygon Warlord Haygoth, at a Folk Festival in Kendal. (AUDIO: The Zygon Who Fell to Earth)
• Eugene Jones was born to Shaun and Bronwen Jones. (TV: Random Shoes)
• The nine-year-old Dorothy "Ace" McShane was given an ABBA record as a reward for being a brave girl when she went to the dentist. (PROSE: Tragedy Day)
• Tegan Jovanka went on holiday to Hong Kong. (PROSE: Cold Fusion)

Parallel universe

• 12 October - Beep the Meep travelled to a parallel universe, in which the Doctor's universe existed only as part of a BBC science fiction television series called Doctor Who, and took control of the BBC Television Centre. The Eighth Doctor and his companion Izzy Sinclair defeated Beep with the help of the actor Tom Baker, who infuriated him with his endless rambling. Strangely, Baker both physically resembled the Fourth Doctor and played him on the television series. The Doctor learned the truth when he discovered the first issue of Doctor Who Weekly. (COMIC: TV Action!)