Classic Doctor Who: The 10 Timey-Wimiest Episodes
7. Pyramids Of Mars (1975)
Most of Pyramids of Mars does not dwell on time
travel mechanics, save for one memorable sequence. And for that alone it makes it onto this
list.
The story features the Fourth Doctor and Sarah Jane Smith in 1911, fighting the brutal Sutekh the Destroyer. At one point, Sarah suggests they simply leave in the TARDIS—since she’s from 1980, she knows Sutekh will not destroy the world in 1911.
The Doctor then shows her how wrong she is. He he brings her to her future, as it would be if they don’t stop Sutekh. Sarah is shocked to see the world has become a desolate husk. As the Doctor explains, “Every point in time has its alternative, Sarah. You’ve looked into alternative time….The actions of the present fashion the future.” It’s one of the most explicit exchanges the series offers regarding the nature of time, and is something it has continued to build on to this day.