The imagination ofDoctor Who’smonster is astonishing, but despite introducing some outstanding villains, there are others that never made it past their first on-screen appearance. In the more than sixty years thatDoctor Whohas been on TV, the few constants remain the Doctor, his TARDIS, and his companions. Meanwhile, monsters and villains make occasional appearances, but the show has fallen into a routine of having a small number of rotating monsters, with many other aliens and life forms appearing in one off stories.
Forevery adventure where the Master returns, or the Daleks strike fear into the hearts of everyone they meet,there are stories with a one-off villain. Evidently, when a protagonist to all of space and time, they are likely to meet a seemingly endless variety of bad guys. However, there are a number of these villains who are incredibly intricate and full of depth, despite only having one story appearance. And like the Weeping Angels of the modern era, they deserve to be brought back and have their stories expanded.
10Sycorax
Brutal Alien Invaders
Kicking things off with the very first aliens that the Tenth Doctor came in contact with after regenerating, the Sycorax.Sycorax are an interesting species which has a language which is very rudimentary and based in tribal, warring languages. They wear armor made of bones, and they appear incredibly hostile and aggressive, attempting to take over a planet almost as soon as they arrive there. However, despite their seeming tribalism and ritualistic nature, the Sycorax are a highly advanced race.
All 15 Multi-Doctor TV Stories In Doctor Who Explained
Over the years, there have been several Doctor Who episodes or serials that saw the Doctor cross paths with one or more of their other incarnations.
Obviously, these creatures appear to have cracked the code when it comes to lightspeed space travel, but the fact that they can do it on what seems to be a large rock hints that they have advanced incredibly quickly.In addition, their science allows them to take control of entire parts of the population through the use of blood in a way that resembles magic.Of course, when science is advanced enough, it appears indistinguishable from magic, and the Sycorax are clearly much more advanced than the humans in terms of tech.
9Mara
Shapeshifting Nightmare
Technically, the Mara showed up in two separate stories during the classic era, but both times were very close, in season 19 and then season 20. Since then, the character has never been seen again, although the recent reappearance of characters like the Toymaker and Sutekh have referenced the Mara. Today, the Mara is considered to be one of the members of thePantheon of the Gods inDoctor Who, but when they first appeared, they were a manifestation of human greed and hatred.
While inhabiting Tegan, the creature was able to increase its power, until it eventually exited her body and revealed its true form as a serpent.
When the Fifth Doctor met the Mara, it managed to take control of his companion Tegan.While inhabiting Tegan, the creature was able to increase its power, until it eventually exited her body and revealed its true form as a serpent. Like Sutekh, the Mara was not killed, but rather, exiled and trapped. With the recent mentions of the character, it seems likely that they could appear again in the near future ofDoctor Whoas it pursues the narrative involving the Pantheon.
8Vashta Narada
Shadowy Book Creatures
One of the greatest monsters in the modern era, the Vashta Narada, is another rival faced by the Tenth Doctor.While exploring the largest library in the universe, the Doctor notices that the entire planet appears abandoned. However, scanners did detect life forms nearby. As it turns out, an invisible race of creatures who formerly lived in forests were transported to the planet via the pages of the books which populated the library.
Which quote from The Doctor will stick with you forever?
Doctor Who is a very special TV show to me, and it has been since I saw Christopher Eccleston pop up on my screen in a leather jacket back in 2005. The Doctor has said some incredible things over the years, both in the classic and modern eras, that have remained with me since I first heard them. If I had to pick the one that resonates with me the most, though, it would be the First Doctor saying, “Go forward in all your beliefs, and prove to me that I am not mistaken in mine.”
Trying to settle into their new home, the Vashta Narada killed any life form it came across, but the creatures were unable to move outside the shadows. Once inhabiting a body, though, the creatures can control the bodies of their victims, turning them into walking skeletons. The horror of these unseen rivals made them mysterious and terrifying, and they deserve another chance on the show.
7The Cheetah People
Ferocious Humanoids
One of the most interesting stories to come out of theSeventh Doctor’s erawas when he encountered the mysterious Cheetah People. While traveling, the Doctor lands on a planet that appears to be inhabited by humanoid creatures with cheetah heads and animalistic natures. These creatures were predatory, and they appeared to behave in a way that was purely instinctive. However, when they die, they will transform into a fully humanoid form.
As it turns out, the planet that these creatures roamed on would turn anyone who spent time there into a Cheetah Person.
Their eyes would change color, claws would grow from their hands, and they would slowly become a fierce predator.This affects any humanoid lifeform, including humans, and Time Lords. The planet is incredibly interesting, and it would be well worth revisiting in a modernDoctor Whostory.
6Meglos
Manipulative Alien Lord
Meglos was one of the most powerful rivals that the Fourth Doctor ever faced.The creature was the last survivor of his species, the Zolfa-Thurans, and his true form resembled a cactus, although it was very large and wide. However, despite this unassuming and prickly appearance, Meglos' had enough power to imprison the Doctor and Romana. And beyond this, the Meglos then assumed the form of the Doctor for itself.
What is the best way for a new viewer to start Doctor Who?
Starting Doctor Who in 2024 might seem like a daunting task for someone with no experience with the franchise. There are 26 seasons of the show, with several actors serving as The Doctor — many more than once. For someone who has only heard about the show but never gave it a try, I recommend starting with the New Who period, which kicked off with Christopher Eccleston’s Doctor in 2005 and is a reboot for the franchise. That said, every regeneration of The Doctor essentially wipes the slate clean for a good jumping-on point.
Initially, the copy was stable, and a perfect simulation of the Doctor, but over time, his true form began to bleed through. The creature’s incredible powers, the fact that it is the last of its kind, and that it can hide out in plain sight make it a fascinating rival for the Doctor. However, since his initial appearance,Meglos has never been seen again.Presumably, the lifespan is not quite as extensive as a Time Lords, but the Doctor could cross paths somewhere in its timeline.
5The Dream Lord
Twisted Reality Master
During one Eleventh Doctor adventure, the threat came from inside the TARDIS, and it led to one of the most incredible stories of the show.TheDoctor and Amy Pondare trapped inside the TARDIS, and forced to undergo various trials by a mysterious figure dressed like the Doctor. Initially, this trickster appeared to be some all-powerful, god-like creature who was able to bend reality, but the episode’s final moments revealed a far more chilling rival.
The Dream Lord, as they dubbed themselves, turned out to be a portion of the Doctor’s own mind made manifest.While the Doctor is generally seen to be a hero, a healer, and a friend, the Dream Lord took the darkest parts of the Doctor’s personality and used them to force him and his companion to go through terrible trials.While the Fifteenth Doctor has split apart from earlier versions through bi-generation, it’s still feasible that the Doctor has a dark side, waiting to be tapped into again.
4Krillitane
Deadly Alien Chameleons
Another rival of the Tenth Doctor, a mysterious series of missing cases at a school caught the Doctor’s attention and pushed him to investigate what was really beyond these disappearances.After landing a job in the school as a teacher, the Doctor slowly uncovers the dark truth that a group of monstrous aliens had taken over the school, and dominated the faculty.These body snatchers were known as the Krillitane, a race of aliens that evolved at an incredible rate as they fought and adapted parts of their own bodies with aspects of their fallen rivals.
The versatility of this creature, and the fact that it can look and behave in vastly different ways with each new encounter makes them incredibly interesting.
While this accelerated evolution gave the creatures wings, poisonous bites, and various other advancements, it also meant that they had become resistant to their own body fluids.The oil that they exuded was able to be consumed by humans, and even enhanced their brain power, but for the Krillitane’s it was deadly.The versatility of this creature, and the fact that it can look and behave in vastly different ways with each new encounter makes them incredibly interesting.
3Chameleons
Alien Shapeshifters
Much earlier in the Doctor’s timeline, during their Second regeneration, the Doctor ran into a race of aliens who had incredibly scientific capabilities.However, with their curiosity, there came a fall, when an experiment gone wrong burned and disfigured many of the aliens seemingly beyond repair. However, through further study, they found a new way to survive.
By stealing the faces and appearances of other aliens, these Faceless Ones were able to adapt and continue to present themselves as typical humanoid creatures.The Doctor’s dealings with the Chameleons once again led to moments where these creatures were able to steal the identity of their enemies,but they made for thoroughly interesting villains.
2The Trickster
Reality-Warping Entity
While not technically featured in the mainline series ofDoctor Who, the Trickster stands out as one of the most interesting and powerful foes of the Doctor, and another member of the Pantheon of Gods.Their first, and thus far only appearance, was intheSarah Jane Adventuresspin-off, but they did come face to face with the Doctor. The extradimensional being had considerable powers to warp reality, and this again made itself known inDoctor Who’smain show.
When Donna has an encounter with a giant alien beetle that alters her personal history in “Turn Left,” the episode reveals that this plan to alter her life was put in place by the Trickster.Their influence has been felt in the show, and again, with Sutekh’s mentioning of the Pantheon,it appears that the Trickster could finally be set to return in an upcoming adventure.
1Midnight
Trapped on a Spaceship
Finally,another creature with no physical form, at least not one that is ever seen on screen, is the monster that attacks the Doctor and a small bus load of people on the surface of the planet Midnight.While the Doctor enjoys a tour with a guide and several other holiday daytrippers, they stumble across a mystery monster that appears to be incredibly fast, and impossible to see. Initially, the creature physically attacks the bus, but soon, its warfare becomes psychological and deeply terrifying.
The monster inhabits the bodies of those on the bus, one by one, and in the process of preparing an attack, they begin mimicking the others on the bus. While it begins copying everyone, it soon focuses in on the Doctor, before seeming to transfer to him, and then causing him to become the mimic. This terrifying paralysis and occurrence is never fully explained, and the creature made for one of the mostincredible stories ofDoctor Who, but it would be great to see them again and reveal more about the terrifyingDoctor Whomonster.
Doctor Who
Cast
Doctor Who: Released on July 11, 2025, this series follows the Doctor and their companion as they journey across time and space, encountering a range of extraordinary friends and adversaries, expanding the universe of the long-running British science fiction series.
