The most iconic character of Doctor Who is obviously the Doctor. Audiences from all over the world tune in to each episode to see them at work. However, almost as iconic are the show's villains. Doctor Who is known for having some of the most enjoyable, creepy, and iconic villains in television history.

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Doctor Who has had hundreds of villains over its incredibly lengthy run. Some of its most iconic villains have been there since the series' earliest days. They're recurring menaces who plague the show often. Others have only made one or two appearances. However, they made such an impression in those appearances that fans loved them.

10 The Cybermen Never Stop

Cybermen attacking a party in Doctor Who.

The Cybermen are one of Doctor Who's most frequently-recurring villains. They're humans — or similar species — upgraded with extensive cybernetics. In addition, they have their emotions artificially dampened and are driven purely by logic and self-preservation.

Cybermen manage to appear again and again throughout Doctor Who without getting old. In part, this is because they often come from different origins. This allows writers to put their own spin on them without affecting continuity. In addition, there is a genuine chill in their emotionless slaughter and the way they continue to evolve.

9 Sontarans Are Strangely Appealing Military Menaces

An army of Sontarans in Doctor Who: Flux.

The Sontarans are an alien species present in both versions of Doctor Who. They're cloned soldiers engaged in ambitious wars across the universe. They often target Earth as just one frontier of these wars. However, they inspire affectionate mockery from fans rather than any sort of fear. This is due to their unusual design — being short, broad, dome-headed figures in strange armor.

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The Sontarans' appearance robs them of any real fear factor. However, they remain a fan-favorite species. Many see them as a sort of mascot for the show. In addition, they sometimes prove genuinely dangerous threats, preventing them from becoming a total joke. Occasional ally Commander Strax also helps elevate the species' status.

8 The Silence Have Unique Appearances & Abilities

The Doctor confronting the The Silence in Doctor Who.

The Silence appear surprisingly rarely in Doctor Who for how popular they've become. They're present for three episodes in the show's sixth season and one Christmas special. However, they've made their mark on fans. Of the monsters introduced since the show's reboot, the Silence are one of the most iconic.

In part, it's due to the Silence's strange appearances. They dress in bespoke suits despite their utterly inhuman build and visage. They also have the unique ability to make people forget their existence. They're popular fodder for memes, jokes, and fanfiction.

7 The Time Lords Are Enemies As Often As Allies

Rassilon as the leader of Gallifrey in Doctor Who.

The Doctor is a heroic Time Lord, and others occasionally throughout the series. However, particularly in the reboot, the species takes on a villainous role as often as not. Time Lords are one of the most evolved species in the universe. They can travel time and bend much of reality to their will.

The Doctor's guilt over wiping out the Time Lords is one of their most prominent traits throughout the first half of the reboot. When they appear, however, the Time Lords are often against him. Whether they're heroes or villains, the Time Lords raise the stakes of any story significantly. Fans have come to enjoy their appearances and want to know more about their species.

6 The Weeping Angels Are An Instant Icon

A group of Weeping Angels attacking in Doctor Who.

Weeping Angels have been among Doctor Who's most popular monsters since their very first appearance. Upon serving as the villains of the unconventional episode "Blink," they've been a fan favorite. The Weeping Angels are stone statues that only move when people aren't looking at them. A single touch can have devastating effects, however.

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The Weeping Angels are effective because of their sheer creepy factor. The idea of a monster hidden in plain sight appeals to many. Many feel that Weeping Angels' subsequent appearance has diminished their effectiveness somewhat. Nonetheless, they're still beloved by fans and some of the best-known monsters from the show.

5 The Family Of Blood Bring Out The Worst In The Doctor

The Family of Blood talking to the Doctor aboard their ship in Doctor Who.

Many Doctor Who villains are effective on their own. However, some are at their best when they're used to explore the Doctor's character. The Family of Blood are villains of a single two-part story, but they produce one of the most memorable sequences in all of Doctor Who.

The Family possess human beings in an attempt to gain the Doctor's immortality. They fail, and the Doctor punishes them for it. In a chilling sequence, he gives all of them a twisted, torturous form of immortality. This sequence, coupled with the hints at genuine three-dimensional personalities for some of the Family's members, ensures that the Family are fan favorites.

4 The Midnight Monster Is An Unseen Powerhouse

The Doctor talking to a possessed Sky in the Doctor Who episode "Midnight."

One of the most beloved monsters of Doctor Who's revival makes just one appearance. Furthermore, it's never even seen in that appearance. The antagonist of the Doctor Who episode "Midnight" is an unseen entity. It lives on a planet that should be uninhabitable. It never even presents a physical threat.

Instead, "Midnight" follows the inhabitants of a broken-down coach turning on one another. The entity nudges them towards irrationality and violence through possessing two characters and simple manipulation. The creature's effectiveness and mystery make it iconic. Most fans also think one appearance is perfect and the creature should never appear again.

3 The Master Is The Doctor's Evil Reflection

The Master grinning in Doctor Who.

The Master has appeared countless times throughout Doctor Who in many different incarnations. Like the Doctor, they are a Time Lord. Viewers have seen eight versions of the Master across decades of television.

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The Master has a deeply personal relationship with the Doctor. The two are childhood friends who have become each other's worst enemies. Despite this, almost every version of the Master has such a deep charisma that the audience can't help but be drawn in. Every version of the Master has its fans, and episodes with the character are considered highlights.

2 The Vashta Nerada Make A Big Impression In Two Episodes

The Vashta Nerada puppetting a space suit in Doctor Who.

Doctor Who is sometimes at its best with one-off foes. One of the most well-liked stories in modern Doctor Who is the two-parter of "Silence in the Library" and "Forest of the Dead." In those episodes, the Doctor goes up against the Vashta Nerada. They're imperceptible, predatory creatures who live in shadows.

"Silence in the Library" is well-crafted to make viewers tense. The Vashta Nerada aren't in every omnipresent shadow, but they could be in any of them. The idea of such creatures in real life is an effective scare. Despite their minimal impact, the Vashta Nerada are well-liked by fans for their sheer fear factor.

1 The Daleks Are As Well-Known As The Doctor

A trio of Daleks in Doctor Who.

Few monsters in all of television are as emblematic as the Daleks. The species have taken over pop culture before and remain the show's strongest symbol in many people's eyes. They're the first alien threat to appear in Doctor Who and continue to make frequent appearances in nearly every season.

The Daleks display classic villainous tropes. They are genocidal aliens within near-indestructible cyborg shells. They crave the subjugation and extermination of all other life. Despite this, fans feel a huge amount of affection for them. There simply is no Doctor Who without the Daleks, and their popularity reflects that.

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