Post by RitaLittlewood on Jun 18, 2005 20:17:26 GMT
CLASSIC DOCTOR WHO ENEMIES
It's incredible to realise that an entire generation has missed out on a rites-of-passage activity normal for kids growing up in the 70s and early 80s; namely hiding behind the sofa from Doctor Who's monstrous foes. New monsters/aliens appearing in the revived series include Moxx of Balhoon (a diminutive blue-skinned creative supported by and transported on an antigravity chair) and The Forest of Cheem (humanoid creatures grown from wood sprouting branches and leaves).
However, it's the coterie of aliens, power-crazed creatures and just plain ugly enemies of peace who battled the Doctor in the original series that many will still fondly recall. The BBC's limited budget may have led to a few laughably daft looking creations but others were terrifying, creepy and downright bloomin' scary; we're celebrating some of them here.
The Autons
The Autons made their debut in Jon Pertwee's very first episode as the Doctor entitled 'Spearhead from Space' in 1970. They were the first monsters shown in colour. Autons are essentially life sized plastic dummies under the control of a collective alien intelligence called the Nestene Consciousness.
The Autons' inhumanity made them absolutely terrifying and the sequence from 'Spearhead' where they emerge from shop windows and massacre pedestrians in the street has become one of the show's most unforgettably scary moments. Check any list of classic Doctor Who foes and you'll find The Autons listed; little wonder that they will be featured in the new series starring Christopher Eccleston.
The Cybermen
The Cybermen are a fictional race of cyborgs second only in popularity as a classic Doctor Who foe to the Daleks. They made their debut in the episode entitled 'The Tenth Planet' (this episode also marked the last appearance of William Hartnell, the very first Doctor). The Cybermen were a race of conquerors ruthlessly dedicated to both galactic conquest and furthering their species. They continued their line by forcibly changing others into Cybermen (a process known as cyber-conversion) and also utilised cybernetic rodent-like creatures called 'Cybermats' (who were invariably carriers of plagues) as weapons of attack. They were cold, emotionless machines responsible, no doubt, for many nightmares.
Omega
In the 1972 episode entitled 'The Three Doctors', William Hartnell, Patrick Troughton and Jon Pertwee (the actors who had played the role to date) unite in a bid to defeat Omega, once a Time Lord himself but now dangerously unhinged. Early in Time Lord history, Omega was revered but an experiment that went wrong poisoned his mind. He proved one of the deadliest of foes due to his intimate knowledge of the Time Lords and the destructive power that he could, and did, wreak.
The Master
The outlaw Time Lord known as 'the Master' caused the Doctor more trouble than any other enemy (think Professor Moriarty to the Doctor's Sherlock Holmes, if you like). Obsessed with omnipotence, The Master would stop at nothing in his single-minded quest for power. We first see him displaying the talents that made him so dangerous in the 1971 episode 'Terror Of The Autons' (he's played with devilish charm by the late Roger Delgado).
A master-manipulator, he rarely had to rely on physical force to get what he wanted. Instead he resorted to hypnotism and a cunning ability to play upon a weak-minded individual's Achilles Heel. Utterly ruthless, heartless and treacherous, he even formed alliances with other alien races to further his schemes. In the epic episode 'The Trial Of A Time Lord' (featuring the 6th Doctor Colin Baker), the shocking truth about the Master's real identity was revealed.
Sil
Sil was an ugly, small, nasty, slug-like reptilian alien who made his debut in the 1985 Colin Baker (the 6th Doctor) episode 'Vengeance On Varos'. As played by Jordanian actor Nabil Shaban, Sil was a sadist; he revelled in causing and/or witnessing pain, torment, torture and death. In addition to his repellent features and amoral nature, the sound of Sil laughing was both vomit-inducing and horrifying (it sounded like a manic version of the Anthony Hopkins one in 'Silence Of The Lambs').
The Daleks
Of all the foes that the Doctor faced, the ones that are regarded by many (even non-fans of the series) as the classic Doctor Who enemy are the Daleks. They were intended as an allegory of the Nazis by their creator Terry Nation and it's not difficult to see why when their one mission in life was to EXTERMINATE! everyone in sight.
The Daleks made their 1963 debut in second Doctor Who adventure. In the series, they were from the planet Skaro and created by scientist Davros. Their tank-like robotic outer shell hid horribly mutated survivors of a nuclear war. Armed with memorable metallic voices, the evil, ruthless Daleks scared a generation of children witless. By popular demand, they will return in the new series.
The Sontarans
The Sontarans are a militaristic society obsessed by war - especially with their sworn enemy the Rutans. They made their first appearance in the 1974 episode 'The Time Warrior'. The Sontarans brought destruction, terror and death wherever their war against the Rutans took them, one reason why they were so dangerous.
It's incredible to realise that an entire generation has missed out on a rites-of-passage activity normal for kids growing up in the 70s and early 80s; namely hiding behind the sofa from Doctor Who's monstrous foes. New monsters/aliens appearing in the revived series include Moxx of Balhoon (a diminutive blue-skinned creative supported by and transported on an antigravity chair) and The Forest of Cheem (humanoid creatures grown from wood sprouting branches and leaves).
However, it's the coterie of aliens, power-crazed creatures and just plain ugly enemies of peace who battled the Doctor in the original series that many will still fondly recall. The BBC's limited budget may have led to a few laughably daft looking creations but others were terrifying, creepy and downright bloomin' scary; we're celebrating some of them here.
The Autons
The Autons made their debut in Jon Pertwee's very first episode as the Doctor entitled 'Spearhead from Space' in 1970. They were the first monsters shown in colour. Autons are essentially life sized plastic dummies under the control of a collective alien intelligence called the Nestene Consciousness.
The Autons' inhumanity made them absolutely terrifying and the sequence from 'Spearhead' where they emerge from shop windows and massacre pedestrians in the street has become one of the show's most unforgettably scary moments. Check any list of classic Doctor Who foes and you'll find The Autons listed; little wonder that they will be featured in the new series starring Christopher Eccleston.
The Cybermen
The Cybermen are a fictional race of cyborgs second only in popularity as a classic Doctor Who foe to the Daleks. They made their debut in the episode entitled 'The Tenth Planet' (this episode also marked the last appearance of William Hartnell, the very first Doctor). The Cybermen were a race of conquerors ruthlessly dedicated to both galactic conquest and furthering their species. They continued their line by forcibly changing others into Cybermen (a process known as cyber-conversion) and also utilised cybernetic rodent-like creatures called 'Cybermats' (who were invariably carriers of plagues) as weapons of attack. They were cold, emotionless machines responsible, no doubt, for many nightmares.
Omega
In the 1972 episode entitled 'The Three Doctors', William Hartnell, Patrick Troughton and Jon Pertwee (the actors who had played the role to date) unite in a bid to defeat Omega, once a Time Lord himself but now dangerously unhinged. Early in Time Lord history, Omega was revered but an experiment that went wrong poisoned his mind. He proved one of the deadliest of foes due to his intimate knowledge of the Time Lords and the destructive power that he could, and did, wreak.
The Master
The outlaw Time Lord known as 'the Master' caused the Doctor more trouble than any other enemy (think Professor Moriarty to the Doctor's Sherlock Holmes, if you like). Obsessed with omnipotence, The Master would stop at nothing in his single-minded quest for power. We first see him displaying the talents that made him so dangerous in the 1971 episode 'Terror Of The Autons' (he's played with devilish charm by the late Roger Delgado).
A master-manipulator, he rarely had to rely on physical force to get what he wanted. Instead he resorted to hypnotism and a cunning ability to play upon a weak-minded individual's Achilles Heel. Utterly ruthless, heartless and treacherous, he even formed alliances with other alien races to further his schemes. In the epic episode 'The Trial Of A Time Lord' (featuring the 6th Doctor Colin Baker), the shocking truth about the Master's real identity was revealed.
Sil
Sil was an ugly, small, nasty, slug-like reptilian alien who made his debut in the 1985 Colin Baker (the 6th Doctor) episode 'Vengeance On Varos'. As played by Jordanian actor Nabil Shaban, Sil was a sadist; he revelled in causing and/or witnessing pain, torment, torture and death. In addition to his repellent features and amoral nature, the sound of Sil laughing was both vomit-inducing and horrifying (it sounded like a manic version of the Anthony Hopkins one in 'Silence Of The Lambs').
The Daleks
Of all the foes that the Doctor faced, the ones that are regarded by many (even non-fans of the series) as the classic Doctor Who enemy are the Daleks. They were intended as an allegory of the Nazis by their creator Terry Nation and it's not difficult to see why when their one mission in life was to EXTERMINATE! everyone in sight.
The Daleks made their 1963 debut in second Doctor Who adventure. In the series, they were from the planet Skaro and created by scientist Davros. Their tank-like robotic outer shell hid horribly mutated survivors of a nuclear war. Armed with memorable metallic voices, the evil, ruthless Daleks scared a generation of children witless. By popular demand, they will return in the new series.
The Sontarans
The Sontarans are a militaristic society obsessed by war - especially with their sworn enemy the Rutans. They made their first appearance in the 1974 episode 'The Time Warrior'. The Sontarans brought destruction, terror and death wherever their war against the Rutans took them, one reason why they were so dangerous.
