Doctor Who has a long history of creating classic alien species that have terrified audiences. The rebooted era of the show - often referred to as New Who - has brought back plenty of these monsters, crafting brand new narratives that both pay homage to their initial appearances as well as adding to their expansive lore.

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Oftentimes the return of these characters in the modern age has improved them in a variety of ways. From the parts they play in the Doctor's adventures to the designs of the creatures (whether it's through CGI or prosthetics) these Doctor Who monsters have been introduced to a new audience in the best way possible.

The Master

Missy and The Master listening to The Doctor's speech

The Master is a Time Lord much like The Doctor, and over the years their various regenerations have seen the villain take on a variety of personalities. The original version of the character was classic in every sense but was sometimes portrayed more as a cackling madman than a mastermind.

For a while, The Master was even downgraded to a wrinkled creature; a shell of his former self. Multiple actors have portrayed the character in New Who, with John Simm's iteration becoming absolutely iconic due to the incredible performance. The newest Master stories featuring both Michelle Gomez's Missy and Sacha Dhawan's version are among some of the character's best and most devious moments.

Daleks

A mutated Dalek in Doctor Who

The Daleks have always been a significant Doctor Who monster in the show's canon, but there have been certain environmental elements that stunted their dominance. Their inability to travel up stairs was one such laughable aspect of the villain in the past.

The newest version of the Daleks are even scarier than they once were. Ruthless and merciless, they have now been kitted out with state-of-the-art technology that makes them unstoppable. What's more, the mutated creature beneath the metallic armor is sure to give audiences nightmares.

Cybermen

The Twelfth Doctor with a Mondasian Cyberman in Doctor Who

Cybermen were previously portrayed as men in tin-foil suits. They might have been spooky in concept but in execution, they were lacking finesse. The Cybermen were brought back in the modern era with a major upgrade. They now looked like a genuine threat to the Doctor and his companions.

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Plenty of Doctor Who monsters also have the opportunity to return to their roots and there was something haunting about the comeback of the original Mondasian variations of these horrific creatures. The androids are hellbent on converting the universe and the parallel Earth Cybermen definitely added the menace needed to scare audiences once more.

Ice Warriors

An Ice Warrior in armor in Doctor Who

The Ice Warriors had laid dormant on Mars for some time before humanity unearthed them once more. The Doctor had faced these threats in the past and their visual design hasn't changed all that much. If something isn't broken, then there's no need to fix it.

However, New Who added a number of other elements to their mythology, from their obsession with war to their relationship with Earth itself as well as their hierarchy (with the addition of an Empress). These armored aliens actually fit into some of the more complex storytelling of New Who far better.

Zygons

Zygon Doctor Who

The Zygons have been underutilized as Doctor Who monsters for far too long. The characters are absolutely grotesque to look at, but it's their shapeshifting abilities that provide the most storytelling potential. Indeed, they were even brought back during the 50th Anniversary of the series demonstrating the threat they pose to The Doctor.

In terms of their physical appearance, the prosthetics have improved greatly since their original incarnation. The basic design is largely the same but there's something so realistic about the look of the beast. Perhaps it's the suckers that provide such a sickening effect.

The Great Intelligence

The Doctor with Richard E. Grant as the Great Intelligence in Doctor Who

The Great Intelligence wasn't portrayed quite in the same way in Classic Who. The character was associated with the monstrous Yetis and didn't boast the same game plan like the modern era. New Who created a worthy adversary for The Doctor, built up from a long-since forgotten rivalry.

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What was once a villain of the week, an alien with a mind for conquest, has been transformed into a character that threatened the very existence of the Time Lord. The Great Intelligence was accompanied by his own monstrous allies as this inter-dimensional being, portrayed incredibly by Richard E. Grant, brought something unique to Doctor Who. 

Silurians

A Silurian in a cave in Doctor Who

The Silurians are creatures that shared the Earth with humankind, without society ever knowing it. These creatures have evolved through plenty of designs over the years but the most recent iteration of these Doctor Who aliens are by far some of the best.

Their civilization beneath the Earth has been given a great amount of mythology to investigate, as the complexities of their own people have been explored in detail. They are of many minds and objectives, with the beautifully costumed Silurians acting as both a friend and foe to the Doctor. They have come a long way from the poorly executed, one-dimensional Doctor Who monsters of old.

Auton

Autons Doctor Who

The Autons have never been considered to be one of the best Doctor Who alien species due in part to their limited use. Yet, when they do make an appearance they are often quite terrifying. It's New Who that really showcased what they could do with the monsters though.

The 2005 reboot of the show brought back the Autons as the dummies in shop windows, acting as a horrible insight into what could really happen in the real world. They have made sparse appearances since then, but somehow these small stories have actually shown their intelligence and added a menace that they previously lacked.

Sontarans

A Sontaran in Doctor Who Season 13

The original design of the Sontarans is being honored once again in Doctor Who but the alien's modern incarnation also can't be ignored. The comedic take has been a controversial path for the creature, but many have celebrated what that version of the character could bring to the show.

Regardless, the warrior nature of the Sontarons has never been ignored and the most recent series is even prepared to show the species in the midst of battle, at their height and glory. The character has been introduced to audiences in an extremely different way, although the range of the Sontarons has been demonstrated through the variation in storytelling.

Macra

A macra holds up its claws in Doctor Who

The Macra have long been lost to the archives of the BBC show but these Doctor Who aliens inspired by huge crabs have resurfaced in New Who, thus fulfilling their full potential. The creatures were portrayed through props and clever camera tricks in the past.

In New Who though the showrunners were able to rely on the impressive technology at hand to write the creatures exactly as they were intended. This resulted in a memorable episode where the scale of these Doctor Who monsters could finally be captured on screen.

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