Russell T. Davies, the brilliant mind behind the 2005 revival of Doctor Who, is coming back to run the show yet again. Known for creating fan-favorite Captain Jack Harkness, who then went on to star in Davies led spinoff Torchwood, the director is known for bringing in fresh characters while giving new life to old enemies of The Doctor.
While Davies' latest spin in the Tardis is sure to introduce new players, he isn't likely to shy away from bringing familiar faces back to the fold as well. Some of the characters from Davies' first era stuck around - the Daleks and the Cybermen are always right around the corner, it seems. So, which friends or foes will make a grand return along with the showrunner?
The Master
Davies first reintroduced the Master in the season 3 episode "Utopia," and John Simm would go on to play the part in five additional episodes. Davies clearly enjoyed bringing the Master to modern audiences, and his doing so cemented the Master's place as the Doctor's ultimate frenemy.
You can't have the Doctor without the Master, and Sacha Dhawan was brilliant in his portrayal as the Spy Master. Rumors abound that the Master will play a part in Jodie Whittaker's final battle, which would leave the perfect opening for him to face off against the newly announced Ncuti Gatwa's 14th Doctor, or even to reincarnate alongside him.
The Cult Of Skaro
The Cult of Skaro remains to this day one of the most memorable Dalek storylines. An exceptional group that was designed to think as their enemy does, the Cult of Skaro had more power than even the Emperor and was especially dangerous for their individuality. Unlike the run-of-the-mill Daleks, these vicious killers rivaled Davros as an enemy to the Doctor.
Though the four original members of the Cult of Skaro were eventually defeated and destroyed, Davies' creative prowess could surely come up with a way to give the cult new members, or perhaps even revitalize Dalek Caan, Dalek Sec, Dalek Thay, and Dalek Jast.
The Trickster
Some Doctor Who fans may not recognize the Trickster, who was primarily featured in Davies' spinoff The Sarah Jane Adventures. Despite not playing any central role in Doctor Who, the Tenth Doctor had several run-ins with the chaos-causing villain and his Brigade, most notably in the season 4 episode, "Turn Left" which focused on Donna Noble, while hinting at her sad fate.
Because the Trickster's very nature requires him to create chaos in order to survive, there are countless ways for Davies to re-introduce him to New Who properly. The Trickster's ability to alter history could play a major part in how Davies takes on Chibnall's Timeless Child storyline in the upcoming series.
The Judoon
The rhinoform mercenary police first appeared in Martha Jone's introductory episode, "Smith and Jones," and have had several encounters with the Doctor since. The Judoon are one of Davies' most recognizable creations, and fans can be sure whenever they appear, the Doctor will be in for a difficult fight.
The Judoon were most recently seen sentencing the Thirteenth Doctor to life in prison, only for her to be broken out by Captain Jack Harkness. Given how single-minded the Judoon have shown themselves to be, it is unlikely they will take her escape well, leaving Davies a wide opportunity to bring them back.
Raxacoricofallapatorians
The Slitheen, a criminal family from Raxacoricofallapatorious, is well-known to Doctor Who fans. The skin-stealing gassy aliens attempted to take over London's government in "Aliens of London," and were thwarted by the Ninth Doctor, Rose Tyler, and Harriet Jones. They were one of Davies' earliest creations, and many fans hope to see them come back again in the new era.
While the Slitheen family may have been destroyed, Davies' Raxacoricofallapatorian culture focused on several major family lines, not just the Slitheens. Could the Doctor pay a visit to the supposedly peaceful planet to see just how they are getting on without their most notorious crime family? It sure would be fun if he did.
Pyroviles
"The Fires of Pompeii" is remembered most often for featuring Peter Capaldi's first turn on the show, not the magma-filled Pyroviles that were ultimately the reason the Doctor caused Mount Vesuvius to erupt. Their overshadowing is exactly why Davies should bring them back for a second run.
Davies tends to keep the Doctor moving to times and places that seem fresh to the viewer, so it is unlikely that he would have the Pyroviles living under yet another Earthen volcano. However, the Doctor may well visit a planet they have already taken over, showing what would have happened to Earth had he not intervened all those years ago.
Krillitanes
Despite several appearances in Doctor Who stories, the composite race of Krillatanes has only made one appearance on the show itself. Much like the Pyroviles, the Krillitanes were eclipsed by the emergence of Sarah Jane and K9, her robot dog companion. It is unfortunate, as the Krillitanes are Doctor Who monsters that shouldn't be forgotten about.
The ability to pick specific genetic traits to take from a species before destroying it is an unsettling one and provides an open-ended opportunity for Davies to bring them back in a new form. That said, Anthony Head's performance of Brother Lassar was dynamic and eerie, and fans would love to see him reprise the role.
The Ood
The Ood have been enormously popular with Doctor Who fans since first appearing in "The Impossible Planet" in season 2. Yet, they've barely made any appearances since Davies left the show, seen only in a few regular episodes since his departure. Perhaps Ncuti Gatwa's Doctor will finally have a chance to save an Ood.
The Ood's story was never fully closed, and the last they were seen in a group was as they sang the Tenth Doctor through his regeneration. Are they still free? Do they still have the ability to project themselves through time? What happened to their rapidly advancing civilization when the Doctor sent the Time Lords back? There are many questions for Davies to choose from.
Adipose
The Adipose children seen in the season 4 episode "Partners in Crime" are disturbingly cute. Disturbing, of course, because they are comprised entirely of human fat. Yet, the squishy blobs are so sweet fans adored them. They became so popular, in fact, that plush figures and POP! figures can still be purchased today.
Davies was also a big fan of the Adipose, and had even included them in his original plans for the Shadow Proclamation scene in "The Stolen Earth" (per BBC America). With another turn at the helm ahead of him, the showrunner may well decide to bring back the loveable creatures, though perhaps they aren't so loveable as adults.
Abzorbaloff
Like his planetary neighbors the Slitheen, Abzorbaloff is only one of a much larger species. The Abzorbalovians live on Clom, the sister planet of Raxacoricofallapatorius, though the two species seem to have a great dislike for one another. By taking on the likeness of a wealthy human, Abzorbaloff was able to live on Earth undetected for quite some time.
In his original appearance, Abzorbaloff was just as much comic relief as he was a dangerous monster, and Davies could consider bringing the species back in a more serious way. After all, an enemy that is able to absorb the knowledge of whoever they like, along with their physical form, could be terrifying for the Doctor and his companions.