5 of Doctor Who’s campest villains from across all of time and space
Our top 5 camp Doctor Who villains. (James Pardon/Bad Wolf/BBC Studios/BBC/PinkNews/Getty)
Unless you’ve been living under a rock, you won’t have missed news of Russell T Davies’ camp revamp of much-loved British sci-fi TV series Doctor Who.
The It’s a Sin creator is stepping back into the TARDIS to reprise his role as showrunner for the upcoming 60th anniversary special and Ncuti Gatwa’s run as the 15th Doctor.
If the premise of a genderfluid, time-and-space-travelling alien who goes around defending Earth isn’t camp enough, Doctor Who is about to get a whole lot camper.
The 60th anniversary special will see trans trailblazer Yasmin Finney and a villainous Neil Patrick Harris take to the screen. The next full series has not only cast trans actor Pete MacHale, but also RuPaul’s Drag Race queen of all queens, Jinkx Monsoon, in a major role.
However queer you think Doctor Who is about to be, turn it up about 100 notches because this is turning into an all-out LGBTQ+ celebration. Since Jinkx is bringing all the camp vibes to her mysterious villainous persona, she joins a proud history of extremely camp villains in the show’s more-recent history.
Here is our list of the top five villains who absolutely slayed the game (from 2005 onwards, sorry Classic Who fans!)
Jinkx Monsoon as an unknown villain
OK, yes, we know she hasn’t technically hit screens yet but with her epic outfit reveal, which left us feeling “wibbly wobbly”, there is no doubt in our mind that Jinkx may be our campest villain yet. Staying true to her crown-snatching drag queen roots, she has stunned with her piano-themed cape suit and already signature cackle. Inject it into our veins!
And if the fan speculation that Jinkx may be reprising beloved classic Who villain and renegade Time Lord, The Rani, is correct, then they are truly honouring her camp roots.
Lady Cassandra
Although Jinkx may be coming for it, it is a pretty undisputed fact that Lady Cassandra is the current Doctor Who queen of camp. Russell T Davies started how he meant to go on, introducing Cassandra in the second episode of series one when the Doctor and Rose go to witness the final moments of Earth’s history.
Bouncing on to screen with the body of a flesh trampoline (literally), she gave birth to the beloved phrase “moisturise me, moisturise me” before exploding from dry skin. Icon.
However, she made a triumphant return in season two where she assumed the body of David Tennant’s Doctor (among others), and exclaimed: “Oh baby, I’m beating out a samba,” alluding to a complicated trans storyline before dying happy (for real this time).
Swarm
Fast-forwarding to season 13, “Flux“, with Jodie Whittaker now playing the Time Lord, gives us Swarm.
Hailing from the Ravager species, Swarm made the list not only for the immaculate villainous vibes but also the absolutely stunning outfit.
Seriously, we’re talking jaws dropping as they sashay down the Drag Race runway: 10/10 glam camp with golden teeth, a silver bejewelled crown, glittery purple skin, the cutest patterned top with flowing sleeves and a gold-embroidered blazer. Need we go on?
Trying to destroy the laws of time and space may not have worked out, but have they considered a career pivot into fashion design?
Missy
Obviously The Master, the Doctor’s arch-nemesis (but also low-key bestie…), had to make it on to the list in some iteration. While John Simm and Sacha Dhawan shone on screen, Michelle Gomez’s turn as Missy, during Peter Capaldi’s run as the Doctor, put them in the comparative shade.
Self-proclaimed queen of evil, Gomez brought all her camp charm to bring Missy to life. We’re talking bright blue eye-shadow, that undercurrent of absolutely unhinged energy and casually being murdered by her former self (Simm) – only possible in Doctor Who.
Empress of the Racnoss
This season two Christmas special villain needs only one word: Mother.
She is the mother of all mothers, one might argue – as she valiantly tries to. What do you get when you combine Catherine Tate’s sassy Donna, Tennant’s completely baffled doctor and The Racnoss Empress? Answer: all the chaotic camp energy we need.
Not only is she slaying as a giant red spider, which no doubt has its own logistical difficulties, but all she wants is to destroy humanity and reclaim her millions of spider children sleeping at the centre of Earth. Is that too much to ask? Apparently so.
Who is your favourite camp Doctor Who villain? Let us know.
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