Doctor Who: Every Master Ranked Worst To Best

8. Peter Pratt/Geoffrey Beevers

Who knows what would have transpired if the mighty Roger Delgado hadn't died tragically in a car crash in 1973? After this sad chapter in Dr Who history, The Master remained in a flux and eventually returned as a flaky-faced ghoul in two separate Tom Baker stories. Two different actors took on the role, but both portrayed the same turbulent incarnation of the character.

Though on paper, this stage of The Master's troubled existence was pretty cool, the rendition itself was fairly wooden. We've all learned, especially through modern adaptations, that The Master needs that pinch of humanity, mischief, and humour to be compelling, and it was impossible for these traits to manifest while the villainous Time Lord skulked around in a hooded robe looking like a rubbish Skeletor.

Fortunately, this period of The Master's life was short lived. In one of the blandest regeneration scenes in the history of Doctor Who, this haggard persona morphed into the decidedly more charismatic Anthony Ainley, and things improved from thereon in. The Master was destined to never be so dull again.