10 Smartest Villain Plans In Doctor Who

Let’s face it – the Slitheen are remembered for one thing, and one thing only. But forget about the flatulence and you’re left with a surprisingly canny, watertight plan.

This was 21st century Who’s first fully-fledged alien invasion, and showrunner Russell T Davies certainly pulled out all the stops, coming up with something truly special.

It all begins with that iconic shot of a spaceship scuffing the side of Big Ben, before landing in the Thames. Its pilot? A spacesuit-clad pig, designed to distract from the real aliens while they establish themselves at the heart of the British government.

Their goal? To incite enough panic to initiate a third world war, reducing the Earth to smithereens which can then be sold on the black market. Meanwhile, they can escape in their spaceship – conveniently parked at the bottom of the Thames.

Staging a fake alien invasion in order to further your own is a frankly genius move, and quite unlike anything we’d seen in the show up to this point. It’s never going to be the thing the Slitheen are best remembered for, but that doesn’t stop it from being a genuinely brilliant plan.