3. Bring Back A Major Antagonist, And Not Necessarily An Alien Race
This being the 50th anniversary year, this means that we're looking back over a lot of stories. And if there's something that the Classic Series still has over the New Series, it's INDIVIDUAL villains. It's easy to bring back the Daleks. But really, only ONE Individual Villain has successfully returned, and arguably he's the only standout the New Series has: The Master. Even stalwart actors like Anthony Stewart Head, excellent in his New Who turn in "School Reunion", get consigned to their "Alien Race" antagonists as a whole. The Master, in contrast, is his own baddie. He is not tethered to Time Lord plots, nor does he work with any one set of goons. All bets were off when he showed up, and Series 3 benefit immensely from a "So where IS this story going?" feel that Alien Conquest stories usually lack. John Simm seemed to realize that he could not only own the role but the entire character as a result. His performance is really the only individual performance in New Who that has a great singular villain, as opposed to the more predictable "It's the Angels/Daleks/Cybermen/Silurians/Krillitanes/etc." mold that often shows up. Even the Dalek creator, Davros, was pretty much an accessory to his creations when he returned (And the Doctor mocked him about it too!). HOWEVER, as mentioned, Classic Who often had antagonists that were singular villains. It is a tribute to the quality of the show that characters such as Azal (The Daemons) Morbius (The Brain of Morbius), Sutekh the Destroyer (Pyramids of Mars), The Celestial Toymaker (Er, The Celestial Toymaker), and the valeyard (Trial of a Time Lord) never returned. Occasionally characters such as these did pop in again - Sil, a slug-like Thoros Betan and Omega, the Time Lord founder, come to mind. And Omega shows what can be done now - The character was entirely able to be reimagined (including his appearance) due to his existence outside our universe. Many of the aforementioned characters COULD return, and maybe only require a voice actor for any continuity. (Sil being the exception, but his originator, Nabil Shaban, is not only still alive but could look the same under all the makeup.). Matt Smith is a stellar actor. You can make him act against a green screen or a prop like a Dalek, and he'll probably be very, very good. But give him an actor as the antagonist to play off of (As he recently excelled with against David Bradley in "Dinosaurs in a Spaceship", for example) and he takes his acting to another level. Tennant got the opportunity to shine in this scenario with a large scale threat as many past Doctors did. Smith deserves it too.
What I'd Settle For: I find it very hard to believe they WON'T bring the Master back, and Simm has pretty much indicated he'd do it. If this is done well, it'll be just as much a treat, and it wouldn't surprise me if they regenerate him too for future spats with 11.
What I'm Afraid We'll Get: Stories where they get GREAT actors and they languish in fluff villain parts. (Looking at you, Michael Gambon, Sarah Lancashire, Mr. Head, and so many others.) Head at least tries to make his role everything a universal threat could be, but really, even the new Who Sontarans got to threaten the PLANET at episode's end. Giles has to make do with a High School. (which is fittingly ironic with my reference and all, I guess.) I'd very much like Richard E Grant to prove me wrong on this expectation for "The Snowmen", by the way.... And speaking of "Withnail and I" veterans.....