10 Times Doctor Who Totally Wasted Its Celebrity Guests

With the status of a national treasure among British viewers, Doctor Who has popularized the sci-fi genre and will forever be the show that unites all generations under one TV umbrella.

Of course, being such a popular and household name, the show has had many opportunities to work with outstanding actors over the years.

Too bad that too many of them were wasted on minor characters and unimportant scenes instead of showing the most of their potential. Here are 10 guest stars of Doctor Who that you may not have even noticed.

Olivia Colman

To be completely honest, Colman's appearance in Doctor Who was before her worldwide success and recognition. But even in the 2010s, the actress had roles far more notable than one of the forms of Prisoner Zero. The actress definitely deserves a comeback, especially since her performance gave viewers real chills.

Ian McKellen

There may be no bigger mistake than Doctor Who's misuse of Ian McKellen. Not even the most loyal fans know that he had a tiny part, voicing the Great Intelligence in the Christmas special The Snowmen. When you get the chance to work with an actor of such talent and caliber, you have to make sure they get a spotlight, but McKellen was done dirty.

Derek Jacobi

The actor had a long run as the Master, but mostly off-screen in the actual series, though his portrayal of a downright evil character left a great impression on fans. If you are looking for more of Jacobi's Mater, you might want to check out Big Finish's audio productions, but it would still be fun to see him return to the actual series.

Imelda Staunton

Known for her range of acting, from Harry Potter 's Dolores Umbridge to The Crown 's Queen Elizabeth, Staunton was also invited to Doctor Who to voice another interface in The Girl Who Waited. Of course, it's great enough to have a cameo in the first place, but the audience was left wanting more.

Stephen Fry

It felt like you barely had time to recognize Stephen Fry in Spyfall's C, the head of MI6, before he was killed off. After years of begging for his appearance, most fans were disappointed. The only thing that somehow makes it better is the fact that he will always exist in the Doctor Who universe as one of River Song's famous husbands.

Lee Mack

One of the advantages of Doctor Who is that it can be funny and quirky as well as exciting and dramatic. That's why viewers were confused when top comedy actor Lee Mack didn't get a single funny moment on the show and was simply killed off. It still feels like a loss of great potential.

Simon Pegg

Simon Pegg was absolutely perfect for the role of the Editor, but fans wish the episode was better paced and his character was a little more memorable. Many still wish he'd come back to play a different villain, while others believe he would have made a perfect Master to Christopher Eccleston's 9th Doctor.

Michael Sheen

Now that we know how well the duo of Michael Sheen and David Tennant works, it was a shame that we didn't get to see him alongside the 10th Doctor. To be more precise, we didn't see him in the show at all, but only heard his voice. Although the acting was great and the character was actually very memorable, it wasn't the best use of Sheen's talent.

Maisie Williams

In the case of Maisie Williams, it all comes down to whether or not you liked the concept of the episodes in which she appeared. The Game of Thrones star was already at the height of her career when Doctor Who was filmed, so fans feel she was invited to cover up for the plot holes and lazy writing, but the plan completely failed.

Mitchell and Webb

Do you remember that the comedy duo of Mitchell and Webb also got a chance to make a Doctor Who cameo? Don't worry if you don't, their roles were so small it's easy to overlook. Good thing, though, since they played robot models, they can still be brought back for another episode as the very same species.