Intergalactic farting criminals disguised as politicians. Yes, this is canon.
Who Are They?
The Slitheen are a family of giant green aliens from the planet Raxacoricofallapatorius—yes, that’s the actual name, and no, you can’t say it five times fast without summoning them. They first appeared in 2005’s Aliens of London / World War Three, where they proved that even aliens like to keep things all in the family… especially when it comes to crime.
The Slitheen are not a noble race of warriors, nor a terrifyingly efficient hive mind. They are, essentially, space conmen. Their plan? Infiltrate Earth’s government, launch a fake alien invasion, sell the planet for scrap, and profit. Because when you’ve got a galaxy of possibilities, obviously the best career path is “galactic scrapyard dealers.”
To blend in on Earth, they zip themselves into human disguises. Unfortunately, their compression technology isn’t great, which means they squeeze themselves into ill-fitting skinsuits that don’t quite hold together. The result: lots of squeaky noises, gas leaks, and… well… fart jokes. For two whole episodes, the fate of humanity is literally drowned out by the sound of flatulence. Doctor Who is a show where killer statues stalk people silently, and also where aliens try to conquer Earth through the power of excessive wind.
Physically, outside their disguises, the Slitheen are huge green, bulbous creatures with claws, wide faces, and the constant look of someone who’s just remembered they left the oven on. They’re not subtle hunters—they lumber around like overgrown toddlers in onesies.
They did return, because of course they did. The Slitheen cropped up in Boom Town (2005), where Margaret Slitheen (a.k.a. “the one with political ambition and great eyeliner”) tried to go solo as Mayor of Cardiff. Later, they were recycled (pun intended) for The Sarah Jane Adventures, where they menaced schoolchildren with all the subtlety of a whoopee cushion. Because if there’s one thing scarier than an alien invasion, it’s the threat of being laughed at in front of your classmates.
The Slitheen might not be the scariest monsters the Doctor has ever faced, but they’re unforgettable. After all, how many villains can weaponize both nuclear missiles and beans on toast?
