I always liked the Mutants. In the beginning they were a real threat, kind of scary even (I must confess I found them evil when they actually KILLED Thunderians in “Exodus”, and also Slithe gave me the creeps in “Fireballs of Plun-Darr”); as the first season advanced, they became merely Mumm-Ra’s lacays, but they were still interesting. In the second season, when the Lunataks were supposed to overshadow them as a threat, I still found the Mutants more interesting and attractive in their desings, and even as dangerous as the Lunataks if not more; and even when they all were turned into a comic relief by the second half orf season 2, I liked the Mutants more and found them funnier; never really cared for the Lunataks, but the Mutants were a essential part of the show. Getting rid of them the way the writers did was a sham as big as the one they did with Tygra and Pumyra (just so you have an idea of how much I disliked that).
What I never understood is why they looked so primitive compared to the TCs (I understand they were evil, and evil is primitive, that and they were supposed to be more"animalistic" to hint their primitive and brutal nature, but still). Their weapons, vehicles, technology and clothes seemed primitive against the TCs ones (again, I understand the why at the background). Also, I never liked that they didn’t get proper names (like the TCs? At least they weren’t Lionman, Tigerman, Pantherman, Cheetahwoman, Wilyboy, Wilygirl and Jaguarman), if not for Slithe.
In another thread it was discussed what powers we consider they should have got, so I won’t get into that now (just will say: Slithe: posionous tail or spit; Monkian: commanding ape-related beasts; Jackalman: speed and smell; Vultureman: flying), but along with that they could have had a unique weapon each that identified them. Usually Monkian used a shield, but other than that, there was an axe, a flail and a maze/morning star, but they used to use them as they grabbed them. Like “I call for the axe!” or “You had the maze yesterday, it’s my turn”.
Finally, they could have shown more of their personalities. Yes, Monkian calling Slithe a “sexist” was like Wow!, and stating he ahd a date with a Warrior Maiden was kind of funny (can you imagine such a couple? What about their offspring?). Maybe some perosnal traits that arise some conflicts between them.
I liked episodes that focus on one of them, like “Jackalman’s Rebellion”, “Monkian’s Bargain” or “Superpower Potion”, but I’d have liked to see more of them as individuals that have something more than a power thirst.