With a few months to go before we see the 50th Anniversary Special, there are many ways to kill time as a fan. Personally, I spend my time re-watching old episodes and having heated debates with co-workers about the role of John Hurt. I occasionally look for some good fan fiction across the web. I have, however, recently read "The Angel's Kiss" and "Summer Falls" and have turned my thoughts to other things that I would like to see in Who-related print. Here are my top ten. (All quotes come directly from Doctor Who itself, though I give profound thanks to the TARDIS wikia and wikiquote.org for keeping my facts straight.)
10. The Doctor And The Queens Of England
The Shakespeare Code is certainly not the first time that the Doctor has a brush with royalty. The First Doctor went on a crusade with Richard I and enabled the outcome of the Battle of Hastings. The Fifth Doctor stepped in to ensure that John of England signed the Magna Carta when the Master sent an android to sabotage the Earth's history. In the webisode Bad Night, the Eleventh Doctor dashes into the TARDIS, dressed to the nines and carrying a fish. While Amy stares in confusion, he does some fancy diplomacy so that the Ambassador will turn Her Majesty back into a human being. It seems that a British Queen has been transfigured following a slight incident at a party and worst of all, he has the wrong fish. He must run out and save the day again before the pet shop opens. It brings to mind the Doctor checking water glasses for an escaped fish in The Beast Below. There is never any explanation of the incident, the transformation or which Her Majesty the Doctor is referring to. There are few moments so memorable, however, as the Tenth Doctor's introduction to Good Queen Bess. Upon arriving at the Globe Theater, Elizabeth I recognizes the Doctor and immediately orders his execution. The Doctor is just as bewildered as us, but runs rather than questioning the motive. We do, however, have a few hints. In The End of Time, the Doctor mentions having married Elizabeth I. The Eleventh Doctor informs the head of Dorium Maldovar that Liz the First is still waiting to elope with him. This seems to imply that the Doctor was something of a Runaway Groom, but both Liz X and the Dream Lord make passing remarks about his relationship with the Virgin Queen. The TARDIS Wiki points out that Elizabeth I was the first individual with whom the Doctor was implied to have an out-of-sync relationship, a plot device which subsequently became commonplace in the BBC Wales era. As for a later queen of England, Liz X references his possibly sordid relationship with another Liz by chiding, You naughty, naughty boy. So, the question remains, how did that all work out? On this week's episode of How I Met Your Monarch, will we ever see a novel about the courtship with Liz I? Was the Doctor's marriage to her before or after their run-in during The Shakespeare Code? Just how long was the Queen waiting to elope with the Doctor?