Paul MC Smith
@wonderfulbooks.co.uk
Design, data and Doctor Who. http://www.wonderfulbook.co.uk
This variant maybe, more collar visible, though his mouth is closed.
November 13, 2025 at 12:00 AM
This variant maybe, more collar visible, though his mouth is closed.
Anyone recognise the photo reference for this? Feel sure I've seen it before but now can't find a match.
November 12, 2025 at 10:49 PM
Anyone recognise the photo reference for this? Feel sure I've seen it before but now can't find a match.
You mean average amount of screen time per year? Chris doesn't really fit as it works out to an episode every week! Otherwise, Bill and Pat have most, obviously; surprising Peter's ahead of Tom, while Ncuti matches him; and shows that tho Jodie's tenure was long she didn't have much on in that time.
November 9, 2025 at 11:29 PM
You mean average amount of screen time per year? Chris doesn't really fit as it works out to an episode every week! Otherwise, Bill and Pat have most, obviously; surprising Peter's ahead of Tom, while Ncuti matches him; and shows that tho Jodie's tenure was long she didn't have much on in that time.
Just two weeks until @dwasonline.bsky.social's Celestial Toyroom Annual 2026 is available. For me, one of the very best articles in it is @matthewkilburn.bsky.social's fascinating look at Barbara Clegg's career and the pre-Who luminaries she met along the way.
November 9, 2025 at 5:47 PM
Just two weeks until @dwasonline.bsky.social's Celestial Toyroom Annual 2026 is available. For me, one of the very best articles in it is @matthewkilburn.bsky.social's fascinating look at Barbara Clegg's career and the pre-Who luminaries she met along the way.
Inspired by @cooraysmith.bsky.social's latest Psychic Paper post
November 9, 2025 at 5:42 PM
Inspired by @cooraysmith.bsky.social's latest Psychic Paper post
It's November! Month of the Whonniversary, on which the Celestial Toyroom Annual 2026 from @dwasonline.bsky.social will be available in print. Celebrating the Fifth Doctor era with reviews and features, including a lovely piece by @thelightdreams.bsky.social about the show's electronic music.
November 1, 2025 at 1:36 PM
It's November! Month of the Whonniversary, on which the Celestial Toyroom Annual 2026 from @dwasonline.bsky.social will be available in print. Celebrating the Fifth Doctor era with reviews and features, including a lovely piece by @thelightdreams.bsky.social about the show's electronic music.
Coming soon, Chromakey #10 Animation Special thechromakeymagazine.wordpress.com
October 31, 2025 at 7:10 PM
Coming soon, Chromakey #10 Animation Special thechromakeymagazine.wordpress.com
Infographics are more than a nice picture with some numbers, or an illustrated list (a problem I had with DWM’s previous ‘Sufficient Data’ page). Done well they express data in a form that clarifies meaning and provides insight. Hang this poster with the cover art showing instead – they’re artful. 🔚
October 26, 2025 at 4:05 PM
Infographics are more than a nice picture with some numbers, or an illustrated list (a problem I had with DWM’s previous ‘Sufficient Data’ page). Done well they express data in a form that clarifies meaning and provides insight. Hang this poster with the cover art showing instead – they’re artful. 🔚
But even taking the principles of the published chart – bubble ratios with largest at centre – there are more informative ways to present them. Here the distance from the centre is plotted relative to the ratio, with bands to make it clearer what this means.
October 26, 2025 at 4:05 PM
But even taking the principles of the published chart – bubble ratios with largest at centre – there are more informative ways to present them. Here the distance from the centre is plotted relative to the ratio, with bands to make it clearer what this means.
Using squares retains the linear relationship. The height of the darker portion is the ratio of TV to book, while the widths are in proportion to audiobook duration. It’s easier to see where, for example, the audiobooks are double the length of the TV serial (11th row onwards).
October 26, 2025 at 4:05 PM
Using squares retains the linear relationship. The height of the darker portion is the ratio of TV to book, while the widths are in proportion to audiobook duration. It’s easier to see where, for example, the audiobooks are double the length of the TV serial (11th row onwards).
Here are a couple of alternative treatments. Sticking with bubbles, arranging them in order of decreasing ratio makes the differences more apparent. A non-central alignment makes the ratio more apparent though still hard to compare areas.
October 26, 2025 at 4:05 PM
Here are a couple of alternative treatments. Sticking with bubbles, arranging them in order of decreasing ratio makes the differences more apparent. A non-central alignment makes the ratio more apparent though still hard to compare areas.
The predominance of 4-parters does produce tight clustering, though, making titles hard to pick out. If it's the ratio of audio to visual that’s of main interest, then a bar chart is the clearest. Here the most extended are immediately clear, along with the uniformity of the bulk of the range.
October 26, 2025 at 4:05 PM
The predominance of 4-parters does produce tight clustering, though, making titles hard to pick out. If it's the ratio of audio to visual that’s of main interest, then a bar chart is the clearest. Here the most extended are immediately clear, along with the uniformity of the bulk of the range.
A better way to show the relation between pairs of numbers is to plot them on a scatter chart. This immediately shows the clusters around 2, 3, 4, 6 episodes that Classic Who stories were mostly produced as, and how this didn’t automatically produce novelisations of the same length.
October 26, 2025 at 4:05 PM
A better way to show the relation between pairs of numbers is to plot them on a scatter chart. This immediately shows the clusters around 2, 3, 4, 6 episodes that Classic Who stories were mostly produced as, and how this didn’t automatically produce novelisations of the same length.
For example, the most disparate Seventh Doctor story is Ghost Light (audiobook 5.7x as long as the 3-part serial). Yet here Dragonfire (3.7) and Delta/Bannermen (3.3) are placed closer to the centre. Similarly, Sontaran Experiment (3.7) is more central than Shada (4.6).
October 26, 2025 at 4:05 PM
For example, the most disparate Seventh Doctor story is Ghost Light (audiobook 5.7x as long as the 3-part serial). Yet here Dragonfire (3.7) and Delta/Bannermen (3.3) are placed closer to the centre. Similarly, Sontaran Experiment (3.7) is more central than Shada (4.6).
For example, the most extreme difference is The Pirate Planet. Its audiobook is 6.7 times as long as the original serial (it’s not relevant for now that the book wasn’t based on the TV scripts). This is hard to discern from the two circles, whose diameters are in a ratio of only 2.6:1.
October 26, 2025 at 4:05 PM
For example, the most extreme difference is The Pirate Planet. Its audiobook is 6.7 times as long as the original serial (it’s not relevant for now that the book wasn’t based on the TV scripts). This is hard to discern from the two circles, whose diameters are in a ratio of only 2.6:1.
While I'm disinclined to criticise the work of other creatives, preferring to shrug and move on if it’s not to my taste, I'm inescapably disappointed by how ineffective this infographic on Doctor Who audiobooks is (provided as a poster with the latest issue of Doctor Who Magazine). [🧵]
October 26, 2025 at 4:05 PM
While I'm disinclined to criticise the work of other creatives, preferring to shrug and move on if it’s not to my taste, I'm inescapably disappointed by how ineffective this infographic on Doctor Who audiobooks is (provided as a poster with the latest issue of Doctor Who Magazine). [🧵]
Four weeks today the Celestial Toyroom Annual 2026 from @dwasonline.bsky.social will be available to buy in softback or (much nicer) hardback. Lots of good stuff celebrating the era of the Fifth Doctor. Designed by yours truly ☺️
October 26, 2025 at 1:57 PM
Four weeks today the Celestial Toyroom Annual 2026 from @dwasonline.bsky.social will be available to buy in softback or (much nicer) hardback. Lots of good stuff celebrating the era of the Fifth Doctor. Designed by yours truly ☺️
It did indeed, the perfect accompaniment to Owen Taylor's appreciation of Anthony Ainley as the Master versus the FIfth Doctor.
October 23, 2025 at 6:51 PM
It did indeed, the perfect accompaniment to Owen Taylor's appreciation of Anthony Ainley as the Master versus the FIfth Doctor.
Andrew's studio recreations are brilliant. He's very kindly provided images and commentary of the Terminus recording sessions for the Celestial Toyroom Annual 2026, accompanying a feature by Oliver Dallas about director Mary Ridge's troubled time on Doctor Who.
October 21, 2025 at 6:08 PM
Andrew's studio recreations are brilliant. He's very kindly provided images and commentary of the Terminus recording sessions for the Celestial Toyroom Annual 2026, accompanying a feature by Oliver Dallas about director Mary Ridge's troubled time on Doctor Who.
Further to the mention of the Writers' Guild Award, it *is* noted on Planet of the Spiders, but only the hardback, issued a month after the paperback. It was the first HB since the initial Pertwee pair; did they hold it back to add in this pertinent news?
October 20, 2025 at 3:46 PM
Further to the mention of the Writers' Guild Award, it *is* noted on Planet of the Spiders, but only the hardback, issued a month after the paperback. It was the first HB since the initial Pertwee pair; did they hold it back to add in this pertinent news?
Doctor Who: The Collection - Season 13 is out today. Here are its stories' previous media releases over the past 50 years since they were broadcast
October 20, 2025 at 12:53 PM
Doctor Who: The Collection - Season 13 is out today. Here are its stories' previous media releases over the past 50 years since they were broadcast
Here's just one of Andy's stunning pieces featured in the Annual
October 18, 2025 at 7:21 PM
Here's just one of Andy's stunning pieces featured in the Annual
What a chunky boy!
October 17, 2025 at 12:43 PM
What a chunky boy!
New issue of Chromakey coming soon, but lots of good insights into cult shows in past issues. www.lulu.com/shop/richard...
October 15, 2025 at 8:10 PM
New issue of Chromakey coming soon, but lots of good insights into cult shows in past issues. www.lulu.com/shop/richard...
Gods bless Johann Elert Bode (en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Johann_...), things like this will never stop being funny 🤣
October 14, 2025 at 8:26 PM
Gods bless Johann Elert Bode (en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Johann_...), things like this will never stop being funny 🤣