Dennis Potter is the most well-known, respected and controversial television dramatist Britain has ever produced. Plays and serials such as The Singing Detective and Pennies From Heaven received huge critical acclaim whilst always attracting audiences in their millions. This book will critically analyse both the strengths and the weaknesses of Potter's oeuvre, whilst investigating his status as both an 'author' and a 'celebrity'. Re-examining the drama, it foregrounds its ambiguities and contradictions, whilst clarifying the complex mixture of themes, styles and techniques that produced its distinctive and often provocative appeal.

Glen Creeber is Senior Lecturer in Television Studies at the University of Aberystwyth, UK. His books include Serial Television: Big Drama on the Small Screen and Tele-visions: An Introduction to Studying Television . He is also editor of The Television Genre Book and 50 Key Television Programmes .