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.