Hospitalised with debilitating psoriasis, writer Philip Marlow survives the misery of life on the ward by escaping into his own novel, The Singing Detective, Marlow is reminded of his own childhood, and his own complex family relationships.
When you think of the best drama series of all time, there are many contenders, right or wrong you'll hear Our Friends in The North, House of Cards, The Chamomile Lawn, and several others mentioned, one of the contender will be this one, it is an outstanding series.
Set over six compelling episodes, each has something to offer, you won't be hampered by the long running time. I can think of no other drama series or film, with a similar plot, it really does stand on its own.
Dennis Potter's script is nothing short of remarkable, it is funny, sad, serious, it is loaded with black humour, there's something for everyone to enjoy.
I've watched it several times over, it never fails to impress, there's always something new to spot, some little quirk you may have missed before.
It's very zany at times, the random musical numbers work to perfection, you never quite know when they're going to appear, but the staging is spot on.
Huge credit to the makeup artist, the first time you see Marlow, your jaw will drop, you'll almost feel his discomfort, it's a real triumph.
Michael Gambon's performance is nothing short of captivating, quite literally a masterclass, he is remarkable from start to finish, no wonder he is held in such high acclaim.
The supporting cast are excellent too, in particular, Bill Patterson, Patrick Malahide and Joanne Whalley, I absolutely loved Janet Henfrey's teacher too.
I don't feel like I can give any other score.
10/10.
When you think of the best drama series of all time, there are many contenders, right or wrong you'll hear Our Friends in The North, House of Cards, The Chamomile Lawn, and several others mentioned, one of the contender will be this one, it is an outstanding series.
Set over six compelling episodes, each has something to offer, you won't be hampered by the long running time. I can think of no other drama series or film, with a similar plot, it really does stand on its own.
Dennis Potter's script is nothing short of remarkable, it is funny, sad, serious, it is loaded with black humour, there's something for everyone to enjoy.
I've watched it several times over, it never fails to impress, there's always something new to spot, some little quirk you may have missed before.
It's very zany at times, the random musical numbers work to perfection, you never quite know when they're going to appear, but the staging is spot on.
Huge credit to the makeup artist, the first time you see Marlow, your jaw will drop, you'll almost feel his discomfort, it's a real triumph.
Michael Gambon's performance is nothing short of captivating, quite literally a masterclass, he is remarkable from start to finish, no wonder he is held in such high acclaim.
The supporting cast are excellent too, in particular, Bill Patterson, Patrick Malahide and Joanne Whalley, I absolutely loved Janet Henfrey's teacher too.
I don't feel like I can give any other score.
10/10.