This book examines the work of the late, celebrated television playwright, Dennis Potter. Drawing upon original research, including unpublished scripts, interviews with top film and television practitioners, as well as a rare interview with the writer himself, John Cook reveals the often astonishing array of themes which link together all of Potter's writing: from his early television plays in the 1960s right through to his final works in 1994. In so doing, Cook unravels a series of clues to the writer as rich and as fascinating as any that haunted the character Philip Marlow, in Potter's most celebrated television series, "The Singing Detective". This book is intended for students and teachers within the fields of media, literary and cultural studies, and also to the general reader, curious to find out more about Potter's life and career.