Search the Fresh Air Archive

Close Search

Make Plans to Watch "The Singing Detective."

Television Critic David Bianculli reviews "The Singing Detective," the BBC miniseries that PBS will air in early January. The series was written by Dennis Potter, who wrote the 10-hour 1979 BBC series "Pennies From Heaven," starring Bob Hoskins.

03:54
Queue

Contributor

Related Topics

Other segments from the episode on December 28, 1987

Fresh Air with Terry Gross, December 28, 1987: Interview with Aljean Harmetz; Review of 1987's top ten jazz albums; Interview with Tess Gallagher; Review of the television program "The Singing…

Transcript

Transcript currently not available.

Transcripts are created on a rush deadline, and accuracy and availability may vary. This text may not be in its final form and may be updated or revised in the future. Please be aware that the authoritative record of Fresh Air interviews and reviews are the audio recordings of each segment.

You May Also like

Queue
08:01

25 Years Later, 'The Singing Detective' Still Shines.

The British musical private-eye drama, which first aired in 1986, starred Michael Gambon as a novelist hospitalized with a horrible skin condition who tries to write a Hollywood screenplay in his mind. David Bianculli explains why the miniseries is "TV's most polished, audacious masterpiece."

Commentary
Queue
22:55

British Writer, Screenwriter and Director Dennis Potter.

British writer, screenwriter and director Dennis Potter. Potter's television creations, such as "Pennies From Heaven" and "The Singing Detective," have been some of the most innovative ones ever presented on British or American TV. Potter's now made his film directorial debut, with the new movie "Secret Friends."

Interview
Queue
10:43

Film Director Jon Amiel

Amiel's new film is Tune In Tomorrow, starring Peter Falk and Barbara Hershey. It's an adaptation of Mario Vargas Llosa's novel Aunt Julia and the Scriptwriter. Amiel also directed Dennis Potter's groundbreaking TV production, The Singing Detective.

Interview

Did you know you can create a shareable playlist?

Learn How
Advertisement

Recently on Fresh Air Available to Play on NPR

52:30

Daughter of Warhol star looks back on a bohemian childhood in the Chelsea Hotel

Alexandra Auder's mother, Viva, was one of Andy Warhol's muses. Growing up in Warhol's orbit meant Auder's childhood was an unusual one. For several years, Viva, Auder and Auder's younger half-sister, Gaby Hoffmann, lived in the Chelsea Hotel in Manhattan. It was was famous for having been home to Leonard Cohen, Dylan Thomas, Virgil Thomson, and Bob Dylan, among others.

Queue

Related segments from the Fresh Air Archive:

43:04

This fake 'Jury Duty' really put James Marsden's improv chops on trial

In the series Jury Duty, a solar contractor named Ronald Gladden has agreed to participate in what he believes is a documentary about the experience of being a juror--but what Ronald doesn't know is that the whole thing is fake.

Queue

Related segments from the Fresh Air Archive:

See All Recent Segments

There are more than 22,000 Fresh Air segments.

Let us help you find exactly what you want to hear.
Just play me something
Your Queue

Would you like to make a playlist based on your queue?

Generate & Share View/Edit Your Queue