The Singing Detective

Greetings and welcome to the first blog update of 2026! I’m kicking the year off with a review of ‘The Singing Detective’, a six part BBC drama series from 1986 that was written by Dennis Potter and directed by Jon Amiel who went on to direct ‘Copycat’ some years later. The mini-series, which was polled as the 20th greatest British TV programme ever made at the turn of the century by the British Film Institute, is headlined by prolific actor Michael Gambon. The late Gambon is the most famous of the cast but he is supported by some familiar faces such as Joanne Whalley, Patrick Malahide, Janet Suzman, Jim Carter and Imelda Staunton. The soundtrack is comprised of many songs from the 1930s and 40s by numerous artists including the Andrew Sisters, the Mills Brothers and Al Bowlly to name but a few.

The story follows the ill-tempered Philip E Marlow, an ageing mystery writer with a bad case of writer’s block and an even worse case of psoriatic arthropathy. The aforementioned condition is a chronic skin and joint disease that causes lesions to erupt all over his body as well as causes intense pain in his hands and feet. Unable to move unassisted, Marlow spends most of his time trapped in a hospital bed surrounded by fellow infirm patients that he barely tolerates and is occasionally visited by his ex-wife whom he frequently clashes with. He is physically unable to write any new works and his bored mind begins rewriting his previous stories. Marlow’s grasp on reality is loose as he is often involuntarily whisked away into feverish dreams as a result of his poor state. During those delirious episodes, he is transported into the world of a novel he wrote many years prior. That novel is ‘The Singing Detective’.

Set in the darkened and fog filled streets of 1940s London, Philip imagines himself as the protagonist of his novel with which he seemingly shares a name. This pencil moustached Philip is a crooning entertainer in a dance hall alongside his big band and moonlights as a witty trench coat wearing detective. After the body of a Russian prostitute is found in the Thames, Philip tries to uncover the truth behind her murder and soon finds himself entangled in a perilous web in which various intelligence agencies are lurking. As well as fantasising about his gritty fictional world of singing private eyes and unscrupulous spies, the real Philip is haunted by his most unhappy childhood spent in wartime England. He grimly recalls his parent’s marital breakdown, who were an entertainment duo, while his past, present and make believe world all begin to merge into one.

Those hoping for a standard mystery case with thought provoking clues and solid answers are not going to find any of that in this show. It becomes increasingly clear that ‘The Singing Detective’ has no interest in following a tried and tested path. Instead, it is a confused thread of multiple storylines that is more focused on how Philip was shaped into the cantankerous man he is by his troubled past. The show was later adapted into a film in 2003 starring Robert Downey Jr and Mel Gibson although it had been thoroughly Americanised and takes place in the USA. The movie is generally considered a big step down from the source material that inspired it. I can see why the mini-series is as highly thought of as it is and Michael Gambon’s performance is especially noteworthy as he plays the two differing characters perfectly.

Plot=7/10

Characters=7/10

Special Effects=6/10

Overall=7/10

Quote of the Day

This fantasy has been a profound disappointment.

Dilbert

Dilbert