One Pair of Eyes — Season 1, Episode 64: Allan Prior: The Real Thing is Always Worse

Episode synopsis

Allan Prior is a writer of fiction - novels, films, TV plays - but he is probably best known for his scripts for Z Cars and Softly, Softly. He portrayed policemen and criminals as he found them. Some people said his brand of truth was too harsh. He says that the real thing is always worse, that the professional criminal is on nobody's side but his own, that his only concern is to have a good time at somebody else's expense. To illustrate his theme Prior has written two scenes of life in a criminal 'family,' contrasting fiction with fact. He also talks to victims of criminal greed and violence; and, ten years after his visit to write the original Z Cars scripts, returns to Kirkby's Newtown - where, most of all, he finds evidence that 'the real thing is always worse.'

About One Pair of Eyes

A monthly series of highly personal documentary films in which individuals are given a platform to discuss issues close to their heart.

More episodes from Season 1

• E1James Cameron: Temporary Person Passing Through
• E2Dr Alex Comfort: A Traveller in the Dreamtime
• E3Anthony Howard: A City of Magnificent Intentions
• E4Nicholas Tomalin: No Worse Heresy
• E5James Cameron: The Road to Kingdom Come
• E6Jo Grimond: The Dead Hand of Democracy
• E7Peter Wilson: You've Got to Win
• E8Norman Parkinson: Stay Baby Stay
• E9Sir Tyrone Guthrie: Off to Philadelphia
• E10James Cameron: Berlin - The Haunted House
• E11Margaret Drabble: A Place Called Exile
• E12Claud Cockburn: One More River To Cross