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A Touch of Frost is a detective television series produced for ITV in the United Kingdom.
It stars David Jason as Detective Inspector Jack Frost. He is experienced and dedicated to his work, but somewhat underpromoted, partly because he is always clashing with his superiors, mainly represented in the series by Superintendent Norman "Hornrimmed Harry" Mullett, played by Bruce Alexander. However, he has a good reputation among his colleagues, and it is clear that many of the younger detectives seen in the series look up to him as a role model. Many also regard him as a hero because he was once shot while on duty, for which he was awarded the George Cross, however Frost himself is modest about this, regarding himself as unworthy of the honour. Frost's wife dies in the first episode, leaving him to cope with life on his own, which he finds difficult, throwing himself into his work instead, and living mainly on police canteen sandwiches and chinese takeaways.
The series is set in the fictional town of Denton, which from the geographical references in the series appears to be in Oxfordshire. (In fact there is a Denton in Oxfordshire, though it is only a small village and the similarity appears to be coincidental.)
Unlike most TV detectives, Frost does not have a single regular sidekick, and indeed some of his sidekicks are seen in only one or two episodes. There are, however, a number of regular supporting characters who are frequently seen and often promoted to a "sidekick" role:
- DS George Toolan (John Lyons), Jack's long-time friend and colleague, with whom he shares an office. George is about the same age as Jack, but is more cautious. He appears (in some capacity) in most episodes.
- WPC Hazel Wallace (Caroline Harker) is a young, happy-go-lucky uniformed officer. At the end of the third series she moved to CID, and though she ceased to be a regular she continued to make guest appearances in later series.
- DC Clive Barnard (Matt Bardock), son of the Chief Commissioner. Most people believe he has only got into CID through his family connections, but Frost sees beyond that and takes Barnard under his wing. Later promoted to DS, but killed off in a 1997 episode.
- DS Terry Reid (Robert Glenister). A tough London detective, he has often been in trouble in the past for his extreme methods, though he has mellowed by the time we see him.
Other regular characters include nosey newspaper journalist Sandy Longford (Bill Stewart), who is always pestering Frost for information on his latest case, and police archivist Ernie Trigg (David Jason's real-life brother Arthur White).
The most recent episode was "Dancing in the Dark", broadcast on 22 February 2004. No announcement has been made on the future of the series, however no further episodes are currently planned.
The series is based on the novels of R.D. Wingfield
- A Touch of Frost
- Frost at Christmas
- Hard Frost
- Night Frost
- Winter Frost
Episodes
| Title
| First broadcast
| Main sidekick
| Notes
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| Care and Protection
| 1992-12-06
| DC Clive Barnard
| Frost's wife dies
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| Not with Kindness
| 1992-12-13
| DS Gilmore (Tony Haygarth)
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| Conclusions
| 1992-12-20
| DC Webster (George Anton)
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| A Minority of One
| 1994-01-09
| DC Clive Tanner (Lennie James)
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| Widows and Orphans
| 1994-01-16
| DS Maureen Lawson (Sally Dexter)
| Start of Frost's relationship with Shirley Fisher
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| Nothing to Hide
| 1994-01-23
| DC Costello (Neil Dudgeon)
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| Stranger in the House
| 1994-01-30
| WPC Hazel Wallace
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| Appropriate Adults
| 1995-01-08
| DS George Toolan
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| Quarry
| 1995-01-15
| DC Clive Barnard
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| Dead Male One
| 1995-01-22
| DS George Toolan
| Frost moves in with Shirley.
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| No Refuge
| 1995-01-29
| DS Maureen Lawson
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| Paying the Price
| 1996-01-07
| DS George Toolan
| Frost's house burns down
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| Unknown Soldiers
| 1996-01-14
| DS George Toolan
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| Fun Times for Swingers
| 1996-01-21
| DS Prentice (Russell Hunter)
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| The Things We Do For Love
| 1996-01-28
| DS Frank Nash (Neil Stuke)
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| Deep Waters
| 1996-02-04
| DS Clive Barnard
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| Penny for the Guy
| 1997-02-09
| DS Liz Maud
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| House Calls
| 1997-02-16
| DS George Toolan & DS Liz Maud
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| True Confessions
| 1997-02-23
| DS George Toolan
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| No Other Love
| 1997-03-02
| DS Clive Barnard
| Barnard's last appearance.
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| Appendix Man
| 1999-03-07
| DS Hazel Wallace
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| One Man's Meat
| 1999-03-14
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| Private Lives
| 1999-03-21
| DS Sharpe (Philip Jackson)
| Few of the regulars appear in this episode.
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| Keys To The Car
| 1999-03-28
| DS George Toolan
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| Line of Fire
| 1999-12-25
2000-01-01
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| The first two-part story.
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| Benefit of the Doubt
| 2001-01-14
2001-01-15
| DS Terry Reid (Robert Glenister)
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| Mistaken Identity
| 2002-01-27
2002-01-28
| DC Ronnie Lonnegan (Michelle Joseph)
| First appearance of Pam Hartley (Susan Penhaligon)
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| Hidden Truth
| 2003-01-19
| DS Terry Reid
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| Close Encounters
| 2003-03-03
| DS Toolan and DS Wallace
| Wallace has had a baby since her last appearance.
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| Held In Trust
| 2003-09-14
| DS Terry Reid
| Frost gets promoted
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| Another Life
| 2003-10-26
| DS Maureen Lawson
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| Dancing in the Dark
| 2004-02-22
| DC Jasper Tranter
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External links
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