Customer Reviews

A Touch of Frost - Seasons 9 and 10

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If you are reading a review of A Touch of Frost Seasons 9 & 10, I believe it is safe to say that you are familiar with the character of Detective Inspector Jack Frost, played once again by the delightful Sir David Jason. Since I am married to an expat, there are a few dates that we have marked on the calendar: our Anniversary, Guy Fawkes Night (For Her), the Boston Tea Party (For Me) and the DVD-pre order's of anything involving A Touch of Frost or David Jason. No sooner did Seasons 9 & 10 arrive did I have to guess what would be on the TV the next three nights.

Packed onto 3 DVD's are a total of 4 episodes, including a two parter which covers Season 9. Jason continues to play Jack Frost effortlessly. Frost's curmudgeonly, passionate and sometimes improper methods continue to lead Frost to success. For those familiar with the series, it is interesting to note that Frost's supervisor, Mullet, has finally realized that Frost is more of an asset than a hindrance. The internal strife between conformity and non-conformity that has been played as a subplot by Frost and Mullet through the years has been shifted to a Frost/Mullet versus outside police management story. It is nice to see that the storyline change to reflect the dynamics between these two characters.

The strongest episode is Hidden Truth. Followed by Mistaken Identity and Close Encounters. One reason I have always enjoyed British crime shows is because the procedures and methods are somewhat alien to US viewers. This difference, at least to me, allows for a greater suspension of disbelief. I can not stand to watch CSI: Albuquerque or any of its 24 manifestations. I do enjoy Frost. Of course, a review written by someone on the other side of the pond might have the exact opposite reaction and tend to think that Frost is "rubbish"!

One thing Frost used to stay away from was the blathering CSI doublespeak which permeates every episode of this aforementioned title. You know it when you hear it...two forensic specialists explaining to each other ad nauseam about a scientific fact they both already know but feel the need to state anyway. Guy 1: "Hey, Blood". Guy 2: "You know blood type is determined by the presence of antigens on the surface of red blood cells". Guy 1 {Nods in Agreement}. This popped up a couple times more than usual, but for Frost's sake, I will let it slide.

Seasons 9 & 10 are presented in anamorphic widescreen with a fairly nice transfer considering the PAL to NSTC conversion. Don't look for any extras, which would be nice someday, but do look for David Jason's brother making a reappearance as Trigg. I know we are a couple years behind the UK on Frost titles, so I can guarantee there is at least one more Season looking for a spot on our shelf.

I have been watching the "A Touch of Frost" series for years. I am a great fan of this Murder/mystery series and I can certainly comprehend why it is so popular in Great Britain. David Jason has been playing the role of Detective Inspector Jack Frost for many years and he is very believable and wonderful as the un orthodox, non politically correct, witty, crumpled, short of patience and curmudgeon like (but with a very good and extremely honorable heart) detective Jack Frost. Viewing seasons nine and ten was like putting on a favorite flannel pair of pajamas (on a cold winter night) and enjoying the comfort. I knew that I would be very well entertained by the script and by the acting and as expected, I was indeed well entertained. This is really a splendid murder/mystery/detective series with Seasons 9 and 10 continuing the very fine tradition.

Although the above might give one the impression that "A Touch of Frost" is sleep inducing, it is NOT! This 3-dvd disc 4 episode release of seasons 9 and 10 is anything but sleep inducing; it contains some exciting well written stories. Frost has a new partner and a new love interest. Both of the new characters add some "spice" and some "new life" to the series. In addition, for once, he and his boss seem to be "on the same side' of police matters. Frost supervisor, inspector Mullet appears to have accepted that Frost is a damn good detective even though his methods could be thought of as unorthodox and a tad "heavy handed"-when he is on the scent of solving a murder there ain't no stopping him. The aforesaid is very evident in the two part story in Season 9 "Mistaken Identity" which is a "nail biting" episode.

If you want to see a great detective series or you just want to continue a love affair, as I did, with "A Touch of Frost" you can't go wrong buying Seasons 9 and 10 of "A Touch of Frost" Contained therein are two GREAT seasons!!

I think you could arguably say that I have seen every Frost episode, at least those on DVD. I envy those in the UK that have been able to see all of the episodes that don't make it to distribution!

The English do the murder/mystery genre like none other! Unlike the lame series' Hollywood churns out that's full of nothing but slamming doors, car chases, and shootouts, with gratuitous sex and/or violence to overwhelm the least bit of allegory present in the morally and creatively bankrupt scripts that only Hollywood would pass as entertainment.

Frost's hard edge, with surprising interludes of humanity, to his own detriment at times, keep the long-running story line fresh. Frost is human---he makes mistakes, he forgets personal plans because he's so married to his job, and loves to rebel against the imperially dictated administrivia that gets in the way of doing the real work.

The last episode could well be the death knell for Frost---though I can only hope not. It would be fun to see Frost struggle in middle management as a DCI, straddling the line between Inspector and being in league with Hornrim Harry!

Let's hope for an 11th & 12th season.

I did not like Frost at first as seen on PBS, but when I started seeing the DVD from # 1 on, I got to know an actor that I have seen before but would have never realised that he was Pop Larkin in Darling Buds of May. David Jason has that vaudville driven acting ability to transfer from the medium into your life. You must see the next show or else. The problem I see is the interuption in the series. There are some missing years. I can see him age in paralell to myself, but still young enough to father a daughter. Will he stop the Frost series? I Hope not.I interviewed Colin Dexter in 1994, the Morse creator, and he said that he had to kill Morse off. There were many reasons for this. I don't believe the writers would kill Frost, I believe he will overwork himself to death.

I love Frost, and its not just because it almost sounds like Frog. "Frost" is a great crime series, which, in stark contrast to almost every mainstream American detective show, refuses to glamorize either criminals or the people who pursue them. Rather than wrapping up every crime into nice black and white labels or a tidy little paradox, "Frost" leaves the viewer with a sobering sense for the dissonances and crises that afflict every the body politic. But what I love most is the wondering dismal grey Denton atmosphere. I can almost imagine I'm back in the swamp!

Again, David Jason and his detective, Jack Frost, get 5 stars hands down. These two seasons are as well-written, as well-conceived as the former eight seansons. He's not a very conventional detective which makes him vulnerable, humerous and challenging to his superiors who seem to have a soft spot for a man who gets his man. I haven't found a detective I like as well and Jason plays him to the hilt. He always seems to have very entertaining sergeants along with him, sometimes to one-up him and other times to show him they have the stuff to get along with him. I would recommend watching the other seasons first as this one has continuations, but anyway you watch them, do it!!

This set contains three discs with four superbly acted and well-told tales:
Mistaken Identity
Hidden Truths
Close Encounters
Held in Trust
Each episode, except for the first is 90 minutes long. The first is in two parts, is the entire 9th season, and is 2 ½ hours long. This is a well-deserved award-wining series. David Jason plays Detective Inspector Jack Frost, a curmudgeon, with dry wit. Frost generally has conflicts with his boss, who complains, among many other things, about Frost's failure to do the "necessary" paperwork.

The stories usually have three major plots, one of which is about Frost, such as a new love interest in the first episode and he losing his winning lottery ticket in the second. Examples of the two crimes in each episode are the two in Close Encounters. Frost needs to solve a series of burglaries and a murder at a quarry. The first is complicated by a seven year old boy of a divorced couple going missing. The second by a witness to the murder who is autistic and who thinks he saw aliens commit the murder. The stories are easy to follow and filled with dry humor.

I thoroughly enjoyed this DVD I would recommend it to anyone who likes this type of British series

love this program just wish the dvds where not so expensive so I could buy the other series but being retired
makes it hard to buy them,as its a great show and really enjoy them

I really miss watching this series. You cant go wrong buying any Frost episode. If you love this series maybe you would also be interested in Cracker too(not the horrible American version)