This is an excellent episode where two young boys are involved. One has been found dead in a pile of debris, and the other is missing and the object of a ransom. Frost, who has great compassion for children, comes to realize that there are forces at work that are more powerful than the police department. There is a constant tussle between the letter of the law and the realities of the case. An elderly man becomes a prime suspect but Frost must be very careful not to upset the applecart. We meet some pretty despicable people along the way as well. Frost is teamed up this time with an ambition young female detective who sees her time in Denton as a stepping stone to a promotion. Mullett continues to be his self-serving ineffectual self, aspiring to be half the policeman that Frost is. This is a sad case where the victims seem to be secondary.
6 Reviews
Intriguing murder drama
grantss14 June 2022
Intriguing murder drama with Frost resolving things in his inimitable style. The first episode where he is paired with DS Liz Maud (played by Susannah Doyle). The two make quite the combination.
Supporting cast includes Stephen Moyer as DC Burton, several years before he found fame in the True Blood series.
Supporting cast includes Stephen Moyer as DC Burton, several years before he found fame in the True Blood series.
Terrific
jamiecostelo581 December 2006
Warning: Spoilers
The case of a missing boy kidnapped by a man who wants revenge is displayed to brilliant effect in this Frost edition. What revenge though? The dangerous game of cat-and-mouse the kidnapper plays with Frost is simply immense, adding to the tension of whether or not Jack will succeed in finding the boy. To start with, Jack only suspects the actual kidnapper, but can he find any actual evidence before it's too late? Great detective teamwork from Jason, Susannah Doyle (D.S. Maud), John Lyons (D.S. Toolan) and Stephen Moyer (D.C. Burton) in their difficult quest to nail the culprit.
Actor Philip Stone portrays old man Finch to terrific effect, and probably steals the limelight from David Jason, so strong is his performance as a seemingly innocent OAP.
This episode could be the best of the entire Frost series, mixed with intense nail-biting moments and the usual funny gaffes (goodbye Jack's battered old Ford Sierra at last!), and is my firm favourite.
Actor Philip Stone portrays old man Finch to terrific effect, and probably steals the limelight from David Jason, so strong is his performance as a seemingly innocent OAP.
This episode could be the best of the entire Frost series, mixed with intense nail-biting moments and the usual funny gaffes (goodbye Jack's battered old Ford Sierra at last!), and is my firm favourite.
A Song for Guy
safenoe29 June 2020
Warning: Spoilers
Susannah Doyle, who was also in Drop the Dead Donkey, makes her debut as D.S. Liz Maud in this very chilling and morally complex instalment the adventures of Inspector Frost. Philip Stone (no relation to Sharon I think) plays the somewhat benign Henry Finch, but Frost reveals a more sinister side. Frost shows his dark side and his willingness to cross the think blue line to achieve his outcome.
What a way to kick off Season 5
TheLittleSongbird1 July 2017
'A Touch of Frost' is a personal favourite of mine, and one of my favourite shows from the detective/mystery genre. Do have a preference perhaps for the earlier-mid-show episodes over the later ones, but none of the episodes are less than watchable and none do anything to embarrass the show.
So much appeals about 'A Touch of Frost'. Love the mix of comedy (mostly through Frost's snide comments and quips) and dark grit, the tension between rebellious Jack Frost and by-the-book Mullet which has led to some humorous moments, how he interacts with the rest of the staff, the deft mix of one or two cases and Frost's personal life, how Frost solves the cases, the production values, music and of course David Jason in one of his best roles.
There may have been people initially sceptical about whether the show would work, and with Jason (a mainly comedic actor) in a departure from usual in the lead role. Scepticism very quickly evaporated, with the first season containing three consistently great episodes, even with the darker and grittier approach with less humour, that established the tone and characterisation so brilliantly so early on with no signs of finding-their-feet. Seasons 2 and 3 continued that high standard, "Appropriate Adults" and "Stranger in House" particularly being show highlights. Season 4 was also very good, particularly "Paying the Price" and "Deep Waters", the weakest "Unknown Soldiers" still being pretty good.
"Penny for the Guy" kicked off Season 5 brilliantly, matching "Paying the Price" in the amount of tension and suspense it had and being a highlight episode of 'A Touch of Frost'.
Visually, as always with 'A Touch of Frost', "Penny for the Guy" looks great. It matches the dark, gritty tone of the episode beautifully with atmospheric lighting and the stylish way it's shot. The music is haunting without being over-bearing while the theme tune is one of the most iconic in the detective genre (or at least to me it is).
The script is well written, with a few very amusing quips from Frost, and thought-provoking, while the direction is solid. The story is absorbing with some very surprising twists and turns when things get more complicated (without getting overly so), and the climax is an absolute nail-biter.
Frost is a remarkably well-established character , and one cannot help love his interaction with the rest of the officers and his chemistry with Bruce Alexander's stern and by-the-book Mullet, who constantly despairs of Frost's unconventional approach. Even more so the scenes between Frost and Finch, very tautly written and suspenseful.
Jason is brilliant, then again he always was as Frost, while Bruce Alexander and John Lyons are more than up to his level. A deceptively innocent but actually chilling Phillip Stone gives one of the standout supporting performances of the whole show.
Overall, tension-filled brilliance and how a season opener should be done. 10/10 Bethany Cox
So much appeals about 'A Touch of Frost'. Love the mix of comedy (mostly through Frost's snide comments and quips) and dark grit, the tension between rebellious Jack Frost and by-the-book Mullet which has led to some humorous moments, how he interacts with the rest of the staff, the deft mix of one or two cases and Frost's personal life, how Frost solves the cases, the production values, music and of course David Jason in one of his best roles.
There may have been people initially sceptical about whether the show would work, and with Jason (a mainly comedic actor) in a departure from usual in the lead role. Scepticism very quickly evaporated, with the first season containing three consistently great episodes, even with the darker and grittier approach with less humour, that established the tone and characterisation so brilliantly so early on with no signs of finding-their-feet. Seasons 2 and 3 continued that high standard, "Appropriate Adults" and "Stranger in House" particularly being show highlights. Season 4 was also very good, particularly "Paying the Price" and "Deep Waters", the weakest "Unknown Soldiers" still being pretty good.
"Penny for the Guy" kicked off Season 5 brilliantly, matching "Paying the Price" in the amount of tension and suspense it had and being a highlight episode of 'A Touch of Frost'.
Visually, as always with 'A Touch of Frost', "Penny for the Guy" looks great. It matches the dark, gritty tone of the episode beautifully with atmospheric lighting and the stylish way it's shot. The music is haunting without being over-bearing while the theme tune is one of the most iconic in the detective genre (or at least to me it is).
The script is well written, with a few very amusing quips from Frost, and thought-provoking, while the direction is solid. The story is absorbing with some very surprising twists and turns when things get more complicated (without getting overly so), and the climax is an absolute nail-biter.
Frost is a remarkably well-established character , and one cannot help love his interaction with the rest of the officers and his chemistry with Bruce Alexander's stern and by-the-book Mullet, who constantly despairs of Frost's unconventional approach. Even more so the scenes between Frost and Finch, very tautly written and suspenseful.
Jason is brilliant, then again he always was as Frost, while Bruce Alexander and John Lyons are more than up to his level. A deceptively innocent but actually chilling Phillip Stone gives one of the standout supporting performances of the whole show.
Overall, tension-filled brilliance and how a season opener should be done. 10/10 Bethany Cox
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