'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.
It must have been very difficult to follow an episode as brilliant as "Penny for the Guy", but "House Calls" does so splendidly and ends up being another show high-point. It's interesting for how it deals with sensitive subjects with a lot of truth but also tact, and also for agreed a minor character in the main one of the two cases playing a pivotal role in the second, which was done really well.
Visually, as always with 'A Touch of Frost', "House Calls" 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, balancing two cases adeptly with both of them interesting and solved beautifully, is absorbing with some very surprising twists and turns when things get more complicated (without getting overly so). The climax is one of the show's best.
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.
Jason is brilliant, then again he always was as Frost, while Bruce Alexander and John Lyons are more than up to his level. All the support is strong.
Overall, after such a brilliant previous episode "House Calls" continues splendidly this high standard. 10/10 Bethany Cox
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