A Touch of Frost (TV Series) No Other Love (1997) User Reviews

Another fine edition in the Frost franchise with a very sad ending....

[jamiecostelo58 · 10/10 · 2 December 2006]

D.I. Jack Frost has three cases to solve: two murders, and the disappearance of a young girl.

Jack is re-united with old sidekick D.S. Clive Barnard to try and solve these mysteries, and viewers can see the on-screen chemistry between David Jason and Matt Bardock as Barnard is simply terrific.

The young girl is the victim of something sinister.... This makes Love Me Tender (aka No Other Love) especially compelling viewing, and leads Jack and Clive on a roller-coaster ride in their attempt to catch a suspect.

An immensely tragic conclusion awaits the final confrontation between Frost and the suspect, which is sure to have an emotional impact on viewers never mind the characters. The eerie silence we witness at this point is extremely necessary...

Another intriguing and very believable storyline with a terribly sad ending is sure to be another winner for viewers who have not witnessed this episode.

Gut Wrenching

[Hitchcoc · 10/10 · 21 September 2015]

This is certainly one of the most emotionally draining of all episodes. It involves Frost and Barnard investigating three distinct cases. The murder of a frightened little man, the disappearance of a young woman, part of a depressing family, and a case of a military man who has aroused suspicion. This is really a show about child abuse and all its ugly implications. It's also about the denial of those closest to the crime that often allows these things to go on forever. Frost must deal with people who are pretty much hiding everything. We only know that they are terrified by something and are living daily with that fear. Over time, Barnard has become the finest partner that Frost has worked with. They had a shaky beginning but have become very close. They actually end up sharing an apartment in this one, due to Barnard being turned down by a landlord. What ensues is one of the most difficult episodes in the series. It may be the best.

One tense and emotionally devastating roller-coaster

[TheLittleSongbird · 10/10 · 2 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.

"No Other Love" is an earth-shattering conclusion to the fifth season, and, while all four episodes are brilliant, the best since "Penny for the Guy". It is tense and remarkably focused for so much going on in terms of story, while the unforgettably tragic ending is easily the most gut-wrenching and emotionally devastating one of all 'A Touch of Frost' episodes put together.

Visually, as always with 'A Touch of Frost', "No Other Love" is an episode that 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 and suitably twisty, with three cases rolled into one, all truly harrowing and with an equal amount of pathos.

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. Frost's chemistry with Barnard is one of the best developed and written of the show.

Jason is brilliant, then again he always was as Frost, while Matt Bardock's Barnard is appealing and the acting from Bruce Alexander and John Lyons is on point. As is the support acting with a standout being Anthony Bate.

All in all, tense and emotionally devastating, a roller-coaster of an episode if there ever was one. 10/10 Bethany Cox

Frost & "Son"

[gary-64659 · 8/10 · 25 September 2022]

This is a great, thoughtful episode and well executed apart from the scenes as the tension reaches its climax. We all know and admire Frost for his bravery, which he always humbly disavows. This time it costs the life of his sergeant, when Frost very obviously should have called for armed back-up. After the older abused children have told Frost that the homicidal grandfather would kill them all if he knew they were escaping, Frost tells his sergeant as he goes into the house, "He's not dangerous, just very sick." Frost already knows this retired military captain has killed his own son in cold blood -- by what he says upstairs to the acquiescent grandmother. Is it the nature of Frost to rashly risk himself out of ignorance?

Also, the revelation of the bad news back at the policemen's ball is horribly staged -- everyone reacting in exaggerated horror as soon as they see the duty sergeant come to tell them the bad news, as if the mere sight of him explained what had happened. But David Jason does act a very affecting scene in mourning over Matt Bardock's coffin.

One of the finest pieces of TV I've ever seen.

[kindofblue-78221 · 10/10 · 5 March 2022]

Season 5 of frost is outstanding throughout.

No other love is the jewel in the proverbial crown. It's one of the finest pieces of television iv ever had the good fortune to watch.

It's got everything. It deals with the taboo subject of sexual abuse in the family very accurately and sensitively.

All the strands of the story come together perfectly and tragically.

If there's a better piece of television then I've yet to see it.

20 stars out of 10.

Farewell D.C. Barnard

[safenoe · 8/10 · 6 September 2017]

One of the most touching moments in this season 5 finale was when the emotionally distraught Frost pins his bravery medal on D.C. Barnard lying in state following his act of bravery, saving the life of Frost.

The main plot line was quite chilling and gruesome, and the minor plot line didn't really have a satisfactory denouement. I thought perhaps there would be a Twilight Zone twist by linking the two plot lines. Anyway, still a fine episode. Also Miranda Pleasence makes her debut appearance.

Beware a man in uniform

[feargal-91558 · 10/10 · 10 January 2024]

This truly shocking episode works on many levels. You have an army man who will gleefully father a child with his own flesh. Frost looked stunned. The viewers are left stunned. Yet it's all believable. That's thanks to the acting of David Jason. The episode woves a standard thread of murder that you think leads you to the suspect. However a member of the cops is surprisingly a victim. Truly haunting. What about the scene in Blackpool? You have a girl protecting her sister. She tries to run and hide but all her family know the disturbing truth beneath all their eye contact. The family are the criminals. Frost has exposed the reality.

Good but sub-par

[grantss · 7/10 · 21 June 2022]

A reasonably interesting Frost episode. Some intrigue and twists and a bit of Frost's person life. However, the villain is fairly obvious from early on in the piece. The writers do their best to obscure it but they more they do, the more it points to the perpetrator. This obfuscation also makes things feel a bit clumsy.

Talking of clumsy, the climax feels very contrived, unnecessary and un-police-like in the way things panned out. Whatever happened to sending in armed police to arrest an armed murder suspect?

Still pretty good but definitely below the usual standard for the show.