A Touch of Frost (TV Series) A Minority of One (1994) User Reviews

Contains An Exciting Scene That Possibly Belongs Somewhere Else

[Theo Robertson · 7/10 · 23 February 2013]

MIDSOMMER MURDERS recently got criticised because there wasn't ethnic minorities appearing in the show . Perhaps mindful of pre-emptive criticism the producers of A TOUCH OF FROST made an episode revolving around racial tensions in Denton a town that previously and subsequently had little in the way of black faces . If you're expecting a British version of THE WIRE then you're going to be disappointed

I can't remember much about this episode since seeing it at Christmas but one action sequence will remain with me a lifetime . Jack Frost is told one of Denton's black community wants to talk to him . Frost goes in to the interview room where he is physically threatened and presses the panic button

Cut to the police canteen where four police constables nonchalantly leave the table giving the impression they're a bunch of stoners in a Dutch smoke-shop . They enter the interview room where Mr Ghetto-boy barges through them and runs down the corridor where the police chase after him in hot pursuit . Well rather warm pursuit . Well rather ice cold pursuit so cold in fact Mr Gangsta has managed to run down so many corridors you think he's in fact the first black DOCTOR WHO . He almost escapes until a policeman carrying a tray of tea gets caught up in the great chase

By now you're expecting the Benny Hill theme to start playing but the sequence continues as the OTT sequence resembles the Norman Wisdom comedy ON THE BEAT as a couple of dozen cops chase Ghetto Boy up endless flights of stairs where he comes to a dead end . Frost manages to push his way through the police scrum and says the generic dead pan line " You're nicked me son " to which he receives a punch on the nose

So remember if you want to commit a crimeand almost get away with it the Denton police station is the best place to commit it

"Mr Clark tragically news I'm afraid, your goldfish is about to OD on cocaine"

[ygwerin1 · 8/10 · 11 July 2022]

Superintendent Mullett appears to be using D. I. Jack Frost as some form of Guinea pig to test approved police quotas, and he has yet another work colleague to accompany him a D. C. Carl Tanner.

Denton Nick is replete with crime including cash and carry burglaries, with some stolen goods turning up on the East Dean sink estate, D. I. Jack Frost has a long term informant Natalie Bell living on the estate, who dies in her flat when it's deliberately set on fire.

Reading reviews of this episode makes me think that it would be so easy to pick holes in British detective shows for the lack of ethnic diversity, possibly unlike our transatlantic cousins who seemingly ensure, that they scrupulously tick every available box.

Indeed thinking it over I came to a similar conclusion as most detective series on TV in the UK are predominately white, the detectives and old bill are invariably caucasian as are any people appearing in them such as neighbours etc.

While culprits are a mixed bag depending on where they reside, invariably there may be a 'troubled area' or sink estate and as in this episode of Frost, there may well be black or either mixed race people being suspected of petty crime.

Frost and racial tension, prejudice and burglaries

[TheLittleSongbird · 9/10 · 20 June 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 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.

On first viewing of "A Minority of One" several years ago, expectations were high after such a great and remarkably consistent first season. Those high expectations were more than met. Later 'Frost' episodes had a lighter touch with more humour, but "A Minority of One" deals with such hard hitting subjects of racial tension and prejudice that too much humorous moments would have threatened to feel like they don't belong in the episode and jar.

This said, the tone and characterisation are so well-established for so early on. When you see examples of shows that take time to settle and don't find their feet for sometimes as much as a season, this not particularly easy feet is remarkable.

Visually, "A Minority of One" looks great, matching 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).

"A Minority of One's" script is again very well written, with the tensions dealt with intelligently and with sensitive tact rather than being preachy. The story is tense and gritty, with the hard-hitting subjects the episode explores handled with not a shred of heavy-handedness while delivering highly on emotion, thrills (such as the climax) and shocks (without being gratuitously so). Nothing feels disjointed or misplaced here.

Frost is a remarkably well-established character for so early on, 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 also deals with the tension between him and Tanner, the prejudicial nature showing both characters being at fault while not making them less likable.

Jason excels brilliantly as Frost, and Bruce Alexander, John Lyons and Lennie James are a great match. Support is fine too.

In conclusion, after such a great first season Season 2's opening episode "A Minority of One" doesn't disappoint. 9/10 Bethany Cox

Very good

[jamiecostelo58 · 9/10 · 5 December 2006]

Racial tension dominates this very strong episode as Jack and D.C. Carl Tanner investigate a series of burglaries.

An informant of Frost's is killed after revealing too much information, and Jack wants revenge. But will he simply believe that a black person is involved?

A thrilling car chase sequence awaits the final conclusion to the case, while credible performances from Lennie James and David Jason probably lets the viewer think about the aspects of racism that are still rife worldwide today.

It certainly brings home the truth of racial discrimination in the police force as well as the outside world, and is told to great effect.

Never Maudlin or Self Serving

[Hitchcoc · 9/10 · 8 September 2015]

"A Touch of Frost" ventures into the topic of racism. A series of big box stores have been burglarized and it seems that the perception is that minorities are responsible. When Frost comes to the precinct, he finds he has been given a black partner, who, according to the rest of his colleagues, was sent because he is black. He points this out himself to Frost. Frost has a young woman who earns money by keeping her ear to the ground and pointing out possible criminal activity. Despite Frost's discretion, one night her apartment is torched with her in it. This a complex situation because she has a little boy (who was out at the time). The episode shows the gross prejudice of the police and the community. It also shows how people function under these circumstances. Frost comes to realize at some point that he may be as bad as the rest. He uses offensive casual references with his partner, who really controls himself. Unfortunately, the police are more interested in keeping a facade than actually changing their ways. It's another credit to the honesty of this series.

The woman on the ladder

[ELashes · 10/10 · 26 September 2022]

Is trying to get some bloody sleep. Her line reading and facial expression makes her one of the best minor characters on a program that is full of such one off colorful performances. Denton would be a fun place to live if you like people watching and can manage not to get murdered. I love the whole working class vibe while not being so gritty. Frost is the antimatter version of Morse, Denton is the opposite of Oxford, or maybe the opposite of Midsomer. George Bullard of Midsomer even showed up as the opposite of himself in an earlier episode, unrecognizable. And he too was memorable, but not as much as the woman on the ladder. I hope she got some bloody sleep.

A Minority of One

[Prismark10 · 5/10 · 10 February 2021]

There's sure a lot of black people in Denton.

It's just that they were not present in the first series of A Touch of Frost.

Now there are simmering racial tensions in the housing estates. Not helped that Frost's snout keeps giving him tip offs of all the black people who are up to no good such as burglaries.

This is something that is noticed by Frost's new partner DC Carl Tanner (Lennie James.) A black officer who might be a beneficiary of positive discrimination.

When his informant Natalie Bell a single mother is killed, everyone predicts a riot.

Frost and Tanner need to find both Natalie's killer and get to the bottom of all the burglaries in the area. Superintendent Mullett hopes that the real culprits are white.

There was some clunky writing here. Frost playfully using words with black in a humorous manner to Mullett when describing his new partner. It might look funny in script form but I am not sure it comes across as the writer intended on the screen. The same goes for that Keystone cops chase scene when a black man escapes from the police cell and is chased down the corridors by everyone and no one seems to be able to apprehend him. It was done so Frost could come up with a punchline.

Well Frost might not be racist but for such a clever chap, he did not notice that the informant only gave him names of black suspects.

It is just a case of ITV wanting to deal with racial issues and it leaves everyone dissatisfied with the final product. I will assume that after this episode, the rest of the second series will cease to show a multicultural Denton.