A Touch Of Frost Series
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(Updated on August 29, 2025)
If you enjoy classic British crime dramas, then A Touch of Frost is a series that deserves a place on your watchlist. First airing in 1992, this long-running ITV drama quickly became one of the most beloved detective shows in the UK.
Starring Sir David Jason as Detective Inspector Jack Frost, the series blended gritty crime-solving with dry humor, emotional depth, and an unpolished but deeply human main character.
What Is A Touch of Frost About?
The main character, DI Jack Frost, is a curmudgeonly detective who solves crimes in Denton, a fictional town in the South Midlands.
Unlike many polished TV detectives, Frost is far from perfect. He’s messy, impulsive, and often bends the rules, but his keen instincts and relentless dedication to justice make him a compelling character.
Each episode dives into complex murder investigations, missing persons cases, and crimes that reveal both the dark and ordinary sides of human nature.
Why the Show Stands Out
- David Jason’s Performance: Best known for his comedic roles, Jason surprised audiences with his layered and heartfelt portrayal of Frost.
- Realism: The show didn’t shy away from complex topics such as poverty, family struggles, and moral dilemmas.
- Character-Driven Stories: Beyond the crimes, the series explored the personal lives of detectives and victims, making it more than just a procedural.
- Longevity: Running for 15 series until 2010, the show maintained a strong following and remains a favorite for crime drama fans.
Legacy of A Touch of Frost
The series paved the way for later British crime dramas that focused on flawed but relatable detectives.
Even years after its finale, A Touch of Frost remains a popular choice among viewers through DVD releases and streaming platforms.
For many fans, it represents a golden era of British television, where storytelling and character depth took center stage.
Where to Watch A Touch of Frost
Fans, both old and new, can revisit the series through streaming services and DVD collections. Availability may vary by region, but the show remains widely accessible for those who want to relive or discover Jack Frost’s investigations.
DI Jack Frost is a senior detective who deals with all kinds of cases involving relevant issues such as kidnappings, drugs, elder abuse, and race relations.
Frost deals with paperwork by putting it in a drawer or burying it under a mound of other disorganized items on his desk. This aggravates his guv, Superintendent Mullet, and causes friction between them.
Frost is assigned quite a few different constables or sergeants, perhaps because of his methods of dealing with cases and his no-nonsense, brusque ways.
Jack Frost is empathetic to the common man or woman, showing compassion for their plight. He genuinely cares about the people he deals with, despite his gruff demeanor.
His personal life occasionally shows through, but this kind of intense copper doesn’t lend itself well to romantic relationships. He is dedicated to the job and resolving inquiries.
Who is DI Jack Frost?
The character Jack Frost is quite amusing, bringing a comedic touch to the show. His facial expressions alone are worth the watch in my book.
DI Frost is very old-school in his approach to detecting. He believes in traditional policing methods, except when he occasionally bends the rules to solve a case.
Frost is what you’d call an unconventional policeman with a sympathy for the underdog and an instinct for moral justice.
He’s sloppy, disorganized, and disrespectful. DI Jack Frost attracts trouble like a magnet. He lies at times (what he calls porkies), but it’s always to get to the point.
He solves cases by intuition or good old-fashioned detective work. Jack doesn’t care about promotions, and he doesn’t play politics.
Who is Superintendent Mullet?
He often rolls his eyes when dealing with Superintendent Mullett (Bruce Alexander), whom he avoids at all costs. Mullett is all about politics and is Jack Frost’s nemesis.
The Superintendent is a staid, straight-laced man who cares deeply about how the community perceives the police force. Mullett is seen as a constant worrier who clashes with Jack Frost’s methods, reprimanding him on a fairly regular basis.
Frost tells the Superintendent what he wants to hear and then does what he wants or thinks best.
David Jason decided to quit the lead role in A Touch of Frost because he said real detectives typically retire at age 60, and he was nearing 70.
“You wouldn’t want me to play Frost in a wheelchair, would you?” he told journalists at a screening.
The TV series A Touch Of Frost spans the years 1992 to 2010. There are a total of 42 episodes, each lasting approximately 1 hour and 45 minutes. J.D. Wingfield novels created the character Jack Frost.
An Altered Perception of Actor Jason David:
The series altered the public’s perception of Jason David as solely a comedic actor, although comedic moments occasionally emerge in Jack Frost’s policing methods.
The actor is Sir David John White, known professionally by his stage name David Jason. He was knighted in 2005 for services to acting and comedy.
ITV produced a Touch Of Frost in Leeds, and most of the outdoor locations were shot in West Yorkshire.
Several scenes were filmed in and around the city and district of Wakefield, as well as in the neighboring small towns of Pontefract and Castleford, West Yorkshire.
Subscribing To BritBox Through Amazon:
If you subscribe to BritBox through Amazon, consider watching “A Touch of Frost.” I think you’ll enjoy it.
On BritBox, you can watch new and exclusive mysteries, comedies, dramas, and more, including originals you won’t find anywhere else.
You can watch the A Touch Of Frost series free on Tubi and Plex. Alternatively, if you have an Amazon Prime subscription, you can also watch it on Amazon’s BritBox channel.
I thoroughly enjoy BritBox and always find something interesting to watch on this streaming service.
We discovered A Touch of Frost when we were in London in 2000. When we came home, we found it on DVD, and bought every season. We thoroughly enjoyed it, and were sad to have it end.
That sounds like a good series. The Vera series you talked about sounded good too. I have direct tv. I don’t know if they offer a British channel, like Britbox, or not. And if they keep raising my price, I might have to give them up!
I LOVE Vera. I don’t know anyone who’s watched her who doesn’t like her.
Lies are porkies in Cockney rhyming slang because pork pie rhymes with lie.
I just checked and the show is not available with a regular Amazon Prime membership but I’m going to try watching it on Tubi.
I tried to be accurate about where it’s being shown, but it’s sometimes hard to tell.
I watched the first episode last night on Tubi. I’ll definitely keep watching it. Thanks for the recommendation.
We enjoy Frost and other British detective series as well. We have both Britbox and Acorn through Amazon Prime and enjoy many of the shows on both. We almost never watch network or “cable” shows anymore.
I left network and cable shows years ago, and have no wish to go back.
Our cable/internet/phone bill was getting too high so we downsized the cable. You were smart to get these channels. We are just plugging along with what we are left with. It is what it is. It’s all good.
Years ago cable was taking my bill over $300 a month, and that’s when I cut the cord and left cable TV behind.