List of A Touch of Frost episodes

The following is a list of episodes detailing the long-running ITV drama series A Touch of Frost, starring David Jason, John Lyons and Bruce Alexander.

Series overview

Series	Episodes		Originally aired
			First aired	Last aired
1	3		6 December 1992 (1992-12-06)	20 December 1992 (1992-12-20)
2	4		9 January 1994 (1994-01-09)	30 January 1994 (1994-01-30)
3	4		8 January 1995 (1995-01-08)	29 January 1995 (1995-01-29)
4	5		7 January 1996 (1996-01-07)	4 February 1996 (1996-02-04)
5	4		9 February 1997 (1997-02-09)	2 March 1997 (1997-03-02)
6	4		7 March 1999 (1999-03-07)	28 March 1999 (1999-03-28)
7	2		25 December 1999 (1999-12-25)	1 January 2000 (2000-01-01)
8	2		14 January 2001 (2001-01-14)	15 January 2001 (2001-01-15)
9	2		27 January 2002 (2002-01-27)	28 January 2002 (2002-01-28)
10	3		19 January 2003 (2003-01-19)	14 September 2003 (2003-09-14)
11	2		26 October 2003 (2003-10-26)	22 February 2004 (2004-02-22)
12	1		25 September 2005 (2005-09-25)
13	1		5 November 2006 (2006-11-05)
14	3		12 October 2008 (2008-10-12)	26 October 2008 (2008-10-26)
15	2		4 April 2010 (2010-04-04)	5 April 2010 (2010-04-05)

Episodes

Series 1 (1992)

Episode	Title	Written by	Directed by	Viewers (millions)	Original airdate
1	"Care and Protection"	Richard Harris	Don Leaver	16.35	6 December 1992 (1992-12-06)
When his superior, DCI Allen, falls ill, DI Jack Frost assumes command of an investigation into a young girl's disappearance, aided by DC Clive Barnard, the Chief Constable's nephew. Frost learns that the girl, Tracy Uphill, went missing from a community centre after her prostitute mother was late in collecting her. In the course of searching for Tracy, the police uncover the murdered remains of a bank clerk that had been shot, and who had seemingly vanished with a large sum of money. When the assistant bank manager is murdered with the same gun in the clerk's murder, Frost finds himself juggling his focus between two separate cases, and that of his wife's care as she slowly dies of cancer. Based on the book Frost at Christmas.
2	"Not With Kindness"	Richard Harris	David Reynolds	16.45	13 December 1992 (1992-12-13)
DI Frost finds himself coping with a shortage of officers, due to an illness circulating the area, and the sudden arrival of his late wife's sister, as he handles two investigations with the assistance of his temporary partner DS Sandy Gilmore. The first concerns the murder of a 15-year-old girl who had disappeared on her newspaper round, only to turn up in a local churchyard that had been struggling with vandalism. The second concerns the wife of a rare books dealer who fears for her life after receiving threatening messages and disturbing packages. Frost soon learns the truth in both cases, one through an unorthodox method that Gilmore disapproves of, the other from interesting facts when it ends with a murder. Based on part of the plot of the book Night Frost.
3	"Conclusions"	Richard Harris	Anthony Simmons	TBA	20 December 1992 (1992-12-20)
DI Frost is paired with new Scottish secondment DC Webster, an officer who is struggling to fit in with life in Denton, as they investigate a robbery at a local casino and a hit-and-run incident involving Roger Massie, the son of a local politician. Frost soon finds that both matters are linked, finding a connection between them with Massie's girlfriend. At the same time, Frost handles an investigation into the murder of a police officer, who had received a complaint against them for stealing jewellery. While everything seems to point to a small-time crook that is hiding out after a failed bank robbery, Frost is convinced the case is not as straightforward as perceived. Based on part of the plot of the book A Touch of Frost.

Series 2 (1994)

Episode	Title	Written by	Directed by	Viewers (millions)	Original airdate
1	"A Minority of One"	Christopher Russell	Roger Bamford	12.57	9 January 1994 (1994-01-09)
DI Frost investigates a series of commercial robberies assisted by DC Carl Tanner, an officer recruited by Supt. Mullett to encourage racial balance on the local force. When Frost makes an arrest on a local housing estate, Mullett's only concern is that the culprit's racial background does not turn the area into a racial powder keg. When Frost's informant on the estate is later killed, the case becomes a murder investigation, but all of the suspects are black and racial tensions are on the rise. In the course of his investigation, Frost determines that his informant had a number of secrets.
2	"Widows and Orphans"	Richard Harris	Roy Battersby	TBA	16 January 1994 (1994-01-16)
DI Frost investigates a series of burglaries directed against old age pensioners, assisted by new female DS Maureen Lawson (Sally Dexter). Things take a serious turn when an elderly woman is badly beaten, though he soon learns it does not fit the MO of the other attacks – the victim was very difficult and disliked by many, including neighbours and community volunteers. The case soon takes a nasty turn when another elderly victim is found dead, with the potential to create a panic among the public. Frost concludes that the second victim knew her attacker and proceeds to eliminate all possible suspects, one by one. Based on part of the plot of the book Night Frost.
3	"Nothing to Hide"	Richard Harris	John Glenister	14.91	23 January 1994 (1994-01-23)
DI Frost works alongside DC Frank Costello (Neil Dudgeon), recently demoted after a punch-up with a superior officer, to investigate the murder of a young junkie, Ben Cornish. Although it's assumed he choked to death on his own vomit, the autopsy reveals he died as a result of a vicious beating. Frost soon learns that Cornish had been in trouble recently, stolen from his sister, harassed a local doctor, and been forcefully evicted from an abandoned house he was squatting in. With many suspects to consider, a chance comment from a police constable concerning the night of the murder reveals the murderer to be closer to home. Based on part of the plot of the book A Touch of Frost.
4	"Stranger in the House"	Christopher Russell	Don Leaver	15.77	30 January 1994 (1994-01-30)
DI Frost finds himself scouring Denton for a sexual predator, after a series of women are raped in their own home; with the exception of one victim, who was raped in the back of her car. In his efforts to find the culprit, Frost arranges a trap with the assistance of WPC Hazel Wallace, despite the risks involved. At the same time, Frost is on the hunt for a 17-year-old girl that went missing during one of the rape incidents, and has to also find the medal he earned for bravery after the Chief Constable insists he attends a reunion in London for all Victoria and George Cross holders he is invited to. Based on part of the plot of the book A Touch of Frost.

Series 3 (1995)

Episode	Title	Written by	Directed by	Viewers (millions)	Original airdate
1	"Appropriate Adults"	Michael Russell	Herbert Wise	TBA	8 January 1995 (1995-01-08)
DI Frost finds himself clashing with the Denton Police's new DCI, as he tackles two different matters that need investigation. The first concerns the disappearance of 8-year-old Tricia Martin. Frost finds the investigation must be handled delicately, as the last person to see her alive was 19-year-old Billy Conrad, a young man who has Down syndrome and learning disabilities, and who regularly played with young children. His second concerns a rash of joyriding incidents, which Supt. Mullett is concerned about greatly and needs resolved.
2	"Quarry"	Christopher Russell	Roy Battersby	TBA	15 January 1995 (1995-01-15)
DI Frost is reunited with DC Clive Barnard, as he finds himself investigating the murder of Nick Walder, killed while assisting a group in sabotaging a local hunt. Suspects range between several of the local hunt organisers and some of the saboteurs Walder fell out with, but things soon change when a second saboteur is murdered at a garden centre they owned. Frost quickly discovers the second victim was involved in the shipment of stolen antiques, and that Walder was killed by accident. His suspicions soon turn towards an art gallery owner and the daughter of a hunt organiser, and a belief both were involved in the stolen antiques, leaving him to piece together the motive behind the murders when the gallery owner is later murdered.
3	"Dead Male One"	Christopher Russell	Roger Bamford	TBA	22 January 1995 (1995-01-22)
DI Frost tackles the murder of Adie Carr, a Denton F.C. player who collapsed during a press conference shortly after the conclusion of a football match. Frost learns that Carr died from a fatal overdose of steroids induced by an unknown method, prompting him to question the victim's movements prior to his death. He learns that Carr was disliked by a number of suspects – a rival footballer who assaulted him in the match; a woman whose grandfather was conned out of money for DIY work; and a coach who resented him rejecting a transfer offer he had arranged. Frost also investigates the body of an unknown man, 'The Appendix Man', who was found drowned in the river and in possession of a stolen driving licence, but it wouldn't be until years later when he solved that case.
4	"No Refuge"	Christopher Russell	Don Leaver	TBA	29 January 1995 (1995-01-29)
DI Frost is reunited with his former female partner DS Lawson when investigating an armed robbery at a local family-run glassworks business. The investigation requires urgent attention, because an employee was fatally shot, and the witness, the business owner, goes into hiding after receiving death threats. While Frost delves into the tangled web of personal relationships within the owner's family, Lawson finds herself in serious trouble when she mixes her professional and personal relationships.

Series 4 (1996)

Episode	Title	Written by	Directed by	Viewers (millions)	Original airdate
1	"Paying the Price"	Christopher Russell	Ross Devenish	16.71	7 January 1996 (1996-01-07)
DI Frost works alongside his temporary partner WPC Claire Toms, while dealing with the aftermath of a fire that leaves him temporarily homeless. The pair find themselves involved in tracking down Pauline Venables, an employee of a local department store who was recently kidnapped while attempting to make amends with her sister over an incident that soured their relationship. Frost learns that her kidnapper wants £30,000 in ransom, and initially suspects Pauline's new boyfriend, an ex-con. However, when it transpires Pauline's lover is innocent, the hunt for her takes a dark turn when the kidnapper becomes greedy and murders an accomplice.
2	"Unknown Soldiers"	Michael Russell	Adrian Shergold	16.64	14 January 1996 (1996-01-14)
With his house unavailable for some time, DI Frost temporarily moves into a flat above an Indian curry restaurant. At the same time, he finds himself investigating an armed robbery conducted with an illegal firearm. Frost discovers there may be a connection between this and the death of a soldier at a local military base, and ask Supt. Mullett to let him assist military police in their investigation. It quickly transpires the soldier, shot dead during a firearms exercise that was using blanks, was killed by an outsider, and someone on the base had been selling illegal firearms. A supplier, whom Frost suspects might have been the intended target after falling foul of their buyer.
3	"Fun Times for Swingers"	Robert Smith	Peter Smith	17.49	21 January 1996 (1996-01-21)
DI Frost continues to locate somewhere to stay, while working alongside his dour Scot partner DS Prentice on two investigations. While the pair look into a theft at a local cricket club, they also must investigate the murder of Damien Law, a gigolo and paid male escort who had been spending considerable time with a great many women. Frost suspects a connection to recent suicide, and that either one of the victim's clients and the owner of an escort agency killed Law in his flat.
4	"The Things We Do for Love"	Alma Cullen	Adrian Shergold	17.45	28 January 1996 (1996-01-28)
DI Frost works with his latest partner recently transferred to Denton, DS Frank Nash, as he investigates two separate cases. The first concerns the murder of a local physiotherapist, Vicky Phillips, who was stabbed to death in her car. Frost places his suspicions on two possible suspects – one of the victim's patients, who has a criminal record despite becoming a born-again Christian, and a local butcher that denies knowing the victim, despite her possessing keys to a flat above his shop. At the same time, Frost and Nash investigate a series of smash-and-grab robberies in the commercial district, in which the culprits manage to steal as much as they can within minutes and escape before they can be stopped.
5	"Deep Waters"	Christopher Russell	Don Leaver	17.55	4 February 1996 (1996-02-04)
DI Frost temporarily assigns WPC Lindsey Hunter to Denton CID, in order to assist him as he deals with two separate cases. The first involves an armed robbery that went wrong at a post office, in which he manages to secure the culprits but is frustrated by the difficulties presented in charging them. The second involves an attack on Helen Tudor, a student at Denton University, who was pushed down the stairs following class. Frost finds that in this investigation, things are much more sinister, and after a trip to coastal town to investigate a death linked to the case, he soon discovers that Helen is still in danger from her attacker.

Series 5 (1997)

Episode	Title	Written by	Directed by	Viewers (millions)	Original airdate
1	"Penny for the Guy"	Malcolm Bradbury	Paul Seed	16.75	9 February 1997 (1997-02-09)
DI Frost is forced to cancel a fortnight's leave to investigate the suspicious death of a young boy that had been missing, and whose body was recently found in an alley. The autopsy finds that the boy was kidnapped by someone who chloroformed them, before cutting off one of their fingers. Frost soon discovers the kidnapper has taken another boy, and is demanding a half-million-pound ransom from the owner of a major supermarket chain, but finds that there is more to the kidnapping when the ransom money used by the owner turns out to be counterfeit. At the same time, Frost finds himself investigating the disappearance of a teenage girl, and has suspicions that her parents are not being honest over their story of the incident. Part of the plot is based on the book Hard Frost.
2	"House Calls"	Malcolm Bradbury	Graham Theakston	18.22	16 February 1997 (1997-02-16)
DI Frost works alongside DS Liz Maud over two different murder investigations. The first concerns a well-known thief whose body was found in the coal bin of an abandoned farm house, and it soon leads him to discovering his latest victims had a hand in his death. The second concerns the murder of a mother and two children, the latter of whom both had indications of being injected with water. Frost finds himself in hot water when a known child abuser is linked to the crime, but he soon learns that some of the facts don't add up when evidence reveals flaws in the alibis of those connected with the investigation. Part of the plot is based on the book Hard Frost.
3	"True Confessions"	Michael Russell	Sandy Johnson	17.47	23 February 1997 (1997-02-23)
Recently returned from a holiday with a friend, DI Frost finds himself investigating the murder of Jeanette Barr, whose body was found on a local riverbank. The autopsy reveals she had been drowned in her bathtub, before her body was dumped by the river. Frost finds himself dealing with two possible suspects who have solid alibis – a graphics designer who worked for the victim's husband and brother, and the victim's husband, whom Frost had investigated over another murder ten years ago – but soon finds his work complicated when he is suspended pending an internal investigation of his actions.
4	"No Other Love"	Sian Orrells	David Reynolds	18.15	2 March 1997 (1997-03-02)
DI Frost secures a new flat to reside within, and decides to let his old partner Clive Barnard, now a Detective Sergeant, stay with him whilst they handle an investigation of an armed robbery at Peter Lawson's pawn shop, and a separate murder of an abusive husband, Harry, by his wife, Olive. Frost learns that Harry mistreated Olive and was responsible for their 2-year-old daughter's death nearly 40 years earlier, and the murder was an impulsive action after decades of abuse, leading to Olive being conditionally released. Frost's investigation into the robbery uncovers Peter's children are being sexually abused, with one of them being impregnated and travelling to Blackpool for an abortion. When Peter is murdered, Frost discovers it was Peter's father, Charlie, who was sexually abusing Peter's daughters, and he killed Peter to stop him revealing the truth. Frost confronts Charlie, who holds him at gunpoint, and Clive is killed while saving Frost and shooting Charlie dead . Distraught at Clive's death, Frost tenders his resignation from the force and buries his George Cross medal with Clive, declaring him a true hero.

Series 6 (1999)

Episode	Title	Written by	Directed by	Viewers (millions)	Original airdate
1	"Appendix Man"	Malcolm Bradbury	Sandy Johnson	16.04	7 March 1999 (1999-03-07)
Supt. Mullett has placed DI Frost on extended compassionate leave instead of accepting his resignation, but is forced to bring him back on duty when the 'Black Farm Murders' case he handled – involving the theft of paintings – requires his urgent attention. As he re-examines his investigation after a wrongful conviction claim in the press, Frost finds himself working alongside Hazel Wallace, now a Detective Sergeant, as she investigates the suspicious death of a hospital porter at his flat. Frost is perplexed when a fingerprint found at the scene is the same as 'The Appendix Man' – an unidentified person found dead in the river in one of his previous cases (Dead Male One). When the porter is found to be in possession of stolen paintings, Frost discovers that all three cases are linked and finds a web of lies concealing the truth about the two dead men.
2	"One Man's Meat"	Michael Russell	Alan Dossor	14.64	14 March 1999 (1999-03-14)
An accident with his first tenant leaves DI Frost in charge of his police dog, Kai. While handling this unexpected responsibility, Frost tackles two new cases. The first involves the suspicious death of Jane Owens, a homeless teenage girl found drowned in the Denton River. Frost discovers that Jane had considered turning to prostitution but changed her mind and rejected her first client. Angered, the client brutally beat her. Distressed by the assault, her dire situation, and grieving the loss of a deceased friend, Jane ultimately committed suicide. Frost is forced to release the client, unable to prove he assaulted her, but vows to pursue kerb-crawling charges and ensure the case is covered in the local press to publicly shame him. Meanwhile, Frost's second case involves the disappearance of Warren Barber, an environmental health officer who was investigating a local meat processing factory. The case escalates to murder when a dismembered arm is found and identified as Barber's, leading Frost to suspect Barber had uncovered something sinister at the factory. Frost discovers that drugs are being smuggled from Amsterdam through the factory. When he confronts the suspects, he is attacked and injured, but Kai intervenes, saving him until the police arrive to detain the ringleaders.
3	"Private Lives"	Russell Gascoigne	David Reynolds	16.85	21 March 1999 (1999-03-21)
DI Frost is partnered to DS Billy "Razor" Sharpe, as he handles two separate investigations. The first case concerns a hit-and-run, which has left housewife Bryony Darrow, who was struck by a car while walking home, in a coma that she is unlikely to recover from. As Frost investigates what happened, he soon learns that the victim was leading a complex life and likely having an affair. The second concerns a robbery at a local brewery that appears to be more than it seems and leads Frost to making use of the police archives to set a trap for the thieves.
4	"Keys to the Car"	Malcolm Bradbury	Adrian Shergold	15.83	28 March 1999 (1999-03-28)
The newly promoted Assistant Chief Constable, standing in for Supt. Mullett while he is on leave, questions DI Frost's methods after he interviews drug dealer Richie Dearne off-the-record to try to coerce an urgent confession to Dearne's involvement in a comatose young man's overdose. Dearne's legal brief forces his release with threats of a complaint following the interview. While his current investigation is sidelined, Frost finds himself partnered with DS Bill Dorridge when Mullett reports a car theft at his golf club. When the stolen vehicle is tracked to a hotel in a neighbouring county, the crime becomes murder when Dearne's body is found in the boot with a wad of cash. Although the thief is the prime suspect, Frost believes the case revolves around the drug scene, and soon questions who was the last person to see the victim alive.

Series 7 (1999–2000)

Episode	Title	Written by	Directed by	Viewers (millions)	Original airdate
1	"Line of Fire (Part One)"	Michael Russell	Robert Knights	12.10	25 December 1999 (1999-12-25)
Christmas 1999. Frost and Dorridge are called to investigate the murder of a young regional crime squad police detective, Tim Fox. Frost wonders if Fox's death is really related to the large investigation he was working on to uncover a car theft gang, or if an affair between the deceased's wife and one of his colleagues could also hold a motive for murder. Meanwhile, a local power station worker, Cocroft, is burgled. Shortly afterward, he falls to his death in a mysterious accident. Nothing is suspect, until new WPC Susan Kavanagh establishes a link between the burglary and a series of pet shootings.
2	"Line of Fire (Part Two)"	Michael Russell	Robert Knights	11.95	1 January 2000 (2000-01-01)
January 2000. As Frost and Dorridge continue to try to identify detective Tim Fox's killer, his colleague, DI Newcombe, protests his innocence – but Frost is sure he is responsible for the killing. Meanwhile, WPC Kavanagh links a series of other local burglaries to the pet shootings – and a further incident in which a woman's car is tampered with, causing her to have a serious accident – also appears to fit into the picture. Forced to seek help from Kavanagh's new computer system, Frost uncovers the real identity of Tim Fox's killer – whilst she goes to investigate two young men working at the power station to question them about the burglaries, shootings and attempted murder. She soon, however, finds herself in grave danger – and Frost's pursuit leads to a confrontation above the power station.

Series 8 (2001)

Episode	Title	Written by	Directed by	Viewers (millions)	Original airdate
1	"Benefit of the Doubt (Part One)"	David Gilman	Roger Bamford	14.69	14 January 2001 (2001-01-14)
January 2001. Frost is pulled in different directions, as a man is impersonating him and sexually assaulting women; a young woman, Anne (Joanne Froggatt), has turned up believing Frost is her father; and he has been assigned a new officer, DS Terry Reid (Robert Glenister), who has been abruptly transferred after a complaint from the influential father of a university student, Tim Hamilton (David Birkin), who Reid suspects is selling contraband cigarettes. Frost and Reid's first case involves a woman, identified as Sylvia Carter, whose remains are found dismembered on the railway tracks after being run over by several trains. She worked for a local sandwich maker, and Frost is convinced she was having an affair with someone and was illicitly selling excess sandwich stock for profit. Meanwhile, Miss Helena Gibson (Arkie Whiteley), a senior surgeon at the local hospital in Denton, goes missing over a weekend. A professional committed to securing proper funding for her department from her cost-cutting boss, Jameson (David Horovitch), her personality left her disliked by many at the hospital, leaving no shortage of suspects.
2	"Benefit of the Doubt (Part Two)"	David Gilman	Roger Bamford	14.44	15 January 2001 (2001-01-15)
Frost solves the Sylvia Carter case after learning she was indeed accidentally hit by a train while crossing the tracks with her affair partner, who hid his involvement out of fear of his wife taking his children. Frost's instincts allow him to connect an abandoned truck of medical waste with the disappearance of Helena Gibson and he recovers her remains before they can be incinerated. There are three prime suspects: Jameson, whom she was going to expose for corruption if he did not improve her department funding; Dr. Retnick (Frank Kovacs), whom she wanted to resign and believed he was responsible for the high number of unexplained deaths in Bed 5 of the ward; and James Ingram (Bill Fellows), the father of a young boy who died following surgery overseen by Gibson. Frost uncovers that Retnick killed Gibson out of fear of losing his career. He also realizes that the deaths in Bed 5 were caused by a cleaner inadvertently unplugging medical equipment for cleaning equipment, ending the inexplicable deaths. Reid is seemingly brutally beaten while investigating a protection racket enforcing the sale of illegal cigarettes, after attempting to detain the Frost impersonator. When Supt. Mullett and the press liaison accuse Reid of being beaten while buying drugs to feed his old addiction, Frost robustly defends Reid. Frost arrests the impersonator and dedicates himself to cracking the cigarette ring to avenge Reid's assault, taking down Hamilton. Reid makes a full recovery, admitting he actually slipped while making the arrest and hit his head on a sink. To Frost's dismay, a DNA test reveals Anne is not his daughter, but they part amicably.

Series 9 (2002)

Episode	Title	Written by	Directed by	Viewers (millions)	Original airdate
1	"Mistaken Identity (Part One)"	David Gilman	Roger Bamford	12.37	27 January 2002 (2002-01-27)
January 2002. While Supt. Mullett prepares for the arrival of Her Majesty's Inspectorate (HMI), which will determine their funding, Frost and a new CID team member, DC Ronnie Lonnegan (Michelle Joseph), investigate three murders: an unidentified body found in a reservoir, who was drowned in another location; and the deaths of Jean and Paul Harris, who were bound, doused in petrol, and burned alive. The main suspect is the Harrises' handyman, Mike Patterson, who was having an affair with Jean, as she was unsatisfied because of Paul's paraplegy. Forensics indicate a connection between the drowned man and the Harrises' murder owing to the presence of lye at both crime scenes. Frost brings in a psychologist, Pam, on the Harris case, who surmises he is pursuing a true psychopath, who enjoyed watching them burn. Frost cares for a dog after his owner is beaten by a mysterious suspect who set fire to a car, and intervenes in an ice cream van turf war by discovering one of the companies is dealing ecstasy alongside sweets. A young woman, Melanie Monkton, disappears shortly after her beloved horse is euthanized following a break-in.
2	"Mistaken Identity (Part Two)"	David Gilman	Roger Bamford	11.66	28 January 2002 (2002-01-28)
Frost meets Melanie's wealthy and self-absorbed parents, Harry and Fiona, who are not overly concerned about her disappearance, even after her car is found abandoned. Melanie eventually returns, revealing she spent the weekend in London with Paul Matthews, a jockey with whom Fiona was having an affair, and Fiona arranges an assault on Paul for seducing her daughter. The investigation also reveals that Harry was committing insurance fraud by faking the euthanization of Melanie's horse to help settle his debts. Frost interrogates Mike Patterson but determines he is not the serial killer. The drowned man is identified as Reginald Molloy, and Frost realizes that Harris's father and Molloy's mother were both witnesses 13 years earlier during the trial of Charlie Layman for a fatal armed robbery. However, Layman died a year previously. Meeting other witnesses, Toolan and Lonnegan learn that they have also had relatives die over the preceding year, and that the families had all used a similar looking man for handywork. Frost and Toolan deduce that the killer is targeting the witnesses' loved ones to make them suffer. Following another murder, Frost learns that the killer is Layman's son, Jeffrey Meadows. He had been put into care as a child to protect him from his abusive father and drug addict mother, but his father continued to send him letters to control him from prison. Pam was the psychologist who recommended he go into care. Jeffrey abducts Pam and traps her in the pipes of an auxiliary pumping house, which he floods with water. Frost and Lonnegan track down Jeffrey, but with his work complete, he commits suicide by leaping from a bridge. Mullett is able to surmise where Pam may be and Frost rescues her just before she drowns. The HMI, who has a vendetta against Frost for his unorthodox methods, proposes withholding the Denton stations funding, but Frost and Mullett are able to convince him that the serious crimes they have just solved prove the station's worth.

Series 10 (2003)

Episode	Title	Written by	Directed by	Viewers (millions)	Original airdate
1	"Hidden Truth"	David Gilman	Paul Harrison	11.71	19 January 2003 (2003-01-19)
London drug lord Jack Flynn murders one of his dealers in Denton. The only witness, Cathy Thompson, is placed in protective custody, but Flynn's professional hitman, George Starkey, assaults her home and critically wounds a WPC protecting her before fleeing. Frost is tasked with protecting Cathy and her young son, Robbie, until she can testify against Flynn, and requests DS Terry Reid's assistance owing to his connections with the Metropolitan Police in London. Flynn hires a second, younger and brasher, hitman, Gary Tinley, to distract the police from Starkey. Armed response team members Alan Hadley and Kenny Russell seemingly spot Tinley, but Russell is killed while pursuing him. Frost deduces that the precision of the gunfire indicates that Hadley actually killed Russell, especially after Tinley is arrested and admits he dropped his gun during an earlier encounter with the police. Reid confirms this after learning that Hadley's wife had been having an affair with Russell. They later find Hadley has hanged himself out of guilt. Starkey attacks the new police safehouse that only select personnel know about, and though he again flees, Cathy uses the distraction to run away with Robbie, no longer wanting to risk their lives to put away Flynn. Frost realizes that someone is leaking information to Flynn, discovering that Eileen Cleary, a member of the prosecution team against Flynn, is responsible, as she had a son with Flynn six years earlier. Cleary is arrested, and while Frost and Reid review Cathy's witness statement, they discover that Robbie witnessed the crime, but Cathy took responsibility to protect him. Frost and Reid race against time, as Cathy had agreed to meet Cleary at the Crannock Air Museum. Starkey attacks Cathy as the police close in, but Frost and Reid successfully capture him. Robbie testifies against Flynn, securing the case against him. Later, the Denton officers finally find Frost's winning lottery ticket worth £5 million, lost in his typically sloppy file-keeping, but learn that while his numbers are correct, his ticket is out of date.
2	"Close Encounters"	Michael Russell	Paul Harrison	12.24	3 March 2003 (2003-03-03)
Frost finds himself working with DS Hazel Wallace again when two separate cases need his attention. The first involves a series of robberies at newly-bought houses. Frost uncovers a lead when a young boy of a hostile divorced couple goes missing, and the father is unable to explain where he was that night. He deduces that the father, who works for a removals company, has been tipping off burglars in exchange for cash to help with his financial struggles. Frost's arrest of the gang includes a high-speed chase of their scout, flanked by a fleet of delivery bikers from Frost's favourite fast food restaurants, and he locates the missing child hiding in his father's workplace, hoping in vain to reunite his parents in their search for him. Although they do not get back together, they do become more amicable towards each other. The second case involves a murdered security guard at Lightfoot quarry, a crime that was witnessed by an autistic young man, Laurence Burrell (Jim Sturgess), who believes aliens and the American government are after him. Forensic evidence links Burrell to the murder weapon and he is arrested, but he is unable to cope trapped in an unfamiliar location and absconds. The quarry's owner, Charlie Lightfoot, accuses his old business partner, Stuart Mackintosh, of attacking the quarry and killing the guard to scare Lightfoot into selling it cheaply. Mackintosh needs the quarry, which will serve as a lake in his Denton Park housing development, as his own financial state relies on the project's completion. Lightfoot offers to sell it for an extortionate price as revenge for Mackintosh leading him into financial ruin decades earlier. Burrell returns to the quarry and steals explosives, intending to blow it up so the aliens will leave him alone, and Frost risks his life to try to save him. When Frost is left incapacitated, Burrell is able to calm down and helps move Frost to safety before the explosives detonate. With investors ready to move ahead, a reluctant Mackintosh has his henchman kill Lightfoot, but Frost quickly deduces his involvement, thanks to Burrell, and arrests Mackintosh and his henchman.
3	"Held in Trust"	David Gilman	Roger Bamford	10.37	14 September 2003 (2003-09-14)
Frost finds his belief in the law tested when his latest case involves known paedophiles and missing and abused children. A child, Bobby Palmer, goes missing while with his father at a football match, and a murdered child, who was beaten and malnourished, is found in a landfill site. The malnourished boy is traced to a family who bring runaway kids into their home to portray as their own children to claim additional benefit funding. When the boy developed tuberculosis and seemed unresponsive, the father assumed he was dead and dumped him at the landfill site, where he eventually died. Frost's investigation of an apparent hit-and-run reveals the man, Peter Johnson, was bludgeoned beforehand. He learns that Johnson was a paedophile, seemingly keeping his urges under control, but was spotted associating with unapologetic paedophile Anton Caldwell. Frost follows clues in Caldwell's taunts during an interrogation, which leads him to an abandoned railway line where he uncovers Bobby's body. Meanwhile, Frost's colleagues encourage him to go before the promotions board, while behaving himself, to apply for the role of Chief Inspector. Although Frost leaves the interview midway to pursue his investigation, he receives the promotion. Forensics reveal that Caldwell was involved in Bobby's murder. The investigation uncovers that the Palmers were visited by a social worker who accused Bobby's father of abusing him. Frost learns no such visit was recorded by social services and that Martin Drew was fired as a social worker after becoming obsessed with understanding paedophiles, bringing him into contact with Johnson and Caldwell. Frost finds home videos of school children at Drew's home and learns another young boy has been kidnapped by Caldwell. Frost and his team quickly catch Caldwell and Drew, who reveals that they killed Johnson because he tried to stop them. Frost loses his temper when Caldwell states what he did to his victims, and punches him. Caldwell presses charges against Frost, leading to an enquiry, and though he has the backing of his team and Mullett, who will swear Caldwell was resisting arrest, Frost refuses to lie in court. Frost is placed on indefinite suspension, costing him his promotion, and he accepts that this will likely be the end of his career. Frost's colleagues applaud him as he leaves.

Series 11 (2003–04)

Episode	Title	Written by	Directed by	Viewers (millions)	Original airdate
1	"Another Life"	David Gilman	Roger Bamford	11.41	26 October 2003 (2003-10-26)
Seven months after his suspension, Frost is reinstated to Denton CID, and Caldwell has been murdered in prison. Teamed up with DS Maureen Lawson, Frost is thrust into two different murder investigations, while contending with toothache after enjoying a defective lollipop. A dismembered body is found in a fridge, which when pieced together is revealed to have a second left foot traced to a different person. It transpires that the victim is linked to the highly-competitive local ballroom scene. Victory-obsessed dancer Delores Delmonte (Amanda Root) is identified as the culprit, having killed the victim because he abandoned her for a different partner, and she is caught preparing to kill her new partner after losing the latest competition. Following her arrest, the remorseless Delmonte states she was putting the men out of their misery as they were not skilled enough to compete at her level. A separate murder case focuses on Eddie Burrows, a man stabbed to death and dumped in a canal while holding £6000 in cash. Discovered to be leading separate lives with wives and children, Frost questions whether one of the wives learned of this and took revenge. However, Frost soon uncovers that Burrows was blackmailing a local doctor, Patrick Knight, and a pharmacist for large sums of money after learning of their fradulent medicine scheme. At risk of losing her affluent lifestyle due to Burrows' costly demands, Knight's wife, Antonia (Lucy Robinson), confronted Burrows to convince him to stop, but when he mocked her, she lost her temper and stabbed him.
2	"Dancing in the Dark"	Christopher Blake	Roy Battersby	12.96	22 February 2004 (2004-02-22)
A man's body is found on a waste tip, stripped of everything but his clothes and an empty wallet. After his wife, Diane Hawkins, reports the man, Joe, missing, Frost learns that Joe was an absent, abusive, and alcoholic husband, and the meek Diane had fallen in love with the equally meek sleep therapist Colin Bayliss. Diane attempts to take money from the sleeping Joe before running away with Colin, but Joe awoke and began choking on his own vomit. In a panic, Diane and Colin smothered him and dumped his body trying to make it look like a mugging. As it is unclear if Colin died from the choking or smothering, Frost is unsure if either will be prosecuted. Alongside cocky young under-graduate, DC Jasper Tranter (Nicholas Burns), Frost investigates the murder of a young escort, Heather Wills (Amber Sainsbury), who is found dead in a hotel room. The hotel room was registered to wealthy businessman, Stephen Richford, a close family friend of Heather's. He had booked an escort, which turned out to be Heather, and she set about seducing him for money. Guilt-ridden for sleeping with his daughter's best friend, Stephen is later found dead in an apparent suicide. Heather's apartment is ransacked for something, which Frost later discovers concealed in Heather's purse—forged passports used to smuggle women into the UK, which Heather was withholding from her boss until she was paid more money. Though Heather's boss is involved in the smuggling, Frost realizes that it is his business partner, the ruthless Terry Hirst, that killed Heather and staged Stephen's suicide to frame him for her murder. Frost prepares a sting operation at a greyhound race track to draw Hirst out and arrest him.

Series 12 (2005)

Episode	Title	Written by	Directed by	Viewers (millions)	Original airdate
1	"Near Death Experience"	David Gilman	Paul Jackson	10.28	25 September 2005 (2005-09-25)
A masked killer breaks into a home, savagely murdering a mother, Helen Croft, and wounding her teenage daughter, Lucy, before fleeing. Frost is sent to investigate after the bodies are found by a priest, Father David Rose (Danny Webb), who explains Helen had been excoummincated from the church. Frost and Detective Sergeant 'Razor' Sharpe (Philip Jackson) lead the investigation, and psychological profiler, Dr. Martine Phillips, surmises they are dealing with a serial killer who derives sexual gratification from killing. A national search identifies five other similar murders in which the victims match a specific profile. Helen's autopsy reveals she had aborted a child several weeks earlier, casting suspicion on her alcoholic ex-boyfriend, Steve Markham (Jeff Rawle), and Frost discovers that her sister, Sylvia Ford (Lia Williams), is having an affair with Rose. After another victim is found, Frost deduces that Helen was trying to indicate who killed her by reaching for her locket, which was a gift from Sylvia's religious husband, Bill (Mick Ford), and purchased from Markham. Frost identifies the next victim after realizing that when Bill earlier recited a quote from Matthew 5:16, he was egotistically giving him a clue in the belief Frost would not understand it. The police catch Bill in the act and arrest him. He explains to Frost his hatred for women, who did not appreciate his apparent good nature and kindness, so he decided to show them what a man can do. He admits he targeted Helen because she chose someone like Markham over him. Throughout the case, Frost feels guilty after Toolan is badly injured while helping prevent a suicide. Toolan's wife expresses her dislike for Frost, stating that it is his unorthodox methods which often put Toolan at risk.

Series 13 (2006)

Episode	Title	Written by	Directed by	Viewers (millions)	Original airdate
1	"Endangered Species"	Christopher Blake	Roy Battersby	10.07	5 November 2006 (2006-11-05)
Frost struggles sharing his house with trainee DC, Robert Presley (Blake Ritson), who is romantically pursuing a WPC. Criminal, Kevin Flangan, escapes prosecution due to a lack of evidence, but is forced to turn to Frost for help when his life is endangered. Flanagan admits he was helping Vietnamese smugger, Lahn Loc, illegally store exotic and endangered animals at his farm, as part of an international animal smuggling ring, but when it was discovered that Flanagan and Loch were keeping money for themselves, the ringleaders had Loch executed. Scotland Yard and HMRC investigators insist that Flanagan is released, against Frost's wishes, so he can unwittingly lead them to his bosses, but the inadequate surveillance loses him while Flanagan is in the Shawcuts pet superstore. His superior, Dennis Prior (Anton Lesser), encourages Flanagan to leave the country, a pretense to have him willingly accompany smuggler, Colin Edwards, so he can be executed. Frost traces Flanagan's death to Prior and Edwards, who turn on their boss, Shawcuts' owner Kenneth Shaw, ending their part of the smuggling ring. The Harris family are shocked to return from holiday to find the nude corpse of local art teacher, Patrick Bartley, in their bedroom. A search of his studio yields revealing photos of a female colleague, music teacher Carol Haymarsh, but Frost is more interested in what happened to the house key belonging to the Harris' son, Adam. Frost learns that Adam gave the key to his 15-year-old friend, Malcolm, so he could use the house to have sex with Carol, and when Bartley found out, he blackmailed her for sex in what he believed was Malcolm's house. Carol states she resisted his efforts and broke his nose, before he died of a heart attack. She is arrested for her inappropriate relationship with Malcolm.

Series 14 (2008)

Episode	Title	Written by	Directed by	Viewers (millions)	Original airdate
1	"Mind Games"	Michael Russell	Paul Harrison	8.37	12 October 2008 (2008-10-12)
Motivation speakers, Roman Cassell (Dhafer L'Abidine) and Tom Brody (Vince Leigh), are tricked by their lovers into disrobing for a midnight swim, at which point the girls run off with the mens' clothes, leaving them to streak through Denton. Brody is arrested, but Cassell returns to his office and is found beaten to death the following day. Suspicion falls on millionaire, Jason Cohu (Ariyon Bakare), and his father-in-law, Joshua Ray (Joseph Marcell), who blame the men for the death of Jason's wife after her Olympic dreams were dashed by their illegal steroid distribution. Frost deduces the lack of blood at the scene exonerates Jason and Joshua, but discovers that one of the women, Babs Sellwood (Elizabeth Berrington) was in an abusive relationship with Cassell, and when he mocked her and threatened to tell her children she was a slut, she snapped and struck him over the head, killing him. Intellectually disabled convict, Carl Meyer (Jonathan Slinger), is released from prison after 20 years of a sentence for murdering his childhood friend, 14-year-old Jane Crewes, though there was insufficient evidence to charge him for the disappearance of her cousin, Harriet Collingham. Carl returns to his home village where the residents are hostile towards his presence, particuarly Jane's surviving parent David (Keith Barron), his sister Gloria (Paula Wilcox), Harriet's mother, and her father Charlie (John Castle). When a housing development digs up Harriet's remains, Frost brings in Carl, but is slowly convinced that Carl's protestations of innocence may be true, especially after forensics uncovers that Harriet was likely drowned in the river, and her body re-buried in the woods after Carl was originally jailed. After learning that Harriet had been avoiding her parents and locking herself away, Frost interrogates Charlie, who confesses he was having an affair on the day Harriet died. Frost notices a photo of a boat owned David and realizes the truth: David was raping his niece, Harriet, and killed her to keep his secret. Jane witnessed the murder and he killed her as well, but Carl found Jane's body before David could hide it. Frost confronts David at Jane's grave, but he commits suicide to avoid arrest. Frost drinks over his regrets that if he had not gotten so close to the families he may have asked them more questions, securing justice earlier and sparing Carl a prison sentence, but Mullett reassures him that they must remember their mistakes to avoid repeating them.
2	"Dead End"	David Gilman	Roger Bamford	8.52	19 October 2008 (2008-10-19)
Children's clown Lofty Parker is found dead in an alley. Frost and Toolan investigate and discover that Parker had been stealing jewelry from the homes where he performed, finding a gold ring on his person. Joan Atkins, who hosted his final show, claims that no jewelry is missing, but Toolan finds a ring belonging to a previous victim among Atkins' possessions. This leads Frost to realize that Atkins noticed her rings were missing and told her husband, who then confronted Parker, struck him, and mistakenly took the wrong jewelry back. However, an old head injury of Parker's made the blow fatal. The Heal family is appalled to see Mark Harrison, the man who killed four people, including three members of their family, with his lorry, now driving a local bus. Harrison had appealed his sentence, and his conviction was overturned, with the accident blamed on a fault with the lorry. One night, Harrison and his bus conductress, Jessica Green, are abducted. Frost works the case alongside DS Annie Marsh (Cherie Lunghi), who once reported him for dereliction of duty after he pursued a knife assault suspect without backup, leading to an officer being injured. While Frost was cleared of any wrongdoing, the incident stalled his career for some time. Green is eventually released by the abductors after they learn she is diabetic and in need of insulin. Frost identifies an inconsistency in the alibi of the Heal's youngest son, who confesses that he and Robert Trusham, the husband of the fourth victim, abducted Harrison to teach him a lesson, with Green being an unfortunate bystander. Trusham tortures Harrison into admitting that the accident occurred because he was distracted by his mobile phone and then throws him into an elevator shaft with a noose around his neck, causing him to land on the elevator. Frost, Toolan, and Marsh trace Trusham to a condemned office building, where he gives them Harrison's recorded confession and turns himself in. Toolan escorts Trusham out of the building while Frost risks his life to rescue Harrison. However, Trusham convinces the unwitting Toolan to use the elevator, causing it to lower and hang Harrison to death, much to Trusham's delight. With the case closed, Frost credits Marsh for her work, but she admonishes him for risking his life, warning that his rule-bending will eventually be his undoing.
3	"In the Public Interest"	Thomas Ellice	Paul Harrison	8.16	26 October 2008 (2008-10-26)
The naked bodies of three Eastern European immigrant workers are found, arranged in a triangle, in a grave at an old burial site, and an American anthropologist insists to Frost that these are ritual killings. However, Toolan discovers that the men were killed by carbon monoxide poisoning from a faulty heater in cheap accommodation, and the owner buried them that way to make the police think it was ritualistic. The anthropologist was pushing the ritual murder story becaus she has an upcoming book to promote. Frost must deal with powerful and wealthy businessman, James Callum (Adrian Lukis), whose fitness instructor mistress, Rosemary (Sarah Matravers), is found dead on her houseboat. The profit-focused Callum is bulldozing the local youth club to build offices and has purchased local newspapers, using them to smear his opponents—implicating the youth leaders in a gay scandal that leads one to attempt suicide—and threatens to destroy Frost's reputation as well. Frost interviews Callum's closest associates, his fiercely loyal personal assistant, Michael Carne (Tam Williams), and his long term partner, Michelle, but as he gets closer to the truth, Frost's home is broken into and ransacked, at what he suspects is Callum's instruction. Frost infiltrates Callum's house to learn the truth and discovers that Michelle is the transgender identity of Michael. Michael attempts to kill Frost, but Callum arrives and shoots Michael in the back, killng him. Callum explains that he and Michael loved each other very much, but that Callum's frequent affairs had turned Michael's jealousy into murderous intent, leading to Rosemary's death. As Michael's trial would damage Callum's image and plans, he arranged a situation in which he would be able to kill Michael without punishment. Knowing his confession will be Frost's word against his own, and believing he will be celebrated as an officer-saving hero, Callum contently leaves, unaware Frost has secretly made an audio recording of the entire event.

Series 15 (2010)

Episode	Title	Written by	Directed by	Viewers (millions)	Original airdate
1	"If Dogs Run Free (Part One)"	Michael Russell	Paul Harrison	8.79	4 April 2010 (2010-04-04)
Frost and his team assist RSPCA officer Christine Moorhead in dismantling an illegal dog-fighting ring, but its organiser, drug lord and money launderer Gerry Berland, avoids arrest after a delay makes him arrive after the police raid. Believing that his ex-friend and fellow teenager, Brian, tipped off the RSPCA, Berland's thuggish son, Sean, attacks Brian, and in the scuffle stabs him to death. Christine recognizes Sean, and his unwitting accomplice, Neil, as they attend the same school as her own children. Berland arranges alibis for the boys, though both are overcome with guilt and want to cooperate. He coerces his wife, Sally, and Neil's parents to cooperate to keep the boys out of prison. Aware Christine is the only witness, Berland intimidates her and, when that does not work, has his drug-addicted thug, Lisowski, set the RSPCA unit on fire with Christine inside. Meanwhile a copycat criminal is replicating crimes from early in Frost's career, leading to a mugging, a murder, Frost's house being vandalized, and 'You Die Next' being scrawled on his car.
2	"If Dogs Run Free (Part Two)"	Michael Russell	Paul Harrison	9.94	5 April 2010 (2010-04-05)
Christine survives the fire relatively unscathed, and she and Frost bond romantically during their time together. Toolan's investigation of the copycat reveals a description fitting the stations' new archivist, Jennifer. At her home, he and Frost find obsessive news clippings of Frost's cases and realize Jennifer is the daughter of his old colleague, whom Frost exposed for corruption, and spent the last few years of his life trying to find something to bring Frost down as well. Frost was close to Jennifer as a child, but her father's obsession has passed to her. Jennifer lures Frost to a rooftop where she orders him, at gunpoint, to jump, but Frost tackles her and she is arrested. Upset that Lisowski's arson attack was too excessive, Berland gives him a pure dose of cocaine which causes him to die of an overdose. Frost suspects Berland is involved but is unable to link the two men until Berland's solicitor, Greg Salmond's car is stolen, used in a hit-and-run of a young girl, and found abandoned with a large stash of cocaine in the rear. His investigation leads Frost to arrest Salmond's colleagues, who used the drugs and took the car on a joyride, while CCTV shows Salmond purchasing the drugs from Lisowski. Frost leverages Salmond for the location of Berland's main drug, money, and dog fighting operations at a farm, leading to the collapse of his empire. Overcome with guilt and with noone to talk to, Sean hangs himself, and his distraught and long-abused mother leaves Berland. Devastated over his loss, and now realizing what Brian's parents must have felt, Berland surrenders himself to Frost. Neil and his parents decide they must tell the police what they know, as it is what Sean wanted. Frost asks Christine to marry him. Her seemingly affable but actually relasped alcoholic ex-husband, Allen, meets with Christine after the wedding rehearsal to plead with her to get back with him, but she rejects him. On the wedding day, Frost, and his best man, Toolan, arrive at the church and are greeted by Mullett, before all three are deliberately struck by Allen's car. Allen is killed instantly, and Toolan later dies from his injuries, with his wife, Frost, and Mullett at his bedside. Some time later, Frost bids farewell to George's coffin. He tells Christine that he has long dedicated himself to his job, which he considered to be a refuge, and gave up on having a personal life, unlike Toolan, but he realizes now that he must prioritize his personal life, together with Christine, noting that he has a lot of time to make up for. Alternative endings were written and filmed, depicting Mullet or Frost dying instead of Toolan.