Endangered Species

A less-than-perfect episode of Frost. The secondary investigation, involving the dead stranger found in the house, was over the moment it was discovered he died of natural causes but Frost and several other police officers spend their time on a wild goose chase. While it's interesting enough it's quite pointless.

The other main flaw is the incredibly implausible romantoc sub-plot involving Frost and the gym instructor, 30 or so years his junior. The relationship was implausible when it was briefly brought up in the last episode and it's even more far-fetched now.

This said, the remainder of the episode is excellent. The murder is intriguing and the animal smuggling involved very sad and emotional.

I'm a long-time fan of the Frost series, but this episode just didn't agree with me.

My main complaint (as actor David Jason himself agreed with at the close of the series) is that Frost is simply getting to old to be going after younger women, in this case a lithe aerobics instructor. Frost is now easily into his 60s, while the instructor looks be be no older than late 30s. In earlier episodes, Frost has occasionally had more than a protective, parental eye for the ladies (including ex-madams with hearts of gold), but this is definitely pushing things.

Another criticism: rare species trafficking is and was a serious problem, but it should have been addressed as a background crime issue, not the continuous public service announcement as it appears in this episode. In previous installments, the series adeptly handled more serious (even heartbreaking) issues like child sexual abuse and endangerment without becoming maudlin or preachy in their treatment.

Lastly, having conclusively identified the real mastermind behind the trafficking and murders, Frost normally would have read him his rights, cuffed him and had him hauled off straightaway. Instead, he chats at length with the criminal and allows himself to be led into a situation involving a dangerous wild animal. In the ensuing showdown, it is all too obvious that Jason's stuntman is doing the wild-animal taming act.

I am so glad I was not the only one to notice the diabolical flaw in this episode (as if there were no diabolical flaws in the rest of the series).

In real life David Jason is 35 years older than Claire Cox who plays the Julie Brown character. He was born in 1940 she was born in 1975.

The makeup artists tried to make her look older with some highlights and shadows here and there on her face, but I don't think it fooled the majority of the contributors here and that includes me.

So basically putting the traffickin od endangered species angle aside, there were two elements to this episode: 1 - An old man perverting after a woman being old enough to be his daughter.

2 - The idea of a pure love story between a 24 year old very attractive music teacher and a 15 year old student who is shy of being sixteen in two weeks. The way the teacher was defending their so-called love and saying but I'm only 24, and the way Frost spoke very softly and gently with her, as if it was just a sad story, whereas in the eyes of the law in the majority of the First World countries until the age of 18 they are minors.

It was what it was, child sexual abuse, and this episode tried to make it look innocent.

I am wondering one thing. Did David Jason have any leeway and say in episode scripts? Because I certainly would not have accepted the huge age gap scenario for him and Julie, and also the predator teacher child sexual abuse scenario.

No this episode was disgusting on so many levels. But the ending saved face when Karen announced that she was going to try and work it out with her ex-husband Frank.

The detective show clichés and grotesque violence aren't worth discussing. What took me aback was that the characters and dialogue don't seem to be from 2006, but 1946. As part of a plot about animals smuggled from Asia, a man of Asian descent is brutally murdered. When white females are killed, TV cops have been known to spend a little *too* much time lingering over their corpses and staring wistfully at the crime scene photos. For this victim, Inspector Frost instead makes offhand references to "the Chinaman" over and over. What, did the screenwriters dust off a pulp novel from 70 years ago?

It gets worse. The body is found with a notebook of writing in a language Frost assumes is Chinese. "It is, in fact, a notebook, and not a menu," he tells his all-white police squad. Finally, they identify the victim as Lahn Loc, a smuggler with a Vietnamese background working with another man named Flanagan. Superintendent Mullett struggles to discuss the two crooks "Flanagan and that man called, er... The Vietnamese." Right, 'cause Lahn Loc is soooo hard to pronounce. Worse, even after they learn he's Vietnamese, Frost *still* calls him "the Chinaman."

Sounds like "Midsomer Murders" wasn't the only British detective show that needed to get past some racism. This 2006 TV movie was called "Endangered Species," and I hope that in the 9 years since, this outdated treatment of Asians has gotten more "endangered" too.

The brilliant David Jason returns as D.I. Frost 14 months after Near Death Experience. Angry at the failure to successfully prosecute an old enemy of Frost's, a disturbing phone call leads to an unexpected find...

This is where the Endangered Species comes in, leading Jack on an intriguing journey where beautiful, innocent creatures are tortured, killed and stuffed simply for profit. It does make for some interesting viewing and certainly throws some light into this worldwide problem.

As usual, David Jason throws himself brilliantly into the role of Frost, and there is great chemistry between him and Blake Ritson as D.S. Robert 'Elvis' Presley, while we also see the return of a familiar face.

A welcome return to form, with the usual gaffes, and we have another hit with viewers.