The primary story involves a boy who goes missing after being left in his seat at a football game. His little sister needs to use the bathroom and when the father returns with her, she is gone. This is a story that indicts the child welfare system and the legal premises that protect a suspect, even one who is openly frank about his deeds. Frost has had it with this, as he often does, and because it involves children, he wants to rein in the creed he lives by. At one point he tells George he may have to revisit his beliefs in capital punishment. The bad guy in this episode makes slime look good. There are visits to the worst forms of abuse and violence toward children. We also see what happens to a marriage when a man and wife are victimized by one of these beasts. There are some subplots. Frost gets a significant promotion that will remove him as a detective. Also, he, at various points, receives expensive gifts from some unknown admirer. It should be noted that this whole plot line is unnecessary and contributes not at all to the story. But the main plot is suspenseful and sad and very well presented.
8 Reviews
Hard-hitting edition
jamiecostelo588 December 2006
The horrible world of paedophilia dominates Held in Trust, and a young boy goes missing....
D.S. Reid returns to help assist Jack on the case. More worryingly for Jack, he's up for promotion to Chief Inspector! However, when he gets a breakthrough, he makes a grave mistake....
Held in Trust certainly brings home the terrible reality of paedophiles and their horrendous crimes, and an even worse fact that their human rights are more of a priority than their victims...
We hear on the news shocking stories of murdered and abused children, and it's an extremely sad fact that we cannot stop these 'people' altogether. Held in Trust points these facts out poignantly and to the point.
A hard-hitting edition of A Touch of Frost which opens up a lot of serious questions.
D.S. Reid returns to help assist Jack on the case. More worryingly for Jack, he's up for promotion to Chief Inspector! However, when he gets a breakthrough, he makes a grave mistake....
Held in Trust certainly brings home the terrible reality of paedophiles and their horrendous crimes, and an even worse fact that their human rights are more of a priority than their victims...
We hear on the news shocking stories of murdered and abused children, and it's an extremely sad fact that we cannot stop these 'people' altogether. Held in Trust points these facts out poignantly and to the point.
A hard-hitting edition of A Touch of Frost which opens up a lot of serious questions.
One of the best
Schweizer8510 March 2021
Brilliant episode, it deals well with very sensitive issues and has an intricate plot
The sub plot of Frost receiving gifts from an unnamed stranger is very silly and doesn't add anything to the story.
Reid and Toolan are very strong in this episode, Mullett is as annoying as ever.
If you like the series, this one is unmissable
The sub plot of Frost receiving gifts from an unnamed stranger is very silly and doesn't add anything to the story.
Reid and Toolan are very strong in this episode, Mullett is as annoying as ever.
If you like the series, this one is unmissable
Unpleasantly and sadly realistic.
kindofblue-782218 March 2022
I worked for 25 years in child and family protection. It's harrowing but essential work. This episode of Frost doesn't exaggerate or sensationalise. The reality is so much worse.
I only had the misfortune to be in the company of someone like Caldwell once and even though it was 32 years ago I've never forgotten it. And yes I wanted to do what Reid wanted to do.
Few episodes of series dare go where frost goes here. The family unit is sacrosanct in the UK. And that's how so many get away with it things.
A brilliant episode that if it doesn't make your skin crawl and want to weep then you should take a long hard look in the mirror.
I only had the misfortune to be in the company of someone like Caldwell once and even though it was 32 years ago I've never forgotten it. And yes I wanted to do what Reid wanted to do.
Few episodes of series dare go where frost goes here. The family unit is sacrosanct in the UK. And that's how so many get away with it things.
A brilliant episode that if it doesn't make your skin crawl and want to weep then you should take a long hard look in the mirror.
Really hit me hard
TheLittleSongbird5 July 2017
As has been said by me numerous times already, '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, the first six seasons were top notch with a few not-quite-outstanding-but-still-very-good episodes but most of them being near-perfect to masterpiece. Was not sure initially as to whether the Seasons 7-9 two parters would work, having seen two parters not quite work with 'Lewis' for example, but all three worked brilliantly.
Was a little let down by Season 10's opening episode "Hidden Truth", not a bad episode but the weakest 'Frost' episode seen at that point of the show with Seasons 1-9 being of such a high standard. The brilliant "Close Encounters" more than made up for it, and was blown away even more by this episode "Held in Trust".
Production values as always are incredibly well done. 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.
The script is well written, with a few very amusing quips from Frost, and is thought-provoking and sometimes emotionally affecting. The story is a hard-hitting mix of the suspenseful, the harrowing and the poignant, handling a sensitive and important subject and handling it tactfully and in a way that makes the events terrifying and heart-wrenching. The climax has a lot of tension, and the villain is to me the single most repellent on the whole of 'A Touch of Frost', it is no wonder Frost acted the way he did even though you don't condone it.
Other cases are hardly neglected and make strong impact, and Frost's promotion subplot is very well done. It is the main case though and how it handled its theme that story-wise is the revelation.
Frost is a remarkably well-established character, and one cannot help love his amusing interaction with the rest of the officers, his personal life and his chemistry with Bruce Alexander's stern and by-the-book Mullet, who constantly despairs of Frost's unconventional approach.
Can't fault Jason as Frost, he is simply brilliant in the role as always with not one foot put wrong. All the supporting cast are on point, Bruce Alexander, John Lyons and Robert Glenister all solid as rocks. The performance of the villain is also effectively skin-crawling.
Overall, brilliant. 10/10 Bethany Cox
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, the first six seasons were top notch with a few not-quite-outstanding-but-still-very-good episodes but most of them being near-perfect to masterpiece. Was not sure initially as to whether the Seasons 7-9 two parters would work, having seen two parters not quite work with 'Lewis' for example, but all three worked brilliantly.
Was a little let down by Season 10's opening episode "Hidden Truth", not a bad episode but the weakest 'Frost' episode seen at that point of the show with Seasons 1-9 being of such a high standard. The brilliant "Close Encounters" more than made up for it, and was blown away even more by this episode "Held in Trust".
Production values as always are incredibly well done. 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.
The script is well written, with a few very amusing quips from Frost, and is thought-provoking and sometimes emotionally affecting. The story is a hard-hitting mix of the suspenseful, the harrowing and the poignant, handling a sensitive and important subject and handling it tactfully and in a way that makes the events terrifying and heart-wrenching. The climax has a lot of tension, and the villain is to me the single most repellent on the whole of 'A Touch of Frost', it is no wonder Frost acted the way he did even though you don't condone it.
Other cases are hardly neglected and make strong impact, and Frost's promotion subplot is very well done. It is the main case though and how it handled its theme that story-wise is the revelation.
Frost is a remarkably well-established character, and one cannot help love his amusing interaction with the rest of the officers, his personal life and his chemistry with Bruce Alexander's stern and by-the-book Mullet, who constantly despairs of Frost's unconventional approach.
Can't fault Jason as Frost, he is simply brilliant in the role as always with not one foot put wrong. All the supporting cast are on point, Bruce Alexander, John Lyons and Robert Glenister all solid as rocks. The performance of the villain is also effectively skin-crawling.
Overall, brilliant. 10/10 Bethany Cox
Excellent episode
grantss9 August 2022
Another excellent episode of Frost. I was disappointed when the 2-part episodes of Frost ended. Because of the longer running time they allowed more plot and character development.
However, the quality is definitely not lacking in the returned one-parters and this was typifies that. A great mystery, or three, all with a moving, thought-provoking theme. Some great twists without overdoing it.
Plus we have the usual Frost wit and side-issues. This time he is up for promotion, and is not enthusiatic about it.
However, the quality is definitely not lacking in the returned one-parters and this was typifies that. A great mystery, or three, all with a moving, thought-provoking theme. Some great twists without overdoing it.
Plus we have the usual Frost wit and side-issues. This time he is up for promotion, and is not enthusiatic about it.
Frost at its peak
safenoe18 May 2021
Warning: Spoilers
Held in Trust is gripping from the start, with plotlines ominously interweaving (or do they?) for a shattering denouement. Frost is up for promotion, but once senses that a promoted Frost would not make Frost a tad less authentic. In that respect the ending is not so surprising.
One thing that was grating. Emma Palmer (played by Emma Amos) was unjustifiably hysterical over the fake Social Services allegation against her husband's child abuse against their own son. That was a bit too neat in the script.
One thing that was grating. Emma Palmer (played by Emma Amos) was unjustifiably hysterical over the fake Social Services allegation against her husband's child abuse against their own son. That was a bit too neat in the script.
A good Frost, with qualifiers
jonfrum200014 November 2009
Warning: Spoilers
SPOILER ALERT! If you enjoy the Frost stories, you'll enjoy this one. My comments: it must be hard to tie up all the loose ends of a murder mystery/police procedural, and sometimes even the best of them fall apart at the seams when you start to think about them. In this case, the idea that a pedophile just released from police custody after the murder of a child would go right back to standing around school playgrounds and kidnap another boy is a stretch.
I was also puzzled when a copper asked Frost how he knew the child was in the van. It was a van, that's why! Where else would you hide a child? The previous case used a van as well. No need for the explanation about playground services being done by the Council - vans are enclosed, it's that simple. It's a small thing, but at that point, there was no need to show how clever frost was - the case was solved.
The element of the gifts to Frost didn't do anything for the story - the justification didn't make any sense after all the trouble they went to in creating the plot line.
I was also puzzled when a copper asked Frost how he knew the child was in the van. It was a van, that's why! Where else would you hide a child? The previous case used a van as well. No need for the explanation about playground services being done by the Council - vans are enclosed, it's that simple. It's a small thing, but at that point, there was no need to show how clever frost was - the case was solved.
The element of the gifts to Frost didn't do anything for the story - the justification didn't make any sense after all the trouble they went to in creating the plot line.
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