How is disability represented in A Touch of Frost

Audiences can react in different ways when disabled characters appear on screen but this can largely be controlled by how the character is portrayed. Some members of the audience may feel pity or sorrow for the character whilst others may feel shocked or even scared. In the clip, it immediately becomes apparent that Billy is disabled due to his facial features and the fact he looks disorientated. Therefore, when the multiple policemen are seen and start to run and chase him down the audience can only feel shocked and pity towards Billy as he does not look like the stereotypical person who would commit a crime. The director could of intentionally used this to make the audience feel pity for Billy, as they didnt know the full story behind the scene. Further on in the clip, a high angle shot is used when Billys dad and inspector Frost are talking prior to the interview. The high angle shot gives the impression that the audience is not supposed to be listening to the conversation and are in a way, eavesdropping. The inspector labels Billy as mental subnormal as is instantly corrected by Billys father who refers to him as handicapped which are both considered derogatory terms in the modern day. The fact the two are having this conversation shows the audience that Billy isnt treated equally as if Billy was able the conversation would not of even took place. Billy is represented as incapable to look after himself when his mother offers to clean him up but is denied by Frost. This gesture from his mother also shows Billys child like ways, as he cannot clean himself. This highlights Billys innocence and gives the audience the impression that he would never do anything wrong so is being wrongly accused. Another high angle shot is used later in the clip but for a different effect. It shows Frost looking down on Billy whilst interviewing him. Frost also speaks to Billy in a patronizing and condescending tone as if he was a child. This shows how differently Billy is treated and how Frost is far superior to him. Throughout the whole clip, Billy is constantly well lit even in the dark forest at the start of the clip. This again shows Billys angel like innocence but the grazes and blood on his face give the reader the opposite impression then he may be to blame for the incident that is being investigated. Overall, as this episode is based purely around disability and he is not a frequent character, I believe the emphasis on his disability was enhanced, as they had to get the point across to the reader in only one episode. This would change the way he was represented as the whole episode revolved around his disability.