The Responder

Martin Freeman plays a very stressed policeman in 'The Responder'. At first he just appears depressed and harassed, but we soon learn he's up to his neck in stuff he shouldn't be, stuff which is only going to get worse. There are some tense moments in this drama, but its basic problem is that almost everyone we meet appears to be unusually screwed-up. At least one normal perspective might have provided some balance. As it is, Freeman's good cop/bad cop finds himself in a mess entirely of his own making. The series is thus like the tragic endgame of a larger, but more ordinary story, which we only pick up as it spirals out of control.

Written by Tony Schumacher, himself a first-responder cop on Merseyside for 11 years.

The story is fictional but has the air of authenticity, it's real life down and dirty drama on the streets of Liverpool. Martin Freeman (an award winning performance here) plays a burnt out cop who seems to have lost his moral compass.

Production values were good all round, script and supporting cast were top notch, plus a nice score too. It won't be for everyone, it has black humour but it's quite bleak and reminiscent of Ken Loach and Jimmy McGovern who mentored the writer.

I liked its original approach, its not just another police procedural. A strong and well made drama that looks honestly at inner-city Britain today. Hope it wins the wide audience it deserves and gets another series. Big congrats to all involved.

Chris is a Policeman on the edge, his personal life and work life are tipping him near the edge, he has some tough decisions to make.

One word sums this series up, gritty, this is an intense watch, you will be on pins watching, you'll be stressed, you'll feel Chris's anxiety and despair. It is somewhat bleak, it's loaded with bad stuff, but it does offer hope.

I found it had to get into this initially, I was unsure about Parts one and two, by part three I was hooked, part five was awesome.

The acting is unbelievable, whether you love or hate the story, you can't help but be impressed by the brilliance of Martin Freeman, he is awesome throughout, a terrific supporting cast, including Myanna Burring, Warren Brown, and David Bradley (who is just awesome.)

Has the door been left open for a second series, I hope so?

Stick with it, it's well worth it, 8/10.

There is a nightmarish quality to this series. I wanted to turn it off and to wake up from the bad dream, but there was a momentum about it that propelled me onward. There are few sane, grounded characters -- they are all lying to themselves and to others, making one bad decision after another until everything is careening out of control. I kept watching to find out how it would all be resolved.

I wish I could sympathize more with the characters. In spite of some grand gestures, the "responder" is no saint and has a pretty casual attitude about drug dealing. One hopes that most cops have a clearer moral compass and aren't such screw-ups. Still, Martin Freeman's performance was riveting. Watching this was like watching a car wreck. It's hard not to look.

Realistic police drama. Martin Freeman stars as a troubled cop at the end of his tether. Burnt out by the stresses of the job, he operates at, and beyond, the edges of the law.

Freeman is really excellent here, a great role for him, he is extremely convincing as the tough and broken cop.

It flows nicely, full of strong content with a decent plot. Lots of elements making for a very good TV drama. A good score reflects that it keeps you engaged over all 5 episodes.