The Responder

Me too!

Urmstongran

Just finished watching it. Well I thought that was fucking brilliant!

Sorry. Sorry.
My unique sense of humour coming out. It’s part of me charm.
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That gave me a laugh out laugh moment!

Just finished watching it. Well I thought that was fucking brilliant!

Sorry. Sorry.
My unique sense of humour coming out. It’s part of me charm.
?

Yes very gritty, but we turned off half way through the first episode.

I started to watch it earlier out of curiousity because I am from Liverpool. The acting so far is excellent especially the accents sometimes actors don't get that right.
A male officer would not have an unchaperoned female drug user in a patrol car. The story line is far fetched in that respect.
Its a controversial programme that people will love or hate. Its a gritty and dark programme but the reality of life for some. It could be in any city anywhere and that's how some people actually live.
The bad language is the norm to people who swear constantly they don't see it as offensive. One thing I will say is not everyone in Liverpool says lad! There will always be gritty programmes on TV it wouldn't be realistic if they were all like Mary Poppins.

We have just watched the first episode and although not a comfortable watch I am guessing that it is more true to life than most programmes. The acting was very impressive and we found the humour lightened the atmosphere. Oddly I hadn’t noticed the swearing, probably because it was in context. That is how some people speak these days whether we approve or not.

Well I think it’s a cracking drama. I’m onto episode 4 which I will watch tomorrow. It just gets better.

Like some other posters, I did find some of the dialogue difficult to hear. I don't think it was because of the accent because I find that problem with several films and TV dramas. Speech is often muffled and sometimes the soundtrack is too loud.

I can't understand why people would decide not to watch it because of the comments on here. There have also been many positive comments about this drama. However, if Death in Paradise or the Vicar of Dibley are your go to programmes, you probably won't enjoy The Responder.

Love Martin Freeman, wonderful actor, but couldn’t carry on watching. Too depressing for me I’m afraid.

He really is a brilliant actor isn’t he Doodle? ?

Urms I agree with you. Not the usual Martin Freeman role but just shows what a good actor he is.

Parsley3

Watched half of the first episode and found that I am not in the mood for dismal storylines however gritty. I will give it another go in due course with the sub titles on as the mumbled dialogue didn’t help. I am surprised at myself as I loved The Wire. I think I just can’t cope with any more doom and gloom at the moment.

I think that hits the nail on the head, Parsley3!

We've had enough doom, gloom, dark misery and don't need more in the name of entertainment.

As for not facing up to the realities of life (and death) I think many of us have been forced to face more in the past couple of years in RL.

And for those who think most is us live comfortable lives remote from those in programmes like this and need to be shown - well, they have no clue how posters live or what jobs they may have done or still do.

Watched half of the first episode and found that I am not in the mood for dismal storylines however gritty. I will give it another go in due course with the sub titles on as the mumbled dialogue didn’t help. I am surprised at myself as I loved The Wire. I think I just can’t cope with any more doom and gloom at the moment.

Miserable throughout. Not a single likeable character.

Utter rubbish, watched for 10mins didn't understand it.... would a 20 something get it?

Watched the first episode only - too grey and gritty for me.

riveting, dark, tense, well acted, martin freeman is brilliant. i agree too much bad language but as other grans have commented, it's the same on any channel and not only in dramas.
nowadays, i always watch dramas etc with subtitles because like the op, i can never understand what people are saying. it's not just regional accents, everyone seems to mumble and turning up the volume makes no difference!
does anyone else always need subtitles or am i'm getting deaf ?

I’ve watched the first episode. Martin Freeman is excellent. The profane language doesn’t bother me. I think it keeps it real. The job of a first responder is hard enough without getting tied up with an old friend who is one of the drug dealing bad guys in the city. No wonder he had severe anxiety issues! Once he’s in hock to him and up to his neck in being where he shouldn’t be and doing favours, things can only go from bad to worse.

The pressure is on him now. It won’t let up. Even his ‘good deed’ is misplaced. He’s being played like a fiddle probably because he doesn’t do police work by the book. He will be upset and doubt himself even more when he finds out what a bad call he made on that situation. No wonder he can’t sleep, is on medication for anxiety/depression and is trying counselling.

Rita Tushingham was a bonus as his mum who refuses to acknowledge the abusive husband and father to a young lad. That’s upsetting him on another level ‘am I just bad like my dad was?’

I’m definitely sticking with this. I shall watch another episode tomorrow.

We have watched the whole series, obviously no spoilers from me, but it's really worth sticking with

Chestnut

Madmother21

I’m going to hunt for Tenko now! I loved it at the time. It’s just all police dramas these days, I’m bored with it. I have been enjoying This Is Us, though.

I am completely overwhelmed with Tenko. I remember it was amazing, but the realism is incredible. The sweat-stained clothes, the skin sores, the tatty shoes are all so authentic. You are there with those women as they explore their feelings and come to terms with their imprisonment. They don't make them like that any more. It's on UKTV Play.

Tenko was good television.
It was not something I experienced and shone a light on what was a dreadful period of history.

I think much of what is shown now is far too pertinent to anyone who may know about today's problems and is therefore not entertainment.

As I said, a documentary will inform about real life - if we did not know already.

Right-o TerriBull I’m going to settle down and watch the 1st episode! Himself doesn’t fancy it. I’ll report back later.
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I thought the programme was brilliant I've watched all of the episodes very gritty but to repeat myself absolutely brilliant.

I thought it was great, showed another side to the police. I’m not liking the main character, but as it’s unraveling is there more to him than meets the eye. Love the drug dealer, he’s so awful.

I’m a massive Line of Duty fan, so this is right up my street. ??

The Responder is grim but it is an original drama with great acting. Sadly it reflects the state of many inner city areas where poverty, homelessness and drugs are endemic. We ask a lot of our frontline workers whether police or NHS and I like the way that this drama depicts the mental toll on workers such as the "responder".