The Responder

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

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.

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.

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

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.

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.

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

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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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.
?

That gave me a laugh out laugh moment!

Me too!

Very disappointing. Too divorced from reality in so many ways. Can you imagine a police responder being on their own in Liverpool for starters? Don’t mind gritty or language, but turned this off first episode. Bit insulting if you ask me towards police working in any major city. Ok I suppose if you just want escapism of the gritty kind.

Thank you for ‘getting’ my humour NanaK and Redhead!
I don’t swear (well, like that) in real life and quite honestly my finger hovered over the ‘post message’ button for a few seconds before I sent it!
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I couldn’t resist.

nanaK54

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.
?

That gave me a laugh out laugh moment!

haha me too... I loved it, hardly noticed the language as it fit the roles they were playing.

Urms I agree with your sentiment ?. I’ve just watched the last episode and think it improved as the series went on and the characters became better known. I enjoyed it. Martin’s Freeman was excellent. I really felt for him and his stress.

Farzanah.You ask can you imagine a police officer going out on their own in Liverpool?Well yes actually as this is exactly what our DDs partner does as a responder.Sometimes he's paired up.But not always.

The responder who wrote this wanted us to know what he had experienced. I didn’t doubt for one minute that he occasionally went out in his patrol car alone.

It’s not occasionally round here, Urmstongran, it’s more “usually”. The police officers in my family have gone into some really dangerous situations on their own when they were responders. And I know they didn’t tell us about the half of it.

Best drama on television for a long time. Insightful, thought provoking, heart breaking. My gratitude and admiration to the police for the tough job they do.

Absolutely superb, uncomfortable and depressing but I imagine many responders would say it is true to life.

To the people who say they couldn’t understand the accents may I suggest using the subtitles. I have tinnitus and often use subtitles. There is no requirement to be deaf.

To those who wish “light entertainment” you are missing out on high quality programmes such as this. It is real life, superbly portrayed.

Well for a TV drama this thread has generated 170 posts! ?

Liverpool Echo local paper "fans of drama series The Responder are demanding a BAFTA award." Not bad considering it's been highly criticised by all and sundry.

Redhead seconded by me! ?

I’ve read all the thread, as although I’ve only seen the first 2 episodes I’m really enjoying it. Urmstongran I love your humour and agree about the award. The writer was on the local news programme and I could honestly believe this was how it was for him, and I’ve known a few inner city serving police officers.

Thank you LizH ?
Honestly, I thought this drama was SO good, I could (might) watch it all over again soon.
I was telling one of our daughters about it this afternoon, waxing lyrical.
She’s going to watch it next week.

Another drama that hit me so hard years ago, was ‘Little Boy Blue’. Set in Everton. About The young boy who was out playing football with his club mates and got shot (accidentally but still, tragically) in a pub car park. The actress who played his mum gave a stellar performance. That series stayed with me for weeks afterwards - it was haunting in its portrayal.

I'm always willing to give something or someone a second chance ?