The Responder (Season 1)
SERIES REVIEW
The Responder is an outstanding character study of a man on the edge of his mental endurance, that doubles as an above-average thriller, tinged with the feel of a documentary. It centres on a Liverpool police officer who does night shifts, patrolling the streets. He’s weighed down by his past- some of which he’s made peace with, most of which he’s struggling to reconcile with. And he’s honestly trying to the make sense of the blurring lines between right and wrong.
Martin Freeman gives a career-best performance in the central role with notable supporting performances all around. But it is the writing which shines above everything else. What Freeman’s character deals with is unglamorous and stressful yet it is riveting. Along the way, the narrative mixes social commentary with scenes of uncommon brilliance.