The Reponder on BBC1 Recap S2 Ep1

PLEASE ALLOW ME ONE PERSONAL SENTENCE BEFORE WE START:

While I was writing this, still full of excitement from seeing episode 1 news reached me, that Mr. Bernard Hill passed away.

I remember how extremely excited I had been hearing he would be part of the Responder family, because he is an outstanding actor who showed so much variety over such a long time.

I bow to you Sir.

Thank you! 

SPOILER WARNING ⚠️

This post contains major spoiler!!

OUR BEST MOMENTS FROM S2 EP1 COMING TOMORROW! STAY TUNED! 

"I connected with Chris immediately.

 What I liked about him, and Tony's writing, is that sometimes we can mistake a drama for an essay on how human beings are supposed to behave with each other. 

That's not what this is, and it is not what it has become for season 2.

Martin Freeman  

 

 

The Responder is back!

And people, the second season started like a huge fireworks!

I just watched it, thanks to BBCiplayer and I was speechless more than once.

As an audience member, I'm always a bit scared if there is a second season.

Because now you expect things, you want to be captured in the characters issues, and you want to be surprised , where last time, you had just let it happen.

I often told you here, that I'm able to be critical and I'm not some biased fan, who labels everything great without even thinking about it.

But besides the fact that most of Mr. Freeman's work is brilliant and perfectly acted, watching the Responder doesn't even give you a chance to become biased, because the acting and the writing speak for itself.

The Responder always was in my opinion an ensemble work, lead by the sheer brilliance of Martin Freeman and his way to bring Chris Carson to live.

And the first episode of S2 is just another prove of my statement!

We meet all our favourite Liverpool people six months later, but not necessarily in a better place.

We first see Chris at a group meeting, like group therapy with father Liam.

Let me say two things:

I fucking hated group therapy sessions.

When you wrestling with mental health issues, so heavy it will put you in a hospital, you will sit through group meetings.

Simply because doctors and therapists think it is a great way to reflect and open up.

Well...no! Not for me though.

I never really never was able to say one single sentence that made any sense whatsoever.

Therefore Carson has my full support and sympathy for not being able to say anything, and feeling clearly uneasy getting approached by Liam.

I do not say that this is the right way, because I do know it isn't, but talking about your inner world in front of a bunch of strangers is damn hard!

Second thing about this scene I understand and like is Father Liam.

First impression: Kindness and understanding.

I knew a similar looking priest back in my hometown, and I liked him a lot.

He always gave us the feeling that he really believed in us.

And I know it is not a popular thing to do these days, admitting that you like a priest, or that you go to church.

And yes, I'm aware of the dark sides and issues.

In fact, I had a case of abuse in my inner circle, but, I also had incredible support from said priest.

These are two different things, coming from two different people working in the same profession.

I believe that we should never stereotype and judge people in general.

I also have a friend who is a police officer, and she is either corrupt nor a racist.

We cannot lump everyone and everything together!

Back to Chris Carson, and his six months later state:

He is obviously far away from being ok, there is still the overall exhaustion, the frustration and the dealing with his mental state.

But we see something new, he is a little bit more determined to get his life back.

He desperately wants a day job, and he wants nothing more than being a good Dad for Tilly, therefore the underlying aggressiveness is reduced a bit, a thing that might be the hardest of all, because struggling with life makes you angry, and there is nothing you can do about it.

It comes automatically..

Tilly is super excited for her upcoming communion, and like most little girls, the chance of looking like a princess for one day, is the greatest joy in the matter.

Chris fully supports her, and the tenderness he has with her is so moving and sweet to see, but we also get the feeling that paying for the princess dream might be a problem.

And oh boy, we were so right..

Chris Carson no longer a family man, but separated from his wife Kate tries hard to keep a kind and friendly contact with Kate, clearly trying once more to show an improved man.

The facade crumbles the moment Kate tells him, that the new job she might get, means that she and Tilly will be relocating to London.

Bang!

With this one sentence the old desperation is back, and the appearance of Mullen just adds up to the situation.

You see how hard Chris is trying to stay calm, but we equally hear the absolute resoluteness when he tells Kate:

" Do not trying to take that girl away from me.

She is all I got left" 

 

We also going to meet Franny.

And even before we get confirmation of our suspicion, we are well aware that he is clearly in for making more than a few lives really miserable.

I'm always on high alert when a person is so clearly calm and pseudo nice like Franny is the moment we meet him.

Old colleagues. New problems.

The probably biggest change in the past six months has happened to Rachel.

Gone is the enthusiastic police officer who wants to do a good job, and is out there to make a difference.

Rachel is clearly under a lot of stress, and we get more than one very direct hint, that she is even traumatised.

Her dark thoughts leading her in a dangerous direction, and the job is killing her.

In a way she turned into a female Chris Carson.

Full of rage, anger, and loads of fear and anxiety matched with the trauma that is located in the former relationship with her boyfriend.

Rachel's development from a woman full of hopes into a full of fear and rage shell I'd heartbreaking to witness.

Rachel who tried to avoid any contact with Chris is soon back in the car with him, on patrol, and entangled in the same old shit, but with new players.

The one person I always wanted to see more about was Debs.

I liked her the minute she appeared in S1.

Her tone and respect for Chris Carson, was something I loved watching, and I was hoping for her return.

She returned! But not in the way I expected.

The one friend in the force turned into a blackmailer.

Debs evidently in the net of problems and pressure, tries to reason with Carson when she approaches him for help.

That kind of help, you better not put in a file.

Chris refuses! Strongly!

We see here another evidence of willpower to make things better, and we are close to scream: " Leave him alone, don't you see he's trying".

But our former friend Debs is about to play two cruel jokers.

First she tells Chris that she holds evidence of Carson's involvement in Carl's death, and a day job!

Finally a day job!

More sleep.

More time for Tilly.

A real life!

The sad thing is that Chris tried to get all this the legal way, by working hard and applying for a day job.

We can see how nervous he is while giving his boss the application, and this is why the response of his boss is even more heartbreaking:

" Chris, everyone thinks you are a knobhead" 

Seriously ????

Kick a man when he's already down...???

Yet Chris and his newfound moral ground are strong enough to refuse Debs and her sweet threatening.....at first!

We meet old acquaintances in form of Marco and Casey, and as always those two bring some sweet naivety to the table.

Marco trying to be a father and show some responsibility, while Casey still think she can howl with the big dogs.

New ideas. Same Stupidity.

Or in her case the strong wish to change life to the better, but clearly not realising that her ways leading straight into the next big shit.

It's almost painful to see that she drags Marco into it once again, because I really feel he was on a good way.

But the minute he gets fired from his job, we know nothing is going to stop the downhill spiral, and having tea time with Jodie is certainly not helping.

Before life becomes one big risk again we see Chris meeting a dark shadow from his past.

Listening to the police traffic, hearing a certain address finds him soon enough in the middle of a shabby yet strangely nice living room, looking at his very own father.

The man who was a nothing more than a thorn in the flesh of Chris Carson for many years, is now sitting in front of him.

If you expect the first meeting in decades all cuddly and kind, you are in for a disappointment.

But we never really expected that, didn't we?

The tension is visible and noticeable , and yes I shouldn't anticipate my best moments post, but the scenes between father and son are fantastic.

You are in for a treat, because here we see two great and very experienced actors at work!

Every breath, every nuance, every underneath anger and sadness is played so incredibly well, that you want to hold your breath for days on end.

The conversation didn't end with a happy reunion hug and lots of forgiveness.

In fact, this encounter encourages Chris to take Debs offer.

The day job is the goal, that makes him overlook the risks once more.

Let the game begin...

Although by now Carson has no idea who the real players are.

Because the real deal is obviously created by Franny, who has a clever and elaborated scheme, and poor Chris has no idea what he got himself into, and opposite to last season he has no hesitation bringing Rachel into the scene, and Rachel herself being in the middle of a huge crisis on her part has no hesitation either to agree to help Chris in prospect of a day job, and a possibly better life.

But of course, the so called " easy job" outside the book turns out to be a major thread.

Unlike Debs told him, there are no drugs to find, and no dealer to arrest.

Instead Chris finds a gun, and touches it.

Clever boy....

And it gets better..

He takes the gun, quickly convincing Rachel that's the best thing to do.

And now we are in for a few surprises!!

Besides the fact that we witness a rather embarrassing moment, we already anticipated when we first saw Chris and Tilly shopping for her communion dress, and suspected exactly what is now playing in front of our eyes.

Chris has not enough money to pay for her dress, and everyone who was ever in a financial crisis can relate to the incredible embarrassing fact, that you making a fool out of yourself but you can't stop it, because there is no money that shows you a way out.

Chris promises to bring the money by Saturday so time is running out, yet I did not expect what I was going to see a few minutes later.

But the scenes in between are no less surprising.

Franny is not amused that his game didn't go as planned, and he stops by to tell Debs.

We meet both in front of her house where she is about to take her child to school.

" Your mate is a fucking idiot " 

 Debs and Franny are clearly on very close terms, and we learn that:

A. Debs is in so much trouble, that kind of trouble that brings you behind bars.

And B. Franny is more than willing to sort it out.

He promises her to help and a second later we see and hear why.

He tries to talk to her child...

Her child...

Their child!

DI Barnes and drug dealer Franny have a child together.

Oh Chris you're so screwed!

And our favorite broken hero is about to sink deeper into a moral abyss.

To our amazement we find him back at his father's house, trying to have an actual conversation.

Offering to make his Dad tea, and you even could label the chat polite...in a way.

What I have found a mixture of sentimental feelings and uncomfortable emotions, turned into utter shock when we follow Chris into his father's kitchen, still thinking there will be some real talk to clean the air.

What we see instead is a boy who is stealing money from his father.

And why I found this more horrible than anything is something I will tell you in our Ep1  best moments blog tomorrow.

Stay tuned please:)