THE RESPONDER - BBC 9pm mon and Tue. TV PACE. NO SPOILERS

[Blondeshavemorefun]

Staring martin Freeman

Penned by ex-police officer Tony Schumacher, this is his first original series for television and he’s on familiar ground as he focuses on the emotional extremes of life on the front line of British policing.

The Responder follows urgent response officer Chris Carson on a series of five night shifts on his beat in Liverpool.

But Chris has more than just the job to worry about as his personal life has been hit by crisis and he is morally compromised in his work.

He’s forced to take on rookie partner Rachel, but despite his reluctance they both soon realise that survival in the high-pressure world of night-time crime will hinge on whether they can support or destroy each other.

Playing Rachel Hargreaves, Carson’s new nightshift partner, is Adelayo Adedayo (Origin, Timewasters). Despite only being in the role for two weeks, the rookie cop has a clear sense of what’s right and wrong

She is disgusted that she’s been paired with a man whose attitude towards the job, and life in general, is the polar opposite of hers. But will working with Chris and under the city’s darkness change her?

I watched it last night.

That's an hour of my life I won't get back.

Martin Freeman was very good though. The very slow storyline just went round and round.

[quote toomuchlaundry]@Davros depending where you live many mums will be having babies in their lates 30s/early 40s, so stands to reason dads can be in their early 50s with quite young children, or be on their second marriage with younger partner[/quote]
I had a baby at 43 so I don't think that's unusual. I don't personally know any 50+ men with young children and, due to my age, I know a lot of 50+ men!

DH is 50 and we have an 8 year old.

I really enjoyed this, loved the characters and dialogue, very realistic. And impressed with Martin Freeman's accent.

In that drama where MF played the policeman going after the murderer (Halliwell?) he had a wife close to his age, but that was based on real people so they probably didn’t have a choice. It was unusual though so that’s why I remember, which is depressing.

I liked it - enjoyed would be the wrong word, though.

Lots of little touches so true to life. My DC always want to sleep with me when DH is on nights. Him in his dressing gown having cereal while everyone else is having dinner. That look of perpetual, fucked tiredness for night shifts.

But also the comments about "doing good". That rings true from what DH says sometimes, that they are nearly always bouncing from one awful thing to another, interspersed wrih a LOT of paperwork, it's not the job a lot of people signed up to do.

I don't know about the lack of bodycams, i must ask because that bugged me too!

@toomuchlaundry

It’s not that unusual to be 50yo man and have an 8 year old child

This. Means was 41/42 when conceived

My dh was 50 when our dd was born 5yrs ago

@IcedPurple

I thought his wife was miscast. Are they supposed to be a similar age? So tired of all the carp where the man is far older than his wife. MF must be at least 50 probably older yet him and his wife have a young child of about what 7/8.

I hate that too, and it's so common. And even in Paddington the husband was way older!

Martin Freeman is 50. MyAnna Buring, who plays his wife, is 42.

I have a 10y old and at least half of the dads in his class are around 50. 4 or 5 are around 60 (second marriages) - it's not that unusual?

@storminabuttercup

Some real black humour

Definitely!

A few things bothering me though -
He’s working in his own? I thought they always worked in pairs.
As others have said, where is his body cam, police car cam, police car tracker?

Just googled it. Most don’t work in pairs. Didn’t know that.

It's scary that they work on their own. Have family and friends in the police, it's not a job I could do

They often work on their own - both my dd and her partner are police and it scares me to think of either of them knocking on a door alone, but they do. They do have bodycams though, so not sure why MF has managed to lose his somehow. Maybe it will explain that tonight.

I've worked alone ( not all the time ! ) since the nineties .

In many ways , it's very realistic . The constant calls from control , the single crewing , the going to the same calls from the same people . It's gritty because it's accurate in that sense . Even the talking to the deceased . Done that more than I can count . The lack of drama is real policing . Whether that translates as watchable tv is another thing

Guess what DH & I won't be watching tonight. Really didn't enjoy last night.

I’m going to give it another try tonight

Dh has made me watch it again tonight. I’m drinking so maybe it will be better but already the cliche bad guy calling while in the house with wife and kid

Thought it was excellent

What is she doing? Just been threatened and now going on alone?!

I didn't reliese Carl was his friend as well as a drug dealer

So he's trying to hunt down Casey as she stole his drugs while Chris is trying to save her

Rachel obv doesn't like Chris's methods of violence which is fair enough

She's new. Doesn't want to cock up but he is an arse and she told him

Tho why did she wait till light to call her partner , it was dark when Chris drove off without her

He does cross over the line a lot !!!

So they do wear body cams. But why wouid you turn it off

Obv as doing something dodgy and surely they must reliese that at control

Which they must do if he is being investigated

Davey looked similar to his caretaker in hp 😂😂

Got to keep the anger inside so that they don't see

That's obv what Chris is doing or trying to do hence his counselling and behaviour

E2 was better then 1

Still prefer trigger point but will watch e3 next Monday 😂

@ENoeuf

Why do they all have stereotypical perms? This is a bit weird so far.

I thought it was harry enfiield.

Abra1d1

ENoeuf
Why do they all have stereotypical perms? This is a bit weird so far.
I thought it was harry enfiield.

OMG I’d forgotten that! None of my family have perms 😂

Tried to watch tonight. Didn't last long/ The appalling dialect made me feel queasy. I am sure Liverpool people are fine but I cannot bear the "phlegmy" sound.

I'm enjoying this. I'm glad it isn't all plot and no substance. Nice change. I do like programmes like LOD, but I feel like I don't know the main three characters very well even after 6 series, but it feels different in this one.

I can imagine that much of the experiences of the role portrayed in this programme ring true to real life.

So many Frontline workers get PTSD due to dealing with so much crap. The scene with the therapist was also pretty telling. Many people hovver through life barely seeing the aggression and suffering of other people and wonder what frontline workers are complaining about.

@GucciBear

Tried to watch tonight. Didn't last long/ The appalling dialect made me feel queasy. I am sure Liverpool people are fine but I cannot bear the "phlegmy" sound.

What does ‘I am sure Liverpool people are fine’ even mean? Replace Liverpool with black or Muslim - offensive much ?! Throw in a dig at the accent - surprisingly enough vast swathes of the country have very discernible accents - do you insult all of them or is it only Liverpool that is fair game on MN ?

user ..... Please do not put the blame on Mumsnet, I, not they wrote the post. I have not criticised black or Muslim people or followers of the Dalai Lama because I feel we are different but equal. I found the Liverpool accent hard to understand and listen to - who knows Liverpool folk may well object to my accent. I support their right to do so!!