Viewers have been thoroughly hooked by BBC One’s gripping new police drama The Responder, with the two-night launch introducing the nation to morally compromised Liverpool copper Chris Carson (Martin Freeman).
Fortunately, fans don’t have to wait a week to find out what happens next in this high stakes crime thriller, as the entire five-episode series has been released as a box set on BBC iPlayer.
The stakes just get higher and higher as Chris is drawn into a major drug theft, which puts him in the sights of several dangerous criminals operating in the city.
He’s desperately searching for a way out that will keep his family intact, save the lives of two troublemaking youths, and protect his bruised reputation on the force – but can he really achieve all that?
Read on for our full spoiler-filled breakdown of The Responder ending.
The Responder ending explained
The penultimate episode of The Responder ended in dramatic fashion as Chris found himself cornered by Carl’s former associates and taken on an unwilling trip to see Dr Diane Gallagher.
In her previous appearances, it had not been clear exactly how a medical professional had been drawn into the murky illicit drug trade, but the finale reveals she is the sister of incarcerated dealer Greg Gallagher.
He seems to be threatening her into being an enforcer on the outside, but she clearly still takes her hippocratic oath seriously, offering assistance to Chris as he suffers a severe panic attack.
What happens to the stolen cocaine?
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The catalyst for the main plot of the series is when drug addict Casey steals a huge stash of cocaine worth tens of thousands of pounds, in the hopes she can use it to start a new life.
She remains adamant about not giving it back to its dangerous owners, despite a very real and ever-present risk that they could track her down and kill her.
In the finale, we see her and romantic interest Marco sharing a swanky hotel room, which she paid for using the wallet she swiped for her granddad after their explosive argument in the previous episode.
When Casey wanders off to prepare a bath, she is horrified to find that Marco has made off with her drugs, but is able to track him down not long after.
He reveals that he had no intention of stealing the cocaine for himself, but just wanted to return it to the gangsters that are after them so that her life would no longer be in danger.
As if on cue, henchmen Barry and Ian turn up, chasing them down the streets of Liverpool, with Casey and Marco given a last-minute rescue by Chris.
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He firmly tells them the game is over, taking the bag from a distraught Casey, who feels that she doesn’t matter and will never amount to anything.
Chris assures her that isn’t true and endeavours to get her out of the trouble she’s made, instructing her to walk off with Marco and leave this unpleasant chapter of her life behind.
Ultimately, he finds a solution that fits everyone’s needs.
He gives a police seizure document to Dr Gallagher, which her brother Greg can forge to show that the drugs have been apprehended by authorities, which is beyond his control as he currently is serving jail time.
Although not her initial demand, Dr Gallagher is happy to accept this as she wants nothing more than to get out of her brother’s world and return to her ordinary job treating patients.
However, Chris doesn’t actually deliver the stash to the precinct, choosing instead to give it to Carl’s ex-partner Jodie, who has been hounding him for money.
She has the same illegal connections as Carl once did and will be able to sell the drugs herself, giving her enough money to keep the bills paid for the foreseeable future.
Do Chris and Kate stay together?
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It looks for a moment like Chris and Kate’s marriage is doomed, after she kicks him out and he learns that she has again been unfaithful with Ray Mullen, the man who has been attempting to get him sacked.
However, their relationship gets a new lease of life after Chris comes clean about how he got involved in Carl’s criminal enterprise, explaining he did so to help cover the cost of his mother’s care home bills.
Kate plants herself firmly in his corner, covering for him when former colleague DI Deborah Barnes starts asking questions about Chris’ relationship with Dr Gallagher (a link she was tipped off about by Ray).
At the end of the episode, once Chris has settled the issue of the stolen cocaine and the heat seems to be off them (for now), things are looking hopeful for the couple’s future.
“I really want to make this work, Kate,” he tells her. “My heart is breaking with what’s happened. I know we can fix it. I’m going to speak to you, not bottle it up. I love you so much.”
What will Ray do next?
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The Responder ended up being a rather tough series for Ray Mullen, a bitter enemy of Chris who had been aiming to expose him as corrupt.
He did so by approaching his newbie partner Rachel, falsely claiming to be leading an investigation into Chris and manipulating her into giving him information.
Fortunately, his deception is uncovered in a conversation between Rachel and DI Barnes, who both confront him about his actions and leave him utterly humiliated.
His personal life is also reduced to tatters when his wife Ellie leaves him after finding out about his affair with Kate, suggesting he’ll have little credibility in any future attempts to take Chris down.
Our last glimpse of Ray sees him sitting alone, looking regretful for all that he’s lost.
Does Rachel report Chris?
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While she despised Ray for lying to her, Rachel also harboured doubts about how Chris conducts himself in the job and seemed to be considering reporting him as corrupt.
However, when given the chance to tell all in an emotional encounter with DI Barnes, she keeps quiet, asking instead if she can take some time off after a traumatic week.
It’s possible that Rachel could have a change of heart further down the line, but for now at least, it appears she does not intend to turn against Chris and joins him for her final night shift.
This decision was most likely influenced by how Chris rushed to save Rachel after she had been locked in a cupboard by her abusive boyfriend.
Chris also then drove her to his place of work, where she was able to definitively break things off by revealing his sickening mistreatment of her to his colleagues.
Nevertheless, Rachel’s relationship with Chris has been severely tested by what they’ve been through, as demonstrated by the tense atmosphere in the police car at the end of the episode.
The Responder is available to stream as a boxset on BBC iPlayer. Check out more of our Drama coverage or visit our TV Guide to see what’s on tonight.