Martin Freeman kicked off the year on a high note with the launch of The Responder, which sees the popular actor take on one of his darkest roles to date.
The former Sherlock star was praised by critics and audiences alike for the depth to his portrayal of Liverpool-based response policeman Chris Carson – complete with a very convincing Scouse accent.
The story follows Chris as he attempts to retrieve a large stash of stolen cocaine, which is robbed by a young addict desperate to start a new life somewhere else.
However, getting involved in such a dangerous situation puts his deteriorating mental health and ailing marriage under even greater strain, while a rookie partner suspicious of his methods soon becomes another concern.
After the huge reaction to the five-episode series, fans have been left to wonder if they’ll be catching up again with Chris in the future – here’s what we know so far.
Will there be a The Responder season 2?
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Unfortunately, there has been no word yet from the BBC on whether The Responder will return for a second season, but both Freeman and writer Tony Schumacher seemed enthusiastic about the idea ahead of the premiere.
“I set out to write Fawlty Towers – just get out while the going’s good and just go,” said Schumacher. “And yet we ended up with a story that naturally has stayed alive and we can take it to other places.
“And personally, I’m just excited to even think about exploring that… So if it happens, it might not, but if it did, it would be exciting just to see where we can take it.”
Freeman concurred, saying that he’d “love to do it again”, while co-star Warren Brown later told RadioTimes.com that there had indeed been “murmurs” of a follow-up but “nothing set in stone”.
In a poll shared to Twitter after The Responder finale’s terrestrial broadcast, more than two-thirds of viewers said they would like to see the show return, so there’s certainly demand – but alas, we won’t know for sure until the BBC shares more.
Who could be in a potential The Responder season 2 cast?
If The Responder were to come back for a sophomore run, Martin Freeman would almost certainly be leading the cast once again, as he has firmly established himself in the juicy Chris Carson role.
We would also expect MyAnna Buring to reprise the role of his wife Kate, as their marriage remains in a critical position following the events of the finale.
Adelayo Adedayo would be a likely contender to return as rookie cop Rachel Hargreaves, who very nearly reported Chris for misconduct after suffering through a few night shifts with him.
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She was strung along by Ray Mullen, played by Trigger Point‘s Warren Brown, who told RadioTimes.com that he’d “love to go back” if The Responder is renewed for a second season.
There would be scope to bring back Casey and Marco, played by Emily Fairn and Josh Finan respectively, but there is no guarantee Schumacher would choose to do so as it could easily be argued that their character arcs are complete.
The same can be said for other supporting figures from the first season including Diane (Christine Tremarco) and Jodie (Faye McKeever), both of whom distance themselves from Chris after he satisfies their demands.
Rita Tushingham could potentially return as the troubled cop’s mother, June, although notably she was depicted as terminally ill in the first season, with precious little time remaining.
What would the plot be if The Responder returns?
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The Responder wraps up its main storyline surprisingly neatly in just five episodes, leading us to assume that a potential second season would tackle a largely new story with Chris Carson at the centre.
That said, there are a couple of threads that could be brought forward, including Rachel’s ongoing disapproval of the questionable tactics Chris uses to get results.
Meanwhile, there’s the matter of his bitter rival Ray Mullen, whose devious attempt to bring down Chris backfired spectacularly, ultimately costing him his family and career.
We last see the character seeming like a shell of himself, but it’s debatable whether the look on his face is one of genuine remorse or a thirst for revenge.
Is there a The Responder season 2 trailer?
Slow down! There’s not been any confirmation that The Responder is returning for season 2, so naturally there is no new footage just yet. We’ll keep you posted on the latest news about the series.
The Responder is available to stream on BBC iPlayer. Check out more of our Drama coverage or visit our TV Guide to see what’s on tonight.
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