Gripping BBC thriller The Responder<\/a> is back for its pulse-pounding second season, which sees troubled cop Chris Carson (Martin Freeman) thrown into ever-deepening trouble as he attempts to keep his fractured family together.<\/p>\n The first season introduced us to night responder Chris and his then-rookie partner Rachel Hargreaves (Adelayo Adedayo), as they attempted to resolve a cocaine theft that put Casey (Emily Fairn), a local addict, in mortal danger.<\/p>\n We find the characters in a worrying state when we return for the second chapter, with Chris separated from wife<\/a> Kate (MyAnna Buring), and Rachel struggling to piece herself back together after surviving domestic abuse.<\/p>\n Meanwhile, Casey hasn\u2019t managed to kick her destructive habits, posing a threat to herself and to ex-boyfriend Marco (Josh Finan), who is attempting to get on the straight and narrow.<\/p>\n So, how do things end for the group? And what does it mean for a potential third instalment? Read on for our full recap of The Responder season 2 ending on BBC One and iPlayer.<\/p>\n Having ignored Casey\u2019s panicked phone call in the penultimate episode, The Responder season 2 finale sees Chris reluctantly cross paths with her once more as Jodie (Faye McKeever) puts a bounty on her head.<\/p>\n The drug dealer is out for blood after learning of Casey\u2019s involvement in her late husband\u2019s death (see season 1<\/a>), with Chris facing pressure from his own criminal boss, Franny (Adam Nagaitis), to deliver the young woman to a grim fate.<\/p>\n He hesitates in doing so, but the matter is eventually taken out of his hands when a desperate foster child leaks Casey\u2019s location to Franny\u2019s goons in exchange for a \u00a3500 payout.<\/p>\n Both Chris and Casey are bundled into a van and delivered to Jodie, who is offered the chance to wound the former and kill the latter, but she is clearly uncomfortable with getting her hands dirty in such a way.<\/p> Chris attempts to take the heat off Casey by admitting to his own culpability in Carl\u2019s death \u2013 and ultimately, it\u2019s him who takes a mighty whack to the head with a mallet from Jodie\u2019s henchman, Barry (Mark Womack).<\/p>\n Fortunately, the blow isn\u2019t lethal, but does prompt Franny to intervene as he seeks to keep his asset in the police force alive.<\/p>\n He brands Jodie and her associates \u201camateurs\u201d over their behaviour that night as she slowly walks away, having sacrificed her entire operation to him in exchange for Casey\u2019s abduction. Yikes!<\/p>\n Franny frees Casey and Chris, presumably expecting the latter to keep working for him, but the copper has other ideas. After a reflective drive home with Rachel, he leaves her his badge and tells her to inform their boss of his impending resignation.<\/p>\n Following her near-death experience, Casey strikes a spontaneous plan to move to Runcorn with Marco, who is moving into his sister\u2019s house as he hopes to learn how to become a great father.<\/p>\n Casey is clearly sceptical about the idea due to the town being smaller and quieter than Liverpool, while Marco\u2019s decision to invite her is risky for him and the baby, given her instability and tendency to get into serious trouble.<\/p>\n Ultimately, Casey is the one who realises that the arrangement is doomed to fail, with the young lovers bidding a tearful farewell on the train platform as they go their separate ways \u2013 perhaps never to be reunited.<\/p>\n In the final scenes of The Responder season 2, Chris leaves a voicemail for his ex-wife, Kate, apologising for his recent behaviour and voicing support for her move to London with their daughter, Tilly.<\/p>\n He then heads to his father\u2019s house for a friendly visit, having rekindled his relationship with Tom (Bernard Hill<\/a>) over the course of the season after decades of estrangement.<\/p>\n This touching conclusion leaves a lot of questions about the future of The Responder \u2013 the top one being, is this intended to be a true series finale? Creator Tony Schumacher is yet to clarify.<\/p>\n But while Chris leaving the police would change the format significantly, the drama could potentially continue for a third season.<\/p>\n After all, Schumacher refuses to categorise the series as a traditional \u201ccop show\u201d anyway, insisting that it is more focused on universal themes about life\u2019s great challenges.<\/p>\n \u201cThere\u2019s a version of the show where [Chris] works in a supermarket,\u201d the screenwriter told RadioTimes.com<\/a> in April. \u201cTo me, it\u2019s about people, it\u2019s not about cops.\u201d<\/p>\n Therefore, the show could conceivably continue beyond Chris\u2019 resignation, with particular areas of interest including Franny\u2019s response to his sudden career move and Rachel\u2019s efforts to avoid the mistakes of her former colleague.<\/p>\n For now, we\u2019ll have to wait for word from Schumacher and the BBC on The Responder\u2019s future, with the decision likely resting on the writer\u2019s vision and\/or how the show performs in terms of viewership.<\/p>\n The Responder seasons 1-2 are available to stream on BBC iPlayer. Check out more of our Drama<\/a> coverage or visit our TV Guide<\/a> and Streaming Guide<\/a> to find out what\u2019s on.<\/strong><\/p>\nThe Responder season 2 ending explained<\/strong><\/h2>\n
![\"Chris](\"https:\/\/images.immediate.co.uk\/production\/volatile\/sites\/3\/2022\/01\/bbc-responder-9ccf833.jpg?quality=90&resize=620%2C413\" "\\"The")
\n<\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/picture>\n<\/div>What happens to Casey and Marco?<\/strong><\/h2>\n
![\"Marco](\"https:\/\/images.immediate.co.uk\/production\/volatile\/sites\/3\/2024\/05\/responder-marco-casey-ff4bf44.jpg?quality=90&resize=620%2C413\" "\\"responder-marco-casey\\"\/")
\n<\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/picture>\n<\/div>Is this goodbye for Chris?<\/strong><\/h2>\n
![\"Chris](\"https:\/\/images.immediate.co.uk\/production\/volatile\/sites\/3\/2024\/05\/responder-martin-freeman-c8a10f0.jpg?quality=90&resize=620%2C413\" "\\"responder-martin-freeman\\"\/")
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