Television fans can’t stop singing the praises of a BBC crime drama, yet the series is so emotionally gruelling that viewers are left feeling “exhausted” after every episode.

As crime dramas go, this British production has made a remarkable impression, boasting a 100% rating on Rotten Tomatoes, as audiences struggle to find fault with its “moving” subject matter, which earned the lead actor an International Emmy Award.

The Responder is a British police procedural series penned by former Merseyside Police officer Tony Schumacher, with Liverpool providing the gritty backdrop to the narrative.

Martin Freeman takes on the central role of Chris Carson, a police officer stripped of his inspector rank, delivering a performance that has left a profound mark on audiences. The character is torn and compromised, taking on night shifts in the city centre while battling his volatile temper and desire to do what is right.

Childhood trauma has shaped him into a deeply troubled man, with his turbulent experiences within the police force only serving to compound his difficulties further.

Viewers follow his life as it shifts between gruelling night shifts and therapy sessions, visits to his mother in a care home and encounters with his estranged father, gradually piecing together the fragments of his troubled existence.

One review of The Responder on Rotten Tomatoes reads: “An incredible series, it is heavy, and thanks to some incredible acting, you can feel the sense of helplessness, depression and the rage boiling under the surface. It speaks to the wounds we carry both collectively and individually, and it is vulnerable, moving and frustrating.”

A further reviewer noted: “Freeman delivers another outstanding performance. Great cast, gripping and brutal. Bernard Hill was remarkable in his final performance. God bless him.”

Appearing alongside Freeman is Adelayo Adedayo, playing PC Rachel Hargreaves, a probationary police officer, and Warren Brown as Raymond Mullen, a fellow demoted officer.

The drama also features Bernard Hill as Tom Carson in what would become his final performance in series two, before his death on the day of its broadcast.

Following its debut in 2022, the show was commissioned for a second series, which arrived as five episodes in 2024. Devotees were devastated to discover the storyline would go no further, as the drama ended after just two series.

Though perhaps it is for the best, as viewers cannot deny the profound impact the harrowing scenes and raw emotions had on their watching experience. One viewer claimed to be “exhausted at the end of each episode” and yet “unable to stop”.

A critic for the Decider wrote: “The Responder continues to be a compelling watch, mainly because Martin Freeman is so good at barely containing Chris Carson’s rage.”

It is Freeman’s performance that genuinely elevates this programme, with the vast majority of viewers agreeing it merits a five-star rating.

Both seasons of The Responder are available to stream now for free on BBC iPlayer.