Reply cast and plot explained – everything about the BBC One drama

THE Responder fans are thrilled the hit BBC series returns for another exciting season.

The BBC One show is based on Liverpool’s frontline police force and features an all-star cast led by Martin Freeman.

The Responder was written by former Merseyside police officer Tony Schumacher and is based on his own experiences in the force.

Follows the life of Chris Carson, an urgent response officer in Liverpool tasked with the dreaded night shift.

After a successful first series, The Responder is back for a second season.

The second series joins Chris Carson six months later, trying to rebuild his life, his relationships and desperate to avoid the corruption that almost sucked him dry.

Martin Freeman as Chris Carson

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Of course, Martin is best known for playing the lovable Tim in Ricky Gervais’ mockumentary The Office (2001–2003).

Another notable TV role was playing Dr. John Watson in Sherlock (2010–2017), for which he won an Emmy and a Bafta.

He also won two gongs for playing Bilbo in The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey.

He is also known for the dark comedy crime drama TV series Fargo (2014).

Martin was praised for his performance as Detective Superintendent Stephen Fulcher in the crime drama A Confession in 2019.

Speaking about why he loves being part of the cast of The Responder, Martin told the BBC: “We were all excited about the first series and hoped that what we were doing would be a good show.

“There are some moments in your life, if you’re lucky, when people connect with something you’ve done in a way that goes beyond your dreams or what you could have ever wanted.

“I really believed in the show and felt it was a really good job.

“It’s one of the most successful things I’ve worked on, and after reading the first five pages, I knew I wanted to play this character.”

Adelayo Adedayo as Rachel Hargreaves

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Adelayo Adedayo is best known for playing Viva in the BBC teen comedy series Some Girls.

She has also appeared in Unlocked, Stan Lee’s Lucky Man, Timewasters, Law & Order: UK and Origin.

In The Responder she reprises her role as Chris’ police partner, Rachel Hargreaves.

Talking to the BBC about her character, Adelayo said: “In the first season, she followed the rules.

“It’s admirable, but because we as humans are flawed, it’s hard to observe and connect when someone seems to constantly do the right thing.

“In this series she is absolutely not doing that. She is completely disillusioned.

“It’s sad because she lost belief in that kind of ideal. I hope people connect with it and understand it a little more.”

MyAnna Buring as kate carson

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MyAnna Buring played DI Helen Weeks in the BBC crime drama In The Dark.

The actress gained international prominence after starring in two Twilight films as Tanya.

MyAnna’s other screen credits include Downton Abbey, Banished, Doctor Who and Ripper Street.

Speaking about why the show is so successful, MyAnna told the BBC: “Audiences fell in love with the show because it had a unique voice.

“It was the same reason I fell in love with the scripts when I first read them.

“Tony created these vibrant characters that jumped off the page.

“You could like them, love them and hate them in equal measure and at their heart is this incredible central character; an antihero who had a moral dilemma to deal with and who was actually compelling to watch.

“The show’s style brilliantly captured what was on the page. It was exciting.”

Warren Brown as Raymond Mullen

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Warren Brown is best known for his roles as Donny Maguire on Shameless.

He is also known for playing Andy Holt in Hollyoaks and as DS Justin Ripley in the BBC crime drama Luther.

He also starred in the ITV television series Strike Back and Trigger Point.

Warren told the BBC: “You never know how things will be received, you can read a script and think it’s fantastic, but you never know until it’s all finished and you see what the audience response is.

“Luckily for us it was extremely positive from both audiences and critics, so having the opportunity to come back was brilliant.

“It can be a bit like the complicated second album going into a second series after a big hit.

“You have pressure to make the next one as good or better, but I think Tony did it.”

The rest of the cast includes:

• Josh Finan as Marco – The actor is known for Baby Reindeer.
• Emily Fairn as Casey – The actress is known for Black Mirror.
• Philip S McGuinness as Ian – The actor is known for The Batman.
• Faye McKeever as Jodie Sweeney – The actress is known for Little Boy Blue.
• Mark Womack as Barry – The actor is known for Emmerdale.
• Amaka Okafor as Deborah Barnes – The actress is known for Netflix’s Bodies.

How to watch The Responder

Reply season 2 starts on Sunday 5th May 2024 on BBC One at 9pm.

The series will continue at this time every week on Sundays.

Fans will also be able to watch the show on BBC iPlayer.