The Responder season 2 ending explained: Is this goodbye for Chris?

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.

We find the characters in a worrying state when we return for the second chapter, with Chris separated from wife Kate (MyAnna Buring), and Rachel struggling to piece herself back together after surviving domestic abuse.

Meanwhile, Casey hasn't 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.

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.

The Responder season 2 ending explained

Having ignored Casey's 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.

The drug dealer is out for blood after learning of Casey's involvement in her late husband's death (see season 1), with Chris facing pressure from his own criminal boss, Franny (Adam Nagaitis), to deliver the young woman to a grim fate.

He hesitates in doing so, but the matter is eventually taken out of his hands when a desperate foster child leaks Casey's location to Franny's goons in exchange for a £500 payout.

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.

Chris attempts to take the heat off Casey by admitting to his own culpability in Carl's death – and ultimately, it's him who takes a mighty whack to the head with a mallet from Jodie's henchman, Barry (Mark Womack).

Fortunately, the blow isn't lethal, but does prompt Franny to intervene as he seeks to keep his asset in the police force alive.

He brands Jodie and her associates "amateurs" over their behaviour that night as she slowly walks away, having sacrificed her entire operation to him in exchange for Casey's abduction. Yikes!

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.

What happens to Casey and Marco?

Following her near-death experience, Casey strikes a spontaneous plan to move to Runcorn with Marco, who is moving into his sister's house as he hopes to learn how to become a great father.

Casey is clearly sceptical about the idea due to the town being smaller and quieter than Liverpool, while Marco's decision to invite her is risky for him and the baby, given her instability and tendency to get into serious trouble.

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 – perhaps never to be reunited.

Is this goodbye for Chris?

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.

He then heads to his father's house for a friendly visit, having rekindled his relationship with Tom (Bernard Hill) over the course of the season after decades of estrangement.

This touching conclusion leaves a lot of questions about the future of The Responder – the top one being, is this intended to be a true series finale? Creator Tony Schumacher is yet to clarify.

But while Chris leaving the police would change the format significantly, the drama could potentially continue for a third season.

After all, Schumacher refuses to categorise the series as a traditional "cop show" anyway, insisting that it is more focused on universal themes about life's great challenges.

"There’s a version of the show where [Chris] works in a supermarket," the screenwriter told RadioTimes.com in April. "To me, it’s about people, it’s not about cops."

Therefore, the show could conceivably continue beyond Chris' resignation, with particular areas of interest including Franny's response to his sudden career move and Rachel's efforts to avoid the mistakes of her former colleague.

For now, we'll have to wait for word from Schumacher and the BBC on The Responder's future, with the decision likely resting on the writer's vision and/or how the show performs in terms of viewership.

The Responder seasons 1-2 are available to stream on BBC iPlayer. Check out more of our Drama coverage or visit our TV Guide and Streaming Guide to find out what's on.

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