Cultural Exchange: The Responder (S2)
& A Few Words on The Gathering
Cultural Exchange is a feature that aims to connect with The Ampersand community through art. In each edition, I’ll share a piece of culture I adore. It could be a song, album or playlist, a film, TV comedy, drama or stage play. It might be a novel, a poem, a singular piece of visual art or even an entire exhibition. Whatever I choose, I would love for you to share something YOU love in the comments – a slice of culture you think The Ampersand community should definitely check out. Think of it as an ever growing list of recommendations. You may even see some of your suggestions pop up in future editions (with credit to you for your excellent taste, of course!).
*There are no real spoilers in this but I do discuss some of the themes explored in Season 2 of The Responder and The Gathering so if you hate spoilers of any kind, I’d encourage you to watch the shows first and then come back and read this piece on why I think they’re such special pieces of television.*
Isn’t it funny how so many of us adore cop dramas but abhor real life cops? I’m always amazed at how I can forgive The Responder’s Chris Carson’s brutality and corruption but never that of the police currently abusing the peaceful protestors in US university encampments.
Perhaps it is because Chris almost always seems to be fighting for something bigger than himself. Or for someone smaller than he is. Someone even more powerless and shat on. The underdog.
Meanwhile, the violence of the police in the US is borne out of a need for control. The desire to subjugate. Or the blind following of orders. Chris Carson may feel pathetic. The corrupt police officers in the US and the Met Police here in the UK actually are.
I genuinely didn’t think Season 2 of The Responder could top Season 1. But it absolutely has. Here, we get to see an even more human version of Chris as the second chapter of the show further interrogates the demons of his past via his tortured relationship with his father (played by the brilliant Bernard Hill, who sadly died two weeks ago).
In fact, one could argue that the main theme of this entire season is fatherhood. The immense responsibility, how difficult it is to be the father you never had but always wanted and the battle of trying every day, nonetheless. Even Franny, the central villain of the story, has a softer side, beautifully shown through his relationship with his son.
Money is one of the things that gives Franny the time and space to be a better father. Chris, on the other hand, struggles to make ends meet and the extreme inconvenience of working nights. Both of which continually impact on his relationship with his daughter, Tilly.
He ducks and dives and lies and lies, robbing Peter to pay Paul and often ending up morally in debt. He doesn’t always do the right thing but he is, most of the time, motivated by the right reasons. This makes him, arguably, one of TV’s most complex and flawed characters and yet, I for one, persistently root for him. Mainly because he always saves the cat. Even though he knows he might get killed for it. Even though the cat often does absolutely nothing for him in return.
And then there is Marco. Sweet, wide-eyed Marco. So clearly in love with “Town Centre Casey”, who only ever seems to manipulate and use him. We feel for Casey – with her lack of upbringing and further lack of resources, it’s obvious she’s only doing what she can to survive. But, personally, I feel even more for the totally besotted Marco, especially as he attempts to rise to the challenge of a whole new and unexpected level of responsibility. Their story is one of such hope and heartbreak and it is so completely compelling to watch.
This season also explores the theme of regret as many of the characters find their chickens coming home to roost. We see that in Rachel, whose decision not to report her horrifically abusive ex at the end of last season leaves her guilt ridden and terrified for the safety of his new girlfriend. What extremes will she go to in order to keep her safe? And what will she do with the mounting rage inside her?
Another Liverpool-set show that recently landed on our screens covers similar themes of parenthood and past mistakes. This is Channel 4 drama The Gathering, a multi-generational mystery that explores the friendships of a group of young adults bound together by parkour, gymnastics and problematic parents. We binged the whole series in about three nights!
It’s brilliant to see a teen drama set outside of the traditional precincts of school and/or college. Plus, it’s a genuinely great watch for people of all ages as it feels only slightly YA skewed. This is partly due to both the kids and the parents being gifted with such rich inner lives. However, it’s also largely down to the incredibly complex issues these teens are having to deal with.
I remember watching Skins when I was just out of my teens and, although I adored it, I felt quite far removed from the characters depicted. I’d had nowhere near the level of freedom they had, so their lives and problems were quite different to mine. Euphoria gave me a similar feeling - along with a huge sense of relief that I didn’t have to live out my teenage years at a time when every mistake could be so easily documented.
The experiences of the young characters in The Gathering feel far more age appropriate and certainly closer to my own. Kelly (played by the incomprehensibly brilliant Eva Morgan, whose eyes alone speak a thousand words) deals with grief and financial worries. Her friend Adam struggles to be there for his fractured family whilst continually being misjudged for the way he looks. There’s privileged Jessica, who’s trying to figure out who she is and what she wants under the weight of massive parental pressure. And then there’s the enigmatic Bazi whose problems might just be worse than the rest of the group’s combined.
Each of their stories beautifully interlink to create a propulsive, binge-worthy narrative and an intriguing look into a precinct seldom seen on screen. These teens are characters worth rooting for and I sincerely hope The Gathering gets a second season.
Thanks for reading the first issue of The Ampersand’s Cultural Exchange. Now over to you: what piece of art or culture would you like to recommend this week? It could be another TV show, a poem, a book, a film, some visual art, a piece of music… the list is endless.
Drop your recommendation in the comments and I’ll see you there.
Much love,
xK
