Happy Valley

Luckily for fans, creator Sally Wainwright has a healthy back-catalogue including comedy At Home With the Braithwaites, Last Tango in Halifax, Unforgiven, ...

[it’s a remake](https://www.denofgeek.com/tv/mare-of-easttown-happy-valley/). [Channel 4](https://www.denofgeek.com/channel-4/) could have commissioned Alan Bleasdale’s 7-part 1991 drama yesterday. [Chris Lang’s Unforgotten](https://www.denofgeek.com/tv/unforgotten-series-3-writer-we-live-in-uncompassionate-times/) revolves around a single cold-case. [The Responder](https://www.denofgeek.com/tv/the-responder-review-a-gripping-police-thriller-about-a-broken-system/)’s PC Chris Carson was on Sgt Cawood’s team, he’d be called a numpty, pulled off the job and put on a disciplinary in a heartbeat. A long-buried body is dug up and a cast of potential suspects is introduced, the links between the new characters gradually emerging over six episodes that eventually lead to the truth and to closure. If you’d prefer a more concrete Sally Wainwright link, then there’s always star Peter Davison ( [5-series BBC drama](https://www.denofgeek.com/tv/last-tango-in-halifax-recap-the-story-so-far/). If it’s comedy, character and surprises you like about Happy Valley as a crime drama, this is where to go next. Their grown-up daughters Caroline and Gillian (Sarah Lancashire and Nicola Walker, two more of the best) each have husbands, kids and backstories of their own. James’ character-led drama moves as quickly between humour and seriousness, devoting time to painting a picture of a somewhere with its own language and history that’s not there to be pitied or patronised. It’s all the easy, funny, wind-up dialogue and local shorthand of the Happy Valley sisters, plus police cases. And try the below, a hand-picked selection of great dramas – some crime, some not – that carry a flavour of Happy Valley’s brilliant writing, real-feeling characters and unforgettable performances.

BBC One's finale of BAFTA-winning crime drama Happy Valley took 7.5 million viewers last night in the UK.

Internationally, the show gained popularity after streaming on Netflix and season three is co-produced with AMC+. The company quietly launched in January. The finale’s numbers are the biggest for BBC One since Line of Duty‘s season six finale in May 2021 and will balloon further as on-demand viewing takes over in the coming weeks. Season three came seven years after the ending of the previous run. The six-part series began last month and aired in the coveted 9pm BBC One slot that the likes of Line of Duty have previously sat. The ratings, supplied by Barb data from overnights.tv, make Happy Valley the highest rated show of 2023 so far and one of the biggest in recent BBC drama history.

The BBC drama came to a close after three seasons and 18 episodes, with fans and critics alike hailing the final episode as 'one of the greatest finales ever ...

Jan Moir writes: 'The last of Killing Eve, the final Game Of Thrones, don't even get me started on The Sopranos. Anita Singh writes: 'In truth, it was not the most gripping episode of this series. 'Don’t doubt Wainwright” was the lesson of the finale. 'A stand-off worth waiting for - no guns, no knives, no punches but a battle of words which Catherine badly needed to say. Carol Midgley for The Times agreed, declaring: 'Hats off to Wainwright for avoiding a spectacular, shoot-out showdown. [Fans also flooded Twitter with praise](/tvshowbiz/article-11717747/Happy-Valley-fans-hail-finale-masterpiece-call-Sarah-Lancashire-win-awards.html) for the unexpectedly subdued finale.

The much-hyped season finale packs a punch, even as it descends into silliness.

Happy Valley is also to be credited for avoiding the lurid leaps of logic that were such a distraction with Line of Duty in its later years. It is here that Catherine comes up to him in the final 10 minutes of this feature-length instalment. Much of that appeal seems bound up in the “Yorkshireness” of this grim fandango – the charm of which may be lost on Irish viewers.

Fans of the BBC One show had expected creator Sally Wainwright to kill off one of the two main characters in the finale, but were shocked to see Tommy (James ...

A link, yes, but enough to charge him with the actual murder of Joanna? Or would the police settle on the terrible Rob Hepworth as the murderer instead? And ...

While it looked at one point Ryan was considering running off to Marbella with Tommy, his biological dad, eventually he did the right thing and told the police about him contacting him, thus beginning his downfall. “ Actually, thinking about it, it was probably just the drugs. She had one job: don’t let Ryan out of her sight, and she was more concerned with topping up her goblet of pinot grigio instead. [final ever episode of the final ever series](https://www.esquire.com/uk/culture/a42758527/the-happy-valley-finale-ending-explained/) of [Happy Valley](https://www.esquire.com/uk/culture/a42461733/happy-valley-best-show-on-tv/) is over and done with. But after his non-meeting with criminal overlord Darius for a newspaper article, he was never really heard from again. Vital characters in all three series, they just vanished into the ether in the culmination of the entire show.

Happy Valley villain James Norton poses with co-star Sarah Lancashire in a throwback from filming as he brands the explosive finale 'sort of perfect'. By Milly ...

Jan Moir writes: 'The last of Killing Eve, the final Game Of Thrones, don't even get me started on The Sopranos. 'Don’t doubt Wainwright” was the lesson of the finale. Anita Singh writes: 'In truth, it was not the most gripping episode of this series. Wainwright gave us what we wanted: a happy ending for a character who truly deserves it.' Carol Midgley for The Times agreed, declaring 'Hats off to Wainwright for avoiding a spectacular, shoot-out showdown. 'A stand-off worth waiting for - no guns, no knives, no punches but a battle of words which Catherine badly needed to say. He said: have talked about this with people in the production and Sally and Sarah. 'Happy Valley sounds so bleak on paper, with its storylines about drugs, rape and murder. 'That’s the heart of the whole show. 'And he’s sitting in that high rise and he bursts into tears. It was fireworks but it wasn’t fireworks. Cups of tea over kitchen tables in kitchens in Yorkshire.

It's been revealed that Lancashire enlisted the help of The Yorkshire Soap Company to create a “special gift” for cast and crew members who worked on the series ...

[in a new interview](https://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/tv/news/happy-valley-end-tommy-james-norton-b2276474.html), Norton has shared his “final conclusion” on whether he thinks his character was a “psychopath”, and revealed the series one callback featured in a climactic scene involving Tommy and Catherine. [here](http://independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/tv/news/happy-valley-finale-spoilers-ending-b2276429.html), and a feature detailing why Happy Valley is one of Britain’s greatest ever cop dramas [here](https://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/tv/features/how-did-happy-valley-end-bbc-b2276451.html). Unveiling the gift on [calling it one of the finest ever conclusions](https://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/tv/news/happy-valley-what-happened-last-night-b2276439.html) to a BBC drama. Many are job done.”

Fans have finally seen the thrilling ending to Happy Valley - and it turns out there had been spoilers in the opening titles all season.

[subscribe now](http://radiotimes.com/magazine-subscription?utm_term=evergreen-article). "But the fact that he chose Catherine is what makes his character come full circle. [TV Guide](https://www.radiotimes.com/tv/tv-listings/) and [Streaming Guide](https://www.radiotimes.com/streaming-guide/) or visit our [Drama](https://www.radiotimes.com/tv/drama/) hub for more news and features. And for Ryan, making a choice to go with Tommy would essentially be choosing to turn into his dad. [RadioTimes.com](https://www.radiotimes.com/) was ["vital"](https://www.radiotimes.com/tv/drama/happy-valley-ryan-exclusive-newsupdate/). [Happy Valley](https://www.radiotimes.com/tv/drama/happy-valley-season-4-explanation/).

Figures show BBC can still outdo streaming services, but search is now on for its next mega-hit.

Part of the challenge is that big-name producers and writers can now be lured away to Netflix after building an audience through the BBC – while other reliable hits such as Peaky Blinders have come to an end. The actors Sarah Lancashire and James Norton reunited for the third series of the Calderdale-based drama, which was released seven years after they were last on screen together. Almost half of the show’s audience are now watching on catch-up via the BBC’s iPlayer service in the weeks after broadcast, meaning the ultimate viewing figure for the final episode is likely to be well over 10 million.

'Happy Valley' is inspiring the next Sky show as content boss Zai Bennett teases a less is more approach.

Eighteen months ago the competition [in drama production] was really fierce but it feels like it’s normalizing a bit.” “The 200 number was a shiny stat but when you take say single arts documentaries into account it can be built up and you get there quite quickly.” We want to say to our audiences ‘Oh there are great options here’ instead of ‘Here’s a lot of filler’. A similar show, the Kate Winslet-starring Mare of Easttown, was launched by Sky and HBO in 2021 to critical acclaim. “We are talking about this with producers.” Of those 200 originals, only around 20 were high-end scripted, he stressed.

The season finale of BAFTA-winning crime drama 'Happy Valley' racked up 7.5 million viewers for the BBC on Sunday evening.

“Happy Valley” season three is a Lookout Point production for the BBC. The first season aired in 2014 and the second in 2016. television since May 2021, when the ‘Line of Duty’ series six finale aired,” the BBC said in a statement.

Opposite Lancashire is James Norton – the charismatic actor known for playing a charming vicar in Granchester, often cited as a contender for the next 007; ...

What’s key in avoiding portraying serial killers, or any character who does terrible things, as attractive or compelling, is how the rest of the script unfolds. The answer lies in issues of portrayal and intent. Jamie Dornan is the classic example of this. The last thing any of us want is for media in which violence and sexual assault are fictionalised as exciting or thrilling to lead to an increase in these crimes in our culture. We’ve already seen Kurt Russell in Tarantino’s Death Proof, Jamie Dornan in The Fall and perhaps even more unlikely, Zac Efron playing the American serial killer Ted Bundy. From the BBC drama’s launch in 2014 through to its tense conclusion last night, the performances have remained consistently compelling, with Sarah Lancashire’s outstanding portrayal of Catherine Cawood a joy (albeit mostly devastating) to watch.

The actor, also seen in Grantchester and Greta Gerwig's Little Women, plays the series villain Tommy Lee Royce. Tommy is a criminal who was sentenced to prison ...

Tommy is a criminal who was sentenced to prison for raping Becky, the daughter of series protagonist Catherine Cawood. [Happy Valley star responds to theory of multiple endings being filmed](https://www.digitalspy.com/tv/a42697447/happy-valley-multiple-endings-rhys-connah/) [Happy Valley](https://www.digitalspy.com/happy-valley/) spoilers follow – including discussion of the season three finale.

The BBC drama aired its last episode of Happy Valley, but parts of the story felt rushed and undeveloped...

With Joanna still not having justice, it was Catherine Cawood, true to form, who delivered the final piece of the puzzle and pointed detectives in Faisal's direction. He may not have actually killed her, but he had confessed (while under caution) that there'd been a history of violence in their relationship, to the point of leaving a blood-soaked fingerprint on their kitchen furniture. As viewers this is exactly where we wanted to be, but by almost completely focusing our attention there the rest of the narrative felt rushed and incomplete. Prior to the season-three finale, we'd seen Rob in the frame for the murder of his wife after her body was discovered in his usually locked garage. This was just one of the things that her husband, Rob Hepworth, used to terrorise her. We discovered that there was a dodgy pharmacist named Faisal Bhatti who'd been supplying prescription drugs, off the books, to members of the local community.