While the BBC is famous for making some great understated drama series about the dark side of detective work (Luther, Line of Duty, Broadchurch), it has raised the bar with Happy Valley. It’s so good, it successfully breathes new life into the middle-aged but strong-willed small-town police officer trope, taking it to some uncomfortable and difficult places with exceptional writing.
Said small-town police officer is Catherine Cawood from West Yorkshire, impressively portrayed by Sarah Lancashire. Cawood has a hard time coming to terms with the release of a man from prison, who she is connected to in a fateful way and whose comeback coincides with a kidnapping attempt by a local drug kingpin. These events reveal the criminal underbelly of a seemingly quaint small town. Hidden behind its ironic title, Happy Valley will keep you on your toes with understated suspense, dry humor, and a quietly devastating storyline.
"There's something refreshing about how Happy Valley treats violence not as power but as chaos, an inevitable psychological decay that causes even the worst criminals to turn on one another as the cops close in."
— Emily Nussbaum
"There are Happy Valleys all up and down Britain's countryside, few of which ever get their stories told in this way."
— David Renshaw
Happy Valley is a dark, funny, multi-layered thriller revolving around the personal and professional life of Catherine, a dedicated, experienced, hard-working copper. She is also a bereaved mother who looks after her orphaned grandchild.
BAFTA
1 nomination
Sundance
1 nomination
This series is good. Appreciate all the people responsible for creating it. Good viewing is hard to come by.