Happy Valley (TV series)
A crime drama set in West Yorkshire's Calder Valley.
Set in West Yorkshire's Calder Valley, this BBC crime drama was created by Sally Wainwright. Starring Sarah Lancashire, James Norton, and Siobhan Finneran, the series earned a BAFTA for Best Drama in 2015 and again for its second season.
Quick Facts
- Genre
- Crime drama; Police procedural
- Creator
- Sally Wainwright
- Director
- Sally Wainwright
- Euros Lyn
- Tim Fywell
- Neasa Hardiman
- Patrick Harkins
- Fergus O'Brien
- Starring
- Sarah Lancashire
- Siobhan Finneran
- James Norton
- Charlie Murphy
- George Costigan
- Rhys Connah
- Opening theme
- "Trouble Town" by Jake Bugg
- End theme
- "Trouble Town"
- Composer
- Ben Foster
- Country
- United Kingdom
Facts from the source article.
Premise
In Halifax, West Yorkshire, police sergeant Catherine Cawood is a divorced mother of two, still recovering from her daughter's suicide eight years earlier. She is raising her grandson Ryan, born after her daughter was raped by Tommy Lee Royce. When Catherine learns that Tommy has been released from prison, she becomes consumed with confronting him, unaware that he is involved in a criminal organisation planning to kidnap Ann Gallagher for ransom. Eighteen months later, Catherine has received the Queen's Police Medal for rescuing Gallagher, while Royce serves a life sentence. Meanwhile, HMET officers suspect that a supposed fourth victim was murdered by someone else, leading them to police detective John Wadsworth. Catherine's grandson Ryan develops a friendship with a teaching assistant who is secretly a prison groupie infatuated with Royce, who uses her to build a relationship with Ryan and seek revenge on Catherine.
Production
The BBC commissioned Happy Valley on 22 November 2012. Sally Wainwright wrote the programme, Karen Lewis produced it, and Euros Lyn, Wainwright, and Tim Fywell directed. Filming began in the Calder Valley in November 2013, with locations including Todmorden, Luddenden, Mytholmroyd, Bradford, Keighley, Sowerby Bridge, Hebden Bridge, and Heptonstall. A former police station in Sowerby Bridge was used, and additional filming took place at North Light Film Studios in Huddersfield. The title refers to what local police call the area due to its drug problem. A second series was commissioned on 18 August 2014, with filming starting in August 2015. Catherine's workplace is the former police station in Sowerby Bridge, while her home and local pub are in Hebden Bridge. Prison scenes were filmed at Oakham Enterprise Park in Rutland. A third series was confirmed in October 2020, with filming beginning in January 2022. After viewing the first three episodes, Wainwright reshot some scenes herself, earning a director credit.
Reception
The first episode aired on 29 April 2014 at 21:00, drawing 8.64 million viewers and becoming the second most watched show of the week for BBC One. The series averaged 8.21 million viewers over six episodes, with 8.1 million iPlayer requests. Ofcom received four complaints about violence but did not pursue them. The show holds a 100% rating on Rotten Tomatoes, and Metacritic ratings for the three seasons are 83, 84, and 93 respectively. Some reviewers criticised the graphic content, particularly in episodes three and four of season one, and noted typecasting of male characters as weak or criminal. Wainwright defended the show as a quality drama, stating that the violence was carefully considered and showed psychological and physical damage. Critics praised the series: Vicky Frost of The Guardian called it beautifully written with an astonishing performance from Sarah Lancashire. Gerard O'Donovan of The Telegraph described it as complex, thrilling, and brilliantly written and acted. In 2019, The Guardian ranked it 11th on its list of the 100 best TV shows of the 21st century.
Home media
BBC Shop released series one on DVD in regions two and four on 16 June 2014, with two discs and 351 minutes of footage, rated 15. All six episodes were released on iTunes in standard and high definition. The series was released on Netflix in Canada and the US on 20 August 2014, marketed as a Netflix Original, and departed in March 2020. Series one was released on Netflix in the UK in summer 2016, and series two a year later. On 26 October 2021, the first two series were released on AMC+ in Canada and the US. The third series premiered on 22 May 2023 on AMC+, Acorn TV, and BBC America, with the first series available on Acorn TV that day and the second on 3 April.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who stars in Happy Valley (TV series)?
Happy Valley stars Sarah Lancashire, Siobhan Finneran, James Norton, Charlie Murphy, George Costigan and Rhys Connah.
When did Happy Valley (TV series) end?
Happy Valley last aired on 5 February 2023.
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