Happy Valley

And who on earth wants to marry a thug?

And will one of the thugs get to his wedding on Saturday?

merlotgran

I just hope that after all the BBC hype it’s not a damp squib like Line of Duty.

Sally Wainwright should be a safe pair of hands though.

Didn’t work with Last Tango In Halifax, another Sally Wainwright production.

The last series was hopeless, IMHO, and would have been far better left as it was.

Lot of nonsense with Derek Jacobi working in a supermarket, befriending a troublesome lad, and Timothy West cropping up as a long lost relative (if I remember correctly, but of course, recollections may vary!)

Better to go out on a high, but the tv companies never seem to learn.

Prequel anyone? Plenty of interesting back-stories to be explored.

I just hope that after all the BBC hype it’s not a damp squib like Line of Duty.

Sally Wainwright should be a safe pair of hands though.

Thanks for that, it sums up all the many threads which need resolving. I'm glad I will be recording it, as I may need to rewind and check something if the pace is too fast!

Thought I’d cut & paste this article from today’s Telegraph (it’s behind a paywall so I haven’t just put a link) as it sums up nicely what we’ve all been discussing!

TELEVISION

“The Happy Valley finale: six things we need to know
It’s been another roller-coaster ride, so how will Sunday’s final chapter play out? By Benji Wilson
1 Will Catherine get her revenge on Tommy?

There have been three Catherine Cawood v Tommy Lee Royce direct confrontations in Happy Valley’s three seasons, and though she’s been bloodied, Catherine (Sarah Lancashire) has always come out unbowed. But this time Tommy (James Norton) is hunting her down and he’s out for blood. “I’m going to find her, follow her and then I am going to bide my time and look for an opportunity,” he said, which doesn’t sound like much of a plan. But Tommy has had seven years in the slammer to engineer his revenge and he knows full well that Catherine’s grandson Ryan (Rhys Connah) is her weakness …

2 Whose side is Ryan on?

Last week, Ryan told his granny that he loved her, only to be met with a brusque, “What brought that on?”, from Catherine. This was after poor Ryan got the whole truth and nothing but the truth from Ann (Charlie Murphy), about how his dad raped his mum, who then killed herself, and no one wanted him. It’s the kind of thing that can scramble a 16-year-old’s mind. So, will Ryan stick with Catherine or will he run off to Marbella and go bungee-jumping with his wicked but misunderstood dad? And then there’s the third option: is Ryan springing a trap for his old man?

Will Ryan stick with Catherine or run off to Marbella with his wicked dad?
3 Will the killer chemist get his just desserts?

Yes – the first two series showed that writer Sally Wainwright has little time for hapless dorks who kill or endanger innocent women in order to dig themselves out of holes of their own making. Steve Pemberton’s Kevin Weatherall and Kevin Doyle’s John Wadsworth both got short shrift, with one put in prison, one put in the ground. Which means Faisal Bhatti (Amit Shah) needs to watch out. That still leaves Rob Hepworth (Mark Stanley), who, if he didn’t kill his poor wife, could easily have done so. He can also expect some sort of comeuppance for being controlling and, in Catherine speak, a “t--t”.

4 Will Catherine clean up the Knežević crime empire?

Probably not. It’s been a constant refrain of Catherine’s that the Kneževićes, the crime family who run Halifax, are “untouchable” – head boy Darius (Alec Secareanu) is even engaging in reputational laundering by standing for election to Bradford City Council. But wait – we have been reminded throughout this series that Tommy was present at the murder of Gary Gaggoski by Darius, back in the days when the Kneževićes weren’t so charlie-big-potatoes that they didn’t do their own killing. Tommy remains a threat to the Halifax Sopranos.

5 Whither your favourite supporting cast member?

We’re talking Neil (Con O’Neill), who persuaded Catherine’s sister Clare to take Ryan to see Tommy in prison – is he a wrong ’un’ after all? Will Alison Garrs (Susan Lynch) contribute anything more to the series than fixing the alternator on Catherine’s Land Rover? Will Ann stay a detective (and stay sober)? Will Rob’s daughter Poppy ever take off her jacket? And, most importantly, will PC Gorkem (Mete Dursun) clap eyes on some little green men? The truth is out there.

6 Will Catherine get her Himalayan happy ending?

Catherine’s retirement plan consisted of doing up the Land Rover and tootling off into the Himalayan sunset. Her workplace frenemy Joyce (Ishia Bennison) has also amassed £2,000 of donations from well-wishers for a send-off party – although nibbles, drinks and cheery reminiscence wouldn’t really fit in a finale that’s expected to be as relaxing as open-heart surgery. Catherine seems hell-bent on a showdown with Tommy, and while we all hope she can escape this troubled town, I suspect that her Land Rover will remain parked on those wet, grey cobblestones.”

“Happy Valley is on BBC One on Sunday at 9pm“

Iam64 So glad to hear there is another one lol

Biker - I’ve planned my Sunday evening as well

Easybee, the pe teacher is a bully because he is a controlling, abusive man. He started a relationship with her when she went into 6th form so he’s about ten years older, which is significant when you’re a 16 year old school girl.
There’s a padlock in the fridge, put there by him. When Catherine Cawood interviewed her, the wife’s arms were covered in bruises. He’s a bad lot.

Is it possible the child who never takes her coat off will tell the police she saw the man who crashed into daddy’s car at their house?

Oh gosh! no please no loose dangling threads, how on earth would we cope seeing as though there is deff not going to be any more series made.

Maybe some of the loose ends will be left dangling? I hope they solve the rest of them because we're all agog, aren't we? We don't want to be left wondering.

Chestnut

I'm wondering just how they can tie up so many loose ends in one episode. I feel there could be a lot more meat on the bone of the murder enquiry. I was hoping the toxicology report would lead them to the pharmacist. Then there's the Tommy storyline which involves Ryan and also the confrontation with Catherine. Then we have to sort out the two bad guys trying to save their skins, stop the drug gangs and capture Darius!

As I said! Too many loose ends for one episode.

I agree Ginny; I am curious about the PE teacher. Was he such a bully because his wife was using drugs? She was quite adept at blackmail and her character and 'previous' would be worth exploring. Then the ramifications of the gang whose name I cannot pronounce, yet alone spell; why are they so generous towards Tommy Lee Royce?
Much concentration needed for Sunday night.

As well as all the questions about the main characters there is still the pharmacist, the husband, the little girl who never takes her coat off , the two thugs and the rest of their gang
How are they going to wind all this up in 70 minutes ?

bikergran thats all normal to me I will be all ready to watch it with a bottle of Cava ready in the ice bucket.

That made me chuckle bikergran 🤣🤣I’ll just add, don’t nod off.

I think I must lead a sad life lol. Yesterday I was already planning my tea for sunday, then some snacks and a drink, phone on silent, curtains closed, doors locked, ready to settle down and watch the final episode

Surely it has to end, because Catherine is going to retire. The only way it could continue is with someone else and that won't work. Tommy can't keep escaping from jail either. It has to end.

Totally agree Calendargirl!

I hope, after all the hype, the final episode doesn’t prove to be a let-down, like Line Of Duty was.

Think it’s right to finish now, not drag on until the ideas have run out, which so often happens.

‘Last Tango In Halifax’ being a case in point.

The BBC have released. Teaser Trailer.

Happy Valley fans think they are 'piecing together' vital clues for the series finale after a nail-biting trailer was released on Tuesday.

Viewers are facing an anxious wait until Sunday night for the extended 70 minute episode which will see the final showdown between Sergeant Catherine Cawood and Tommy Lee Royce.

And some believe there could be a heartbreaking ending for one major character after seeing the escaped convict break into the family home.

Clare perhaps, trying to prove her support for her sister after that outburst from Catherine? Oh no!
😱

annodomini

Is it possible that Ann's outburst about what Tommy did to her and to Ryan's mother may have opened his eyes to what his father is really like?

Yes, but it could also convince him that he is made of the same stuff as the dad who said he loved him when his grandmother didn't.

Anything is possible in the last episode, isn't it?

Catherine has had to be so strong. It’s no surprise she’s reached her breaking point now. Sunday’s episode will be a bit like the film ‘High Noon’ I think. Will Ryan or Alison save the day? There will definitely be ‘a confrontation ‘.

The tension is going to be sky high (mine included!).

Is it possible that Ann's outburst about what Tommy did to her and to Ryan's mother may have opened his eyes to what his father is really like?