Happy Valley

The finale of BBC's acclaimed drama Happy Valley will air tonight, bringing the programme to a close after three series.

[The programme](https://www.southwalesargus.co.uk/news/23295708.bbc-happy-valley-star-fan-theories-shows-final-episode/) has followed Halifax Police Sergeant Catherine Cawood (played by Sarah Lancashire) as she dealt with some brutal crimes that have intertwined with a complicated past in her family. Take our quiz ahead of the series finale](https://www.southwalesargus.co.uk/news/23299302.happy-valley-final-episode-test-knowledge-ahead-finale/) [how it will end](https://www.southwalesargus.co.uk/news/23295708.bbc-happy-valley-star-fan-theories-shows-final-episode/).

Sally Wainwright has been definitive in saying that Happy Valley would end with Series 3, having spoken with Sarah Lancashire about it. Speaking to the Radio ...

[Happy Valley](https://www.thetelegraphandargus.co.uk/news/national/uk-today/23300183.time-happy-valley-tonight-series-3-final-episode/) returned in January after a seven-year gap between Series Two and Three and many fans are speculating how it will conclude. [Happy Valley](https://www.thetelegraphandargus.co.uk/news/national/uk-today/23300183.time-happy-valley-tonight-series-3-final-episode/), it was a big way to go out." "We're really not doing any more. [Happy Valley](https://www.thetelegraphandargus.co.uk/news/national/uk-today/23300183.time-happy-valley-tonight-series-3-final-episode/) would end with Series 3, having spoken with Sarah Lancashire about it. [Happy Valley](https://www.thetelegraphandargus.co.uk/news/national/uk-today/23300183.time-happy-valley-tonight-series-3-final-episode/) has earnt many awards, including a BAFTA for Best Drama for Series One back in 2014. [The programme](https://www.thetelegraphandargus.co.uk/news/national/uk-today/23300183.time-happy-valley-tonight-series-3-final-episode/) has followed Halifax Police Sergeant Catherine Cawood (played by Sarah Lancashire) as she dealt with some brutal crimes that have intertwined with a complicated past in her family.

Critics and fans praise the show's "sensational" ending, calling it a "heart-stopping triumph".

Sally Wainwright, Sarah Lancashire, James Norton deserve ALL THE THINGS.— Jojo Moyes (@jojomoyes) Although she, too, gave it five stars, Midgley did say: "It wasn't a perfect episode. "It had redemption, justice, bitter laughs and fire in its blood." The finale is expected to have attracted big ratings. "For heart-stopping drama, Royce's escape from court was the high point," she continued. Sobbed my way through the last twenty minutes. No popcorn, but a huge plate of Yorkshire puddings arrived in time for Jake Bugg's theme. "Not since Line of Duty has a drama finale been so eagerly awaited. Together, they are invincible." "Separately, they are brilliant. The climax of Happy Valley after three series has been described by TV critics as "a sensational end to a truly great drama" and "a heart-stopping triumph". The scriptwriter did "challenge our perspective", Singh added, although she ultimately decided the finale "was not the most gripping episode of this series".

Warning: contains Happy Valley Series 3 Episode 6 spoilers. It's become so commonplace for beloved TV shows to piss their goodwill up the wall with a ...

After keeping his powder dry and his brow furrowed for most of the series, that boy showed up for the finale in a big way. First, by telling the truth about his contact with Royce entirely off his own back because he knew it was the right thing to do, and secondly, by telling his granny what’s what and advocating for his aunty Clare with words of straightforward sense. Look too at the verdict he delivered on Rob Hepworth – honest, useful, not afraid to speak his mind and state his instincts. It’s almost a shame Rob didn’t continue his predatory pursuit of Ryan, if only to have seen Catherine reach down his neck and yank out his skeleton whole like a cartoon cat producing the bones of a just-eaten fish. Home was central to Tommy’s revelation that he was grateful to Catherine for the love she’d given Ryan, so home is where it happened. We got her rage when Tommy condescended to forgive her (even without the hair, his Jesus complex remained), her roll-call of his disgusting crimes, and a conveyor belt of insults met by his inarticulate protests. Faisal’s arrest also wasn’t seen in the finale, but thanks to Alison Garrs and her dodgy probation officer, it’s only a matter of time. There was enough space for that climactic scene to play out unrushed because the episode did good housekeeping. It’s become so commonplace for beloved TV shows to piss their goodwill up the wall with a disappointing ending that it’s getting to be a tradition. By siding with Catherine and having the grace to pity Tommy, Ryan made the sun come out on this story. The dialogue kept us so rapt that they may as well have been hanging off a cliff-edge or duelling in a waterfall instead of within three feet of the biscuit tin and Clare’s crocheted blankets (RIP). If he’d sided with Tommy, the skies would have darkened, oceans would have boiled, and despair would have reigned.

With major spoilers, we break down the Happy Valley Series 3 finale.

Add to that the fact that Darius Knežević’s two heavies were also brought in and could easily testify against Faisal (or more likely, vice versa) and that’s a lot of dirt off the streets. During the off-screen prison attack, Tommy made a deal with Darius and agreed to lie for him and pin the Gaggoski murder on a rival gang-leader, Chris Oxley. Tommy’s plan to kill a serving police officer made him a liability that would unleash a world of difficulty on Darius and his political ambitions, so he must have given the order to have Royce offed. [Darius](https://www.denofgeek.com/tv/happy-valley-who-are-halifax-gangsters-knezevics/) that getting revenge on Catherine was as important to him as escaping prison, Tommy had a complete change of heart. Rob was arrested for possession of indecent images of a minor on his phone, and for having coerced a minor into making sexual images. At Catherine’s retirement do, she gave her DSU the name Faisal Bhatti as a source of illegally sold prescription diazepam and noted that he lived only a few doors up from Rob and Jo Hepworth. Off-screen, he was arrested for the murder of Gary Gaggoski, following evidence given against him by a dying Tommy Lee Royce (in revenge for having reneged on their Marbella agreement). When the reservoir was drained and Gaggoski’s corpse was discovered, Darius ordered Tommy’s murder in prison to ensure he couldn’t give evidence against him. [Darius Knežević](https://www.denofgeek.com/tv/happy-valley-who-are-halifax-gangsters-knezevics/) – and killed two of his men. but Ryan did turn out to be the one good thing that made a difference to that monster. In that café, Clare’s speech had sounded like the ramblings of a naïve fantasist to Catherine, but in the finale, we saw Clare’s hopeful ‘what ifs’ come to pass. What if this is the one good thing, the one good simple relationship that he has never had before, that makes a difference?”

THIS ARTICLE CONTAINS MAJOR SPOILERS FOR THE HAPPY VALLEY FINALE*** Happy Valley made a subtle nod to the crime drama's very first episode during the BBC ...

"First ever scene in the first episode of happy valley a man was going to set himself on fire and in the last ever episode a man sets himself on fire! Just sublime, the best show to come out of this country in DECADES #HappyValley "Nice circle of fire arc from first episode! Another added: "#HappyValley first episode man threatening to set himself on fire. #HappyValleyFinale," one fan tweeted as the series came to an end over the weekend. Thank you to all involved.

That question answered, Happy Valley is now complete. The Series 3 finale ended with Tommy Lee Royce dead, Ryan happy and well-adjusted, and Catherine at peace.

Happy Valley Series 1-3 are available to stream on BBC iPlayer in the UK. [Variety](https://variety.com/2023/tv/global/happy-valley-season-3-sally-wainwright-interview-1235467111/), “A narrative has gone across all three: in season 1, Catherine and Tommy came face to face outside Ryan’s school, and in season 2, they almost came face to face in the crematorium, at Tommy’s mum’s funeral. As a viewer, it’s satisfying to see those and know they’re of the same kid we met in 2014 and not a replacement. Instead, she waited six years to conclude this story, allowing enough time for child actor Rhys Connah (who plays Ryan) to age to the point she needed to tell this particular story. It’s a rare thing in TV for a story to be held in higher regard than ratings and international sales – and in this case, it’s paid off with record numbers tuning in to Series 3 on BBC One and iPlayer. It’s not a trick from Sally, we’re not going to announce a new series …

WARNING: CONTAINS SPOILERS Sgt Catherine Cawood popping up in her sunglasses like some nonchalant Hollywood action hero and striding to her Land Rover after ...

During the first of many police raids he was given a brilliantly funny line. Luckily, the handsome devil was unable to rise for one final assault, leaving Catherine to stride out of her house and down the street like a Marvel superhero… Notification of that came during her tea-fuelled reconciliation with Clare. I was delighted by one last piece of police radio banter between Catherine and Joyce. And what a line Catherine came out with amid the guttural sobs. It was also fitting that newcomer Oliver Huntingdon was rewarded for his fine work playing the Knezevics’ henchman, Ivan.

This awe-inspiring drama's ending was full of redemption, justice and bitter laughs. Together, Sarah Lancashire and Sally Wainwright are invincible.

It is in the brief, desperate banging of her head against a shop window when an image of Becky floats before her and she has to knock sense into herself. It lies in the bone-deep weariness of Catherine – be she levering herself off the sofa when the secretary tells her the chief constable is going to be half an hour late for their meeting (“I’ve got stuff to be doing”), running another colleague through how to do their job properly, or closing her eyes for a moment before a drink of tea. Outside work, she is a sister to a recovering alcoholic, Clare (Siobhan Finneran), the former wife of Richard (Derek Riddell), a mother of two and a grandmother of one. It lies in her stopping to make sure Ryan’s tea won’t spoil while she is tearing him off a strip. The nailing of Halifax’s answer to the Sopranos, the drug-running Knezevics, also seemed a long way off. In her professional capacity, Sgt Cawood knows every bad ’un (generally “twats”, sometimes “shitpots”), good ’un and doing-their-best ’un in the Calder Valley.

The series is over but it will be remembered for subverting crime drama clichés and creating a new kind of TV cop.

For a full comparison of Standard and Premium Digital, click here. You'll enjoy access to several newsletters including FirstFT, a daily newsletter with the global stories you need to know as well as Editor's Choice, a weekly newsletter featuring the editor's favourite stories. Access our essential offering with over 600 journalists in 50+ countries covering markets, politics, business, tech and more.

In just 18 episodes, Sally Wainwright's brilliant creation rewrote the rules of the genre, says Nick Hilton. It should be evidence enough for the BBC to ...

A duty to her job, a duty to her grandson, a duty to the murderer at the kitchen table. Let’s just hope that, as Catherine and co disappear in the rear-view mirror, Happy Valley doesn’t prove just a brief, extraordinary, respite from the raging winds of mediocrity. In the end, Tommy poses no threat to Catherine, only to himself – and her ability to live with what follows. It is testament to the brilliance of In the end, the finale unfolded in true Happy Valley fashion: a touch of bathos, a splash of bleak humour, and a great slug of relief. In the seven years that Happy Valley was off-air, between its second outing in 2016 and this latest series, it developed an almost mystical quality – at least in my household.

BBC One viewers couldn't quite believe show writers had missed such a pivotal part to the story as they watched in horror as Tommy Lee broke into Catherine's ...

Surely it wouldn't take long for police to arrive," another echoed. Pressed for time here people chop chop," one viewer quipped. I know I'll just enter the house for a sneaky look around without letting anyone know. "Surely Katherine’s house would be under police surveillance," another echoed, while someone else pointed out: "Hmm, broken window at my house. Escaped murderer on the run. "How long does it take the police to get to catherine’s house ?!?!

The final episode of Happy Valley aired on Sunday night and it definitely didn't disappoint. The shock climax saw Sgt Catherine Cawood - played by Sarah ...

Just sublime, the best show to come out of this country in DECADES #HappyValley.” "Give Sarah Lancashire all the awards. Others were tipping Sarah Lancashire to win awards for her incredible performance, as a fourth said: “She deserves all the BAFTAs, Golden Globes and Oscars and it still won’t be enough . [Listen on Global Player: Spencer & Vogue. She deserves all the BAFTAs, Golden Globes and Oscars and it still won’t be enough .— MK200034 (@MN456782) The final episode of Happy Valley aired on Sunday night and it definitely didn’t disappoint.

HAPPY Valley viewers were quick to point out a string of police blunders as the series came to an explosive end last night.Millions tuned into thefina.

[engulfed in a fireball](https://www.thesun.ie/tv/10177797/happy-valley-final-episode-death/). [Rhys Connah](https://www.thesun.ie/tv/10170038/inside-happy-valley-ryan-actor-rhys-connahs-life/), was “a prince” and nothing like him — and to prove it the lad had turned his dad over to cops after being asked to go on the run with him to Spain. When she found Tommy in her kitchen, she assumed he had come to kill her and he admitted to Catherine he’d considered torching her house with a can of petrol. Spotting petrol in the back of the car, he made an excuse to go back into the house and armed himself with a kitchen knife. [viewers never saw him die](https://www.thesun.ie/tv/10133069/happy-valley-five-different-endings-finale-secret/), and he was still breathing after the scorching, many speculated it could be a plot twist for a possible fourth series. [The shock climax](https://www.thesun.ie/tv/10177787/happy-valley-final-episode/) saw the murderer douse himself in petrol and set himself alight at the end of a clash with show heroine Sgt Catherine Cawood, played by [Sarah Lancashire](https://www.thesun.ie/tvandshowbiz/331232/who-sarah-lancashire-how-old/).

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.

Millions came to a halt last night for roughly 70 minutes as they sat down for the finale of British crime drama series Happy Valley.

[40 years ago, a sci-fi horror with one of the best special effects of all time was released](https://www.joe.ie/movies-tv/videodrome-40th-anniversary-special-effects-debbie-harry-766555) [5 years ago, Hollywood took a massive gamble on a huge sequel... Whenever do these women get their awards? What a finale. [February 5, 2023] Britain is really spoiled with women who brilliantly depict grit, strength & compassion through their acting. The closing episode saw everything come to a head for Catherine, as she discovered that her grandson Ryan had been visiting his biological father Tommy in prison. [February 6, 2023] Surely time for these two! A stand-off worth waiting for - no guns, no knives, no punches, but a battle of words which Catherine badly needed to say.