Happy Valley

Rita said:
Do we know the reason for the time jump, or is it something we will find out about in the last episode?
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I think to get Tommy in court for the murder of the man they found in the lake?
 
jivafox said:
I think to get Tommy in court for the murder of the man they found in the lake?
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That makes sense. I suppose they wouldn’t have been able to fit in Ryan visiting Tommy in prison if it started at the court case.
 
I am SOOOO excited for this but also a bit bereft that it will be done forever.
 
jivafox said:
OMG ok that last kitchen scene was an absolute emotional rollercoaster.
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The acting was outstanding BUT am I the only one that feels slightly shortchanged? I think it was a bit drawn out in the first few episodes which in turn made a very rushed final episode. I wanted to see Tommy die on screen with Catherine looking over him. I wanted Faisal to get caught and prosecuted for the murder of Joanna. I wanted Rob to get his balls cut off in jail for being an absolute disgusting filthy sexual predator. I am glad that Catherine made it out alive, and loved the kitchen scenes between her and Tommy but we didn’t even see Ryan’s reaction in it all?
 
Rita said:
The acting was outstanding BUT am I the only one that feels slightly shortchanged? I think it was a bit drawn out in the first few episodes which in turn made a very rushed final episode. I wanted to see Tommy die on screen with Catherine looking over him. I wanted Faisal to get caught and prosecuted for the murder of Joanna. I wanted Rob to get his balls cut off in jail for being an absolute disgusting filthy sexual predator. I am glad that Catherine made it out alive, and loved the kitchen scenes between her and Tommy but we didn’t even see Ryan’s reaction in it all?
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Yes, absolutely this!! It felt far too rushed. It was a good episode but it could have been better.

It was worth it for the kitchen scene tho.
 
I didn’t really get too invested with any of the side storylines to be honest BUT I personally don’t think the ending was as good as it could have been if Tommy never got in to that fight and was able bodied. When you saw him limping around in agony you knew that it wasn’t going to be an action packed ending. I still don’t think a text to say he was dead was a great ending and don’t understand why they were waiting on Ryan to come of age to end the whole thing? Clearly Sally was just too busy with other projects to write another series sooner.
 
The acting was the best I have ever watched on any drama, and I was on the edge of my seat throughout and the line where Catherine said she singed Claire’s crocheted blanket was just PERFECT.
 
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Just watched again and enjoyed the ending second time around knowing what was going to happen.I think the fact that I had all these high tempo theories running around my head meant I was initially quite underwhelmed with the way it ended but it didn’t need anything like that. The fantastic writing, and acting from the 2 main players in the whole series and ending with Catherine walking away in to the sunset really was pretty perfect.
 
When the head police man (I can’t recall his title) mistook Ryan for a police officer then said that he has something special about him implying that he could see him as a police man does kind of leave the door open for a season 4 or a spin off with Ryan as a member of the police force. I would much prefer a spin off with Anne though.
 
I really don't see what the point was though in building up all those stories with the chemist and the teacher, if they were just going to fizzle out at the end. Why make them such a big part of the earlier episodes if it's ultimately just going to be about the Catherine/Tommy feud?
 
Vicky the Vole said:
I really don't see what the point was though in building up all those stories with the chemist and the teacher, if they were just going to fizzle out at the end. Why make them such a big part of the earlier episodes if it's ultimately just going to be about the Catherine/Tommy feud?
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Yes. This was definitely my main issue with it as I couldn’t have cared less about those characters throughout.
 
I absolutely hate myself for saying this, and I know what a pathetic sap I sound, but I almost felt myself feeling sorry for Tommy during the kitchen scene 🤦🏻‍♀️:manson:
 
I thought the storyline with the teacher was capped off nicely when we learned that he was going to prison and with the mum dead it was the grandmother that was going to have the children, it was a nice bit of pathos when Catherine was told that.
 
I do wonder if the actress who played Ann had limited availability for this series, as she only ever featured in a couple of scenes max in an episode. She still managed to steal every scene she was in though - and I really missed her in the last episode!

I think more should have been made about her liking of Kate Bush too!
 
Vicky the Vole said:
I think more should have been made about her liking of Kate Bush too!
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What-the-fuck-GIFS.gif
 
I wouldn’t have minded an extra episode or two but I do think the whole thing was done really very well. I think that final episode is testament to great storytelling being about excellent writing and being character driven rather than stunts and spectacle.

Also totally get @Rachey on almost feeling sorry for him, I thought it was a fantastic scene that did allow for that but kept TLR firmly rooted in his narcissistic nature with the whole ‘I forgive you’ to Catherine.

The acting was phenomenal and it gave the closure that was needed. I didn’t want a repeat of season one where they kick the shit out of each other.

I’m thoroughly satisfied but really do just want MORE
 
I loved the episode, it definitely subverted expectations. I really liked how they didn't do a big violent set piece or a drawn out 'will he, won't he' with Ryan torn between Catherine and Tommy, and the way he way he instigated the reunion of the sisters was nice.

Obviously it was all about the kitchen confrontation scene which was just perfect. Lancashire was outstanding as always but Norton matched her here - and the Tommy stuff was not my favourite in the earlier episodes this series.

I think enough was seen of the teacher this week to satisfactorily wrap up his storyline. Regarding the pharmacist I quite liked how you last met him mistakenly thinking everything had worked out perfectly, having got away with murder and the two thug types being arrested as well, but there were maybe a few too many off screen leaps on that side.
 
Vicky the Vole said:
The scene where she's driving her car, just before the kidnapping in series 1... She is singing along at the top of her voice to Kate Bush's greatest hits. This is when I first knew I loved the character!
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Yes, I get that but I’m not sure we needed an in-depth analysis on why she was a fan. :D
 
I see that Sally Wainwright changed the first draft ending she had wrote at the request of Sarah Lancashire. I wonder what the initial ending Sally had wrote was meant to be!? :o
 
I've been ILL this week (the drama!) so belatedly managed to catch up on this.

I actually loved the ending??
Going into it I was dreading another typical big set piece action finale, that resulted in the death of a beloved character (most likely Clare) as it would have been so utterly typical and in many ways predictable. I was so happy when it became obvious it wasn't going to happen save the knife fight in the field. It feels like season 3 was in some ways more of a character study of Catherine than the other seasons.

I thought it was perfection to have them have a head to head sit down FINALLY, and have Tommy come to the eventuality that despite everything he had done he actually had nothing left - and in many ways Catherine was the closest thing to family he had left, despite the fact that they despise each other.

I didn't care about the loose ends. Catherine was leaving the Police force, the subplot would have taken literally years to resolve in reality, especially as it showed there was media interest in the case. It would be true to life to hand the case over upon retirement. There's also the curious twist that it seems quite likely the chemist would have gotten away with it which would have been a big and unneeded distraction to go into.
I also liked the reflection of that case mirrored the Tommy case itself - in the end the two young girls suffered to the actions of evil men, and were to be raised by their grandparents just like Ryan was with Catherine. I don't think it was insignificant that detail was mentioned on screen.

The death of Catherine or Clare would have been totally off message for the show in retrospect, and the above Tweet about how the fates of all the evil male characters were TOSSED OFF off screen was so on brand for the show, ultimately none of them deserved the airtime - and I think that's pretty brave and beautiful.
 
Was also so happy Ryan didn't blindly follow Tommy in the final episode, as he was starting to annoy me with his loyalty leading up to that.
LOVED the drunken monologue from Anne, which I think was the best scene of the entire season.
I did roll my eyes at Catherine discovering the pills that linked into the chemist case at the start of episode 6 :D Very convenient storytelling.

Oh and I fucking HATED the theme tune, which may have worked in season 1, but was just JARRING and tonally-off for this season.
 
Rewatched the whole thing last week and it was just as incredible as ever. This and 'The Missing' (series 2) are the best shows on BBC in the last decade
 
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