Happy Valley: Season 1

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Universal acclaim based on 9 Critic Reviews

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USER SCORE

Universal acclaim based on 106 Ratings

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8.5	User Score Universal acclaim based on 106 Ratings

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Happy Valley

Now Playing: Happy Valley

Season Details & Credits

Starring: Sarah Lancashire, Joe Armstrong, Siobhan Finneran

Summary: While investigating a kidnapping case, West Yorkshire police sergeant Catherine Cawood (Sarah Lancashire) spots the man (James Norton) she believes drove her daughter to take her own life in this BBC drama.

Creator: Sally Wainwright

Genre(s): Drama, Suspense

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Season 1 Episodes

tbd
S1:E11. Episode 12
Air Date: June 23, 2018
tbd
S1:E10. Episode 11
Air Date: June 16, 2018
tbd
S1:E9. Episode 10
Air Date: May 26, 2018

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Metascore

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Mixed:

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Critic Reviews

Alan Sepinwall

Nov 3, 2014

Happy Valley is so effective at what it sets out to do, and so neat in fitting all its pieces together (up to the way the story's climax evokes a much milder incident from early in the series), that I'm a bit ambivalent about the fact that a second season has already been ordered. Lancashire is so good that I won't necessarily mind getting to watch more of her in this role, but this particular story is so unique to her in a way that no sequel season can be. Read full review

Maureen Ryan

Sep 11, 2014

Catherine's "patch" in Happy Valley may be more limited than the big chunks of Baltimore covered by Bunk and McNulty, but morally and emotionally, this fantastic drama goes deep. Read full review

Erik Adams

Aug 20, 2014

There’s enough depth and complication in the performances alone to buoy the six-episode run, and given the intensity of the criminal specifics, the slow burn feels more like a feature than a bug. Read full review

Brian Lowry

Aug 19, 2014

It’s hard to do the show justice, honestly, based strictly on a description. But the characters are so sharply drawn and the situation so suspenseful that Netflix’s famous binge function will likely be put to good use here. Read full review

Willa Paskin

Aug 20, 2014

[A] gritty and entrancing British import. Read full review

Mike Hale

Aug 19, 2014

Happy Valley, in addition to being a smart and absorbing thriller, is a morality play, one in which the mystery is secondary (we know who did what all along). Read full review

Lori Rackl

Aug 19, 2014

The Brit-speak can be a wee bit difficult to decipher at times but the show is good enough to warrant giving your remote’s rewind button a workout. Read full review

SEE ALL 9 REVIEWS

User Score

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8.5

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User Reviews

Afekt

Nov 13, 2015

One of the best tv shows for NETFLIX USA viewers! Stunning performances crack open from the start of opening credits over JAKE BUGG's perfect song around this powerful crime drama that sets up a believable multi layered story within minutesof the first episode.
Acting lead character SARAHOne of the best tv shows for NETFLIX USA viewers! Stunning performances crack open from the start of opening credits over JAKE BUGG's perfect song around this powerful crime drama that sets up a believable multi layered story within minutesof the first episode.
Acting lead character SARAH LANCASHIRE is top notch that should garner Emmy Award consideration. HAPPY VALLEY's set up starts to boil fast around an initial crime, that soon burns into kidnapping, secrets, revenge and twists.
HAPPY VALLEY plays better than most Oscar worthy films! I sure do hope NETFLIX picks up season 2 for American viewers and prmotes this hidden gem that is far better then its over hyped Orange Is The New Black.
What could be better in a program that quickly sets up Its criminal plot, all while it's victim drives her car innocently while singing along to KATE BUSH's music 'Weathering Heights' and 'Babushka' - a television first for American Viewers and I love every friggen tense second of it!… Expand

4 of 6 users found this helpful42

RSS

Mar 19, 2016

Set the subtitles and get yourselves set with drink, snacks, whatever so you watch this fine dramatic series. It's up there with Prime Suspect and Sara Laurence is as good as Helen Mirren. Other actors equal quality. Music placed just so to push the dramatic tension. Overall excellentSet the subtitles and get yourselves set with drink, snacks, whatever so you watch this fine dramatic series. It's up there with Prime Suspect and Sara Laurence is as good as Helen Mirren. Other actors equal quality. Music placed just so to push the dramatic tension. Overall excellent production. No spoiler, but the final scene of season 2 is a chilling lead to season 3. Can't wait!
PS- People might think happy valley is like a light hearted romp, that's why it's not getting views like it should.… Expand

2 of 3 users found this helpful21

toliverjohn

Jan 17, 2015

This is a gem of a show with excellent acting. The action was so intense and real that you feel like you are there.

I did have to turn on the sub titles to make sure I could understand the dialog, but this was well worth the effort. My wife and I think that had this been made in theThis is a gem of a show with excellent acting. The action was so intense and real that you feel like you are there.

I did have to turn on the sub titles to make sure I could understand the dialog, but this was well worth the effort.

My wife and I think that had this been made in the USA the producers would have made a 8-12 episode run. The six installments gave the perfect amount of time to tell this story.

I also was appalled to find out that the police are not allowed to carry guns. This fact makes this series really intense!… Expand

3 of 5 users found this helpful32

msmatch

Nov 17, 2014

Well, it would have rated a 10 by me EXcept I could never, ever understand a word out of Catherine's mouth!! Sure wish there would have been sub titles so I knew what the heck she was saying! I hope I will be able to watch season 2 without all that frustration. Had no trouble-well, maybeWell, it would have rated a 10 by me EXcept I could never, ever understand a word out of Catherine's mouth!! Sure wish there would have been sub titles so I knew what the heck she was saying! I hope I will be able to watch season 2 without all that frustration. Had no trouble-well, maybe a little with the sister- understanding most of what the others were talking about.… Expand

2 of 2 users found this helpful20

kirsten123

May 31, 2016

Having finally given up on The Path before the seasons end {to anyone that's curious; don't waste your time}, I was looking for something else to watch on Lightbox. I'm pleased to say that so far, Happy Valley is shaping up to be an exceptionally good drama

4 of 4 users found this helpful40

BogKid

Aug 23, 2014

First rate! Catherine, the police sergeant, is a solidly arresting character who carries the show with help of an excellent cast. Lots of threads of nastiness are tied together to make Sowerby one less than happy valley. It's on Netflix. If you can catch this show -- catch it!

3 of 3 users found this helpful30

Broyax

Jan 8, 2017

Première saison qui peut se suffire à elle-même en attendant de voir si les auteurs sauront (ou non) capitaliser sur la suite. En tout cas, on tient là un mélange curieux et détonnant entre une série policière menée tambour battant et un épouvantable psychodrame familial...

Un psychodramePremière saison qui peut se suffire à elle-même en attendant de voir si les auteurs sauront (ou non) capitaliser sur la suite. En tout cas, on tient là un mélange curieux et détonnant entre une série policière menée tambour battant et un épouvantable psychodrame familial...

Un psychodrame particulièrement carabiné qui en rajoute couche après couche, reléguant les Misérables (nos Misérables franco-français de Victor Hugo, re-raconté, ré-adapté maintes et maintes fois au cinéma et à la télé) au rang de bluette assez anecdotique... Quoiqu'il y eut Oliver Twist outre-manche et nul doute que Happy Valley en soit un hommage moderne quelque part, avec à la place d'Oliver, cette femme flic victime de la vie et de tous les maux et malheurs qu'il est possible de concevoir...

Nonobstant ces épanchements, on se doit de saluer la façon dont ils sont si justement racontés : l'écriture est vraiment remarquable et servie par une actrice principale épatante, tout aussi bien entourée d'ailleurs ; de même la réalisation est soignée et assurément toujours efficace.

Si les deux derniers épisodes (sur les 6) sont une sorte d'épilogue (un carambolage d'une problématique sentimentale compliquée mais néanmoins stupéfiante) les 4 premiers sont montés comme un thriller policier des plus passionnants et rigoureux dans leur narration. On remarquera qu'apparemment dans la cambrousse de nos amis rosbifs, les flics ne portent jamais d'armes à feu (shocking !) ce qui ne laisse pas d'étonner. Par contre, ils ont d'énormes gilets jaunes fluorescents !

Je ne comprendrai jamais les Anglais. Mais quelle série... étonnante (pour l'instant) !… Expand

1 of 2 users found this helpful11

SEE ALL 21 REVIEWS

Seasons & Episodes

87

Series Overview
Season 3

93
- Season 3 Overview
  Air Date: May 22, 2023
Season 2

84
- Season 2 Overview
  Air Date: February 9, 2016
Season 1

83
- Season 1 Overview
  Air Date: April 29, 2014
- tbd
  S1:E11. Episode 12
  Air Date: June 23, 2018
- tbd
  S1:E10. Episode 11
  Air Date: June 16, 2018
- tbd
  S1:E9. Episode 10
  Air Date: May 26, 2018
- tbd
  S1:E8. Episode 9
  Air Date: May 19, 2018
- tbd
  S1:E7. Episode 8
  Air Date: May 12, 2018
- tbd
  S1:E6. Episode 6
  Air Date: June 3, 2014
- tbd
  S1:E5. Episode 5
  Air Date: May 27, 2014
- tbd
  S1:E4. Episode 4
  Air Date: May 20, 2014
- tbd
  S1:E3. Episode 3
  Air Date: May 13, 2014
- tbd
  S1:E2. Episode 2
  Air Date: May 6, 2014
- tbd
  S1:E1. Episode 1
  Air Date: April 29, 2014