Happy Valley [BBC 1] [ Spoilers ]

TICKLE_ME_ELMO · 31-01-2023 12:40pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120181552#Comment_120181552

I think they were on Netflix for a while a few years ago.

TICKLE_ME_ELMO · 31-01-2023 12:45pm

I was listening to a podcast that does weekly recaps on Happy Valley and they had a special this week where they were interviewing the director of the last 3 episodes, Fergus O'Brien.

He said that there weren't multiple endings written and shot. There was only one ending, but only the people involved in the scenes got scripts, and only the crew who were involved in filming those scenes know how it ends. I'm guessing they're all under NDAs too, just to be safe. But yeah, just the one ending written and shot.

He was also taking about how he loves shooting the technical stuff of big action scenes, but also loves when a scene is just a two hander with great actors, and hinted that there's some of both in the last episode.

And then lastly, as far as Happy Valley goes, he said he was watching the final cut of the last episode a few days ago, and he paused it at one point and only 16 minutes had gone past, and he couldn't believe how much they'd already packed in in that time.

So, all in all, very exciting.

It's here if anyone's interested

https://open.spotify.com/episode/6EYZUYIHxIhlTqL2gGTVsK?si=6sPExuqBSDya7_PW9kqzQg&utm_source=copy-link

cobham · 31-01-2023 3:22pm

Yes I think they were on Netflix and not to be confused with film of the same name which is still there. BBC had them on their iplayer ... good for people only finding the show for first time and could view it there. I think it was a series that benefited from knowing the early drama.

31-01-2023 4:15pm

Yep, definitely was on Netflix.

The lad who plays Ryan is very good I think.

The Black Oil · 01-02-2023 6:17pm

Ahem.

https://twitter.com/scottygb/status/1619974058841628672

jos28 · 01-02-2023 7:17pm

Siobhain Finneran and George Costigan (Claire and Nev) starred together in a film called "Rita, Sue and Bob too" made in 1987. I'm not sure if it has aged well but I remember thinking it was hilarious. Bearing in mind that it was a long time ago and I probably watched it after coming home from the pub

https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0091859/

TICKLE_ME_ELMO · 01-02-2023 7:58pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120188569#Comment_120188569

Someone posted something similar a few weeks ago of a scene from S1 where Tommy and the two other guys that were involved in Anne's kidnapping are talking and the younger lad mentions that the rumour is that Gary Gagovski (or whatever his name is) just disappeared but he's wearing concrete underpants in the local lake. I don't know whether she's planned these things all along or was just watching the first 2 series before writing the 3rd and though, ooooh, that's a good one, I'll mention that again.

The Princess Bride · 03-02-2023 12:18am

https://twitter.com/shrinepod/status/1620802347948711936?t=snKwd62mn-3xMMtfQ4IzOQ&s=19

...

Deregos. · 05-02-2023 12:09pm

Only hours away from the finale.

Some are saying there's a clue in this poster, which shows a fire that hasn't yet been seen in the show.

We're gonna be lighting our own fire, opening a bottle or two and ordering our favourite takeaway.

TICKLE_ME_ELMO · 05-02-2023 12:53pm

I was watching something I'd recorded off BBC over Christmas and the trailer for Happy Valley was on it, and I was looking to see if there was any shots we haven't seen yet.

There was one scene of a lot of uniformed police officers running out of the office, putting on their high vis jackets, not sure if that was from the episode where they were going to arrest Josip or something new.

But there was a scene of a silver car, not the little Honda, flying along a country road and into a field, and also a shot of Catherine inside a house with her tazer out.

05-02-2023 12:56pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120204493#Comment_120204493

Yep. It's a house in the countryside on fire. it's Nevison's house, which is where Ryan is staying.

gmisk · 05-02-2023 10:10pm

F#ck me....I held my breath for large parts of that episode...I also literally have a creak in my neck from the tension of sitting through it.

A really satisfying finale, Sally Wainwright stuck the landing! (Compare and contrast with other shows like line of duty!).

Couldn't really care as much about the b plot with the pharmacist and the PE teacher. Faisal is f#cked thankfully, PE teacher d#ckhead gets locked up.

Sarah Lancashire....give her all the awards already!

Of an action packed finale in parts, the scene with her and Clare in Nev's kitchen and her and Tommy was genuinely utterly brilliant. She ripped him to absolute shreds, outstanding!!!!

Thank feck the main people made it out alive (Tommy - I couldn't give a toss..."a bit of a tussle...I won")

Jesus talk about a busy last day!!!

05-02-2023 10:12pm

That was beautifully done. Crikey I couldn't watch that encounter at times. It went on for an eternity.

Not sure what the point of the pharmacist/teacher story was - red herring I suppose.

Anyway, brilliant.

Sarah Lancashire had to be talked into doing a third series (possibly part of the six/seven-year wait). I can see why - imagine how that level of intensity/amount of screen time would affect you emotionally/mentally/physically. She takes acting to another dimension.

gmisk · 05-02-2023 10:29pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120206641#Comment_120206641

I definitely didn't find it as compelling but there are some parallels to the main storyline obviously. Coercive control, abuse, it's affect on kids especially.

Wouldn't have minded seeing that Faisal plonker getting arrested though (obviously it was heading that way, Catherine basically handed him to the police on her very productive last day).

People online pointing out the first episode kicked off with Catherine wearing sunglasses and using a fire extinguisher.

The writing was excellent.

TLR didn't see himself as a villain...there were definitely attempts to humanise him even if he was a "monster".

05-02-2023 10:35pm

Very disappointed with the execution of the ending. I know it's fiction but, call for backup woman! Broad daylight break-in to a house with a cop inside. Convenient stone in the field. Then wrapping up the other series plotlines off camera, basically a sentence each devoted and an SMS at the end. Hate to say it but similar to Line of Duty finale - brilliant storyline, characters and tension but fluffed the dismount.

siblers · 05-02-2023 10:42pm

I know we're meant to suspend disbelief but not having police outside Catherine's house was a bit nonsensical, also, how the parole officer left her pills at Allison's flat was very convenient

Having said that, the car scene was brilliant and the the confrontation between Catherine and Tommy was amazing, was really well done in how we got to see how deluded Tommy is

05-02-2023 10:47pm

I thought she did call for backup?

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120206685#Comment_120206685

Tommy was a piece of sh1t through and through. Yeah every so often there were moments where a little humanity shone through, but then he'd go and ruin it all with his arrogance and refusal to accept responsibility for monstrous things, and his idea of himself as the victim.

Obviously the point is that his early life was appalling, and a significant contributor to how dreadful he became, but some people are just innately awful. How far they take that awfulness though, depends on environmental factors. My theory anyway.

TICKLE_ME_ELMO · 05-02-2023 10:49pm

I thought that was a perfect ending. I saw a lot of people coming up with all kinds of silly plot twists and end scenarios, but from the start Happy Valley has always been a character driven show, and its always gone for the less dramatic, but equally compelling options, and tonight was no different.

05-02-2023 10:51pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120206742#Comment_120206742

Yes, I was delighted that they didn't go for cheap shockers.

gmisk · 05-02-2023 10:52pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120206733#Comment_120206733

She did call for backup.

The pills thing was believable to me, she had been saying how scatter brained etc her parole officer was.

I agree on TLR, nature versus nurture etc. Even he realised Ryan had a good home, the way she ripped into him was amazingly satisfying.

gmisk · 05-02-2023 10:55pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120206693#Comment_120206693

She did call for backup. When she went into the house initially she wasn't sure who was in the house if anyone.

The stone in the field thing I will give you but it's very minor imo. It's a field there are stones ha.

I think this is a world away from that absolutely abysmal line of duty ending, it tied itself up in knots plot wise, totally ballsed it.

TICKLE_ME_ELMO · 05-02-2023 10:57pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120206685#Comment_120206685

I was worried that they were actually going to try and humanise him for a minute when he was crying over the albums. But I think in the end they did a good balancing job of making us feel sorry for him but still being clear that he was unhinged and awful. When he said "I forgive you" to Catherine I was relieved that they were keeping him fairly detached from reality.

JP Liz V1 · 05-02-2023 10:58pm

Baftas for Sarah James Siobhan and Rhys

05-02-2023 11:05pm

I meant she should clearly have called for backup before even entering the house which likely had a potentially armed TLR.

siblers · 05-02-2023 11:08pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120206770#Comment_120206770

She called for back up after she went in, even when she knew someone was in the kitchen, she still proceeded to go on without calling for backup.

TICKLE_ME_ELMO · 05-02-2023 11:09pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120206755#Comment_120206755

They mentioned in the first episode too how Claire's support group was seeing more and more people addicted to prescription drugs, so it's obviously a problem in the area. So not that surprising that another character was using the same supply chain.

05-02-2023 11:14pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120206819#Comment_120206819

Yeah I did think that too. Perhaps she wanted to risk it to confront him.

gmisk · 05-02-2023 11:22pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120206829#Comment_120206829

If she called for backup when in the house..the person in the kitchen would have likely heard her...

HeidiHeidi · 06-02-2023 9:37am

A great ending - a whole universe better than Line of Duty!

She did call for backup in the house, she pressed the panic button on her radio.

Maybe she just wanted one last confrontation/conversation with him - she had to have known it would be him in the house. Brave or foolish? Maybe a bit of both.

But the gap between her pressing the panic button and the troops actually showing up was ridiculous - but did allow for that amazing scene between the two of them, so I'll maybe forgive them for it!

It was a great series, the tension I felt watching it every week! I can't remember that sense of stress watching anything in years.

Also the relief that washed over me when Ryan reluctantly started telling the manhunt team about talking to Tommy on the game console.

A right emotional rollercoaster!

Fitz* · 06-02-2023 9:55am

Great last episode, with a couple of surprises. Great series overall. Very happy I stumbled onto this one a few years ago, pardon the pun.

I was in stitches at TLR & Catherine just shouting "you prick" at each other over the table and giving out about battering each other! Where else would you get it!

06-02-2023 10:27am

https://twitter.com/wafflingon/status/1622516358217875457?s=20&t=mPgHMOLXR5NjYMc9HsCl1w

Brilliant tv drama, going to rewatch all three series again!

jos28 · 06-02-2023 1:55pm

Well my predictions were all sh1t, didn't get anything right. I thought the ending was brilliant, I'm glad they didn't go for the typical stand off between Catherine and Tommy. I agree with Heidi about calling for back up after she was in the house, I think part of her wanted to tackle him on her own.

I'm glad herself and Claire made up. The thing that stuck out most for me is that Catherine finally realised that Ryan was nothing like his father. If you think back to the first series, that was a huge concern for her. She was watching him like a hawk for signs. She raised him along with Claire, they gave him a good life and he was nothing like TLR

JP Liz V1 · 06-02-2023 2:04pm

I wanted a 90 minute finale, my only gripe

cobham · 06-02-2023 2:20pm

I see it will be back on Netflix.... early series were there but then whoosed when new series coming and only on BBC iplayer. Yes need to watch the early ones again... too long ago to remember the plot twists that carried on into new episodes.

06-02-2023 2:39pm

The most satisfying ending to a tv show ever I think. I was absolutely wrecked after watching it. Ah it was just so good.

06-02-2023 2:40pm

When are series one and two back on Netflix? I have them on dvd anyway but Netflix is handier!

TICKLE_ME_ELMO · 06-02-2023 3:10pm

I was just thinking about how when Claire was explaining to Catherine why she took Ryan to see Tommy, and she said something about how maybe Ryan could be the one good thing in Tommy's life, and keep him from doing more bad things. Catherine scoffed at the idea but in a way Claire was kind of right.

Obviously Tommy's still got everything twisted up into something else, but at the end of the day he did stop himself from doing the first thing that he'd planned, and it was because of Ryan.

At the same time, Catherine was right when she told Claire she'd forgive him when he asked for forgiveness, but he never would because he's a psychopath. And we saw that when he forgave her 😄 and acted like he was giving her Ryan, or his permission to keep Ryan, even though Ryan was never even thinking about going with him.

There's just been so many layers to everything throughout the whole series, but this year in particular.

The Black Oil · 06-02-2023 3:19pm

Beautifully personal finale for Catherine, bracing too and hit the right beats. Packed a punch with the violence early on and the main confrontation.

cml387 · 06-02-2023 3:55pm

The whole series opened years ago with Catherine confronting a character who was threatening to burn himself to death with petrol.

And that's how it ended.

06-02-2023 9:22pm

https://twitter.com/QueenLancashire/status/1622383719645331457?t=Sjof_ZNKZ18VSzzJxgN0JQ&s=19

(Fan account).

06-02-2023 10:24pm

It's a TV character ffs but I'm so irritated by the absolute masses of women who "felt sorry for" Royce. The poor murdering rapist. We women are more easily duped into being nurturing, and that's why there were female worshippers of Ted Bundy, who wanted to mother him.

TICKLE_ME_ELMO · 06-02-2023 11:11pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120209650#Comment_120209650

You can feel for a character without condoning what he did or wanting to "fix him". I think the writing and performance in that last episode was pretty perfect in that respect. I think you'd be pretty hard hearted to not have felt something towards him last night, even if it was just pure pity at how pathetic he was.

06-02-2023 11:21pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120209805#Comment_120209805

I'm hard hearted so for not forgetting him running over a woman with a car until her innards came out, and abducting and imprisoning/raping another woman. 😁

TICKLE_ME_ELMO · 06-02-2023 11:47pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120209840#Comment_120209840

Not at all what I said.

Basq · 07-02-2023 5:39am

Great series, and ending.

My only criticism was the whole teacher/wife murder/pharmacist storyline felt like fodder by the end.

While it pretty much dominated the opening two episodes, it was inexplicably resolved in a passing conversation in the closing moments - where did the "pictures of boys on his phone" angle for the teacher come from?

cml387 · 07-02-2023 8:04am

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120210093#Comment_120210093

It was hinted at, remember the comment that the teacher loved to tear down vulnerable boys so that he could nurture them and build them up again (I can't remember what the exact quote was). Surely classic grooming behaviour.

As for Tommy, the genius of the writing was that, yes, he was a psychopathic monster but he was also sad, pathetic in his genuine love for his son, and how it all went so wrong. There was to be no mano a womano scene between Catherine and TLR and that was just right.

After the fiasco of Line of Duty one feared for a similar let down but this was absolutely perfect.

The Black Oil · 07-02-2023 8:12am

Even made Newsnight.

https://twitter.com/BBCNewsnight/status/1622738598150782976?t=fCg_kGsmBSpXmA9n2PyYWQ&s=19

HeidiHeidi · 07-02-2023 8:38am

I saw the still on that tweet (partially obscured by the play button, in my defence), and thought it was Sarah Lanchashire! And if I wasn't watching, I'd have thought it was her listening to it as well!

I am so delighted to hear her say there will be no more, you have to know when to quit (when you're miles ahead), and the risk of the show becoming "a pale shadow of itself". How many series have we seen that happen to?

I now have even more respect for the writer.