Happy Valley

TLR or Tommy Lee Royce has his fate revealed in the final episode of Happy Valley...

The love and stability that both she and her sister Clare had shown him throughout his life, even when nobody else would, had in fact had an immeasurable impact. Whether it was because he was too injured and incapacitated, or because he really was putting Ryan's needs first is anyone's guess. What's more, he's decided to forgive her for keeping Ryan a secret. Calling back to the season-one finale, he decided that he'd rather die than land himself back in prison. Tommy had become something of a liability for big bad Darius Knezevic, who'd seemingly ordered his brother to, shall we say, get rid. But this time, rather than trying to take Ryan and Catherine down with him on a canal boat, he opted for a more sentimental approach.

As Catherine and Tommy Lee Royce came face-to-face at long last, Sally Wainwright's spectacular drama reached its final conclusion.

Obviously.” The mastery of Wainwright’s storytelling is that Catherine’s triumph, like that of the show itself, was a bruising one. In urging her to make amends with Claire, he displayed proof of the emotional intelligence Tommy was lacking. But it turned out that the Cawood sisters’ understated reconciliation was a mere taster, as the face-off between Catherine and Lancashire was a trembling pillar of righteous fury while Norton brought magnificently grotesque arrogance to Tommy’s twisted logic. Lancashire embodied what it is to buckle under the relentless cycle of waning and surging grief. With an extended 70-minute run time there was a lot to cover, but nothing felt rushed as Wainwright gave her big moments room to breathe.

Viewers finally say goodbye to Sergeant Catherine Cawood...

In one of the final scenes of the episode – just as I thought, “You’ve got to be kidding me – Faisal gets off scot-free?” – Catherine tells the officer investigating Joanna’s death that she heard from Ann that a fella named Faisal was the one supplying the probation officer with drugs. He warns Catherine not to tase him because it could start a fire, and “believe it or not, I don’t want you to get done; I want you to be here with Ryan”. For example, when Catherine asks him to push away the knife, he asks her incredulously: “You think I’m gonna hurt you?” as if the thought had never crossed his mind. Speaking of Rob, Ryan also thinks back to the one nice conversation they had in the gym, during which Rob offered advice to Ryan about what to do with his dad. Finally, though, Catherine wakes up thanks to a phone call from Ryan asking her to pick him up from the police station. It’s enough to convince the investigating officers to bring Rob in for questioning. He was already against Tommy’s plan to kill Catherine, but given the recent events that have transpired, now is definitely not the right time for one of his associates to murder a policewoman. Tommy is still on the run, but this time he has no one looking out for him. He has been stabbed in the stomach, and is nursing a banged-up wrist. He and Zeljko end up in a knife fight on the field. After that inevitable awkwardness, Catherine – who has been feeling vulnerable and sensing Becky’s (Emily Barnett) presence around her – opens up to her sister and even goes so far to admit that she was wrong to have been so scared about Ryan meeting Tommy in prison, explaining that she was worries that her grandson would turn out like his dad. He tells them everything: about his late-night phone call with Tommy, and his dad’s plans for the two of them to run away together.

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.

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/).

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".

Over the course of series 3, viewers have eagerly awaited the final showdown between Sarah Lancashire's Catherine Cawood and villain Tommy Lee Royce (James ...

Now that Tommy Lee Royce has gone (in a puff of smoke - too soon?), the former police sergeant appeared to be at peace just as the credits began to roll. He was nowhere to be seen at the end of the episode, so is love on the rocks? As the episode drew to a close, she visited her daughter’s grave and received a text that read: “TLR dead, hospital just rang” and with that, she appeared to be at peace. It was here, to viewers’ surprise, that he ‘fessed up about talking to Tommy over a games console in the previous episode. “It was always something that he'd want to do at some point.” She then told Clare that she should have had more faith in Ryan to not be like his father. It is somewhat of a rarity to see Ryan Cawood smiling and unexpectedly, in Happy Valley's final episode, viewers were treated to just that. Sally Wainwright penned an incredibly tense scene where Catherine and Tommy had a conversation in the Cawood kitchen. He proceeded to admit that he didn't “hate” Catherine any more. It was always pretty obvious that Tommy had a score to settle with Catherine. In this series, Tommy and Ryan have been seeing each other and the show’s penultimate episode saw the fugitive attempt to get his son to run away to Marbella with him. It’s safe to say that Wainwright has succeeded in tying a neat bow on the series. After all, he was determined to get his hands on a gun from ‘friend’ Darius Knezevic.

The hit BBC drama, starring Sarah Lancashire as Catherine Cawood and James Norton as Tommy Lee Royce, returned for a third and final season in 2023 only to ...

[#HappyValley] [pic.twitter.com/FoQIEXvYuu] [February 5, 2023] [#HappyValley] [pic.twitter.com/vwT9aRKWIn] [February 5, 2023] [#happyvalley] [pic.twitter.com/6wQ9VbnXdF] [February 5, 2023] Wow🙌🏼 [February 5, 2023] Goodnight👮🏼♀️ [pic.twitter.com/LZ2PcnhJfI] [February 5, 2023] [#HappyValley] [pic.twitter.com/158buy9oKQ] [February 5, 2023] [READ MORE: You Season 4 - Everything you need to know](/news/tv-film/you-season-4-netflix-release-date-trailers-cast/)

CONTAINS SPOILERS: Sally Wainwright teaches us to not rest on our laurels, speculate or anything else when it comes to the Sarah Lancashire drama.

He confesses he was going to burn the house down, but realised that he'd be ruining his child's happy place. For all his ups and downs he's about as unlike you as it's possible to be." And then he sets fire to himself, which is incredibly shocking, but not the outcome we were expecting. Tommy should be the one that dies. But the expected crescendo of the entire show - the much-desired showdown - saw Catherine discover a very injured Tommy who has just downed a load of pills with whisky at her kitchen table. The villain finally realises that Ryan is best off where he is, stops himself from burning the house down and doesn't want Catherine going to prison for tasering him while covered in petrol, because ultimately he loves Ryan. "I'm glad that he's been to see you and make up his own mind so he knows that you're just f*cked up, deluded, nasty little toddler brain in a big man's body. "It's been a real pleasure to watch the scales fall from his eyes," says Catherine. No, Neil wasn't Tommy's dad, Clare nor Ryan didn't get killed by Tommy and Catherine and Tommy's showdown wasn't explosive in the way that many of us thought it would be. Brilliant end to a brilliant show. It also saw Catherine more or less apologise (without actually saying sorry) to sister Clare (Siobhan Finneran) for falling out with her after she took grandson Ryan to see his dad in prison. "I’m glad it didn’t end how people predicted.

Happy Valley: Does Sarah Lancashire's character Catherine Cawood die? Warning: HUGE spoilers ahead of Happy Valley season three episode six.

Planting a kiss on her daughter’s gravestone, she dons a pair of sunglasses and heads back to her car, making the end of an era as a police sergeant. In the final moments of the episode, Catherine takes her packed-up Land Rover to visit her daughter Becky’s grave before her trip, and while there, she receives a text that Tommy Lee Royce has died in hospital. She manages to stifle the flames before the police and ambulances show up - and is overwhelmed with emotion upon leaving the house, leaning on her sister Claire. Tommy has overdosed and is dying, and Catherine manages to tell him exactly what she thinks of him, and how Ryan is nothing like him. Tommy realises that he doesn’t want anything bad to happen to Catherine, as she has given Ryan a normal, happy life - but he always does not want to go back to prison. However, an exhausted and devastated Catherine is there too, taking a nap.

Happy Valley season 3 has drawn to a close with an explosive finale, but how did the BBC drama end? Details about the final episode, plus who died.

[subscribe now](http://radiotimes.com/magazine-subscription?utm_term=evergreen-article). [Faisal](https://www.radiotimes.com/tv/drama/happy-valley-faisal-master-plan-newsupdate/), in the final moments of the episode when Catherine and Andy are talking, she notifies him about the fact he's been dealing drugs out of his small pharmacy. Catherine of course already knows, but tells him that she knows about his plans to flee the country with the teen. Ryan thoughtfully confronts Catherine later on about her treatment of Clare (Siobhan Finneran), telling Catherine also about Ann's (Charlie Murphy) emotional confrontation with him the previous evening. [fan theories](https://www.radiotimes.com/tv/drama/happy-valley-catherine-death-fan-theory/) have circulated for six long weeks as to [how the series will end](https://www.radiotimes.com/tv/drama/happy-valley-alternative-endings-spoilers-newsupdate/), nobody could have quite guessed how it would all go down. While Mike (Rick Warden) texts her about Tommy, we can't help but spy that Catherine has made plans to go off to "the highlands" on Saturday, getting a much needed post-retirement break after all. In the conversation, Catherine admits that she shouldn't have been frightened of Ryan meeting Tommy. It's not part of the plan and angers him so much that he manages to kill Marco and Viktor all from the backseat of the car that Zeljko is driving. She falls asleep and like a scene out of a jumpscare horror, Tommy appears directly behind her, peering in through the window. It's in the police station, though, that Ryan really turns a corner and it all kicks off after being complimented by Detective Superintendent Andy Shepherd (Vincent Franklin) who says there's "something about him" that made him think the teen was a new police recruit. Zeljko and Tommy have a very tense face-off which sees them drawing their knives like a duel, and for one moment, you think that Zeljko could actually kill Tommy. The episode then gets going properly with Ryan looking pensive the morning after speaking to his fugitive father.

Happy Valley viewers have spotted a nod back to the very first episode in the closing scenes of the nail-biting finale.

'That boy is a prince, for all his upside downs, he's as unlike you as it's possible to be. I'm sorry, sorry for how I treated Becky.' A fifth said: 'first episode man threatening to set himself on fire. With another adding: 'They’ve gone full circle!!! Now that's how you write a drama .I have cried tonight and laughed. 'Well that was f**king brilliant.

The Sally Wainwright drama concluded on the BBC on season 3 episode 6 on Sunday and starred James Norton and Sarah Lancashire.

It all had to go up in flames somehow. Rather than pack in the action, Sally Wainwright instead focused on what she does best – dialogue – and when the showdown finally happened between Catherine and Tommy it was a war of words. [out repeatedly in season 3](https://metro.co.uk/2023/01/20/happy-valley-cafe-in-bolton-for-sarah-lancashire-scene-has-queues-18136145/) – who undergoes an emotional awakening after Ryan does the right thing, and spills all of Tommy’s plans. Just as the psychopath opened the gate to her kitchen, Catherine unlocked the latch of her front door after a well-timed call from Ryan (Rhys Connah), reminding her to collect him from the station, interrupted her slumber. [Happy Valley](https://metro.co.uk/tag/happy-valley/?ico=auto_link_entertainment_P1_LNK1) floating about – with even its [own stars getting in on the action](https://metro.co.uk/2023/02/05/happy-valley-final-joanna-actor-mollie-winnards-ending-theory-18222474/). Tommy Lee Royce’s (James Norton) wicked ways finally got the better of him when he turned on Darius Knezevic’s (Alec Secareanu) muscle, murdering all three of his men and receiving a nasty wound in the process.

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

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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".

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 …

What's it like to actually live there, away from Sally Wainwright's fictional storylines?

So if there is a problem everybody gets to know about it – I think that’s why it’s got that reputation.” “When I first moved here it was a living town with all sorts of people and housing for them that was at least a bit affordable. Wainwright has spoken of the influence it had on her and violence, poverty and addiction have remained key themes throughout all three series. “I live here and it’s not a ‘living’ town,” she said. I have heard people say (as they pass the stall) ‘I have put better stuff in a skip’. After rising to prominence for its booming textiles industry, the town of 4,500 is now a haven for anarchists, free-thinkers, punks, hippies and socialists.

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.

The final instalment of the Sally Wainwright drama saw the hunt for fugitive Tommy Lee Royce continue as Sergeant Catherine Cawood marked her last day on the ...

Superb writing, and a brilliant send-off for an amazing series!!" A third commented: "So often season finales and final ever episodes have disappointed... What was the point of the pharmacist and school teacher subplot for it to be resolved offscreen," while another added: "#HappyValley Well, the pharmacist story was a bit pointless in the end. The pair engage in one last emotional showdown and Tommy - after swallowing a load of painkillers - douses himself in petrol and lights himself up with a match. Great show, but a bit of a disappointing ending for me. didn’t 'see' any dramatisation on the ending on the other characters, especially the pharmacist. #HappyValley." Yes!" One person tweeted: "#HappyValley must be one of the best TV shows ever. All the theories of Neville or Neil playing a part in TLR's story....wrong. After receiving a call from Winnie about the break-in, Catherine drives home and finds Tommy in the kitchen. He also tells Catherine about Tommy's Marbella escape plan, reassuring her that he would never have gone with his dad.

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.

Following Tommy Lee Royce's (James Norton) escape from prison, the scheming villain and Sergeant Catherine Cawood (Sarah Lancashire) had their long anticipated ...

Incredible.” What a show.” “Sarah Lancashire is just stellar.” Viva La Sally Wainwright and Sarah Lancashire.” Entertainment writer Scott Bryan posted: “That was one of the greatest television finales of all. What a character.

A link, yes, but enough to charge him with the actual murder of Joanna? Or would the police settle on the terrible Rob Hepworth as the murderer instead? And ...

While it looked at one point Ryan was considering running off to Marbella with Tommy, his biological dad, eventually he did the right thing and told the police about him contacting him, thus beginning his downfall. “ Actually, thinking about it, it was probably just the drugs. She had one job: don’t let Ryan out of her sight, and she was more concerned with topping up her goblet of pinot grigio instead. [final ever episode of the final ever series](https://www.esquire.com/uk/culture/a42758527/the-happy-valley-finale-ending-explained/) of [Happy Valley](https://www.esquire.com/uk/culture/a42461733/happy-valley-best-show-on-tv/) is over and done with. But after his non-meeting with criminal overlord Darius for a newspaper article, he was never really heard from again. Vital characters in all three series, they just vanished into the ether in the culmination of the entire show.

Luckily for fans, creator Sally Wainwright has a healthy back-catalogue including comedy At Home With the Braithwaites, Last Tango in Halifax, Unforgiven, ...

[it’s a remake](https://www.denofgeek.com/tv/mare-of-easttown-happy-valley/). [Channel 4](https://www.denofgeek.com/channel-4/) could have commissioned Alan Bleasdale’s 7-part 1991 drama yesterday. [Chris Lang’s Unforgotten](https://www.denofgeek.com/tv/unforgotten-series-3-writer-we-live-in-uncompassionate-times/) revolves around a single cold-case. [The Responder](https://www.denofgeek.com/tv/the-responder-review-a-gripping-police-thriller-about-a-broken-system/)’s PC Chris Carson was on Sgt Cawood’s team, he’d be called a numpty, pulled off the job and put on a disciplinary in a heartbeat. A long-buried body is dug up and a cast of potential suspects is introduced, the links between the new characters gradually emerging over six episodes that eventually lead to the truth and to closure. If you’d prefer a more concrete Sally Wainwright link, then there’s always star Peter Davison ( [5-series BBC drama](https://www.denofgeek.com/tv/last-tango-in-halifax-recap-the-story-so-far/). If it’s comedy, character and surprises you like about Happy Valley as a crime drama, this is where to go next. Their grown-up daughters Caroline and Gillian (Sarah Lancashire and Nicola Walker, two more of the best) each have husbands, kids and backstories of their own. James’ character-led drama moves as quickly between humour and seriousness, devoting time to painting a picture of a somewhere with its own language and history that’s not there to be pitied or patronised. It’s all the easy, funny, wind-up dialogue and local shorthand of the Happy Valley sisters, plus police cases. And try the below, a hand-picked selection of great dramas – some crime, some not – that carry a flavour of Happy Valley’s brilliant writing, real-feeling characters and unforgettable performances.

Happy Valley villain James Norton poses with co-star Sarah Lancashire in a throwback from filming as he brands the explosive finale 'sort of perfect'. By Milly ...

Jan Moir writes: 'The last of Killing Eve, the final Game Of Thrones, don't even get me started on The Sopranos. 'Don’t doubt Wainwright” was the lesson of the finale. Anita Singh writes: 'In truth, it was not the most gripping episode of this series. Wainwright gave us what we wanted: a happy ending for a character who truly deserves it.' Carol Midgley for The Times agreed, declaring 'Hats off to Wainwright for avoiding a spectacular, shoot-out showdown. 'A stand-off worth waiting for - no guns, no knives, no punches but a battle of words which Catherine badly needed to say. He said: have talked about this with people in the production and Sally and Sarah. 'Happy Valley sounds so bleak on paper, with its storylines about drugs, rape and murder. 'That’s the heart of the whole show. 'And he’s sitting in that high rise and he bursts into tears. It was fireworks but it wasn’t fireworks. Cups of tea over kitchen tables in kitchens in Yorkshire.

Fans have finally seen the thrilling ending to Happy Valley - and it turns out there had been spoilers in the opening titles all season.

[subscribe now](http://radiotimes.com/magazine-subscription?utm_term=evergreen-article). "But the fact that he chose Catherine is what makes his character come full circle. [TV Guide](https://www.radiotimes.com/tv/tv-listings/) and [Streaming Guide](https://www.radiotimes.com/streaming-guide/) or visit our [Drama](https://www.radiotimes.com/tv/drama/) hub for more news and features. And for Ryan, making a choice to go with Tommy would essentially be choosing to turn into his dad. [RadioTimes.com](https://www.radiotimes.com/) was ["vital"](https://www.radiotimes.com/tv/drama/happy-valley-ryan-exclusive-newsupdate/). [Happy Valley](https://www.radiotimes.com/tv/drama/happy-valley-season-4-explanation/).

The main character, police sergeant Catherine Cawood, played by Sarah Lancashire, was confronted by James Norton's evil escaped prisoner Tommy Lee Royce during ...

He said: "It definitely isn't coming back – and again this is [from] Sally and Sarah who completely and rightly feel that you can have too much of a good thing. Wainwright added: "The intention developed through conversations I had with Sarah to make it a three-parter, to make a trilogy. Viewers may be wondering whether they'll have to wait such a long time for Happy Valley to return again - but its writer, Sally Wainwright, has already spoken about the prospect of a fourth season.

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/).

Figures show BBC can still outdo streaming services, but search is now on for its next mega-hit.

Part of the challenge is that big-name producers and writers can now be lured away to Netflix after building an audience through the BBC – while other reliable hits such as Peaky Blinders have come to an end. The actors Sarah Lancashire and James Norton reunited for the third series of the Calderdale-based drama, which was released seven years after they were last on screen together. Almost half of the show’s audience are now watching on catch-up via the BBC’s iPlayer service in the weeks after broadcast, meaning the ultimate viewing figure for the final episode is likely to be well over 10 million.

The final episode of series three of the BBC One drama Happy Valley aired on Sunday and viewers shared their mixed reactions.

Sorry but I’m mildly disappointed with the end of Happy Valley . Can we have one of the other endings please?— Ｒᵘᗷⓑ𝐢ⓈⒽώⓘℱ𝕖 (@RubbishWife) Another said: “Sorry but I’m mildly disappointed with the end of Happy Valley. I get the whole thing was about her & TLR but the rest of the story was just swept under the carpet. A third said: “Curiously unsatisfying finale to Happy Valley. Can we have one of the other endings please?”

Heartstopping for millions of us, cleansing for Catherine Cawood – and not about the feckless, violent men at all in fact. The legendary crime novelist ...

The speculation about the possible endings have ranged from “everybody dies” to “alien abduction” (plus my own preferred option of “off to the Himalayas in the Land Rover with Alison Garrs”), and that speculation is a measure of what great writing and masterly performance can achieve. I can’t wait for his next album and The Ballad of Happy Valley. She inhabits the character of Cawood without a bum note over 18 hours of demanding performance. I see in Happy Valley the kind of universe I have tried to create. Heartbreak and humour are seldom comfortable bedfellows, but Wainwright has created her own grammar of storytelling that is compelling and realistic. It’s the kind of backdrop that is often exploited in crime dramas and novels. But none has had the intensity of Cawood, nor have their traumas been allowed the same breathing space as has her battle to negotiate the malign actions of Tommy Lee Royce. Their hard-won wisdom is always tempered by mis-steps; they have to haul themselves back from the brink of disaster in ways that often drag more problems in their wake. [Scott and Bailey](https://www.theguardian.com/tv-and-radio/tvandradioblog/2013/apr/03/scott-and-bailey-british-cagney-and-lacey) gave us a pair of female detectives working the unglamorous end of CID and revealed complicated private lives but also showcased a different style of interview technique light years ahead of the “good cop, bad cop” style beloved of cop shows. Happy Valley is a different sort of animal – and its difference lies in that central character. [Sally Wainwright](https://www.theguardian.com/tv-and-radio/sally-wainwright) grew up in the valley she presented to us; she has a visceral understanding of what life is like behind the curtains in the Calder Valley. But what is it about Lancashire’s portrayal of Sgt Catherine Cawood that has had more than 11 million of us glued to the screen?

Warning *spoilers* The London-born actor talks closing the door on the hit BBC drama after three seasons.

I feel immense pity and empathy and I sort of really love him.” Adding: “It’s not a big stunt set pieces on wires and jumping off cliffs, and guns and fireworks. It was sitting over a kitchen table and that is where Happy Valley really thrived.

From the details of barristers' clothing to the look in Sergeant Catherine Cawood's eyes, serving and former police officers tell Sky News what Happy Valley ...

The show gets advice from current and former police officers too, she said. But there are some "far-fetched" parts of the show, Ms Cokayne-Delves said. Ms Ashmole was brought in to advise the scriptwriters on details like barristers' clothing in Tommy Lee Royce's court scenes. "Sometimes you see in her eyes that kind of 'I'd cross the line, but I know I can't because I'm a professional' and I think that really tells a story in itself because you can see the way she goes through the emotions of, 'I need to do my job well here but it's a difficult situation'." It's rare for a police show to portray what the day-to-day work of a police officer really looks like, Ms Cokayne-Delves said. "There's not a single person in the series that would still be in the job," she added.

The 'electrifying' writing of Sally Wainwright and Sarah Lancashire's performance as Catherine Cawood were heaped with praise.

The Independent’s Nick Hilton also called it “an artisan police drama” and “a brief, extraordinary, respite from the raging winds of mediocrity”. The Sun’s Rod McPhee called the end “satisfying”, while the i’s Rachael Sigee said it was “a heart-stopping triumph”. She instead praised Catherine’s character for “her toughness, her vulnerability, her sense of humour” as she said the crime drama is at “its core” about the love she has for her family. The review added: “Happy Valley provided one of the greatest drama finales ever seen on British television; as moving and unexpected as it was thrilling and thought-provoking, with moments of choking emotion as well as flashes of humour.” The Times called their meeting at the kitchen table “exquisitely bleak” and “surely, Bafta-winning”. The “electrifying” writing of Sally Wainwright and Sarah Lancashire’s performance as West Yorkshire Sergeant Catherine Cawood were hailed in the last episode of the BBC One drama, which was applauded for having an “unreservedly, unapologetically northern, middle-aged, female point of view”.

The highly anticipated finale aired on Sunday night and was watched keenly by residents in the West Yorkshire market town. Sarah Lancashire as Catherine in ...

[The highly anticipated finale aired on Sunday night](/showbiz/happy-valley-final-numbers-watched-sarah-lancashire-james-norton-b1058168.html) and was watched keenly by residents in [Hebden Bridge](/topic/hebden-bridge), where much of the show was filmed. We always had a chat with her, and no-one bothered her.” I’m so proud she went to my school.” “It’s brilliant the way it’s been on every week – each week we’ve got something to talk about and something to look forward to – our hour of Happy Valley. She’s too good a character to lose. Amber Redman, who has lived in the town for 25 years, said tourists have been going into a Nisa shop used as a filming location and “asking for Neil” – a character who works there.