Happy Valley, same writer as Scott and Bailey [Poss spoilers - added by MNHQ]

[MorrisZapp]

I thought it was brilliant, although some generational shifts confused me. The lead character played by Sarah Lancashire had a grandson but didn't look old enough.

The company boss had been friends with the accountant's father, that didn't add up did it? Or did I get that wrong.

Great to see the George Costigan and Siobhan Finneran reunited although not onscreen together.

Brilliant writing and simply superb acting I thought, anybody else enjoy it?

Oh bugger!

Why did I pick up the metro on the train!! And at this time of the day!
Spoiler alert!

I'm confused by the people who think that those of us who think it is brilliant are voyeuristic and enjoying watching women subjected to violence. I can't stand gratuitous violence or women-as-object drama, but this is the opposite. It explores the mindsets of people who think like this. It is responsible in its depiction. I don't think drama needs to be bland and anodyne to show respect to women. It needs to address issues properly, and this series does. It shows a range of reasons that lead to violence against women: greed, anger, indifference, cowardice, inhumanity, fear. Everyone who takes part in the kidnap has a different driving force for not caring about Ann.

The writing couldn't be better. The acting, too. (Though I agree with those who think TLR looks like he's just finished a game of fives at Eton. There's an inbred posh look to his features that doesn't work. Yes, cast a handsome man but not one who couldn't possibly have gone to state school.)

And they're not all victims. SL plays an immensely strong minded and courageous woman. She's coped with tragedy but that's not uncommon if you live long enough! Catherine is a classic heroine - incredibly strong and just and brave.

Well I think it's a bloody good drama and can't wait to see how it pans out

Well said threedeer

I don't find this gratuitous at all.

I heard SW being interviewed on R4. She was asked about the women being victims. She went on to talk of the bravery of (female) police officers everyday and the everyday heroics they perform. She also said that the cellar rescue scene was about women helping each other in extremis.

When asked about the state SL was in at the end and that it was brutal, she said it was well researched and that is exactly how a beaten police officer would look.

SW was quite unapologetic which i applaud. She suggested the likes of The Hunger Games was far more violent and gratuitously so.

I think some people eg Cate Blanket don,t like it as it's all a bit too real looking. SW said that everything that's happened in HV has happened somewhere in real life.

Excellent post threedeer eloquently saying what I'm thinking.

I can't stand gratuitous relentless violence either and there are certain films, series, etc., that I can't and won't watch, Happy Valley is not in that category.

Me too, everlong, I think it was perfectly played. Ann could have got free and just run, but she didn't it was very powerful.

Also, what I think was spot on was when she hit Tommy with the dumbell, despite all of us yelling "hit him again", she only hit him once as she is not a violent person by nature and I think people who aren't violent hit once in defence and then drop item/run etc. Again the conrast between her and the vile Tommy is so stark.

I agree with the positive comments above. I love the fact the TLR is handsome because that confounds my opinion of "bad men" and Kev & his missus are so bland and inoffensive looking and yet he has instigated all this and somehow still wants to blame Nev for not giving him a pay rise.

I'm not even 100% sure that Ann was raped in the cellar...we did not see that, all we saw was her underwear on the floor and we assumed that she was, based on our knowledge of him from SL. And yet, he states that he did not rape her daughter, so we don't even know whether that is true either. One of the key themes for me is just how much is not as we assume and how all of them seem to have secrets.

My guess isit wouldn't be so compelling to the majority of people to have a terrified young man sodomised and drugged for your viewing pleasure.

this, really

In the interview SW gave to the Guardian (I think) which someone linked to earlier she said that Ann was raped.

But Nigella you are missing the point. It's not Ann being raped (which as Gypsy says has not been shown and is open to interpretation) that is compelling those of us who are compelled. It is the almighty central performance by SL and the almighty writing of her character by SW that has us all gripped, as well as the psychologically accurate and intelligent portrayal of the criminals.

The character insight is really well done for every single character, from the grandson to the young police woman who was killed. Every single person behaves in a believable way. not nice, but believable.

These women portrayed aren't weak and submissive.

They're strong and are fighting for their lives;
Cath
Claire
Ann
Ann's Mum- sorry her name escapes me [Jill Baker, actress].

All fighting their battles, not victims.

Even Kev's Wife is fighting for her family albeit misguided.

Not women being portrayed as downtrodden at all.

Ashley's Wife even had a say in how she woukd treat him if he was found to be in trouble with the law, last week's episode, no issue there.

Sally has done a great job.

yeah whatever. Why is the kidnap victim always a woman or girl? That's all, really.
Obviously it's compelling - otherwise we wouldn't be watching.

They are victims. Catherine has been deserted by her husband and is now seeking solace by having sex with him thus encouraging him to lie to and betray the woman he now lives with.

Her sister (Claire) is a "recovering" heroin addict.
Ann was kidnapped, terrorised, drugged, degraded and raped.
The policewomen is, well, dead, murdered - the ultimate victim.
Ann's mother as well as having her daughter abducted has terminal cancer.
Becky was apparently raped, impregnated and committed suicide (and I'm sure parents of children who have killed themselves get flashbacks but the way it was shown with the girl hanging from a rope was unnecessary; we're not thick - we get it!).

SW directed and edited last week's episode and included scenes of violence which I fast forwarded through but from reading the posts on here were utterly beyond the pale; viewers can use their imaginations and in doing so the drama can be all the more powerful.

exactly, everlong

It would be good if such a compelling story could have a male as its central victim for once. Yes I know there are plenty of strong women in the story and that redeems it. But it's so predictable having them kidnap someone's daughter rather than a son.

cateblanket, I don't agree. I think they are good women characters and I was taken with the scene of SL rescuing Anne, so much better than some copper bloke coming to her rescue. It is so much more powerful this way.
However, I am just tired of having female victims kidnapped/tortured/tied up/whatever. If they just could have made the central victim male then it would have worked so much better for me.

I do agree that the flashbacks to Becky are crass. Just chucked in there to try and make viewers jump.