Happy Valley Series 3 - BBC1 9pm starts 1 January 2023 - no spoilers - tv pace

[IwantToRetire]

Just thought we could start with a dedicated thread to series three of Happy Valley.

There are 2 existing thread were fans have been discussing rewatching series 1 & 2

www.mumsnet.com/talk/telly_addicts/4694640-happy-valley-series-3-coming

www.mumsnet.com/talk/telly_addicts/4688605-happy-valley-series-3-to-be-shown-at-christmas

And for anyone who is going to binge, do you want to start your own thread?!

I also think this may end with her death, because she is about to retire and the emphasis on the final season

Yes I agree @Northernexile

All the actors are great but James Norton is just not rough enough around the edges for a scary criminal like this one, he's just not convincing IMO.

God that was tense! The café scene was brilliant. I hadn't thought of Neil being Tommy's father but it would fit....or is that what they want us to think? Waiting a week will be agony, having binged S1 and 2 in about ten days before Christmas!

Yep totally agree, I think someone else said it last week as well. It all seems to fit doesn’t it.

We can do with a sentence of light relief.🙂

He went to Ampleforth, then Cambridge, then RADA. Any one would add some polish but the three combined would smooth the corners off a dodecahedron.

All the actors are great but James Norton is just not rough enough around the edges for a scary criminal like this one, he's just not convincing IMO.

What! I remember being horrified by him in series 1 - all that violence and evil simmering away under the surface. And the scene where he beats up Catherine was so shocking. I remember wondering how on earth he was going to be able to play the vicar in Grantchester at all convincingly!

Have you seen series 1?

Another one not buying the theory that the Dad abused Becky and is Ryan’s Dad.

So what do we think is Tommy’s plan? Is he going to attempt to escape and go on the run to Mexico (why he’s learning Spanish) with Ryan?

Yes I've seen series 1 & 2.
Sorry I guess I'm in the minority but he just comes across "posh boy" to me ! I'm trying to think of someone who might be better. Maybe a younger David Thewliss?

I don’t think it was intentional but I found TLR with his tiny tiny phone absolutely blackly hilarious; the massive thug trying to operate a Polly Pocket phone.

There's more to the teacher than just being an abusive husband. When Jo and the pharmacist were walking in the park (when she brings up the subject of money to leave him) she says something about her husband's behaviour wirh pupils at the school "he targets the xyz ones, it's what he always does" etc. He called Ryan a skid-mark which seems a little ott and deeply felt, even for a highly unpleasant man.

I hadn't noticed Catherine swearing at all - I must be immune to it 🤣.

I'm interested to hear Claire's excuse - this seems like a very implausible plot progression to me.

Did anyone else notice the incredible disappearing cake on the dining table?

I hadn’t thought about Neil being TLR dad before.
I was a bit confused, did we see the woman who died falling from the window last week?

I agree that the teacher will get killed by his wife and the pharmacist. This will get pinned on Ryan due to his dad.

I didn't get that bit with the tiny phone at first. That message, he didn't send it, did he? He was just a (shared?) recipient. So the message was sent by Neil?

Has anyone considered that Ryan may actually kill the teacher?

James Norton is scary as hell. I nearly peed my pants when he was talking to the priest. When he unwrapped the phone I actually thought it was a pocket knife or something to kill him. Maybe because I'm pregnant though. Couldn't rewatch season 1 for ages when he asks Anne are you a virgin, rapes her then when asked to take photos he says how about one with my hand up your fanny?. Love it when Catherine sorts him out though 😂

@LindorDoubleChoc I noticed that as well. Jo told pharmacist that teacher Rob has done this before. Targets a kid at school, knocks his confidence then acts as his saviour. Sounds like a bit of grooming to me. He's definitely picked the wrong kid this time.

I really don't think it's going to end well for Jo and the kids. When the little girl asked her why daddy doesn't like her was absolutely heartbreaking. I think the plan to kill Rob will backfire with either one of the daughters taking the drug or one of the daughters killing him to protect their mum.

The school and cafe scenes were bloody brilliant.

As for Claire, what a betrayal. Catherine has caught her out lying time and time again. I'm not sure Catherine will ever forgive her. Can't wait to see what the connection is between Neil and TLR. If he's related, then he's been planted by TLR all along. I find TLR chilling, I think James Norton is excellent playing a psychopath. He's definitely got some sort of plan that will probably blow our heads off.

Twice now Ryan has come out with that line about revenge is a dish...
But revenge on who? Might or might not be about nasty teacher.

Catherine's ex husband seemed creepy too asking her all those questions. Like don't trust anyone Catherine.

@PrincessScarlett excellent write up. Agree with all of that!

I don't think Neil is TLR dad. Didn't he say in the last series he lost his marriage and children when he had the affair with the murder victim who blackmailed him?

Seems a bit of a stretch to make him TLR's dad. I think he's being threatened himself by a gang and has convinced Claire to go along with taking Ryan, maybe they've said Catherine is at risk to convince her?

I think Catherine's ex is going to meet a sticky end.

The exH is going to get mixed up with the drug gang and end up dead. No one sane would do any digging on the Kneževićs. I had to copy and paste the name off Google as I'd no hope of spelling it! Now I've seen it written down it makes sense.

Yeah, he seemed a bit that way in this episode, although I hadn't thought so before. Mention of the Guardian seldom augers well, wasn't there an unfortunate Guardian journo in LOD? 😀

I think there's something off about Catherine's ex-husband. He's always asking her questions and pushing for information. I don't think there's an incest/abuse angle, but I wonder if he's feeding info to the knezevic's. Either way - don't like him!

I don't like Neil either, he's loathsome, but I think we may have jumped the gun a bit. Do we know for sure that it was the prison they were visiting? And if it's usually a couple that visits, why did Clare not go this time and just go and sit in the cafe? Could this be something to do with the skydiving? That was in Sheffield wasn't it?

Re Ryan and the recurrence of the "revenge is a dish best served cold" line - maybe he's planning to kill TLR for all the heartache and anguish he's inflicted.

Sarah Lancashire is just brilliant, I remember her as Raquel too!