joys.net

Elle says:

Brutal and Intense Let me warn you up front, this series is not for the faint of heart. The subject matter covered is rape, kidnapping, and murder. There were brutal and emotional images of beatings and one murder. I found myself cringing and holding my breath. In fact, the last time I was so emotionally affected by a program was during my viewing of . Happy Valley took me hostage for six hours where I could not take my eyes from the screen. When the final credits rolled I felt emotionally drained but at least I could breathe freely again. This is not a series where I will rewatch the episodes over (and sometimes over again depending on the series).Sarah Lancashire, (The Paradise, Last Tango in Halifax) gives a stunning performance as Police Sergeant Catherine Cawood, a tough and hardened copper who’s given up her life as a detective because of family matters. And that is putting her situation mildly. Lancashire has won my respect with her considerable talent amply displayed in this role. I kept thinking to myself, wow!We are introduced to Catherine at the scene of a threatened suicide-by-petrol taking place in a playground. Cawood arrives with a borrowed fire extinguisher in hand and when the high as a kite young man begins telling her his reason for setting himself alight, (his girlfriend has broken up with him), she replies, “I’m Catherine, by the way! I’m forty-seven, I’m divorced, I live with my sister, who’s a recovering heroin addict, I have two grown-up children. One dead and one who doesn’t speak to me. And a grandson! So.”As the story unfolds from there, we learn the details behind Catherine’s statement. Little by little, over six episodes, we see why Catherine’s husband divorced her, how her daughter died, why her son doesn’t speak to her, why her sister lives with her, and how she came to have custody of her eight year-old grandson. Catherine’s story is incredible and her strength is admirable and inestimable. I found myself admiring her immensely and feeling intense sorrow for her at the same time. This story touched me deeply.I do not want to go into details of the story because I don’t want to ruin one minute of this program for you. I will tell you as much as the video case reveals. Kevin Weatherill, played by Steve Pemberton (Whitechappel,) instigates the kidnapping of his boss’ daughter, Ann, when he becomes bitterly angry about being turned down for a rise in pay. The man to whom he suggests the abduction, Ashley Cowgill, is someone he trusts not to harm the girl. However, Kevin has no idea who and what Ashley is nor does he know that in Ashley’s employ is one Tommy Lee Royce, just out of prison for drugs crimes, and believed to be responsible for the death of Catherine’s daughter. Royce is cruel and his involvement in the kidnapping sends everything spiraling out of control. Kevin and Ashley are out of their depth. Catherine, knowing that Royce is out of prison on her patch, will not rest until justice for her daughter prevails, even if that means taking matters into her own hands. Let’s just say that things get messy.Catherine’s life is filled with personal and professional trials. Her grandson is disrespectful, slinging insults at his gran that made me want to send him to his room, and constantly in trouble at school. His behavior causes Catherine to question if she is doing right by him. Her ex-husband has remarried and has nothing to do with their grandson but still pursues Catherine for dinner and more. Why? She is haunted by the image of her daughter’s disfigured and dead body. Why? I liked how I kept looking for the answers to the why’s. In addition, as the sergeant of Happy Valley’s police force, Catherine’s job is a stressful one, to say the least. Even so, she slogs along day by day as more and more is heaped upon her.Clare, Catherine’s sister, quietly and masterfully portrayed by Siobhan Finneran, plays a huge and pivotal role in Catherine’s life. I found myself hoping for more back story about the two sisters. I wondered what their childhood was like and about the life events, which shaped them.This series is one story shown over six episodes. There is no murder mystery to be solved. We know who is doing what but we don’t always know why. I particularly liked how plot points were doled out bit by bit so I had several ah-hah moments. I found myself analyzing all the characters and looking for their motivation at every turn. I loved this!I was also wowed by Catherine’s capable handling of hooligans. She was fearless in facing violence and dished out a bit of her own when the situation called for it. And the situation called for it more than once. I couldn’t help but pull for her throughout the episodes and almost pray that everything would turn out for the best for her. I wanted…