Happy Valley

Happy Valley......not for most of the residents! The BBC tend to (every now and then) come up with a block busting drama series. This one had (and has) me gripped to my seat from the start. Clever interaction between all the cast and 'Superb' acting on the part of every actor/actress including Corrie's Sarah Lancashire and Benidorm's Steve Pemberton. Great Yorkshire setting, the atmosphere oozes out of every brick & stone. Edge of the seat stuff, every episode ending in a cliff hanger.. Please let there be more BBC, you do have an awful habit of killing of great drama series just when everyone is hooked (e.g. Garrow's Law). Bring on season two please (writer) Sally Wainwright

I've been thoroughly enjoying this dark gritty drama. All the leads are excellent, but Sarah Lancashire as the main police officer with a tragic family history, is outstanding. It started well then just got better and better with each episode and twist of the plot (and screw) having me on the edge of my seat. I've just watched what must be the penultimate episode and it has left me physically shaking - it was that convincing and shocking. It's hard to credit the complaint of mumbling by one reviewer. I can't recall even one line of script I didn't follow and it's usually something that bugs me. I'm so glad I've watched this series, it's got to be one of (if not the) best TV dramas of 2014.

The fact that Sgt Catherine Cawood is not a real person but a character played by an actress is completely 100% inconceivable. The portrayal is SO real in every aspect. It's real in every mannerism, in the shift between her persona as a private person and police officer, in the way she dresses, the way she wears her hair, her make up, the choices she makes and how she behaves. I've never seen a performance like it in my life. So extremely vulnerable, yet so extremely strong and when push comes to shove so extremely brave and tough. I for one would not want to cross her, for she would surely kick my behind severely, at the same time I sure would want her to talk to if ever I was victimized.

As for the series, both one and two, the plot squeezes the characters so hard that it's sometimes unwatchable because you relate so intensely to the psychological pressures their under, both the good guys and the bad.

An absolute must to watch!

This was not a show that I expected to be blown away with, although I am a long term fan of Sarah Lancashire, and with Sally Wainwright involved I should have expected it to be good.

This is beyond good, if you don't get hooked and wanting more after the first episode you probably should not be watching.

There are so many good things to say about this show that I run out of words, but one word that sums up how I feel is gob-smacked.

Having watched 4 out of the 6 episodes so far, I have to say that it has been quite a while since I wished that the days would speed by so I can get my mitts on the next episode.

I love how the British do crime shows! So raw and realistic. The main actress is amazing, she does such a good job at being equally scary and sweet. It's got some good twists and shock moments. Definitely worth watching.