Happy Valley season 2 review: Yet another gripping season from a criminally underrated TV show

4/5

Story: After Tommy Lee Royce (James Norton) is sent to prison, Catherine (Sarah Lancashire) hopes that she can find a semblance of normalcy in her chaotic life — as a grandmother, a sister, and a police sergeant. Her hopes for relative peace and happiness in her life are put on hold yet again as a series of brutal murders in her small town keeps her on her toes. And unbeknownst to her, Tommy’s new girlfriend has joined her grandson Ryan’s (Rhys Connah) school disguised as a teacher — in order to groom him to be more affectionate towards his criminally insane father, Tommy.

Review: British television has continued to churn out compelling crime dramas on a regular basis in recent years with critically acclaimed hits such as Sherlock, Broadchurch, Luther, Happy Valley and Line of Duty. However, Happy Valley remains the most underrated among these titles. The setting, the narrative, and the characters are thoroughly engaging and keep one hooked to the screens from the first episode to the finale.

The finale of the first season gives the impression that a second season was not warranted as it had a conclusive end to each character’s story. And continuing the story where it left off in season one could have risked the overarching narrative becoming stale for the audience. However, showrunner Sally Wainwright has quite remarkably added a fresh spin to Happy Valley that keeps the audience immersed and invested in the show.

The performances by the cast, Sarah Lancashire, Siobhán Margaret Finneran, and Charlie Murphy, play a vital role in significantly elevating the quality of the show. While the first season was about the kidnapping of Ann Gallagher (Charlie Murphy), the second season is about Ann joining the police force to help Catherine apprehend a serial killer who is targeting sex workers. All of this unfolds against the backdrop of the jailed Tommy scheming to get closer to his son with the help of his new girlfriend.

There is no denying that the story might sound marginally over-the-top when broken down into its basic elements, but the stellar writing keeps it grounded and offers an unfiltered glimpse into the turmoil that has engulfed Catherine both personally and professionally. Lancashire continues to excel in season two and carries herself better than the stereotypical male heroes often seen in films and television shows. In fact, the sadistic Tommy could be mistaken for a charming young man if one were not made aware of his depravities.

Ultimately, if the murder mystery was far too predictable, the story characters and the dark grey skies of West Yorkshire would not have been enough to keep one invested in season two. But the murder investigation and the branched-out stories surrounding the murders are carefully crafted to deliver a fast-paced season. And just as in the case of season one, season two continues to toy with the idea of ‘sins of the father’.

Verdict: Happy Valley may not sound like the most fascinating crime drama even with its ironic title. But it’s undoubtedly one of the most well-written and thought-provoking shows ever produced by the BBC. The third season is set to premiere on BBC on the first of January 2023 and is expected to release in other parts of the globe later in 2023. The story could lean heavily on the dynamic between Tommy and his son.