24 January

This is such a powerful show. I get tired of American shows because so many of them rely upon some artifice that seems cool at first, but within a series or two the disconnect between the artifice and everyday life means the whole thing becomes ludicrous just to try to keep the show running. (Lucifer, anyone?) Something I really love about Happy Valley is that it finally has a strong female lead character who isn’t simultaneously struggling with a personal life that is completely out of control. For some reason writers always make female characters hopeless human beings. Not this one, tough and resilient. Like most mothers, actually. And many women in management. James Norton is so sinister too. In a real-life way, not the confected adolescent fantasies that seem to drive most US shows.