Sarah Lancashire as Sergeant Catherine Cawood in the hit BBC show, Happy Valley (Matt Squire/PA)
(Picture: PA Media)Happy Valley series three final spoilers below
It was the final we’d all been waiting for: after three series running across seven years, Happy Valley came to an end last night.
In a special 70 minute episode, Tommy Lee Royce (James Norton) and Sergeant Catherine Cawood (Sarah Lancashire) faced off – and despite the mountain of theories ahead of airing, writer Sally Wainwright still managed to keep audiences guessing.
There were dozens of storylines to be tied up in episode six, including who would be arrested for Joanna’s murder, why Rob’s daughter never took her coat off and whether Neil was really Tommy’s dad.
In the end Wainwright didn’t disappoint – it was as emotional as it was nail-biting – although not all the storylines were perfectly concluded, which frustrated some viewers. Here are some of the ways that the internet reacted to all the fallout.
Most people loved the final
Sobbed my way through the last twenty minutes. Absolutely wrung out. Magnificent, magnificent telly. Sally Wainwright, Sarah Lancashire, James Norton deserve ALL THE THINGS. #happyvalley
— Jojo Moyes (@jojomoyes) February 5, 2023
Sarah Lancashire fans loved it even more
She got her happy ending 😭❤️ Going to miss this woman so much. But what an episode. What an ending!! #HappyValley pic.twitter.com/glTcsbc5jH
— Sarah Lancashire (@SarahLancsUK) February 5, 2023
Some people were disappointed
let's be honest: the cast acted their asses off but the plot of Happy Valley series 3 was... not as good as the previous two :(
— Louis Staples (@LouisStaples) February 6, 2023
Me trying to sleep tonight not knowing why the little girl never took her coat off #HappyValley pic.twitter.com/88RgXTAU6y
— Skye 🌸 (@skyewxx) February 5, 2023
I would have liked IDEALLY a two hour final episode of #HappyValley with more time to resolve the Rob/Joanna/Faisal sub-plot. It felt a bit like that moment in Shakespeare when a minor character comes on and says “the king hath just slain the queen, but what were you saying?”
— Richard Coles (@RevRichardColes) February 6, 2023
While others said it concluded matters perfectly
Folk are complaining about not seeing Rob and Faisal punished in #HappyValley. They will be, off screen. Do you know why? It's not their story. It's Catherine's & it's Clare's. The return of their unconditional respect & love for one another is all we needed for a happy ending.
— Kate Millington (@milliethepoet) February 5, 2023
people who wanted more from other storylines are forgetting what the show is about in the first place…sally wainwright herself said “it's a show about catherine, who happens to be a police officer” so with her retiring, she (+ the audience) are leaving them behind #happyvalley pic.twitter.com/ayDoei7GM5
— niamh (@xniamhamelia) February 6, 2023
In the end, it was a different kind of showdown
Can’t stop laughing imagining an American watching that Happy Valley finale. Not a gun in sight and two people screaming “you prick” at each other over a kitchen table. Incredible.
— Sam Parker (@samparkercouk) February 5, 2023
I could watch a whole extra hour of Catherine and Tommy screaming "no YOU fuck off!" at each other. #HappyValley
— David (@DaveyBlahBlah) February 5, 2023
The final showed that Sally Wainwright reigns supreme
We all know Sally Wainwright’s a genius, but playing with the viewers’ emotions to the point we almost felt some sympathy for Tommy Lee Royce during that final confrontation was a masterstroke. And his realisation that Catherine gave Ryan a nice life was so powerful. #HappyValley
— Anthony Dearie (@AnthonyDearie) February 5, 2023
The fact that everyone was expecting a really violent, intense showdown for the #HappyValley finale and yet the best scene was simply an intense two-hander conversation that did not disappoint. Sally Wainwright’s dialogue is the best.
— Stephen Patterson (@mr_sjpatterson) February 5, 2023
It also showed that audiences want more middle-aged female protagonists
The phone in on @bbc5live talking about #HappyValley is amazing. So many women talking about how much they loved it. This is an audience which is usually ignored. @WorksWithWords doing a Sterling job.
— Jill O'Halloran (@JillOHalloran1) February 6, 2023
I hope the success of Happy Valley means there are currently loads of dramas being commissioned with 50-something women as the protagonists, especially if they aren't always completely likeable characters.
— Rosamund Urwin (@RosamundUrwin) February 5, 2023
Sarah Lancashire is just stellar.
People thought that Siobhan Finneran smashed it playing Clare
I know everyone will be (rightly) raving about Sarah Lancashire and James Norton but I’ve got to say Siobhan Finneran is also right up there for spectacular performance. What a dynamic between the sisters! #HappyValley
— Giles 🤦🏻♂️ (@GGreets) February 6, 2023
For a masterclass on saying everything while not uttering a syllable look no further than Siobhan Finneran Best support actress hands down #HappyValley
— Doktorr Tee (@DoktorrTee) February 6, 2023
Faisal will go down for his crimes... but off screen
Catherine just casually dropping Faisal in it then leaving, my Queen #HappyValley
— Jess (@ifeelflames) February 5, 2023
🚨 spoiler 🚨 I love that the evil men’s fates didn’t even need to be shown. Darius? Busted off-screen. Faisal? Arrested off-screen. That Hepworth prick? Charged off-screen. And Tommy Lee Royce? Tried to die on-screen but ultimately bumped off via text. Glorious. #happyvalley
— Shaun Kitchener (@ShaunKitchener) February 5, 2023
Neil, it turns out, wasn’t dodgy
A fuck tonne of us all silently apologising to Neil. Who wasn't dodgy, or Tommy's dad.#HappyValley pic.twitter.com/FikjuPORaP
— Magpie7 (@juniperdt) February 6, 2023
And Alison wasn’t up to no good either
Twitter theories were wild around Alison. Turns out she made a casual diazepam comment and made Catherine tea. It’s the little things 🤌🏻 #HappyValley #HappyValleyFinale pic.twitter.com/BRzDbPHACj
— marie🌸 (@lace2509) February 5, 2023
So, Sunday nights are going to be pretty boring from now on
me next sunday when there’s no more happy valley at 9pm: #happyvalley pic.twitter.com/vnQgK8hLG9
— niamh (@xniamhamelia) February 5, 2023
Goodbye!
The end.#HappyValley
— Sarah Lancashire (@QueenLancashire) February 5, 2023
📸: @jginorton pic.twitter.com/Ebg6D3mjRd
