Happy Valley, Series 2: six things you need to know about the return of the Sarah Lancashire police drama

The acclaimed Yorkshire-set thriller series returns for a highly-anticipated second run
Ben Travis9 February 2016

Britain cranks out a lot of crime thrillers for TV – but some truly stand head and shoulders above the rest.

Almost two years ago, Sally Wainwright’s Yorkshire-set police drama Happy Valley received considerable acclaim, following Sarah Lancashire’s detective Sgt Catherine Cawood as she hunted a serial killer and attempted to come to terms with her daughter’s suicide.

Now it’s back for a second series, and early signs indicate that it could live up to the beloved first run.

Here’s what you need to know about Happy Valley’s return.

1) It’s still no way near as cheery as it sounds

Anyone who missed out on the first series would be forgiven for thinking that Happy Valley sounds like some kind of spiritual successor to Sesame Street.

Forget Elmo and Big Bird – this is at times an exceptionally gritty crime thriller, blending grounded realism with harsh crimes that mark this as one of Britain’s darker TV exports.

2) It’s not all grim

Happy Valley isn’t pure misery – as you might guess from that cheekily misleading title, there’s a sense of dark humour shot through the series. Sarah Lancashire’s leading performance often helps bring that levity to the fore.

3) You’re about to see a whole new side to War & Peace’s Prince Andrei

If you didn’t see Series 1 but found yourself swept up in the BBC’s War and Peace adaptation, you’d be forgiven for swooning entirely over the exceptionally handsome James Norton as Prince Andrei.

You’re in for a shock in Happy Valley, though – here, Norton plays Tommy, a terrifying psychopathic serial killer.

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4) Neville Longbottom is in this one

Well, sort of. Harry Potter actor Matthew Lewis, who played Neville Longbottom in the wizarding franchise, joins Series 2 as Sean Balmforth. You might not recognise him though – he’s got huge sideburns and a creepy handlebar moustache here.

5) There’s another killer in town

James Norton’s Tommy was – SPOILER WARNING – locked up at the end of Series 1, so he’s still behind bars as Series 2 picks up 18 months later.

However, Sgt Catherine is about to find a new body – and it looks like a new serial killer might be roaming West Yorkshire.

6) Sally Wainwright’s writing is as brilliant as ever

As well as the original Happy Valley, screenwriter Sally Wainwright is also known for the likes of Last Tango in Halifax and Scott and Bailey.

Having acknowledged that Series 1 of her crime drama wrapped up in a satisfying way, she’s gone the extra mile to ensure that Series 2 lives up to the standard she set first time around.

BBC One, 9pm

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