Our long-awaited reunion with Sergeant Catherine Cawood is almost upon us. A third and final season of “Happy Valley” has been confirmed after years of teasing from creator Sally Wainwright. The BAFTA-winning crime drama is returning with “a new production company and new U.S. co-producer,” per The Hollywood Reporter.
Set to film in 2022, “Happy Valley’s” final run will be comprised of six hour-long episodes. Sarah Lancashire will reprise her leading role. Also returning are Siobhan Finneran and James Norton. The former plays Clare’s sister and the latter portrays Clare’s late daughter’s rapist.
“While the first two seasons of ‘Happy Valley’ were produced by Red Production Company, the StudioCanal-backed banner behind ‘It’s a Sin’ and originally founded by Nicola Shindler (who recently departed to set up Quay Street Productions), season three will be made by Lookout Point, the production house wholly-owned by BBC Studios,” THR details. “In the U.S., whereas Netflix originally had exclusive rights to both ‘Happy Valley’ seasons one and two, AMC has boarded as co-producer and will be the new season’s North American home (joining the first two seasons which are now available on AMC+).”
The third season sees Catherine on “the cusp of retirement” and discovering “the remains of a gangland murder victim, sparking a chain of events that leads her back to Royce. Cawood’s grandson Ryan is now sixteen and still living with her, but he has ideas of his own about what kind of relationship he wants to have with the man she refuses to acknowledge as his father.”
“I’m delighted to find myself back in the world of Catherine Cawood and her family and colleagues for the final installment of the ‘Happy Valley’ trilogy,” said Wainwright. “It’s been wonderful to see the lasting impact this series has had on audiences all over the world. I’m thrilled that Sarah, James, and Siobhan are back on board for what I hope will be the best season yet, and thrilled once again to be working with the wonderful team at Lookout Point, the BBC, and our new colleagues at AMC.”
A ratings hit and a favorite among critics, “Happy Valley” first debuted in 2014. Season 2 attracted “an average audience of 9.3 million,” according to THR. Both seasons landed BAFTA TV Awards for drama series and writing: drama. Lancashire took home the BAFTA TV award for leading actress for Season 2.
Other series created by Wainwright include “Gentleman Jack,” “Scott & Bailey,” and “Last Tango in Halifax.” Lancashire also stars in the latter.
