‘Happy Valley’ Recap: ‘Season 3, Episode 2’

Written by John Edward Betancourt

Caution: This article contains spoilers for Episode 302 of ‘Happy Valley’. To revisit the Season Three Premiere, click here.
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When we last settled in to discuss the wondrous series, Happy Valley, we talked at length about how the season three premiere did a phenomenal job of being unconventional in nature. For there was little bombastic storytelling present in that tale, just intimate stories about the characters we know and love, and their struggles and their strife. Specifically, regarding the past since a long-gone monster found a way back into Catherine’s family life. And that was featured alongside some fascinating everyday crime stories, regarding a chemist that was eager to make a lot of money from patients on the side and a housewife that was dealing with an abusive husband that also happened to be Ryan’s new football coach.
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All of which spoke to a final season that would be devoid of big moments and epic endings that would take our breath away, and well… that particular musing by this writer wasn’t exactly correct. For the next episode in this storied franchise, took the time to inform us… that there will be some big moments to be had, but not of the standard fare. For instance, there is going to be an explosion with those side plots. Since Faisal saw the pressure turned up upon him in this tale, from the thugs extorting him and from that very battered wife. Since Joanna asked for his help in escaping her awful husband, and his response to all of this, was scary, since he was so quiet and so tense and at times, lashed out in a manner that speaks to someone that might do something quite rash in the days to come. 

Not to mention, the whole situation with Joanna’s husband Rob, also had some newfound tension to it. Since Rob did his best to fire up Ryan. To try to paint him at a rotten kid that liked to cause trouble, to no avail of course. But that led to more beatings for Joanna and more fury from Rob in general and it is only a matter of time before that explodes in a negative light. And the same goes for the whole storyline involving Tommy Lee Royce. Since he became emboldened in this tale and did whatever he had to, in order to get his hands on a phone to contact his son and speaking of their relationship… well that just so happened to be the storyline that built the most tension of this tale and set the stage for a vastly different kind of final showdown/epic conflict. 

Because Catherine was able to get her hands on the prison records regarding who was taking Ryan there to see his father, and as it turned out, it was Clare. Her own flesh and blood, taking him to see a man that caused so much harm and so much pain and that… put Catherine in a tough place mentally. Where she struggled to reconcile the reality that this was even happening. But rather than fly off of the handle about such a decision to betray her really, she did everything she could to perhaps prove this to be a misunderstanding of some kind. To the point where she gave Clare the chance to clear her name, and she even checked on this personally to make sure it was a mistake. But alas, it was not. For Clare held to keeping this secret and Catherine was able to see Clare and Ryan, and Neil, make their way to the prison to see Tommy, which prompted her… to confront.

All of which, sets the stage for a vastly different kind of ending for Catherine’s journey. One where she must reconcile the reality that her grandson has his own decision to make regarding his own path, regardless of the darkness and pain it will cause her, and that will bring about quite the ending. One that could change her life and change her relationships, as evidenced by how this story ended, if she cannot make peace with what the seeming inevitable decision Ryan is about to make, and well, that made for one amazing tale. One that truly engaged us and put us on the edge of our seat in a different manner, since we don’t know how this family turmoil is going to sort out, and the only way to know… is to continue the journey and see how Catherine and her family navigate their greatest challenge to date… dealing with the horrors of the past. Until next time.

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