Sarah Lancashire’s highest-rated drama hailed a “masterpiece” and ‘best on TV’ gets new UK home

If you enjoy shows with Sarah Lancashire, you’ll be pleased to know that her most critically acclaimed drama, Happy Valley, is now available to stream on U. The first series has recently been added to the platform. This BBC police drama is considered one of the best in its genre in the UK, making now a perfect time to revisit or discover it.

The acclaimed BBC series, which ran from 2014 to 2023, focused on the intense conflict between Sergeant Catherine Cawood (Sarah Lancashire) and criminal Tommy Lee Royce (James Norton). Throughout the show’s three seasons, a central storyline revolved around the lasting consequences of Tommy’s actions on Catherine’s family.

Created by Sally Wainwright, Happy Valley is a critically acclaimed series that has earned many awards, including BAFTAs for Best Drama and acting performances, and a National Television Award for Sarah Lancashire. She also received a Special Recognition Award from the National Television Awards in the same year.

Critics have widely celebrated Happy Valley, calling it a “masterpiece” (according to Forbes) and even the “best show on TV” in 2023 (Esquire). The character Tommy Lee Royce has also been recognized as a truly unsettling villain, with Digital Spy describing him as one of the most disturbing on television back in 2014.

The TV show Happy Valley is critically acclaimed, boasting a 98% rating on Rotten Tomatoes. Both its second and third seasons have earned perfect 100% scores. Critics at The Daily Express praised it as “brilliant television,” while Den of Geek called the second series “flawless.”

The show’s cast included many well-known British television actors, such as Siobhan Finneran (known for Protection), Charlie Murphy (Peaky Blinders, The Capture), Steve Pemberton (Inside No. 9), Julie Hesmondhalgh (Coronation Street), Katherine Kelly (Mr Bates vs. The Post Office), and Mark Stanley (Trigger Point).

What to Read Next

Siobhan Finneran, recently seen in the BBC series Death in Paradise, is set to star in a new Netflix drama. Known for her role in Happy Valley, Finneran will play a mysterious character named Mrs. Phillips in Unchosen, a psychological thriller exploring the secrets within a close community.

We recently got a first look at the upcoming project with a short trailer and some photos of the actors in costume, including Asa Butterfield from Sex Education and Molly Windsor from Cheat.

That’ll be another one to add to our watch lists.

Happy Valley aired on BBC One and is available on BBC iPlayer. Unchosen is coming to Netflix.

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2026-03-09 22:19