# Happy Valley (2014–2023) — Celluloid TV fact sheet

Source: https://celluloidscore.com/shows/happy-valley/
Last reviewed: 2026-07-25

| Field | Value |
|-------|-------|
| Celluloid Score | 88% |
| Critic Score | 97% |
| Audience Score | 92% |
| Metascore | 84/100 |
| IMDb | 8.5/10 |
| Fan Score | 82% |
| Creator | Sally Wainwright |
| Platform | BBC |
| Genres | Crime, Drama, Mystery |
| Seasons | 3 (18 episodes) |
| Language | English |
| Country | United Kingdom |

## Quick answer

Happy Valley (2014–2023) is a Crime, Drama, Mystery series created by Sally Wainwright, streaming on BBC. It holds a 88% Celluloid Score — Recommended — averaged from critic reviews (97%), audience ratings (92%), Metascore (84/100), IMDb (8.5/10), and fan ratings (82%) across 3 seasons.

## Critics consensus

Sally Wainwright writes rural Yorkshire as a place where consequences never expire, and Sarah Lancashire gives one of the great television performances.

## Synopsis

Happy Valley is a dark, funny, multi-layered thriller revolving around the personal and professional life of Catherine, a dedicated, experienced, hard-working copper. She is also a bereaved mother who looks after her orphaned grandchild.

## Cast

Sarah Lancashire, Siobhan Finneran, James Norton, Rhys Connah, Charlie Murphy, Shane Zaza, George Costigan, Rick Warden

## Critic reviews on Celluloid: 1

## Most searched questions

**Is Happy Valley worth watching?**
Yes — Happy Valley earns a 88% Celluloid Score (Recommended), averaged from critic 97%, audience 92%, Metascore 84/100, IMDb 8.5/10, and fan 82%. Sally Wainwright writes rural Yorkshire as a place where consequences never expire, and Sarah Lancashire gives one of the great television performances.

**Why is Happy Valley so highly rated?**
Happy Valley scores 88% because all five independent sources agree: critics 97%, audiences 92%, Metacritic 84/100, IMDb 8.5/10 and fan ratings 82%. Sally Wainwright writes rural Yorkshire as a place where consequences never expire, and Sarah Lancashire gives one of the great television performances. See the full breakdown on the Happy Valley series page.

**Is Happy Valley on Netflix?**
No — Happy Valley is not on Netflix. It streams on BBC, and on Celluloid it is catalogued under BBC. Streaming rights rotate by country, so confirm in your region before subscribing.

**What year did Happy Valley come out?**
Happy Valley first aired in 2014 and ran through 2023 (2014–2023). Created by Sally Wainwright; it streams on BBC today.

**How many seasons of Happy Valley are there?**
Happy Valley has 3 seasons across 18 episodes (2014–2023). Status: ended / complete.

**How long does it take to watch Happy Valley?**
At roughly 40–50 minutes per episode, Happy Valley’s 18 episodes take roughly 14 hours of runtime (plus credits). Binge pace depends on season breaks.

**Where can I watch Happy Valley?**
Happy Valley streams on BBC in supported regions. On Celluloid it is catalogued under BBC. Rights rotate — confirm in your country on the platform app.

**Who is in the cast of Happy Valley?**
Happy Valley stars Sarah Lancashire, Siobhan Finneran, James Norton, Rhys Connah, Charlie Murphy, and others. Created by Sally Wainwright.

**How many episodes are in Happy Valley?**
Happy Valley has 18 episodes across 3 seasons (2014–2023).

**What is Happy Valley about?**
Happy Valley is a dark, funny, multi-layered thriller revolving around the personal and professional life of Catherine, a dedicated, experienced, hard-working copper. She is also a bereaved mother who looks after her orphaned grandchild.

**Who created Happy Valley?**
Happy Valley was created by Sally Wainwright. It is a crime, drama, mystery series from United Kingdom, primarily in English.

**What should I watch after Happy Valley?**
Browse more crime series on Celluloid’s BBC hub, or open More Like This.

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Reviewed and scored by Celluloid · Editor: Kaiser Khan (https://celluloidscore.com/author/kaiser-khan/)

Markdown mirror: https://celluloidscore.com/shows/happy-valley.md