James Norton reprises his role as the villanous and murderous Tommy Lee Royce (Picture: PA)
After a long seven year wait, Sally Wainwright’s blockbuster drama Happy Valley season 3 finally came back to our screens with a bang.
With her daughter’s rapist Tommy Lee Royce (James Norton) behind bars, it seemed like no-nonsense sergeant Catherine Cawood (Sarah Lancashire) could take it easy for once.
However, this being Happy Valley, Catherine was of course plunged straight into investigating a gangland murder after human remains were washed up in a reservoir that is linked to her arch nemisis Royce.
On top of that, the shrewd officer was faced with the news that her grandson Ryan (Rhys Connah) is potentially visiting his murderous father Royce in prison – despite having previously endangered his life.
Elsewhere in the village, father and pharmacist Faisal (Amit Shah), who has been selling drugs without prescriptions, saw his family life flash before his eyes after he was threatened by local drug dealers.
Here is everything we want to know after watching the action-packed first episode of the final outing of Happy Valley.
Catherine Cawood is months away from retirement but is investigating a final case (Picture: BBC/Lookout Point/Matt Squire)
Who killed Gary and threw his body into the resevoir?
The opening scenes sees Catherine, after schooling some forensic scientients, discover human remains at a reservoir.
Recognising the teeth of the body from a previous incident, Catherine correctly identifies the skeleton as local thug Gary.
Gary died around eight years ago in a gangland attack and Royce, who is in prison, is arrested again for his murder.
Gary’s remains are discovered at a reservoir (Picture: BBC/Lookout Point/Matt Squire)
Among Royce’s possessions for his first stint behind bars for drug charges was a distinctive St Christopher’s necklace, which was found near Gary’s remains.
In a statement read by his lawyer, Royce later confesses he was at the scene of the crime but stated he was not responsible for Gary’s death, adding he believed he was there for ‘punishment’ but not killing.
He names Chris Huxley as Gary’s murderer, but given his smirk as he is taken away and the officer’s reaction, Royce could be playing a dangerous game.
Will tensions reach breaking point between Catherine and Rob Hepworth?
Teacher Rob Hepworth (Mark Stanley) was introduced raging at Ryan and his school mates during a game of football.
After locking horns with Ryan on the pitch, Rob goes on to call him a ‘t**t’, which is fed back to a not very impressed Catherine.
Catherine encounters the abusive Rob again after he called the police on his wife Ann Hepworth (Mollie Winnard) for taking drugs without a prescription.
Nasty piece of work Rob Hepworth calls the police on his own wife (Picture: BBC/Lookout Point/Matt Squire)
The officer interviews Ann, but as a means to get her away from Rob, telling her about coercive control and offering her support for women’s shelters.
Catherine reveals a terrified Ann turned down her help, as she didn’t want to be separated from her children, but vowed to ‘make herself known’ to Rob next time she watches one of Ryan’s games.
What’s next for Faisal covert drug operation?
Local pharmacist Faisal gets spooked after Ann gets arrested for possession of drugs without a prescription, having supplied her with them.
Having decided to shut down his illegal operation, he is visited by some thugs who threaten him with the lives of his two daughters.
But the drug dealers, who said Faisal has been working on their patch and stealing their business, does not want him to stop.
Faisal is visited by two very unwanted customers (Picture: BBC/Lookout Point/Matt Squire)
Instead, they want the father-of-two to carry on with dealing prescription drugs and feed all the profits back to him.
Faisal is faced with an impossible choice – but what will he ultimately decide to do?
Is Ryan visiting his father in prison?
Despite Catherine’s best efforts to keep Ryan away from Royce, it’s implied the teenager has been secretly visiting his dad in prison.
One of Catherine’s co-workers alerts her that he has been told a prison guard as seen Ryan with a ‘man and a woman’ speaking to Royce, who has been moved from Gravesend to the much nearer Sheffield jail.
Does Ryan want to foster a relationship with his father? (Picture: BBC/Lookout Point/AMC/Matt Squire)
A shocked Catherine, who refuses to ask her grandson outright if the rumours are true, then asks him to look into the visitors’ book to see if there’s a record.
The episode ends with the officer telling Catherine he has some news and ‘she’s not going to like it.’
Who are the ‘man and woman’ taking Ryan to visit his dad?
Given that everything suggests the covert visits are true, who has gone behind Catherine’s back and is travelling with Ryan to Royce’s prison.
The intel supplied to Catherine from the prison guard said that Ryan was seen with a ‘man and a woman’ as people under the age of 18 aren’t allowed to visit prisoners alone.
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But who could these two mystery people be?
Happy Valley continues on BBC One and iPlayer on Sunday at 9pm.
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It’s safe to assume he has been.
