Happy Valley Season 3

[Matt2112]

I must first fully disclose that I only watch this acclaimed series kind of casually out of curiosity for location-spotting purposes, as it is filmed in the borough in which I live.

Indeed, I remember some years ago when I worked in an office overlooking part of the canal basin in Sowerby Bridge, turning up in my car one morning as usual and unexpectedly finding myself being waved past The Moorings pub - steps from my parking spot - by a film crew, so I literally drove through where a scene was being prepped, Sarah Lancashire in full police uniform in conversation with some crew member mere feet away from me.

So, I had to smile at the first episode of this, particularly at the scene with a "Yorkshire Police" station, which I immediately recognised as Halifax town centre's council swimming baths repurposed.

Even more so during the (very brief) scene when the "villain" is transferred as part of a convoy of police vehicles into the rear entrance of the "police station" (the rear entrance of Halifax town centre's repurposed swimming baths); about 12 hours before I saw this sequence tonight, I had parked my car at a car park literally 50 yards away from that very spot, ahead of a Halifax Town match at the nearby Shay Stadium.

And here's another reason why I can't watch this extremely well made drama without not falling under its spell: I'm sorry but, no matter how profoundly dramatic and gritty the scene might be, I cannot see George Costigan and Siobhan Finneran without thinking of the timelessly hilarious Rita, Sue & Bob Too and laughing my nads off.

So: are there any actual fans here who can offer the serious appraisal it deserves..?