Happy Valley recap – what you need to remember before season 3

Considering it's been seven years since season 2 came to a dramatic conclusion, some of the previous season's grittiest details may have slipped to the back of your mind.

So, in an effort to make sure that there aren't any moments of confusion or finger-pointing at various characters, allow us to refresh your memory about what happened in season 2 of Happy Valley. Only read on if you have watched it as there are major spoilers ahead.

Happy Valley season 2 recap

In season 2, we once again follow Catherine as she investigates a major crime in the Calder Valley. But, of course, all roads in her life somehow always seem to lead back to her nemesis: kidnapper, murderer and rapist Tommy Lee Royce (James Norton).

Catherine is tasked with investigating a human trafficking operation after multiple prostitutes are found dead across the Valley, including Royce's mother, Lynn Dewhurst. Royce believes Catherine is involved in some way and tells penpal-turned-love interest Frances Drummond (Shirley Henderson) as such when she visits him in prison.

And so Royce maps out a plan of revenge. It mainly centres on Frances killing Catherine but also involves getting in contact with his son Ryan, though that's strictly prohibited. How, then, you may ask? Drummond falsifies her identity and is placed into Ryan's school as new teaching assistant Miss Wheland, who coerces the young boy into believing he should forgive his dad and write him a letter.

Elsewhere, one of the lead investigating officers on the serial murder case is DCI John Wadsworth (Kevin Doyle), who is caught up in a love affair with Vicky Fleming (Amelia Bullmore). When he attempts to end it between them, she drugs and blackmails him with compromising images she'd staged. When she threatens to send them to his entire contact list – thus jeopardising his career and personal life – John strangles and kills her in a fit of rage and fear.

As one of the officers on the serial murder case, he has the knowledge needed to stage the scene to make it look like another in the string of serial murders of women in the area, and thinks he's got away with it too – until the real murderer is revealed.

In episode 1, we meet Daryl, the young farmer whose sheep were stolen and who is continually terrorised by local youths. He lives with his mother Alison and seems like a background character until we find out that actually, he's the killer behind the murders of local prostitutes.

Later in the season, he confesses to his doting mother, who promises she will stick by his side. In the morning, though, after making him one final cooked breakfast, she shoots Daryl dead.

She does so to protect him from prison life, she later tells Catherine, but then proceeded to attempt to take her own life. In the hospital after Catherine saves her, she tells Catherine she became pregnant with Daryl after being raped by her father. Daryl was always an "aberration" in her eyes was always going to turn out badly.

As for the murders themselves, Daryl tells his mother that he didn't kill Vicky, explaining that he “wouldn’t have had to have done that last one if people hadn’t kept thinking he’d done that Vicky Fleming one”. With a renewed interest in catching Vicky's murderer, the police appeal for anyone who may have noticed suspicious activity on the evening of her death.

The season 2 finale sees the truth close in around John. His wife's boyfriend comes forward with information about John's whereabouts on the night of Vicky's murder, Catherine's sister Clare's (Siobhan Finneran) new partner Neil (Con O'Neill) confesses that Vicky also blackmailed him in the past (thus providing a potential motive for her murder) and John's colleagues realise that the existence of him as a contact on Vicky's phone is very suspicious.

Catherine soon figures out that John could be the perpetrator, wrapping up the season with a manhunt. John emotionally confesses to killing Vicky on the bridge outside the police station before jumping to his death.

In Catherine's personal life, we find out that Cecily Wheland is actually Frances' dead sister and subsequently, she is arrested for fraud. After being released on bail, though, Catherine visits Frances to inform her that Royce is engaged to three more women. The series ends with the revelation that Frances did get Ryan to write a letter to his dad and in it, he tells Royce that he loves him.

What do these Happy Valley storylines mean for season 3?

Well, Happy Valley season 2 ended with Catherine looking fondly on at Ryan and, while many would've liked to believe that it was simply a scene of a grandmother and her grandchild, some were inclined to deduce that actually, Catherine was having some thoughts about Ryan's future. Namely, whether the young boy and his angry temperament points to any commonality with his criminal father.

Undoubtedly, this will be a focus in season 3, with Ryan being 16 and the season 2 finale ending with Royce looking unexpectedly hopeful for a future with his son. Does the apple actually fall far from the tree? We'll just have to watch on and find out.

Who will be the key characters in Happy Valley season 3?

Of course, Happy Valley would be nothing without Sarah Lancashire leading the cast as Sergeant Catherine Cawood but another notable character is James Norton as Tommy Lee Royce.

The convicted criminal is spending time in prison for his crimes (not least trying to stage a murder-suicide with Ryan in series one). We find Royce still in prison seven years on but this time round, he's being questioned over links to a gangland murder.

Another character who is due to get a lot more screen time and consideration in this new season is Ryan (Rhys Connah). Now 16, Wainwright has revealed that throughout the third season, Ryan will be grappling with his identity and his upbringing, stating to Radiotimes.com that "he's someone who's trying to make sense of his past and find out the truth about his past".

Of course, everyone in the Happy Valley cast is vital to the drama but something tells us that this third series will hone in on these three in a very big way. For a comprehensive list of who else will be returning and joining the new season, read more about the Happy Valley season 3 cast.

Happy Valley season 3 continues on BBC One at 9pm on Sunday. Seasons 1-3 are available to watch on BBC iPlayer now.

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