Happy Valley series 3 episode 1 had viewers gripped as Sarah Lancashire and the insanely talented cast returned to BBC One last night, but many viewers had the same complaint about the hit show.
The worshipped programme returned to our screens on January 1 after an almost seven-year hiatus.
We saw the comeback of iconic Yorkshire-based Sergeant Catherine Cawood (Sarah Lancashire), the character whose daughter took her own life in the first series after she was raped by local psychopath Tommy Lee Royce.
Series 3 will centre around a murder victim discovered in a drained reservoir.
Alongside Sarah, James Norton (Tommy) and Rhys Connah, who plays Catherine’s grandson now all grown up, returned.
Viewers had been waiting so long for the series to return and were not let down by the breathtaking first instalment of the third series, but there was the same complaint from many.
Their reason? They’re just gutted they can’t binge-watch the season!
Catherine Cawood lovers make same complaint
As the first episode kicked off, loyal viewers took to Twitter to express their adulation for the delivery. Some, however, used Twitter to voice their frustration at the show’s one-episode-a-week format.
The six-part series, naturally, will take six weeks to conclude.
In the age of streaming services where boxsets are usually readily available, some viewers simply can’t cope with such a waiting process.
“The new Happy Valley is off to a cracking start,” one viewer remarked. “What a show. I wish I could binge the lot.”
A second mirrored this, saying: “I’ve chosen not to watch Happy Valley until a few weeks in so that I can binge-watch it. This means that, as usual, I’ll be behind the curve.”
And a third disgruntled fan wrote: “My binge-watching self is not happy I have to wait an entire week for another episode of Happy Valley. I am not used to this.”
Fans defend Happy Valley format
Not everyone was so upset about the current format, however. Some fans expressed their gratitude for the carefully paced series after Happy Valley series 3 episode 1. Others used humour to dispel negative fans’ complaints.
“New to the Happy Valley watching but it seems like it won’t be long before catch-up,” one fan opined. “I’m glad they’ve not put it on iPlayer because I’m worried I’d binge lol.”
Another viewer said: “I know we’re all disappointed that we can’t binge Happy Valley. BUT the BBC has put the whole series of the new Digging For Britain on iPlayer. So there’s that.”
Read more: Happy Valley series 3 cast: Sarah Lancashire, James Norton, and so many more incredible actors
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