Happy Valley Page #5

Season #1 Episode #1

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HAPPY VALLEY. EPISODE ONE. BY SALLY WAINWRIGHT 12.

CATHERINE:

(amused, annoyed)

Oy!

Just then

MRS.MUKHERJEE

Catherine!

(CATHERINE turns and sees

RYAN’s teacher,

MRS.MUKHERJEE)

Hello! Sorry, you haven’t got five

minutes, have you?

CUT TO:

7 INT. SCHOOL, RYAN’S CLASSROOM. DAY 1. 15.20 7

CATHERINE and MRS.MUKHERJEE are sitting on little chairs.

RYAN’s with them. Silence, initially. Then

MRS.MUKHERJEE

You’re such a nice little boy,

Ryan. Most of the time. But then

you let this unpleasant temper get

the better of you. And I understand

you get frustrated, but we have to

find better ways of dealing with

it.

CATHERINE’s finding this difficult.

CATHERINE:

Did he...? Hurt anyone?

MRS.MUKHERJEE

Well no, he hurt himself.

(we see a tiny blemish on

RYAN’s forehead)

No-one else was hurt, but the point

is Ryan. They could’ve been. When

you start throwing chairs across

the room and using unacceptable

language

(she turns to CATHERINE)

-and you see we do have a

responsibility to protect the other

children.

CATHERINE hates this but has to take it on the chin. RYAN

seems subdued but indifferent.

CUT TO:

HAPPY VALLEY. EPISODE ONE. BY SALLY WAINWRIGHT 13.

8 EXT. CATHERINE’S HOUSE, BACK DOOR. HEBDEN BRIDGE. DAY 1. 8

15.45

CLARE (45, streaks in her hair, excessive jewellery, exotic

clothes, a bit of an aging rock chick, with a bit of the

wasted look of an ex-addict) sits on the back door step of

CATHERINE’s three-bedroom terrace house. She’s smoking a fag,

and she’s wrapped up warm with a steaming hot mug of tea in

her hands. She’s soaking up some rare rays of winter

sunshine. The back door’s open behind her, and - deep in the

narrow house - we’re aware of CATHERINE and RYAN returning

home through the front door

RYAN:

I’m watching telly.

CATHERINE:

Can you get changed first, please?

RYAN:

Ohh! Why?

CATHERINE:

Because I said so.

We hear him scramble up the stairs.

RYAN:

Can I have some juice then?

CATHERINE:

Need you ask.

RYAN:

No, I mean are you getting it me?

CATHERINE:

Get changed.

CATHERINE drops RYAN’s stuff on the kitchen table then heads

outside to see what CLARE’s up to.

CLARE:

Lad down Sowerby Bridge set fire to

himself this morning.

CATHERINE:

No he didn’t.

CLARE:

Apparently. Woman in t’shop said.

CATHERINE:

D’you want these?

Sunglasses.

HAPPY VALLEY. EPISODE ONE. BY SALLY WAINWRIGHT 14.

CLARE:

Oh. Ta.

She puts them on and continues to bask.

CATHERINE:

You been busy?

CLARE:

I’ve been up the allotment all

afternoon, I’ve only just got back.

There’s some tea in the pot.

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