Happy Valley  Season #2 Episode #3

1 INT. THERAPIST’S ROOM. DAY 8. 09.30 1

CATHERINE’s dressed in civvies, the sort of civvies that

suggest she’d rather be out on the moors than sitting here

with a psychotherapist, whose expression is calm. Neither of

them say anything for long enough, and then

THERAPIST:

I saw on the sheet that I asked you

to fill [in]

CATHERINE:

The happy sheet.

He knows all officers think it’s a load of crap. He smiles

THERAPIST:

Yes, the happy sheet. I saw that on

the question ‘Have you ever

contemplated killing yourself or

others?’ You’ve written ‘Yes’.

(silence:
he hopes she’ll

pick the ball up and run

with it. Fat chance)

Do you want to talk about that?

CATHERINE weighs things up.

CATHERINE:

No.

THERAPIST:

Have you ever contemplated killing

yourself?

(yes she has, but in no

way seriously. And

anyway, she’s not telling

him)

Have you ever tried to kill

yourself?

CATHERINE:

(quickly)

No.

She all but adds “Don’t be stupid”.

THERAPIST:

Have you ever thought about how

you’d do it. If you did.

CATHERINE:

I’ve seen all of ‘em and none of

‘em are pretty. They’re all...

Silence.

HAPPY VALLEY SERIES TWO. EPISODE THREE. PEACH SCRIPT. 22.

THERAPIST:

All what?

CATHERINE:

Sordid. Ridiculous. And anyway. I

don’t want to be on a slab. I’ve

seen what they do to people.

THERAPIST:

(consulting the notes)

Did you have counselling after your

daughter took her own life?

CATHERINE:

No. I had a break down.

She says it like it’s a viable alternative.

THERAPIST:

What happened?

CATHERINE:

Nothing. I just... screamed at

people a lot and smashed a few

things in the sink and drank too

much and pissed everyone off within

a ten mile radius for about a year,

eighteen months, and then... you

know. You’ve still got to pay the

mortgage at the end of it all,

haven’t you?

THERAPIST:

Your marriage broke down.

CATHERINE:

Yeah. Well. Most marriages don’t

survive something like that. Do

they. Losing a child.

THERAPIST:

An experience like that changes

people. Permanently.

She looks at him steadily. Like... duh. Is he properly

qualified?

CATHERINE:

I’da said so.

THERAPIST:

How did it change you?

The answer that pops up surprises her a little. It’s like a

reflex.

HAPPY VALLEY SERIES TWO. EPISODE THREE. PEACH SCRIPT. 33.

CATHERINE:

I’m sad.

(she thinks about that now

she’s said it. And she

continues like she’s

talking to herself, cos

she sure as hell ain’t

talking to him)

I never used to be sad. I mean I

could be sad. But it wasn’t like it

was a permanent state [of] - it

didn’t define who I am.

THERAPIST:

You don’t appear sad. Sorry I’m not

contradicting the fact that you are

sad. You know how you feel. But

your colleagues. Your friends at

work. I get the idea they think of

you as the life and soul of the

party.

CATHERINE:

Good.

THERAPIST:

Do you cover things up?

CATHERINE:

No. They all know about Becky, they

all know what happened.

THERAPIST:

No, I meant do you - are you

conscious of feeling sad but still

trying to put on a brave face, a

happy face, at work?

CATHERINE:

No. I love work.

THERAPIST:

Do you think you’re angry? As well

as sad.

She considers that.

CATHERINE:

Sometimes.

THERAPIST:

You have an edge. People are a bit

scared of you, aren’t they?

CATHERINE:

Who’s said that?

HAPPY VALLEY SERIES TWO. EPISODE THREE. PEACH SCRIPT. 44.

THERAPIST:

It’s an observation.

(he waits for CATHERINE to

respond. She doesn’t)

How do you feel about that? People

being scared of you.

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