Happy Valley Page #8

Season #1 Episode #6

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10.01

CATHERINE comes through to the front desk with JOYCE. There’s

a young postman on the other side of the counter.

CATHERINE:

Morning.

POSTMAN:

I’ve been delivering post all this

week to them big tower blocks on

here. And there’s one flat. On the

fourth floor. Flat number twenty.

And there’s a smell, when y’open

t’letter box, and it’s...

(to say the least)

Not good. There’s all flies like...

So. I’m wondering if there’s a dead

dog in there.

CUT TO:

48 EXT. BRETT’S FLAT. DAY 18. 10.30 48

SHAF and TWIGGY knock on the door. Nothing. TWIGGY pushes

open the letter box. He recoils instantly.

HAPPY VALLEY. EPISODE SIX. BY SALLY WAINWRIGHT. 39.

TWIGGY:

Ohh - !

(recovers himself, then

speaks to CATHERINE on

his radio)

There’s definitely something in

there shuffled off its mortal coil,

Sarg.

Cutting as and when with

CUT TO:

49

INT. NORLAND ROAD POLICE STATION, CATHERINE’S OFFICE. 49

DAY 18. 10.31

CATHERINE at her desk talking point-to-point with TWIGGY.

CATHERINE:

Can you get in?

TWIGGY:

We’ve knocked on a few doors. The

lad that lives here is called Brett

McKendrick? But nobody seems to

know much about him.

CATHERINE:

We need a key. What about any

family? What about a girlfriend? Or

his mother?

TWIGGY:

Have you not got anything on t’box?

CATHERINE reads info off the computer screen.

CATHERINE:

(shaking her head)

We did house-to-house there four

weeks ago...

SHAF:

(reminding TWIGGY to tell

CATHERINE - )

Nobody’s seen him lately either.

TWIGGY:

Oh yeah, nobody’s seen him around

here lately either.

CATHERINE:

Okay. Have you got an Ovenden door

key in your car?

HAPPY VALLEY. EPISODE SIX. BY SALLY WAINWRIGHT. 40.

Cut to a few moments later

CUT TO:

50 EXT. BRETT’S FLAT. DAY 18. 10.35 50

Cut to a few moments later. SHAF looks on as TWIGGY shoves

the door open with the door ram. The smell hits them. They

both exclaim/murmur: “Sh*t/Jesus/Oh my God” etc etc. They’re

hit by flies as well. Both TWIGGY and SHAF cover their mouths

and noses with their shirts as they go into the flat...

CUT TO:

51 INT. BRETT’S FLAT, SITTING ROOM. DAY 18. 10.36 51

They both push doors open quickly: they want to get it over

and done with. TWIGGY goes straight into the sitting room and

sees BRETT and LEWIS, flopped on the floor just as they were

when TOMMY left them. Except now they’re suffering from four

weeks of decomposition. So they’ve got a greenish tinge, like

off meat.

CATHERINE:

(oov)

Talk to me, Twiggy.

CUT TO:

52 EXT. NISA, HEBDEN BRIDGE. DAY 18. 15.30 52

3:
30pm. RYAN (helmet, fluorescent jacket) comes out of the

newsagent with sweets. He’s just unlocking his bike, when

TOMMY:

Ryan?

(RYAN looks up. We - and

RYAN - see TOMMY)

Hello. D’you remember me?

(RYAN’s unsure; TOMMY

doesn’t look the same as

last time)

I’m your dad.

(TOMMY’s nervous. RYAN

surely knows he’s the

wanted man?)

D’you remember?

RYAN:

(quiet)

Yeah.

TOMMY looks really ill.

HAPPY VALLEY. EPISODE SIX. BY SALLY WAINWRIGHT. 41.

TOMMY:

You’ve probably heard loads of bad

stuff about me, but not all of it’s

true.

RYAN:

Me Granny said you was off your

head on drugs.

TOMMY:

No I’m not.

RYAN:

And that people say anything when

they’re off their head on drugs.

TOMMY:

I’m not off my head on drugs. I am

your dad. Ryan.

(he lets that sink in)

Only she doesn’t like me. That’s

why she doesn’t want me to have

anything to do with you.

RYAN:

What’s your name?

TOMMY’s just about to say ‘Tommy’ when he realises RYAN

hasn’t made the connection between himself and the man in the

WANTED poster.

TOMMY:

You can call me dad.

RYAN:

I meant your real name.

TOMMY:

Okay. Well.

(he hesitates. But he

doesn’t want to lie)

It’s Tommy.

TOMMY looks carefully for RYAN’s reaction. Thoroughly

expecting a reaction. But it means nothing to RYAN. He

certainly doesn’t connect it with the wanted man.

RYAN:

I’ve never had a dad.

TOMMY grasps that he’s on slightly safer ground than he’d

imagined. But there’s still very little room for him to

relax.

TOMMY:

I’m your dad. I am your dad. I’ve

been watching you. For weeks. When

you leave school.

(MORE)

HAPPY VALLEY. EPISODE SIX. BY SALLY WAINWRIGHT. 42.

TOMMY (CONT'D)

I just wanted to say hello. But

there was never a good time. ‘Cos

there’s always someone with you.

RYAN:

Not today there isn’t.

TOMMY:

How’s fings?

RYAN:

Not so bad.

TOMMY:

How long have you got?

RYAN:

I’m not supposed to talk to

strangers.

TOMMY:

No. I know. But I’m not a stranger,

I’m your dad. And the thing is. I

just wanted you to know who I am.

So if people tell you bad stuff

about me. You’ll know it isn’t

always true.

RYAN:

What bad stuff?

TOMMY:

I just - I made some mistakes,

that’s all. I got caught up in this

thing - and I didn’t start it - but

I’m the one who’s ended up in the

most bother.

RYAN:

(he nods, he gets it)

That happens to me.

TOMMY:

Does it?

RYAN:

At school. Somebody does something.

Like today. Max Higgins pulls all

t’paper towels out o’ t’machine in

t’toilets, ‘cos he thought it were

funny, then when Miss Muckherjee

comes in he goes

(pointing)

“It were Ryan Cawood!” and I’m

t’one that gets done.

TOMMY:

Yeah. Exactly. Exactly.

HAPPY VALLEY. EPISODE SIX. BY SALLY WAINWRIGHT. 43.

A moment.

RYAN:

So where yer living?

CUT TO:

53 EXT. NARROW BOAT. DAY 18. 16.50 53

RYAN’s bike’s flopped on the tow-path by TOMMY’s narrow boat,

his helmet hanging off the handlebars.

CUT TO:

54 INT. NARROW BOAT. DAY 18. 16.51 54

RYAN’s fascinated with the boat, he’s never been on one

before. TOMMY lights a cigarette.

RYAN:

Can we go for a ride?

TOMMY:

We could. Only I’m a bit low on

petrol at the minute.

RYAN:

How long have you lived here?

TOMMY:

It’s not mine. I just borrow it.

RYAN:

Can I have a cigarette?

TOMMY:

No.

RYAN:

Why?

TOMMY:

Bad for yer.

RYAN:

You do.

TOMMY:

(he offers his)

One drag.

RYAN has a drag. Nervously. Doesn’t really like it. But.

RYAN:

Me granny says you shouldn’t smoke,

but she does, I’ve seen her.

HAPPY VALLEY. EPISODE SIX. BY SALLY WAINWRIGHT. 44.

TOMMY’s drinking lager as well. He offers RYAN a swig of

that:
RYAN has a swig. That’s pretty horrible too.

TOMMY:

Tell me about your mum.

RYAN:

We go see her sometimes. Up

Heptonstall.

TOMMY:

How d’yer mean?

RYAN:

That’s where she’s buried.

TOMMY:

When did she die?

RYAN:

When I was born.

TOMMY:

How did she die?

RYAN:

I don’t know. But. I’ve got me

granny and me Auntie Clare. So.

(it does seem to sadden

TOMMY. Maybe he did like

BECKY. Even if his

misguided way of showing

that was to rape her)

Where were you?

TOMMY:

Oh. I was away. And nobody thought

to tell me. That she’d died. But...

I did love her. Your mum. If anyone

ever tries to tell you different.

RYAN:

I was thinking.

TOMMY:

Yeah?

RYAN:

Maybe we should tell my granny.

That you’re not off your head on

drugs and that you are my dad.

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