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As always, when writing about something I am not familiar with, you make me want to go and investigate. I don’t know what it is that has kept me away from Happy Valley because I was unaware of the sexual violence element. I think maybe it was a feeling that I didn’t need more gritty bleakness to remind me that the world isn’t that great.

This idea of the way women almost unconsciously support each other just through the fact that their interpersonal relations and reactions are so different to men’s is something I’ve been thinking about a lot recently (but I’m still working it through, hence that fairly garbled and inarticulate sentence) In that context, I think this might be worth a watch.

I enjoyed Wainwright’s Scott and Bailey when it ran on ITV and at the time it stood out for its portrayal of female protagonists. I am not sure how well it would stand up to a second viewing though.

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I guess it’s a measure of how much I enjoyed Happy Valley that I suspect I will at some point watch everything she’s ever written. I’m eyeing up ‘last tango in Halifax’ at the moment

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I couldn’t watch Mare of East Town- too depressing. And kate winslet doesn’t have the authenticity and earthiness of sarah Lancaster.

I love what you say about women being the tree roots of connectivity.

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I did like Lancashire’s performance, it was impressive. I actually liked Mare of Easttown a lot, but possibly because I’m much more of a ‘tourist’ in US culture and less able to judge what is and isn’t authentic!

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