Happy Valley (2014)

This is a crime series set in the north of England is in a valley that is largely impoverished and not all that upbeat.  The prevalence of drugs is ubiquitous--from the petty criminal on the street to the guy who is renting holiday caravans to a local politician, and the police really cannot keep up.  The series opening and closing segments feature people so paranoid and high they put themselves and others in danger with their paranoid delusions, and the police just do their best.

Catherine Cawood is the local sergeant.  She moved back to the area after her daughter committed suicide and left her small baby parentless.  The father of the baby was a rapist who went to jail on another charge, and Catherine elected to take the boy in.  She lost her marriage and her remaining son, both of whom thought it was masochistic to take on such an emotionally complicated situation, but she manages with the help of her sister.

The major crime presented is the same said rapist, who is now years later out of jail, and has graduated to kidnapping.  The mini series is tense from the beginning--you know it is going to end badly but you are not sure just how badly.  There are lots of weak characters and a lot of people get hurt.  It is emotionally complicated and dark, but very well done, and well worth watching.  The BBC does it again.