Be interesting to see how Pointless does on Friday when it's on BBC2. The Friday schedule is a bit odd as some of the BBC1 regulars like Pointless, Bargain Hunt and Antiques Road Trip are moving over when you'd assume they would have the day off rather than waste new episodes like that. I know BBC2 is a spare channel and otherwise they'd be showing repeats but I wonder if that would confuse the audience, they can accept Bargain Hunt isn't on because of a special event but not that it was on an hour ago on BBC2.

One other thing about Happy Valley is how close to 10pm it finished, after the programme there was just a quick plug for the DVD then straight into the news, no trailers or anything. Presumably the episode was a bit longer than your average BBC1 drama.

Law and Order is boring. Very boring. It's like New Tricks but without the viewers.

People were saying much the same about Broadchurch and now it seems they are basically continuing the original story - they can do the same in Happy Valley if they choose to.

Don't get ahead of yourself. Happy Valley was excellent, but is incomparable to Broadchurch as the style of the show was different. Whether it is better than Broadchurch is subjective and I wouldn't bet on an annual series. Series two may appear but when Sally says no more there really will be no more. She will tell a story, not milk it.

Credit goes to Sally Wainwright, one of the finest British writers on telly.

Happy Valley has been a very good series, extremely gripping, the Broadchurch of 2014. I suspect it might take a while for Sally Wainwright to create another series of Happy Valley in the near future. We could be looking at a 1-2 year gap if it returns.

I wonder what the next drama will be to have us gripped until the end? I imagine it will be Broadchurch next year.

Very harsh !!!

From reading the press pack for ITV Encore, it looks as if ITV will be commissioning new drama to air on ITV Encore in 2015. However I still have my doubts about how well it will do.

Happy Valley will be back next year if its recommissioned. She already has tentative layouts for the storyline and it centres around Catherine, Claire and Ryan. Do we actually get to realise that Clares drug abuse encouraged Becky to be a druggie? Do we get to realise why Catherine is so very raw towards drug takers and dealers? Will we establish that the gunmen who shot Ashley are the subject of the next series? So much to tell! And the next drama to have us all gripped will be Last Tango in Halifax. I'm not as excited about Broadchurch series two as I am about Happy Valley or even Death in Paradise!

BBC One daytime is a lot more varied than it used to be, even on an ordinary Monday. This is the line-up next week:

06:00 - Breakfast (magazine)
09:15 - Crimewatch Roadshow (factual: crime & justice)
10:00 - Homes Under the Hammer (r) (factual: homes)
11:00 - Claimed and Shamed (factual: consumer)
11:30 - The Legalizer (r) (factual: consumer)
12:15 - Bargain Hunt (r) (factual entertainment: antiques)
13:00 - BBC News at One
13:30 - BBC London News
13:45 - Doctors (soap)
14:15 - Perfection (r) (quiz)
15:00 - Escape to the Country (r) (factual: homes)
15:30 - Hairy Bikers' Best of British (r) (factual: food and drink/history)
16:30 - Antiques Road Trip (factual: antiques/travel)
17:15 - Pointless (quiz)

Under DQF I understand there is now a maximum of two programmes per sub-genre in daytime (aside from news): so there are two about homes, two about antiques (one of which is new), two consumer shows (one new), two quizzes (one new), a soap, a food show and a crime programme (new).

No sitcom classics or new drama, but overall not a bad schedule for summer daytime. (Yes, we are now in summer!)

EDIT: And judging by the ratings, it's a winning formula.

No need to reply really. He's only saying it is 'better than Broadchurch' because that was on ITV and it still annoys him how popular it was, therefore a popular drama on BBC1 has to be better than a completely different one on ITV.

At least he's stopped calling it "Boredchurch"

Actually it was Robbie who called Boredchurch.

I agree! I now feel that Happy Valley will sit alongside past drama greats and will become a modern classic if that's the right terminology? It will definitely be back as there is so much more to be told, especially with Catherine. God Sarah Lancashire was superb wasn't she? Maybe the Beeb will put it on in the Winter months to capitalise on extra viewers? Who knows?

And as a sidenote, I couldn't care less what channel a drama is on. If its good its good.

I wouldn't say Last Tango in Halifax is gripping, its just an easy watch. I meant gripping as in edge of your seat drama, as both Broadchurch and Happy Valley were. Broadchurch particularly gripped the nation and I suspect the hype around its return will be huge.

Maybe, but for once I agree with Andy.

Calling it 'Bore and Order' is really juvenile. This place is like a primary school playground sometimes.

Daytime shares (overnights, 09:30-18:00), week ending 25 May (from Broadcast magazine)

BBC One: 16.46%
BBC Two: 7.21%
ITV: 10.99% inc +1
Channel 4: 5.97% inc +1
Channel 5: 3.84% inc +1
Others: 55.53% inc +1

That seems quite high for BBC Two as there was little sport that week (just gymnastic highlights on the Sunday I think). Not sure what gave it a boost. It was just 3.23% the previous week, and BBC One had nearly 20% (ITV: just under 14%.)

Law & Order was toast anyway - framing it as "Walsh going onto other things" is probably just face saving. It had a good run, you can't complain about 8 series. But its time was up judging by recent ratings. Bradley isn't going to leave The Chase and he's developing another show with itv anyway as reported by Broadcast so I'd not get too excited about a big BBC switch anytime soon.

Exactly, regarding your last point. I watch good telly. In the UK we're lucky we have some great broadcasters making good telly. The Great Fire of London is a series I'm looking forward to.

Another BAFTA for Sarah Lancanshire next year me thinks!

Yes, resorting to stupid names for a programme just because you don't like it, is idiotic.

Surprised the UK version of Law and Order has lasted as long as it has. It's had a charmed life.
The Bargain Hunt is a repeat. They like to show each five-part Road Trip within a week, but maybe it might have been better to double up on the Thursday instead.

Pointless will be on BBC Two for two days in the week before Wimbledon, too.

I noticed this made BBC One's top 30 officials in w/e 25 May:

27 PEB (MON 1852) 3.87

That was a Party Election Broadcast for UKIP.

I'm really looking forward to The Great Fire of London as well. Is that definitely airing this year? Besides this thread and obviously the subject matter (lol) I've not heard much about it.

Agreed. We should think ourselves lucky that we have so much choice!

Some pretty strong criticism of Happy Valley on Newsnight with regard to its portrayal of
violence against women.

The Great Fire is rumoured for an Autumn airing. Where it will go though is a mystery. ITV could be very strong this year with DA, Grantchester and The Great Fire all airing. I'm not sure wat returning series' they have but I'm sure they'll be one or two.