Did he get away?
the boastful grandson is asked.
That exchange, fromHappy Valleys second episode, sums up a shift afoot in modern crime drama.
Theyre women, flawed and heroic, solving crimes, chasing scrotes, and attracting audiences of millions.
But surely there have always been great women in crime TV.
Until now, that is.
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May we introduce Catherine Cawood,Happy Valleys detective-turned-local-sergeant played by Sarah Lancashire?
Speaking of which, meetFargos Molly Solverson.
And that flash of lycra who just ran past on her way to the New Zealand wilderness?
As youll have gathered, todays trend owes more to Sarah Lund than Hetty Wainthropp.
The modern female TV detective isnt busying herself with sabotaged singing contests or the case of the missing ornithologist.
Shes investigating drug dealers and punching murderers in the solar plexus.
Catherine, what have you done to your face?
scrote-chasing granny Sgt Cawood is asked inHappy Valley, Oh she says wafting the concern away Its work.
Because thats exactly what this new crop of female detectives do: their jobs.
That doesnt mean their personal lives are uncomplicated.
Theyre also far from perfect, but then, whos a lead without a flaw these anti-hero happy days?
Cawood makes that speech to a would-be suicide in broad daylight, minutes in to episode one.
She doesnt need a whiskey bottle or some noir-y shadows to confess her deep, complicated trauma.
With the school run to do and drug-dealers to rugby-tackle, frankly, who has the time?
Sally Wainwrightgave a simple explanation when asked why she chose to make herHappy Valleylead a woman.
I love writing about women, theyre heroic.
The series symbolically redistributes power from a vile young misogynist to a grandmother pushing fifty.
Shes not a bully, understand, that wouldnt be the attraction.
And we love her for it.
Every bit as dedicated to her work is Lindsay Denton, the lead inLine Of Dutys second series.
Crucially, there are also wonderful men in these womens lives.
This new trend is by no means anti-men whod watch such lopsided, untruthful drama?
It is righting a patriarchal imbalance though.
For years, male characters have been heroic on television, rescuing victims and bringing justice to monsters.
Now, women are doing it.
Theyre saving children, fighting rapists, and protecting people from male violence.
After decades of watching men be the heroes, its exhilarating and cathartic to see women joining them.
We salute them then, Catherine Cawood, Robin Griffin, Lindsay Denton, Ellie Miller and more.
Are they going away anytime soon?
Read our spoiler-filled review of the Happy Valley finale,here.
