Happy Valley: The Yorkshire-based crime drama named in the top 100 TV shows this century

Yorkshire has seen somewhat of a resurgence when it comes to film and TV in recent years.

So it's no surprise that a show made and based right here in God's Own County has been named in a list of the best shows of the 21st Century.

In fact, the only surprise is probably that there is just one. The runaway successes of Our Yorkshire Farm, the rebooted All Creatures Great and Small and the historical Gentleman Jack have missed out.

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The list has been compiled by BBC Culture, who polled 206 TV experts from across 43 countries to find the best telly of this century so far. The usual suspects are all there; The Wire comes in first, Mad Men second and Breaking Bad completes the podium.

Sarah Lancashire in Happy ValleySarah Lancashire in Happy Valley
Sarah Lancashire in Happy Valley

But down in 54th place, sandwiched in between French comedy drama series Call My Agent! and American drama series The Shield is West Yorkshire' s Happy Valley.Read more: Dame Judi Dench to delve into family history in new series of Who Do You Think You Are?----

Set in the Calder Valley the show follows Catherine Cawood, who is played by the excellent Sarah Lancashire, as she deals with the emotional fallout of her teenage daughter's rape and subsequent suicide after her attacker is released from prison.

It was created by Gentleman Jack writer Sally Wainwright, who was born in Huddersfield and educated at the University of York, and filmed on location around Hebden Bridge, Todmorden and Sowerby Bridge.

Here's the full list:

1 The Wire (2002-2008)

2 Mad Men (2007-2015)

3 Breaking Bad (2008-2013)

4 Fleabag (2016-2019)

5 Game of Thrones (2011-2019)

6 I May Destroy You (2020)

7 The Leftovers (2014-2017)

8 The Americans (2013-2018)

9 The Office (UK) (2001-2003)

10 Succession (2018-)

11 BoJack Horseman (2014-2020)

12 Six Feet Under (2001-2005)

13 Twin Peaks: The Return (2017)

14 Atlanta (2016-)

15 Chernobyl (2019)

16 The Crown (2016-)

17 30 Rock (2006-2013)

18 Deadwood (2004-2006)

19 Lost (2004-2010)

20 The Thick of It (2005-2012)

21 Curb Your Enthusiasm (2000-)

22 Black Mirror (2011-)

23 Better Call Saul (2015-2022)

24 Veep (2012-2019)

25 Sherlock (2010-2017)

26 Watchmen (2019)

27 Line of Duty (2012-2021)

28 Friday Night Lights (2006-2011)

29 Parks and Recreation (2009-2015)

30 Girls (2012-2017)

31 True Detective (2014-2019)

32 Arrested Development (2003-2019)

33 The Good Wife (2009-2016)

34 The Bridge (2011-2018)

35 Fargo (2014-)

36= Downton Abbey (2010-2015)

36= Band of Brothers (2001)

38 The Handmaid's Tale (2017-)

39 The Office (US) (2005-2013)

40 Borgen (2010-2022)

41 Schitt's Creek (2015-2020)

42 Peep Show (2003-2015)

43 Money Heist (2017-2021)

44 Community (2009-2015)

45 The Good Fight (2017-)

46 Homeland (2011-2020)

47 Grey's Anatomy (2005-)

48 Inside No 9 (2014-)

49 The Bureau (2015-)

50 Halt and Catch Fire (2014-2017)

51 Small Axe (2020)

52 This is England 86, 88 and 90 (2010-2015)

53 Call My Agent! (2015-2020)

54 Happy Valley (2014-)

55 The Shield (2002-2008)

56 The Big Bang Theory (2007-2019)

57 The Young Pope (2016)

58 Dark (2017-2020)

59 The Underground Railroad (2021)

60 House of Cards (2013-2018)

61 Avatar: The Last Airbender (2005-2008)

62= The Good Place (2016-2020)

62= Pose (2018-2021)

64 Detectorists (2014-2017)

65 Orange is the New Black (2013-2019)

66 Mare of Easttown (2021)

67 RuPaul's Drag Race (2009-)

68 Stranger Things (2016-)

69 24 (2001-2010)

70 Battlestar Galactica (2004-2009)

71 Enlightened (2011-2013)

72 Gilmore Girls (2000-2007)

73 Planet Earth (2006)

74 Utopia (2013-2014)

75 Babylon Berlin (2017-)

76 Rick and Morty (2013-)

77 American Crime Story (2016-)

78 The Killing (Denmark) (2007-2012)

79 Mindhunter (2017-2019)

80 House (2004-2012)

81 OJ: Made in America (2016)

82 Big Little Lies (2017-2019)

83 Insecure (2016-2021)

84= Normal People (2020)

84= Narcos (2015-2017)

86 How I Met Your Mother (2005-2014)

87 The Comeback (2005-2014)

88 The OA (2016-2019)

89 Dexter (2006-2013)

90 It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia (2005-)

91 Westworld (2016-)

92 Show Me a Hero (2015)

93 Treme (2010-2013)

94 Louie (2010-2015)

95 Luther (2010-2019)

96 Catastrophe (2015-2019)

97 Hannibal (2013-2015)

98 Crazy Ex-Girlfriend (2015-2019)

99 Steven Universe (2013-2020)

100 The Queen's Gambit (2020)