Midsummer Night (2024) s01e01 Episode Script

["Summer" by Vivaldi playing]
[tense, energetic strings continue]
MIDSUMMER NIGH
[indistinct, excited shouting]
Hanne! Come on, Hanne!
Yes!
Come on!
- [man 1] Come on!
- [whoops]
A bit more. There. There.
A bit more. There. There.
- [woman 1] Right!
- [group cheers]
[man 2] That's it.
Oh, yay! Yes!
Elin, Elin, Elin, Elin! [laughs]
[teams grunting]
[string music building]
[woman 2] Come on! Come on!
- [man 3] Come on! Pull, Robert!
- [woman 3] Pull!
- Pull!
- [man 4] Come on.
[straining]
[woman 4] Come on!
[team groans]
[cheers]
[man 5] Aw!
[excited chatter]
["Summer" fades]
[panting] Say it.
Be finished with it.
Can you rip off the wretched plaster?
Say it! [grunts]
- [man 6] Norwegian drunk.
- [woman 5] Hell yes.
- [woman 6] Oh, is it about drinking?
- [indistinct chatter fades out]
[waves crashing]
2 WEEKS EARLIER
[panting]
- [woman] You're building big this year.
- Yeah, I thought so.
We have lots of planks left
after the conversion.
Yeah, I think the time is approaching
to talk to them.
Okay. When?
Um, Midsummer Eve. Do you think?
- All in one place.
- Sure about that?
I think it will be very good.
If we're glad, so they'll be glad too.
But Hanne's got her wedding soon.
Can't we wait until after they're married?
I think it's better to tell them
when we're all together, uh,
in a party mood.
Ah.
[woman] Hello?
Can't we celebrate Midsummer
the Swedish way this year?
[man grunts]
The Norwegian traditions are so
- Are so what?
- I mean, they're so tedious.
So we'll do "little frogs," gulp herring,
put up the maypole,
and sing a lot instead?
- Yup. It's such a lark.
- [both laugh]
Håkan is coming. He'll love to help out.
- [man] His new flame?
- Yup.
How many have you invited, really?
Håkan and Sara.
And the, uh, girls, of course.
- Uh-huh.
- Your daughter is coming.
- Uh-huh.
- Elin, Darius, his parents.
[inhales sharply]
I thought it'd be good
if we met them before the wedding.
Seeing as we barely know them.
Trust me. It will be good.
[man sighs]
[gentle music playing]
Oh
CALLING
[line ringing]
[hammer thudding]
- Papa.
- [dad] Yeah?
I have this for you. [giggles]
[dad chuckles]
- Good.
- Amazing.
- [dad laughs]
- [girl 1] Best dad ever.
Ah. [inhales sharply, grunts]
Why are you taking it off?
It's Midsummer. You must wear it
for when the guests arrive.
No, I I can't do that, love.
- Stop taking yourself so seriously.
- Hmm. If not me?
[mum] For heaven's sake,
they should be here by now.
Håkan has all the herrings,
Where on earth have they got to? Hello?
Why isn't he there?
- [girl 2] Hey.
- Hey!
Yup. Wait there.
- Hey. [chuckles]
- Welcome.
- Thanks for the invite. Here you go.
- Oh wow! Look, bubbles.
- Hi, sis.
- [girl 2] Hey. Hey.
Way too long.
- Helena, darling, come help me. Yeah?
- Sure.
- Good to see you.
- Hey, Dad.
- Mm.
- [chuckles]
- How have you been?
- All right.
- Yeah.
- How about you?
All good. No yeah.
- Your job okay?
- Fine. Yeah.
Hope the flat's working well.
There were quite a few circuits
that needed changing. I could
- Yeah. Thanks for the offer. But
- Sure.
It's good you're so handy.
It's nothing. Don't mention it.
I could just drop by and
- No, thanks. I'm good. Yeah.
- [girl 1] Petro?
- [dad] Sure.
- Help me with the last garlands?
Yup.
- Absolutely.
- [both chuckle]
[horn honks]
- That'll be Darius.
- [honking]
Do you know
everyone's car horns? [chuckles]
- No, I mean, I know that one.
- Okay.
- [Darius] Hi.
- [mum] Hey.
Hey, welcome now.
- How lovely.
- Happy Midsummer, Mama.
- Good hug.
- Hi there.
- Hey. Hey.
- Hey. Hey.
Welcome.
[dad] Hey.
- Happy Swedish Midsummer.
- Oh! Likewise.
- [Darius] Thank you.
- [mum] Let me see the ring.
[Hanne chuckles]
Look how fine. Johannes.
- [Johannes] Mm-hmm.
- [mum] Look how very fine it is.
- I've seen it before. Yeah. Fantastic.
- It's amazing.
[all chuckle]
My parents say hi.
They'll be here in a few minutes.
- [Johannes] Yeah?
- They're picking up my brother.
We don't have any food yet,
so it doesn't matter.
- What?
- What?
No, you see, it was your uncle Håkan
who promised to bring the food.
The herring. I don't know where he is.
Hope nothing's wrong.
You know how fast he drives.
[mum] I know it.
Never mind. We have it.
- We have wine and bread and salad.
- Good!
We are starting to worry
that something has happened.
Call me as soon as you get this.
- [Hanne] I'll put this in the kitchen.
- Sure.
- [Hanne] Yeah?
- [mum scoffs] My goodness.
Sweetheart, why don't you leave that
in front of the house? Hmm?
Absolutely. Thanks.
- Ah.
- Um
Are you making strawberry cake?
Yep. No Midsummer
without strawberry cake.
[Helena] We used to do
the "loves me, loves me not."
Yeah.
- So let's see. "Loves me, loves me not."
- [Petro] Yeah.
Hi.
- Have you met Petronella?
- Hi.
- No.
- [Helena] No?
- Nice to see. Darius.
- Petronella.
- Yeah. I heard so much about you.
- Yeah. I've heard a bit about you too.
- [Darius] What do they call you again?
- Petro.
Yeah. It's great to get to know
your half-sister.
- Yeah?
- Hi. Good to see you.
Congrats on your engagement.
And that kind of thing.
- Oh, yeah? Yeah. Thanks.
- [Petro] Yeah.
- How did you propose? Was it with?
- [Helena] It was Hanne who proposed, so
- [Petro] Ah. I see.
- [Darius] Yeah, she beat me to it.
- [Petro] Right.
- Mm-hm.
Hanne's very strong.
- Yeah.
- [group chuckles]
- [Darius] There she is.
- Mm. You talking about me?
- Hi.
- [Hanne] Hi, Petro.
- [Petro] Hi. Oh, good to see you.
- [Hanne] Ooh, likewise.
- Found out you proposed.
- I guess that I did.
- Yeah. Congratulations.
- [Hanne] Thank you.
Let me see.
Oh! It's really lovely.
Oh, just look at it.
- [sighs]
- [woman] Time to get the party started!
Hey, we're coming now
So you better get this ♪
- [all laugh]
- Party started ♪
[laughs loudly]
Look over there!
- Hi, honey. So glad to see you.
- Hi.
- Oh, hey!
- Hey!
- Oh, I especially love new people.
- Lovely to see you.
- And old.
- Hey!
- Hi. Tabur.
- I'm Petronella.
Lovely.
- [Helena] Long time no see.
- Yes, very.
- Are you? Have you been all right?
- Yeah.
It's okay? Amusing?
Uh, yeah.
My brother and, uh your sister?
- Oh, yeah.
- Yeah.
That, uh
We didn't see that one, did we? When
[chuckles awkwardly]
When we had terrible jobs
at that burger place, right?
- Exactly.
- [woman] It's good to see you.
- It's unbelievably fantastic.
- Hello!
- [both exclaim]
- Finally!
- Welcome.
- You know what? I was It's absolutely
And what? This is fantastic!
- Thanks.
- [gasps]
Yes, that's all thanks to Johannes.
He's a gardener and a carpenter and
That's what I asked.
I said I've been saying to Tabur.
"You're not a real man," I said,
"until you've put together
one of those tall things."
- Oh, what's the name? What is it?
- Pergola?
Pergola! You're not a man
until you've made a pergola.
You're so good-looking!
You just get more and more good-looking.
- Without a doubt.
- Thanks for inviting the family, Carina.
- We so very much appreciate it.
- You are most welcome.
Also, I know it's terrible,
but actually, we don't have any food.
- Well, for you.
- How lovely.
We'll survive on potato salad.
- My brother is on his way from Strömstad.
- [laughs] Oh!
And I've just been ringing,
ringing, ringing, ringing.
- I hope nothing has happened to them.
- There was a traffic accident.
We heard it on the radio.
About an accident.
What?
[woman] There was.
We heard there was a pileup.
- Near Mosseporten.
- ["Sommartider" by Gyllene Tider playing]
He's arrived. No need to worry.
[rock music blasting on yacht]
- [laughs]
- [Carina sighs]
- So he sailed the boat from Sw
- He sailed the boat from Sweden.
[laughs]
- Is that Is that his daughter?
- No.
No, it's his new girlfriend.
- Oh, but but, isn't he our
- Yep.
- Same age as we are.
- Yeah.
[group cheers]
I've rang you a thousand times
without an answer.
- I thought you had an accident.
- All my fault. So sorry.
There was no reception out there.
But to hell with it.
- We're here now. Huh?
- Yeah.
- And now, you all have to meet Sara.
- Hey!
- Hi there.
- [Sara] I'll say hello properly later.
We've got so much stuff.
We must get everything.
- Off the boat straight away.
- Yeah, yeah. Do that. Do that.
Why didn't you tell me
you were coming by boat?
I didn't plan it.
The weather was just so beautiful. Huh?
You have to
You have to be spontaneous sometimes.
Right, Johannes?
- What?
- You have to be spontaneous!
- Ah.
- [all laugh]
[Carina sighs]
- Some wine?
- [Carina] Thanks. Thanks, sweetheart.
- Welcome.
- [Håkan] Mm. Yeah. Hi.
Did you bring everything?
Bring everything for the games?
- Have you?
- Yeah. Course. Yeah.
- Yeah, everything.
- Hey.
- [all laugh]
- Hey. [chuckles]
[indistinct, excited chatter]
- I think she seems delightful.
- [Johannes] Uh-huh. She's 12 years old.
[Carina] No, she's 28.
[Johannes] Yeah, so is our daughter.
What do you have against my brother?
I like a lot of things about Håkan.
But not the fact
that the girls he picks up
could have been to school
with our daughter. [grunts]
Oh, God, Johannes.
Okay, what I'd like to say is she might be
a little on the young side,
but it's just a number.
Yeah, but that number's different.
There's 30 years between them.
Oh, God.
I'll be nice.
I'll be nice.
Are you sure we should tell them today?
[quietly] Yep.
I'll do it during lunch,
when we're all at the table.
[gentle music playing]
7 WEEKS EARLIER
[Elin] It's so inviting.
[exclaims]
[yelps] Come on!
Have you forgotten how to swim?
Oh my God, it's freezing!
No, get a grip.
Come on.
Oh! Oh, for God's sake. Holy hell.
It's wonderful, darling.
- No!
- Yes!
- Oh, shit. Damn.
- That's it. You can do it.
- Oh! Oh, God.
- [Elin] Yes.
- [groaning]
- [Elin] Take deep breaths.
Easy.
[gasping]
Breathe slowly. No. Don't stress.
Oh, God!
You're going to be fine.
Calm down, Carina.
- No! [yelps]
- Listen.
- Just take it easy.
- [panting]
[pop music playing on stereo]
[bottle clinks]
- Oh, thanks.
- Here you go.
- Cheers.
- Cheers.
[Carina] Mm.
- [sighs]
- God.
I can't even remember
the last time I went in the water.
- But you live by the sea.
- Mm, I know it.
[exhales deeply]
I
[whimpers]
It's just [sobs softly]
[grunts] Oh, God.
[sobs]
I, um
It's not I I I just I but
[spluttering] It's so confusing.
Like I'm newborn.
I must relearn absolutely,
really, all of it from square one.
[sighs]
I [gasps]
Oh, God
[sniffles]
[sobs, inhales sharply]
[gulls calling]
[Tabur] Right. Right.
[indistinct, excited chatter]
- [Carina] Håkan?
- Yeah?
Listen, shouldn't we start
with a a little drinking song?
- [Hanne] Yes. Yes.
- Yes.
- Now?
- Yeah!
[all laugh]
- I thought you'd never ask.
- [Sara] The only thing he thinks about.
- [Darius] Right.
- [Håkan] Well
[Carina] How fun!
- Come on, now. Are your glasses full?
- [strumming]
- Yeah?
- [Håkan] All right.
[Sara] La, la, la ♪
- Nah, nah, nah, nah, nah, nah.
- Not that one.
Ah, ah, ah, ah [chuckles]
[group laughs]
[in Norwegian] Here's the first
Sing, "hup fol-de-rol, la la la la" ♪
Here's the first
Sing, "hup fol-de-rol, la la" ♪
He who doesn't drink the first
Shall never ever quench his thirst ♪
- Here's the first ♪
- [in English] Are you all right?
And drink.
[laughs]
- Oh!
- [all laugh]
[in Norwegian]
Sing "hup fol-de-rol, la la" ♪
[all cheer and laugh]
[in English] Very good.
Very good, very good, indeed.
Very good, very good, very good indeed
And here, I was ready
and about to get up again.
What are we waiting for?
Help yourselves, eh?
[Carina] Oh my God.
It looks amazing, Håkan.
[Håkan] Let me brag for a moment.
Håkan's special herring.
Lime and chilli herring.
Really easy to create.
Lime, red chilli, black pepper, uh
Vinegar, there's ginger
- Oh, a little herring too.
- Oh, yeah! And a herring too!
- [Sara] The hostess gets the first taste.
- Ooh.
Excuse me.
What about the strawberry cake?
Cake? The cake? Where is it?
The cake is dessert.
No mystery there.
My sister makes
a gorgeous strawberry cake.
- The best in the whole world.
- Yes.
We must toast to
to both our wonderful hosts.
[woman] Hole in my glass.
- There's a hole in my glass.
- Hole in your glass.
- Drink to me. [laughs]
- [chuckles]
Sara spiced it.
- It was really fantastic.
- [Sara] Was it really?
- [woman] Really.
- [Håkan] Cheers!
[all] Cheers.
So, tell me, Håkan.
Are you divorced? Hmm?
Ah, apologies. Mum is too direct.
[woman] Too direct?
Can I not ask about it?
- Sure, but, Mum
- No. That's okay. It's fine.
I've been divorced for 15 years.
- Don't have kids?
- No.
- Positively not.
- No?
Never too late.
Yes, finally it is. [chuckles]
[Sara chuckles]
[Håkan] But I do love children.
As long as I'm not responsible for them.
Had to borrow them instead.
The world's best nieces, Helena, Hanne.
[Hanne chuckles]
They have the world's best uncle,
isn't that right?
- No doubt. Yeah, that's true.
- Uh-huh.
[chuckles]
Yeah, as long
as I didn't have to change their nappies.
Then I'd just give them
back to their mum.
- Yes, well, cheers.
- [Sara] Oh, right. Already?
[Håkan] Yes, why not.
- We have begun.
- Here you go.
This is Swedish Midsummer, not Norwegian.
- Cheers everyone.
- Cheers.
[all] Cheers
[indistinct chatter]
- Watch out.
- [Carina] What are you doing, Hanne?
There are too many chairs.
- No. It's the right number.
- [Hanne] Yes.
There are only 11 of us.
It's bad luck to have
- To put 13 at the table.
- [Carina] No, it's right.
- There are two more coming. Yeah.
- Okay. Who's missing?
Elin and Lysander are coming.
Lysander?
[Carina] Yes, Elin
and Lysander. [chuckles]
- You're joking?
- No. [laughs]
- [Elin] Hey!
- [Lysander] Hey.
[Carina] Ah, finally you've arrived!
Yes, here they come.
We've been waiting for you.
- [Elin] Yoo-hoo! It's so nice to be here.
- [Carina] Welcome.
- Oh!
- That's Hanne's ex and his mother, Elin.
- [Carina] Welcome.
- [Johannes] Elin.
- [sombre piano music playing]
- Oh my goodness. So lovely to see you.
- [Carina] Oh!
- [Elin] Hello.
- Hello!
- [Sara] Hi. Nice to meet you.
[indistinct, overlapping conversations]
[Carina] Oh, Elin.
Do we have a drink for Elin?
[Elin] That would be lovely.
Oh, thank you.
[music building]
[Carina] Elin,
you always look so sophisticated.
[Elin] Thank you so much. Thank you.
Hi. Hi.
Hey.
Hi.
[chuckles]
[indistinct chatter continues]
- Oh, really?
- Mum.
- Can I talk to you in the kitchen?
- I, um
I'll go with you
and grab a few beers.
[indistinct chatter continues]
- [Darius] Hi.
- Hey. Lysander.
- Hi. Nice to meet you.
- Darius.
Why have you invited Lysander, Mother?
Are you for real? It's
Or have you actually lost your mind?
But you know I'm friends
with his mother. Not so strange, is it?
So I asked if he wanted to come along.
It's a nice thought.
Yes. No, I think that's really curious.
I'm getting married.
You forgot that, did you?
How do you think Darius feels right now?
He has to celebrate Midsummer with my ex?
Not quite what he was expecting
when he came here. Not to mention me!
It was at least six
or seven years ago since you broke up.
That doesn't make it okay
for him to be invited.
- Is it as bad as Hanne is saying?
- You should have spoken to her first.
[Hanne] Thanks for that.
It's not like you've forgotten Lysander,
so I get it's awkward to bump into him.
I've forgotten him!
- You're not completely over him.
- I have, yeah.
- Dear Hanne, you're not.
- Oh. Yes, I have. I do, yeah.
[Carina] What? Really?
Still thinking about him?
No, but what however, whether or not
I still think about him, Mother
What What is happening here?
You can't invite him here,
to our house, without telling me!
Also, Mother, I'm getting married
in two months.
Darius has come here with his family.
[gasps]
We're here to have a merry old time
with herring and all.
And then, you, Mother, negotiate
in secret, without even asking me,
to invite my ex and old mother-in-law!
Can we all just agree that
it's an incredibly stupid thing to do?
Darling darling, forgive.
[breathing shakily]
I'm sorry.
I should have absolutely asked you first.
- Yeah.
- [Carina splutters] Yes, you're right.
So I I have a lot on my plate.
We were all coming together
to celebrate Midsummer.
- What are you talking about, Mother? What?
- I said sorry.
Forgive, Hanne.
But of course
I should have asked you first.
Obviously I didn't, did I?
Now, they're already here,
and there's not much we can do.
You know what? I'm sure that
Darius and his parents will be good.
Let it go.
Let it go, then we can celebrate Midsummer
and have a lovely night.
We have more than enough food
and drink, and we have uncle Håkan.
It's been ages since we celebrated
Midsummer with everyone.
Petronella and
There, there, sweetheart.
You know what? Can you please ignore it?
There. Mm.
Now, bring some beer with you.
Yeah.
[grunts]
[Helena] Well, then.
[laughs] Is Mother suffering
from cognitive dissonance?
Dissonance
[chuckles]
[water running]
Why did you say
that I haven't moved on from Lysander?
'Cause it's true.
- Why are you so sure about that?
- I'm your sister.
I see the way you look at him.
Yeah, but it's not what you think, or
I'm completely over him.
But I never understood why he ended it.
Those are two completely different things.
But you wouldn't know.
You've never been in a relationship.
[quietly] Okay.
[sighs]
I love Darius, okay?
And I'm going to marry him.
[Helena] Yeah.
- [sighs]
- [Sara] Hey.
- [Hanne] Hey!
- Are you okay?
Yeah. I just have
a little pollen allergy.
[Sara] Oh God, I know.
But hey. I'm looking for the bathroom.
I'm sorry.
Oh, right.
It's up the stairs, to the right.
- [Sara] Up there?
- Yeah.
[Sara] Thanks.
- To the right.
- [Sara] To the right.
- Yeah.
- [Sara] Thanks.
[sniffles]
[sombre music playing]
[cheering and laughing outside]
[sighs]
Thank you so much for inviting me.
Sweetie, there's nothing to thank me for.
I mean, thank you anyway.
- You are so welcome.
- [chuckles]
[sighs softly]
[exhales]
- What's the matter?
- [Carina] I'm just checking on the cream.
This fridge is too cold.
You should have fixed it.
I had to fix the garage first.
- Do we still have a plan?
- We do.
We're sticking to the plan.
It's not for me to tell them. You say it.
- Okay.
- [Johannes] You.
No, I'm doing it. Yup.
[Helena] What?
What's up?
What is Mum gonna tell us?
[chuckles]
[sighs]
[tense music playing]
[rain pattering]
[Johannes] Scared?
4 WEEKS EARLIER
[Carina] Well
[sighs]
Yes, I am
I am scared. It feels like I'm
just withering away.
What about all the nice things we share
and have shared in the past?
But they don't go away.
They are forever there.
- [Johannes] Doesn't that matter?
- [scoffs]
Yes, it yes, it does.
But it's not enough.
Yes Or, well, I mean it has been.
The house and the babies, and
You and I. All the memories.
- [sighs]
- [Johannes] Uh-huh.
I mean, I would never have thought
of doing this with anyone else just you.
I mean, it's been fantastic.
You you are fantastic.
You too.
[sighs]
I mean, it's like you You're content.
- I am content.
- I mean it's as if you are forever done.
Sorry, well I am not.
I'm not done.
I start to panic
when I think about if this is it.
[sighs]
I need I need something
[sighs]
Something that I can look forward to.
Johannes, it's about the
It's like you and I
don't want the same thing any longer.
And I can't live, can't live the life
that you are desperately willing
me to live.
But I'm certain. I
No, Johannes. You can't do that.
[grunts, sniffles]
You shouldn't have to.
You are who you are.
That that's the the beauty, Johannes.
You love anything that is predictable.
[sighs]
So I really get
that about you, Johannes.
But you
I am not you!
[sniffles] I want to get out!
I want to go travelling.
I want to feel something.
I want to experiment!
To dance!
Huh! And sing and
[clicks tongue] And laugh!
I want to
[sniffles]
I want to have hot sex, or
- Is that it? Is it sex?
- What?
No. No. It's not that.
That was just a bad example.
[sniffles]
But if it were up to me
I would have liked to have had more sex
than we've had
in the last five years, I mean.
- Don't you agree?
- Yeah.
You know that I
- That I can't
- No, I know. No, I know.
It's not that.
It's not the sex.
It doesn't matter at all.
It's not about that.
It's about the fact that we have
[huffs]
20 years ahead.
- Mm-hmm.
- Johannes, quite a few more years.
And during those 20 years,
I'd like to feel alive.
I mean, this
This can't be all.
We can stay married.
You can do all those things you dream of.
I I'm not gonna stand in your way.
- Not gonna stand in your way.
- You will stand in my way.
Even if you don't mean to.
You will be in my way 'cause
Because you'll be around.
You'll hold me back. [inhales]
[sighs]
I want us to divorce.
[Johannes sighs]
I do.
We were fine without each other
for the first 20 years of our lives.
We'll be fine without each other
for the final 20.
[Johannes sighs]
[sombre piano music playing]
[gulls calling]
[all] Cheers!
[woman] Oh, maybe everyone
will get smashed tonight.
[all laugh]
[indistinct, light chatter]
[Helena] Hi.
[Carina] Oh! Does anyone want some water?
Mum can't you just tell us now?
Nah, later.
What is she going to say?
They have a secret,
but they didn't want to tell.
Mum said, "I will do it."
- But why don't you just say it now, then?
- [Carina] You'll just have to wait.
- [Håkan] Shall we sing more?
- [Helena] Yes!
[all] Yes!
Here's the first
Sing "hup-fol-de-rol-la-la-la-ley" ♪
Here's the first
Sing "hup-fol-de-rol-la-la-ley" ♪
[all continue singing]
[inaudible]