The Narrow Road to the Deep North (2025) s01e02 Episode Script

1
Remind me why we're doing this.
It's for charity.
Couldn't we just donate?
They don't want your money.
They want your face.
All you have to do
is listen to beautiful music.
How hard can that be?
You know, there's a lot of
important people here tonight.
You'll be great.
I will.
Uh, one more?
- Rick.
- Dorrigo.
I've got very deep,
full pockets tonight.
Good evening, Dorrigo.
- Lynette.
- Thanks for inviting us.
Well, thank Ella.
She did all the organising.
- Thank you.
- Oh
Oh, uh, Rick?
Our surgery's benefactor,
Keith Thompson,
is here this evening.
Perhaps you might regale him
with some of your
customary humour later on.
He likes you.
Well, he's got excellent taste.
Mmm.
I'll do my best.
Darling.
Okay.
Lynette's looking very lovely
this evening, isn't she?
Yeah.
So do you.
Excuse me, Dorrigo
Do you think I look my age?
Do you think I look mine?
It's different for a man,
it doesn't matter.
Especially your age.
I find you
wondrous.
My husband doesn't look at me
the way you do.
He remembers me young.
He remembers himself young.
And now we're just--
Lynette.
If this is to continue,
we need rules.
Okay? So
No more sleepovers.
And no workplace visits.
If you want to have lunch,
call me.
And, um
your nails.
My nails?
Cut them.
Please.
You sound like
you might've done this before.
Look at her, would ya?
I do love her.
Good team.
It's not easy, though.
You know, sometimes
I feel like a bloke
with his head in a guillotine,
awaiting execution.
And I know why
she goes into town at night.
To get away from me
and this place.
To be young.
You know, just
be allowed to be young.
And I wait here, and I just
hope that she comes back.
Hey, Amy! Amy, Amy!
Two shots, please!
Thank you, my love.
Thank you.
Don't drink it all.
Oh, we won't.
Here, get that into ya.
Come on. Alright, you're right.
Easy.
I'll just be right back.
Jesus.
- I'm sorry.
- It's not your fault.
You alright?
Think you got it all out?
Do you want to dance?
Not in your state.
Alright.
I'll get you some water.
Nice one, Keith.
Ah, he'll be fine.
I'm sorry, mate, I'm--
I'm gonna clean it up.
Not tonight, mate.
Get up to ya room, sleep it off.
You know who
he reminds me of?
No, who does he remind you of?
That, uh that bloody actor
What's his name? Um
Oh, that one?
Robin Hood.
You mean Errol Flynn.
Yeah. Yeah, that's him.
Maybe they're related.
You didn't have to
make him sick.
Oh, he's fine.
Those dancing lessons
paid off.
Have I ever told you
how much I love your smile?
A couple of times.
Please let me see it?
You can't just ask for it.
You gotta make it happen.
How are you feeling?
Look
I'm sorry.
Thanks.
- Don't be sorry.
- There ya go, mate,
a couple extra snags there
to fill out ya frame.
Let's let's hope you can
keep 'em down, eh?
- Thank you.
- What a crackin' morning, hey?
What a fuckin' cracker.
Yeah, go on, piss off,
get down there.
Don't like 'em runny?
No, it's good, no.
Soak it up, mate.
That's the way.
Soak it up. You want me
to cut you some soldiers?
I can cut you some soldiers?
Jesus, we had fun
last night, eh?
There's a little treat for you
outside the door, too.
Keith.
Sorry about last night.
About Keith.
He can be a bit brutal.
He likes to play games.
Do you love him?
Do I love Keith?
Yes.
We're married, aren't we?
So, what does Ella look like?
She's
People find her very beautiful.
- People find her very beautiful?
- Yeah.
It's hard to do it on a hill.
Pah, pah, pah, pah
Come here.
It's alright.
Stand here.
And follow my steps.
Back.
Step, step.
Forward, step, step.
Back, step, step.
Forward, step, step.
Back, step, step.
Forward, step, step.
And then you do this.
just seems to have
disappeared all by itself.
So I'm wondering
if I even need surgery at all.
I think surgery
is your only option.
The doctor I saw
before you
said it would be a mistake.
Yes. The mistake would be
listening to that doctor.
Are you certain
it isn't dangerous?
Without surgery,
your cancer will spread
and you will die, Mrs. Davis.
Of that I'm certain.
Yes
Of course.
Hey, Rick.
I saw your car and the back gate
was open, SO
Your husband's
sleeping with my wife.
I followed her to a motel just
now and he was waiting for her.
On the drive over
I tried to think of
a reasonable way of telling you
and realised there wasn't one.
No, I suppose there's not.
I presume you didn't know?
I had my suspicions.
I've always considered him
a friend, Ella.
I'm not sure Dorrigo
has friends.
Hm.
What are you going to do now?
You mean am I going to
sully the pristine reputation
of St. Dorrigo?
Hmm?
Well, don't worry.
The practice is more important
to me than that.
What are you gonna do?
That's my business.
Maybe we could, um
Maybe we could have a fuck.
Oh, Rick, go home.
Scissors.
Okay, hold it taut.
The cancer's spread
to the liver. Gonna cut it out.
I don't think
you should be doing this.
Oh
Another little cut.
She's bleeding.
Blood pressure's falling.
Yeah, okay.
We need to stem the bleeding.
Blood pressure's
still dropping.
Told you not to do this.
Need more blood.
Applying pressure here.
You can't perform liver surgery
on a whim
when we were just to remove
cancer from her bowel.
I told her
she'd be cancer free.
Now she could die.
Stop it.
Well, are we going to talk
about what happened?
What's there to talk about?
We just performed
a very successful surgery.
Oh. Is that what
you're going to call it?
Yes, Rick.
What would you call it?
I'd say that
you butchered a woman
by performing a surgery
that we hadn't prepared for.
If I didn't do it now,
we'd just have to do it
down the line.
But because you did it, you
risked her life on our table.
Yes, my table, Rick.
Please remember that.
Ah, Kate. It's Ella here.
Um, is my husband
still in surgery?
Where is he?
He's supposed to be here
at the Military Hospital.
When he returns, would you
please have him call here?
Thank you.
I am very sorry that my husband
is unable to join us today,
but it is my great honour
to officially open
this new beautiful repatriation
centre for the hospital.
The first few weeks
were serious enough
for me not to really know
where I was and then
They put me into a coma.
And then they had to make
the decision to remove my leg.
While you were in the coma?
Listen, I must say, I'm rather
glad he couldn't come.
Yes, yes.
So, thank you
for this opportunity.
Cheers. Lovely to meet you.
I'll let you, um, you know,
get on with all the things
you're doing, so, thank you.
What are you gonna say
in your speech?
I don't know.
You should tell them
what happened.
They don't want to hear
what happened.
What do they want to hear?
Tales of
heroes and
mates hip.
What would you prefer they hear?
The truth.
Cheers for the pencils.
Just don't let any of the other
boys see your sketchbook.
Most of them have been
wiping their arses
with rubber tree leaves.
Don't worry,
I've been hiding all my stuff
from the Japanese
in the lining
of my rice sack anyway.
Why bother shaving?
Why bother drawing?
'Cause people need to know
what's goin' on here.
No words, are there?
Do you think that they'd mind
me drawing them, the men?
No.
You mind if I draw you?
No.
San-byaku-san-juu-ni.
San-byaku-juu.
San-byaku-ni-juu-shi.
San-byaku-ni-juu-san.
Private Middleton
is not fit to work.
Next.
Major, that man is sick
with malaria. He can't breathe.
Next!
You bastard!
Major
I leave in the morning.
When I return I expect
significant progress
to have been made.
Colonel,
I worry there is not
enough man power.
Each man can only do so much.
You will be surprised
what a man can do
if motivated correctly.
I understand, Colonel
but I have helped design this
railway from the beginning.
It is the very reason
why I am here.
I know what is exactly
required at this point
Colonel, we need more men.
There are no more men.
You will make it possible,
Major.
Us Japanese are here
to teach the Europeans
that they are not
the superior race.
Listen
this is not a railway line
it is a battle field.
People die on a battle field.
You must show discipline!
Punish them!
Understando
Shit!
Harder!
Go!
Harder!
Mate, just make
the first fuckin' move.
Just make the move.
Sheep.
Come on.
Come on, let go.
Come on.
Why are you here?
Dysentery.
It's affecting
more and more of the men.
I need the proper supplies
to boil more water.
To best build your railway,
we need to preserve the men.
Too many are dying.
Railway may kill men
but I make railway,
not human beings.
You see
progress does not
demand freedom.
I see no progress.
Only cruelty.
What war is not cruel?
These men need food, sir.
They need medicine.
If you can just give them
a day's rest,
I can give you the men
that you need.
We all have our orders,
Lieutenant-Colonel.
I don't have days to give.
I will try
and have my soldiers allow
for some of what
you have asked for.
We drink to the railway.
I'd rather not.
You will do it anyway.
Tiny, mate, move over.
Come on, Tiny.
Move over, mate.
Frank
Look!
Bloody hell!
Bloody Leaning Tower of Pisa!
Fuck, I told you it was big!
Fuckin' hell!
Rooster, oi.
Finish him off, Rooster.
He's sick. Let the bastard
sleep, for God's sake.
He's out like a log.
I can't get him up.
Fuckin' get him up?
He's already fuckin' up!
Could you help me, Rainbow?
Show the man some respect,
for God's sake.
I'll show you some respect,
Rooster.
Lads!
Our boy Tiny here
recently was promoted to Pope.
Better, Rooster?
Fuck you
What the fuck do you think
you're doin', mate?
Oh, well, do you want me
to put it back on, do ya?
- Pervert, Rooster.
- Pervert? Fuckin' pervert?
You fuckin' pervert,
Rooster.
Fuckin' eggshell
sittin' on ya knob.
Mate, you are
- Dirty dog, Rooster.
- Shut the fuck up.
Let me see, let me see. Franky.
Get him up, get him up.
Franky, you right, mate?
You right, mate?
You alright, Franky?
You fold!
Mate, I folded
I folded the fuckin' thing.
Your fold was facing inwards.
It's meant to be
facing outwards.
Nah, he's alright.
He's alright, he's alright
What are you doin'
over there, Rabbit?
Mate, you focus on what
you're doing, and I'll just
Okay, alright.
Can you do anything
about the smell?
I'm sorry, Rainbow.
Dead tissue has a certain odour,
I'm afraid.
What are you doing, Bonox?
Well, I'm
I'm cleaning the ulcer, sir.
Well, look closer.
You see the pink?
Uh, yeah, yep.
Well, that's
fresh tissue growing.
The maggots,
they debride the wound,
and they eat away
the dead tissue.
You're to leave them there.
You can clear out the dead ones.
And fill it up with new ones.
Colonel
The other day I drank with
the Australian doctor
then he asked me
why Japan had started the war.
What did you say?
That we are liberating Asia
from European colonisation
and making Japan leader
of a new order of Asian
coexistence and prosperity.
But I don't think
he sees it yet.
You waste your time trying to
explain our ideas to prisoners.
You know
what we do here, Major,
will be remembered forever
Yes.
You and I,
will be remembered forever,
will be remembered forever
Have you ever
cut off a man's head?
It feels both
euphoric and horrible.
It is as though
it is you that is dying,
only to be reborn.
I noticed yours when
we were first introduced.
I can see precisely where
a sword should fall.
Come along.
There's something
I want to show you.
First time I've had seconds
since being out.
Listen.
In order to Kill quickly
you must concentrate on
your stroke and placement.
A good stroke will see
the head fly a metre.
A bad one
will mean butchering it.
It is necessary to be
swift and precise.
Don't worry, I just teach.
Major
come over here and take
position with the sword.
First you take the sword out.
Yes just like that.
Next you purify it.
Then balance.
Fix your centre of gravity.
Even from a
scrawny man like him
you'll find a lot of fat
on your sword
surprising isn't it?
Watch what I do.
Like this.
Our Father,
who art in heaven
Only the moon and I
on our meeting bridge, alone
growing cold.
And forgive us our trespasses
as we forgive those
who trespass against us.
Lead us not into temptation,
but deliver us from evil.
For thine is the kingdom,
the power
Colonel let's go back.
and the glory, Lord.
Colonel.
Amen.
Chummy, mate.
Sing us a song, would ya?
Oh I wish I had someone ♪
To love me ♪
Someone to call me their own ♪
Oh I wish I had someone ♪
To live with ♪
'Cause I'm tired
of living alone I
Oh please meet me
tonight in the moonlight ♪
Please meet me tonight
all alone ♪
For I have a sad story
to tell you ♪
It's a story
that's never been told ♪
For if I had wings
like an angel ♪
Over these prison walls
I would fly ♪
And I'd fly to the arms
of my poor darlin' ♪
And there
I'd be willing to die. ♪
Hoo-hoo! Whoo
Oh, fuck.
Stop, stop.