The Panthers (2021) s01e02 Episode Script

1 - Shadbolt will have my guts for garters.
- Will, start the car! When shit goes down, you get out, and we don't.
- I just got called a pig-fucker.
- Your husband's a cop, right? - Invercargill.
- Bet you don't get many darkies down there, eh? Why don't you just fuck off, then, if you're gonna be a grumpy bitch? It's time we start fighting the real enemy! Fuck you! Auckland's Pacific Island in the city.
A few years ago, these streets spawned gangs and so gang brawls as disillusioned youngsters fought amongst themselves largely for the hell of it.
Today, some of the gangs still exist.
Others have lost their members to a different sort of organisation.
No, I can't leave this space.
Yo, soul is a furnace.
I can feel the fire burning, embers igniting resurgence.
I'm trying to define my purpose.
My people are hurting.
They're working in labour service, getting treated worse than vermin.
We don't deserve it.
When destiny calls, are you willing to talk? Are you willing to walk? Are you risking it all? With my back against the wall, I'll be ready for war.
I'm Beth Heke, no fefe.
We won't lele.
A Panther same story but different chapter.
Coppers still knock us, always putting us in handcuffs.
A Panther same ones who taught us how to stand up, cut us out from all that shit like colon cancer.
A Panther same song but just a different stanza.
Coppers still hoka'd even though we had our hands up.
A Panther calm, collected, but filled with anger.
Weight of the crown is heavier than an anchor.
Never had a choice.
I was destined to be the voice.
I'm speaking for Polynesians who never got to be poised, never got to rejoice.
I can't take it any more.
The devil wears the blue uniform.
He's knocking at my door.
Served me with a charge.
I wasn't even involved.
My words falling on deaf ears when I speak in a court.
Scraping change for a lawyer I can't even afford.
Coming from the working class, but we ain't working at all.
Let's work it out.
♪ We've been disenfranchised in our own home country, marginalised, but we wanna get out of the gangs, OK? Make a difference.
I mean, we're public servants, you and I pretty much the same.
Pretty much the same, you and I, you say? And the little bit that I can do to help you all stay out of the gangs is to provide an office space for you and your Panthers free of charge is that correct? Ohh! Yeah, boy! Whoo! I consider your life worth something to me, Mama.
Dad.
This isn't your best work, Hughey.
It's a bit twee.
I'm gonna improvise.
I can, you see.
There isn't a politician in the country with a better understanding of what the average Kiwi bloke wants.
- Is that right, Rob? - The average bloke doesn't wanna be free.
He simply wants to be safe, to be able to enjoy a cold beer on a hot day.
So what do I need to do? Well, firstly, I must illuminate the real and dangerous threat that this current excuse for a government is to his safety and his way of life.
Once there's a groundswell of support in my favour, I must come forth to his rescue with an ice-cold keg over my shoulder to quench the parched.
We've made up some ground, Rob, but, well, Kirk's popularity isn't wavering.
We've ways to go before we order the keg.
Ladies and gentlemen, your leader of the National Party, Robert Muldoon.
You ice that keg, my friend.
I don't know about you all, but I wouldn't feel safe having my lovely Thea walk the streets of parts of this city at night any more.
This is not the country you deserve, folks.
We've been treated second-class for that long.
We've started believing that's what we are and behaving like that's what we are.
I promise you that when I come into power, I will clean up the streets of this scum that is dragging us all down.
That is not what we are! I will deliver us back to the safe and prosperous New Zealand you knew and loved.
What do we, the Polynesian Panthers, stand for? God's own! We stand for motherfuckin' change.
That's why he's gonna go all the way, seriously.
And what can a kid like you do for all of us, Will? Well, as Huey P Newton says, Fred, 'The revolution has always been in the hands of the young.
' What about us Maori, Will? Hm? We are the tangata whenua, and you haven't even mentioned us yet.
Absolutely, Hone, right? We wanna work with you.
Hey, you haven't answered my question, Willo, - apart from some bullshit answer you read in your fancy school books.
- Bro, what do you wantfrom me? Bro, I'm trying to help.
What are you doing? - A few minutes on stage, eh, and you think you're fuckin' Malcolm X, eh? - Yeah! Fred's right! See? Look at you fools.
What we need is to put our faith in the Lord to lead and reveal our path, not like this.
Show some humility.
What Will is trying to say is we Islanders, we deserve to be seen and heard too, not limited to the factory floor or freezing works.
No shame in the freezing works.
Honest job.
I agree, Fred.
Both my brother and father worked there, but doesn't mean that I have to, though.
I'm just saying don't pigeonhole us.
We need to start thinking bigger about what we are capable of.
Hone, the Panthers fully respect your mana as tangata whenua.
And we want to support your fight first.
This is not Maori and Pacific Islanders; it's all Polynesia together.
I mean, we're basically distant cousins, aren't we? Yeah, it's just we Islanders were too lazy to paddle over in the vaka with you guys, so we waited till planes were invented.
- Well - Sorry to interrupt, Chairman, but we're seven minutes over time, so, as secretary, I must now close it and give a few words.
Yeah? Uh, thank you, aiga, for coming.
Remember that tomorrow night, - we will be playing immigration debate - Don't touch me.
There'll also be a fundraiser dance at 7pm.
Sweet.
Being the model student that Will is, he has volunteered - to lead bi-weekly homework study groups for our youth.
- Wow.
So good on you.
Well done.
- We'll bring the kids down.
- Starting tomorrow, didn't you say, Will? Yeah, really looking forward to it.
Ice.
Good to see you here, uso.
You're a right old Martin Luther Kingi up there tonight.
You were actually a big inspiration.
I ain't your inspiration, you little bitch.
I am worried about this little circus you're putting on here, though, young Willo.
You see, Ponsonby is my turf.
It's my market.
So when someone wants to put a store in my makeki, they need to ask me first.
So why didn't you ask me, Willo? You forgot, huh? I've got mouths to feed, sole.
This makeki, it puts shoes on my little Kama's feet, - puts kalo on his plate - I'm not gonna fuck with your business.
Shh, shh, shh.
You already with it, Willo.
You already fucked with it.
Come on.
- You already fucked - Look, Ice, I Now, since you asked nicely, this is what's gonna happen.
OK? You're gonna pay me 500 bucks, just a little meaalofa, for letting you have your store in my makeki, and I'll collect it from you same time, same place tomorrow.
OK? - OK.
- OK.
- How are you going in there, love? - Mm-hm.
- I've gotta get these kids out the door.
- Yeah.
Oh, you look nice.
Where are you off to? Ted wouldn't say, just said to wear a suit cos I had an important meeting.
- Then to the station.
- Back into it, I guess.
Get your bags, you three.
Come on.
Are you sure you should be going back to work? Yeah, look, I'm going mad not working.
I'm fine.
I'm off the pills.
I'm good.
All right.
You said you'd be back at 5, yes? That's what he said.
- Bye, darling.
- Bye, darling.
All right, you three, get your things.
We're running late! All right, come on.
Let's go! - Bye-bye.
- Bye.
Bye, Mum! - Gidday.
Auckland Yellow Taxis.
- Yes, hello, can I please have a taxi to Cowan St, Ponsonby, - going to the hospital? - Yeah, nah, I'm afraid that's a 45-minute wait.
- There's a bus drivers' strike today, ma'am.
- Bugger.
- Do you want to hold a couple of minutes? - Ye He saw your photo in the Star, wanted to meet you.
Just follow my lead.
You'll be fine.
Teddy boy! What's with the suits? You're not here to see the headmaster.
It's 30 degrees, you lunatics! Ha.
Come on.
I'm so sorry I was late.
You said in your letter that you finished practising about 10 years ago.
What makes you want to get back into nursing now? I love nursing, and the prospect of working at a city hospital is exciting.
I must ask do you have the support of your husband? The shifts here can be fairly brutal.
- Oh, yes, my husband's fully supportive.
- Great.
Like usual, we're short-staffed.
There's some paperwork to complete, and you can start in triage on Sunday.
Great.
Ah, Thea, you remember Teddy.
This young man is Jimmy Davis, the poor copper who was attacked in the riots a few weeks back.
- A pleasure to meet you, Jimmy.
- And you, Mrs Muldoon.
- I didn't take you for a gardener, Rob.
- Only the lilies, Teddy.
Delightful species of plantae, the genus lilium, wouldn't you agree? - Only the white ones have the nice aroma.
- Oh, my mistake.
Yeah, a few years ago, my doctor prescribed me to take up a hobby.
He said I was working too hard.
Planted a few bulbs and fell in love.
23 varieties since.
Won a few prizes in the competitions, even.
- Impressive.
- Is it? You've done your family and your country proud, lad.
- How's the head? Coming right? - Yeah, it's feeling a lot better, sir.
Wouldn't have happened on my watch, you know.
When we take power, one of the first things we'll do is put those monkeys back in the cage so it doesn't happen again.
You know, it was a real privilege that Muldoon chose you, you know.
Now, we just need to take one more meeting, and then you can go off home for the day.
We're the boys in blue! On the beat, clear the street! We're the boys in blue! Welcome home, Jimmy.
You're a hero, mate.
Tomorrow, we'll move on from the hypothalamus to the pituitary gland, which is located in which part of the skull, Will? The sella turcica, ma'am.
Very impressive for someone of your attendance levels.
OK, that does it for today.
Don't forget papers due on Friday and zero tolerance for lateness.
Will, can I see you, please? Now, is everything going OK with you? You've always been one of my top students, but your attendance the last month has been shocking, and so have your grades.
You cannot get through Med with natural ability only.
Now, if your test results from last week are anything to go by, you are going to fail the year.
You are going to have to do everything you possibly can to get on top of this.
Hey, is Lulu here? Oh, Lulu, oi.
Hey, you keen on some dak? Help me out, sis, all right? Two for one.
Yeah? I need to get rid of this shit today.
- How much, Will? - Three each.
Malo.
Malo.
Oh, um - I'll give you 20 bucks for it.
- 20 bucks? Bro, that's my nana's watch.
That's 24-karat gold.
Listen, have you got one of those green stones that you all wear? - I could probably give you a couple extra bucks for one of those.
- I'm Tongan.
I'll give you 7 bucks for that jacket.
Put it fucking down! Put it down! Come on! - Hey, hey, what the fuck youse doing? - You can't do this to us! Please! Where the hell are we supposed to go?! You should have thought of that when you stopped paying your rent months ago.
Hey, look, you can't just kick them out, right? Grievances have to go through a formal process.
We issued a notice already, kiddo.
Mind your own fuckin' business.
- How much is overdue? - 400.
Well, did you reduce any of that rent due to the fact there's no power or hot water running through to the property, like you're obliged to? Or the fact that there's holes in the rotting floorboards that the rats crawl through at night? - Yeah.
- Cos it doesn't sound like you did, Mr Landlord.
Now, look here.
If the tenant had an issue, she could've taken it up with me or my solicitor.
Now it's too bloody late, now.
I need my money.
- All of it.
Keep going.
Hurry up.
- You want your money? You want your money? There, all right? There, right? If you agree to let them stay, you can have that.
It's $197.
Look, we'll pay you the rest when you present us with a plan to get the house into healthier shape, or elseoursolicitors will indeed be in touch with yours to take it up with the courts.
All right, lads.
We're done here for now.
Christ.
Yeah, yeah, walk on.
Fuckin' arseholes.
Why'd you give him all the money, you idiot? He would've been happy with 100.
Bloody amateur.
Come on, babe.
- How do you spell conscience? - Tigi, can you help Sala, please, bo's? You fullas order a TV? Hey, guys.
Hey, hey, great work today.
Keep studying diligently.
I'll see you all again on Thursday, yeah? Hey, bo's, that's quality thievery right there.
See ya, Sala.
Nice work, brothers.
Let's get it set up for the debate, eh? Wait, is that a colour one? You said to only hit the rich houses, Professor.
That's all our talent on set.
We're counting down, folks! - What's the latest on Kirk? - He's been hospitalised.
Water on the lung.
Could be laid low for a while.
You're up against Coleman tonight instead.
Uh, Thea, you got that copy? Norman may be loved, but did he ever have a number one bestseller before he even became PM? No, he fuckin' didn't.
Your feet are a bit too small for those big boots of Norman's, aren't they, Wallace? You may be in for a surprise.
Fraser is a formida Coleman can only piss with the cock God gave him, Wallace.
Give my regards to Norm, would ya? Take a seat here, Mr Muldoon.
The show's about to start.
'Big Norm, there's a pensioner waiting for your bed.
Get well soon Rob.
' OK, folks.
We're going live in 10 seconds.
- Bo's, yo.
How we going? - We've had 50 or so coming through.
Next! - Hey, make sure they all pay up, yeah? Even the pretty ones.
- Yo.
- Hey, are you all good? - Yeah.
Yeah, yeah, nah, I'm all good.
Sup, toko.
- You recently stated - Kirk's a late scratching.
In hospital, apparently.
Hey, guys, take a break.
The debate's about to start.
Those illegal Pacific Islanders are taking New Zealanders' jobs, keeping wagesdown.
And further to this, many of them are finding it hard to adjust to civilised life in New Zealand, pushing crime rates up as a result.
I mean, look around you, young Timmy.
There's a reason you don't see any coconut trees growing in the middle of our cities.
- Mr Muldoon - Racist little prick.
Immigration is a trickier business than Coleman and his lot clearly understand.
And unwanted Islanders should be deported back to the islands they came from.
Many island folk are simply not cut out for city living, and there's no shame in all of us admitting that.
- Professor - Shh! Bo's, listen.
- Ice is here.
- Labour need to face reality.
They've got their heads in the clouds.
Norman's team are wearing rose-tinted glasses.
- Mr Muldoon, are you suggesting - Please, Mr Coleman, listen.
- Pacific Islanders I stand by my word.
I always do.
Hey, hey, Will.
Wait for us.
So you gonna invite us inside for a beer, Willo? - Would you rather give me the bread now and say we call it a night? - Um, I'm way short.
There's $88 in here.
It's the best I could do.
Well, I guess we're gonna have to make up the difference ourselves, eh, boys? Get over here! Ugh! If you just give me more time, I can get you your money, all right? I just need a bit more time.
I - He doesn't need both ears, eh? - What Hey, hey! Ice! Ice! Ice! Look, I'll I'll get you your money.
I'll get you your money soon.
- I'll get your Ah, fuck! - Shh, shh, shh.
- Hey, hey.
Shh, shh.
- The fuck are you doing, Ice?! - Huh? Oi! Just collecting my taxes, uso.
How many times do I have to tell you we're on the same fuckin' side?! - Hey, Ice.
- Jesus! - Ice.
Ice, brother! Why don't you just take the TV, OK? It's worth heaps.
It's a colour one, even.
- That and plus whatever Will gave you.
- And this.
See, and that should square things up.
Hey, can we go back to having a bloody drink now, uso? Seki a le mea.
That'll do for today, ah? Ah.
You make sure you tell your little boys the rules of my makeki.
Huh? I'm sorry about the money, brothers.
Oi, why didn't you tell me? I knew something was up when he was here the other day, eh.
You guys don't understand the weight of the crown.
- Right? I'm the chairman.
- 'The weight of the crown.
' Kama nearly took your ear off, sole.
You wouldn't even be able to wear the crown, Willo, with the one ear.
It would just falloff.
- I am sorry, boys.
Straight up.
- Don't worry about it, OK, bo's? Just don't go alone next time, eh? I mean, that's what we're here for, my man.
- Yeah, you should already know.
- Mm.
All right, team, listen up.
- Look, we are gonna shut that racist little oompa loompa up, yeah? - Hell yeah.
Look, I have a plan to undertake on him tomorrow, but Nuku'alofa wasn't built in a day.
All right, so for now, we unify, - and we bloody drink to our future liberation! - Yeah! - Power to the people! - Power to the people! behind the wheel.
Sorry to have him home so late, Caro.
Oh, you don't need to apologise for me, Mike, you bloody hua.
- He's had a few drinks.
- Hm.
- He might regret that in the morning.
- All right.
Wow! - Mmm! - I can see you had fun tonight.
- - Hey, hey, hey, hey, Jim.
- Mmm? There's something I wanna talk to you about.
- Your husband did amazing today.
- You would've been proud.
So the mystery meeting went well, then? Mm, yeah, I nailed it! Now I'm off to the big show with a big piggy.
- Hey, baby? Baby? - Mmm? - You go in the bedroom - Hmm? and warm up the bed, OK? I'll just have a shower, and I'll be in.
Mmm.
We'll shut that pig up.
Can't get away with that shit.
- What's your plan for tomorrow? - The Rob's Mob gig? Get to the town hall around 9, cause a nuisance, get arrested.
The usual.
Well, we'll be there.
- Timmy, come dance with me.
- OK.
Fuck that guy, man.
Meet here at 8am sharp, hmm? Consider it done, Professor.
Sweet.
- What the hell are you doing here? - Sorry, I thought you were coming to the party.
- Sorry.
- I'll put the jug on.
- For you.
- Thank you.
Is everything OK? Yeah.
I'm all good.
How are you? I'm OK.
- Do you still stay over in Sandringham with your family? - Nah.
Family hate my guts these days.
They want me to shut up and become a doctor.
They just want you to have it easier than they did.
That's all.
- Yeah.
- It's cool, what you're doing with the Panthers.
Yeah, we're only just getting started.
Going after Muldoon tomorrow.
How old are you, Will? Just a boy.
Got your whole life in front of you.
I'm 27.
I have to hustle every day to stay above water for him.
He's my reason.
I'm not free like you, Mr Panther.
Do what your folks said.
Get that degree.
And don't get any girls pregnant, OK? Yeah.
I hear you.
You still have dreams, though, right? Hm? I'm an overstayer.
The dream was getting here.
But then I got here, and I couldn't get a job or a flat without my own passport, so I became dependent on Ice.
And the dream turned into living in this shithole, looking after our son and overpaying in rent while I do.
Some dream, huh? - Do you ever think of going back home? - To Samoa? A single mum with a bastard kid to a Kiwi gangster? Maybe I could help you guys get papers.
My mum and dad help - I'm a big girl, Will.
I can look after myself.
- No, yeah, totally.
You know, I know you're more than capable.
I just wanna help.
This is a one-off thing, OK, Romeo? And you have to be gone in the morning.
- Mm.
- Mm.
- Darling, there's something I wanna talk to you ab - I'm so dusty, Caro.
- Someone call the cops? - Yeah, I'll grab my hat.
- No breakfast? Jim, you should eat breakfast.
You had a big night last night.
As you can see.
- You want some eggs, Mike? - Oh, no, he wouldn't.
I'm fine, thank you.
Oh Fuck, I've gotta prep my speech.
- Yeah.
Hey, are you coming to watch Jim on stage today? - Oh, no.
I said I would take a girlfriend to the pictures.
Good choice.
Great.
- Great to see you.
- Great to see you.
- - Break a leg, darling.
- Mmm.
Will.
- You're not still bloody sleeping, are ya? - Will, wake up, wake up, wake up.
You gotta go.
You gotta go! Ice is here.
Ice is here.
Ice? What's he doing here? Fuck, where's my - Here, here.
- Tess! Sh - Shit.
Fuck.
- Open the door! - Here.
Go.
No, what are you doing? Go out there.
Get out! - Fuck.
- Morning time! Fuck.
Fuck! - Sorry, brothers.
- We should get you an alarm clock, eh, bo's? - Not a good look for the chairman.
- Sorry, sorry.
Let's go.
Fuck you, piggy, you fat fuck! - Jimmy.
- How are you, Rob? - Good.
Come here, piggy, you little bastard! Bunch of bloody hooligans.
It's great.
- Let's do this.
Let's go.
- Come on out, little buddy.
That was rad! Ha! Nige, get rid of the car.
You're lookout.
- And if we're not back in 15, come find us.
- Copy that.
Hey! It's down here.
Please! Please! Please! Aren't you a a great looking bunch of people? Thank you for coming.
- Oh shit! - What is it? The handle's fucking broken.
We're locked in.
- Good one, Foof.
- Sole, relax your makas.
Let's just do what we planned to do, right? Then figure it out.
All yours, Professor.
Darn it, Pete! Quick, fire up the backup generator.
Sounds like the pig didn't like having the plug pulled on his little function, eh? Nige! Nigel, come on! Bro, we're miles away, man.
He's not gonna hear you.
He'll come.
I know my brother.
Come on, Nige.
Open up! - Backup power's on.
- Well, looks like the government has finally succeeded in sending us back to the Dark Ages with their Soviet-style communism, open-door immigration and a soft line on crime that allows for the kind of senseless beating that happened to my good friend Officer Jimmy Davis.
Come on stage, Jim.
As the New Zealand police force, we're here to protect you.
But in order for us to do so, we need proper support from the government.
But we're not getting that.
With Rob Muldoon and National in charge, I have no doubt that they'll clean up our streets and keep you safe.
Thank you.
Nigel! Bro, Kong, I think you're wasting your energy, man.
Soles.
What are you fullas doing in the dark? Oh, move! One day soon, we will again be able to call this place God's own! Get out of here, shall we? - You did great.
Well done.
- Thank you.
- Out of the way, man.
- Prime Minister Kirk's dead.
Oh.
Well, find out what the family need and do what we can.
Rob, I've sent the car to the back door.
It's mayhem out front.
Bugger that.
Get out of the way, Harry.
I can deal with these little shits.
- Oh, one at a time! You're all welcome! - Rob, get out! Take me on, coward! Huh? Take me on, you fascist bastard! Yeah, I heard you and your little kiddie crim mates started a political club.
You're gonna change the world, are ya? - Just pack up and leave.
- We're just friends, remember? You know my son Will? I don't even know if he's telling me the truth.
I was hoping that you could find out for me.
- Here's your cut.
- I'm not paying your fuckin' bail.
Wow, the picture's looking a whole lot clearer now.
- I mean, hooker and the prince.
- Seriously, Mike, fuck off.
- You're barking up the wrong tree.
- Fuck up, Tess.
It's me.