The Day of the Triffids s01e05 Episode Script
Episode 5
I'm looking for a girl who can see.
She's tall, blonde.
She was leading a group of people.
- Is she here? - Perhaps.
- I've got to find her! - It's too late.
Jo? What do you want? Came to see if there was anyone still here.
You looking for more gang leaders? As far as I can see, there are no more gangs left to lead.
I came to make my peace.
To ask to join up.
Are yours all dead? They will be by tomorrow.
Same with mine.
They got it right.
We've got to start again.
The only question is, "How?" I'm leaving first thing in the morning.
# Oh, God our help in ages past # Our hope for years to come # Be thou our guide while troubles last # And our eternal home # My friends, let us renew our thanks to God for preserving us in the midst of such disaster.
I will ask you to pray that he will look with compassión on all those who still wander alone in the darkness, and that it will please him to guide their feet hither in order that we may succour them.
I'm sorry to keep you waiting, but there's so much to do.
Miss Durrant, I'm looking for the girl I was with at the university.
You may remember us together.
She was tall, blonde, about 23.
- Her name was Payton.
- Miss Payton? No, I can't help you, I'm afraid.
She's certainly not here now.
She may have gone with the others.
I can't be sure.
- The others? - Mr Beadley and Major Anderson.
- And the others at the university.
- They're not here? They did come here.
It was Mr Beadley who knew of this house.
But a few of us disagreed with their ideas as to the future of society.
Remember they gave us an outline at the university? I remember.
They believe the human race cannot survive without the complete abolition of morality as we've understood it.
That everything should be subservient to the production of children, and whether or not a child is a child of true love is of no importance.
When they arrived, they repeated that acceptance of their philosophy was a precondition of membership.
We agreed to separate and they volunteered to find somewhere else.
Those of us that remain are Christian.
We believe we must turn to Our Lord and say, "We put our trust in you.
Your laws are our laws.
"Guide us in your way and we know that our souls will survive.
" What are you going to do? Are you moving on? I've got to find the other party, see if Jo's with them.
I'd put more than I'd realised in her being here.
Look, give it a day.
Let me see what the chances are of getting this place together.
If it looks a possibility, I'll stay.
If not, I'll come with you.
- Their intentions are good.
- Huh! So were mine in London.
Good intentions aren't enough any more.
This place could be a going concern, if it's properly organised.
You've got good, well-protected land, cattle, a fresh water supply.
You've even got an electricity generator, which, by the way, I fixed.
It's about time somebody had.
You must build up your stocks from outside.
Get as much as you can whilst it's still there to take.
It's not robbery.
It's self-preservation.
I've already planned for the blind to be taught to do useful work.
Your vicar wanted them to learn basket weaving! You mustn't let him persuade you to bring any more blind people here.
You can just about cope with what you have.
Any more and you've had it.
If you don't all starve to death, the ones who can see will have breakdowns.
This is not speculation.
This is predicted fact! On the other hand, if we do as I say You did your best! Let's go.
- Ready to take five? - Cheers.
Don't move! Get back! There's no one else here.
It's almost as if it was waiting for him.
As if it knew he was going to come out of that door.
Come on.
You know all about these things.
You've worked with them.
Yes, all right.
They make me sick.
They're like maggots or vultures.
I was ready for that.
But there's more and more all the time! They seem to know where we are.
They turned towards us when they saw the lorries.
Some even moved towards us.
They didn't see the lorries.
They're plants.
They can't see.
The trouble with triffids is what we don't know.
Some scientists bred a very special plant to produce a very special oil.
We got the special oil and we're lumbered with a special plant.
- Has it got a brain? - It's a plant! - That's no answer.
- That's all I know! - Do they frighten you? - Yes, and they sicken me, too.
What sickens me most is inside this mess they are the only things that are gonna fatten and thrive.
I'm going back to Tynsham.
No, it's not a snap decisión.
It's been growing all day, driving through the desolation out there.
Village after village, house after house.
Not a breath of human life anywhere.
I've felt more lonely in these last few days than I thought it possible.
So there's one reason - my human need.
But the main reason is this.
I've been working this out on the road.
We must be part of a community to have any hope for the future at all.
At the moment we've got all we need.
Food, supplies, everything.
But the food will go bad, the metal will rust, the petrol to drive the machines will run out.
Before that happens, we have to learn to plough and learn to make ploughs, and learn to smelt the iron to make the ploughshares.
We must learn to make good all that we wear out.
If not we say goodbye to civilisation and we slide right back into savagery.
All the knowledge is there in books if only we take the time to learn.
Time, you see.
Time.
We need a community large enough for some people to be free from production to have time to study and experiment and teach the kids to prepare for the day when what we have is gone.
- What did you do before all this happened? - I taught history very badly.
But I'm talking sense now.
Yeah, I know.
I'll get my way at Tynsham.
I'll have to use more subtlety.
- But Ma Durrant needs us.
- I'm not going with you.
Why not? I've got to find Jo.
You don't even know if she's still alive.
Quite right.
But I'm gonna find out.
I'm gonna find that other group.
If she's not with them, I'll start again.
I'll start in the south and work - What? - The south.
South Downs! A farmhouse overlooking Pulborough.
We talked about it once as a place to go.
- You've cracked it, then? - If I can find it and if she's there.
When you find her, bring her straight back to Tynsham.
I shall need your help to make that woman see sense.
What the hell do you think you're doing? Please.
Please come and see what's happened to Tommy.
A thing hit him and he fell down.
It wanted to hit me when I tried to help.
Get behind the wall, quickly! - Where are we going? - To find a lady.
- Is she nice? - Yeah, I think so.
- What's your name? - Susan.
- I'm Bill.
- Thank you for letting me bring Rufus.
- He'll be very good.
- He'd better be! It's round here somewhere, but I don't know quite where.
- What are you going to do? - Wait till it's dark, then we'll try our lights.
Bill! Bill! There's a light! I think there's a light.
Shall we go? I've lost it.
I've lost it! Over there! Damn! We'll have to go back.
There! There! Hello, Bill.
You've been a long time.
Hey! Can't you kiss her indoors? Perhaps I should have woken Dennis and Mary, but I didn't see much point.
You'll meet them in the morning.
There were two other blind people staying here.
But they went out to get help and never came back.
- Triffids? - I expect so.
- Are there many round here? - Far too many.
Is everything very black? No.
We know we're here, there's Beadley's group and people at Tynsham.
There must be similar groups all over the worid.
It's gonna be a hell of a struggle, but I think we might come through it.
I think we all better go to Tynsham as soon as we can.
Coker said that the only way to survive is to be part of a sizeable community.
I'm sure he's right.
We'll have to wait until Mary's baby's born.
It's due in a couple of weeks.
Well, there's no hurry.
This place will do for a bit.
I'll drive to Tynsham in a few days, tell them to be expecting us.
- The others must have gone.
- But surely they must have left a message.
- I couldn't find one.
- What happened? The disease.
You could smell it.
There were bodies everywhere, including Miss Durrant's.
- What about Coker? - I dunno.
There were six new graves outside.
- We're on our own, then.
- We've got to try and make a go of it here.
We will.
She's tall, blonde.
She was leading a group of people.
- Is she here? - Perhaps.
- I've got to find her! - It's too late.
Jo? What do you want? Came to see if there was anyone still here.
You looking for more gang leaders? As far as I can see, there are no more gangs left to lead.
I came to make my peace.
To ask to join up.
Are yours all dead? They will be by tomorrow.
Same with mine.
They got it right.
We've got to start again.
The only question is, "How?" I'm leaving first thing in the morning.
# Oh, God our help in ages past # Our hope for years to come # Be thou our guide while troubles last # And our eternal home # My friends, let us renew our thanks to God for preserving us in the midst of such disaster.
I will ask you to pray that he will look with compassión on all those who still wander alone in the darkness, and that it will please him to guide their feet hither in order that we may succour them.
I'm sorry to keep you waiting, but there's so much to do.
Miss Durrant, I'm looking for the girl I was with at the university.
You may remember us together.
She was tall, blonde, about 23.
- Her name was Payton.
- Miss Payton? No, I can't help you, I'm afraid.
She's certainly not here now.
She may have gone with the others.
I can't be sure.
- The others? - Mr Beadley and Major Anderson.
- And the others at the university.
- They're not here? They did come here.
It was Mr Beadley who knew of this house.
But a few of us disagreed with their ideas as to the future of society.
Remember they gave us an outline at the university? I remember.
They believe the human race cannot survive without the complete abolition of morality as we've understood it.
That everything should be subservient to the production of children, and whether or not a child is a child of true love is of no importance.
When they arrived, they repeated that acceptance of their philosophy was a precondition of membership.
We agreed to separate and they volunteered to find somewhere else.
Those of us that remain are Christian.
We believe we must turn to Our Lord and say, "We put our trust in you.
Your laws are our laws.
"Guide us in your way and we know that our souls will survive.
" What are you going to do? Are you moving on? I've got to find the other party, see if Jo's with them.
I'd put more than I'd realised in her being here.
Look, give it a day.
Let me see what the chances are of getting this place together.
If it looks a possibility, I'll stay.
If not, I'll come with you.
- Their intentions are good.
- Huh! So were mine in London.
Good intentions aren't enough any more.
This place could be a going concern, if it's properly organised.
You've got good, well-protected land, cattle, a fresh water supply.
You've even got an electricity generator, which, by the way, I fixed.
It's about time somebody had.
You must build up your stocks from outside.
Get as much as you can whilst it's still there to take.
It's not robbery.
It's self-preservation.
I've already planned for the blind to be taught to do useful work.
Your vicar wanted them to learn basket weaving! You mustn't let him persuade you to bring any more blind people here.
You can just about cope with what you have.
Any more and you've had it.
If you don't all starve to death, the ones who can see will have breakdowns.
This is not speculation.
This is predicted fact! On the other hand, if we do as I say You did your best! Let's go.
- Ready to take five? - Cheers.
Don't move! Get back! There's no one else here.
It's almost as if it was waiting for him.
As if it knew he was going to come out of that door.
Come on.
You know all about these things.
You've worked with them.
Yes, all right.
They make me sick.
They're like maggots or vultures.
I was ready for that.
But there's more and more all the time! They seem to know where we are.
They turned towards us when they saw the lorries.
Some even moved towards us.
They didn't see the lorries.
They're plants.
They can't see.
The trouble with triffids is what we don't know.
Some scientists bred a very special plant to produce a very special oil.
We got the special oil and we're lumbered with a special plant.
- Has it got a brain? - It's a plant! - That's no answer.
- That's all I know! - Do they frighten you? - Yes, and they sicken me, too.
What sickens me most is inside this mess they are the only things that are gonna fatten and thrive.
I'm going back to Tynsham.
No, it's not a snap decisión.
It's been growing all day, driving through the desolation out there.
Village after village, house after house.
Not a breath of human life anywhere.
I've felt more lonely in these last few days than I thought it possible.
So there's one reason - my human need.
But the main reason is this.
I've been working this out on the road.
We must be part of a community to have any hope for the future at all.
At the moment we've got all we need.
Food, supplies, everything.
But the food will go bad, the metal will rust, the petrol to drive the machines will run out.
Before that happens, we have to learn to plough and learn to make ploughs, and learn to smelt the iron to make the ploughshares.
We must learn to make good all that we wear out.
If not we say goodbye to civilisation and we slide right back into savagery.
All the knowledge is there in books if only we take the time to learn.
Time, you see.
Time.
We need a community large enough for some people to be free from production to have time to study and experiment and teach the kids to prepare for the day when what we have is gone.
- What did you do before all this happened? - I taught history very badly.
But I'm talking sense now.
Yeah, I know.
I'll get my way at Tynsham.
I'll have to use more subtlety.
- But Ma Durrant needs us.
- I'm not going with you.
Why not? I've got to find Jo.
You don't even know if she's still alive.
Quite right.
But I'm gonna find out.
I'm gonna find that other group.
If she's not with them, I'll start again.
I'll start in the south and work - What? - The south.
South Downs! A farmhouse overlooking Pulborough.
We talked about it once as a place to go.
- You've cracked it, then? - If I can find it and if she's there.
When you find her, bring her straight back to Tynsham.
I shall need your help to make that woman see sense.
What the hell do you think you're doing? Please.
Please come and see what's happened to Tommy.
A thing hit him and he fell down.
It wanted to hit me when I tried to help.
Get behind the wall, quickly! - Where are we going? - To find a lady.
- Is she nice? - Yeah, I think so.
- What's your name? - Susan.
- I'm Bill.
- Thank you for letting me bring Rufus.
- He'll be very good.
- He'd better be! It's round here somewhere, but I don't know quite where.
- What are you going to do? - Wait till it's dark, then we'll try our lights.
Bill! Bill! There's a light! I think there's a light.
Shall we go? I've lost it.
I've lost it! Over there! Damn! We'll have to go back.
There! There! Hello, Bill.
You've been a long time.
Hey! Can't you kiss her indoors? Perhaps I should have woken Dennis and Mary, but I didn't see much point.
You'll meet them in the morning.
There were two other blind people staying here.
But they went out to get help and never came back.
- Triffids? - I expect so.
- Are there many round here? - Far too many.
Is everything very black? No.
We know we're here, there's Beadley's group and people at Tynsham.
There must be similar groups all over the worid.
It's gonna be a hell of a struggle, but I think we might come through it.
I think we all better go to Tynsham as soon as we can.
Coker said that the only way to survive is to be part of a sizeable community.
I'm sure he's right.
We'll have to wait until Mary's baby's born.
It's due in a couple of weeks.
Well, there's no hurry.
This place will do for a bit.
I'll drive to Tynsham in a few days, tell them to be expecting us.
- The others must have gone.
- But surely they must have left a message.
- I couldn't find one.
- What happened? The disease.
You could smell it.
There were bodies everywhere, including Miss Durrant's.
- What about Coker? - I dunno.
There were six new graves outside.
- We're on our own, then.
- We've got to try and make a go of it here.
We will.