The Midwich Cuckoos (2022) s01e05 Episode Script

-[Gasps]
-[Sam] She had another bad dream.
-[Paul] A woman has died here.
You can't expect me
to ignore that.
-What are you dreaming about,
Nathan? You can tell me.
-You have no authority to speak
to Nathan like that!
-Evie?!
-[Cassie] You're a liar and
you're not safe to live with.
-I wanna get out of this, Zoe.
-We're gonna find a way.
"I'm writing this because
I want the world to know."
"In three years, our town
has been taken over
by a ruthless alien force."
"Now we live in fear
and isolation."
"Cut off from the world.
Strangers to each other
and even to ourselves.
We're told to stay silent.
Tell no one.
Do nothing.
Our every move is watched.
Our conversations monitored.
It's like living
under occupation.
Except for one thing.
Our prison guards are children."
"For too long,
we've been frightened
of admitting the truth.
Frightened of might happen
if we speak up.
Frightened of punishment
and revenge.
But I won't stay silent
anymore.
I want this terror to end.
I want the world to know
what is happening in Midwich."
Morning, darling.
Uh, bad dreams again?
-What are you writing?
-Nothing. Come here.
[Women vocalizing eerily]
[Electric toothbrush whirring]
-Hannah, are you coming?
We'll be late for school.
-I'm just doing my teeth!
-I finished it.
It's ready.
-Are you sure
this is gonna work, Zoe?
-It has to.
-Heavy showers developing
quite widely.
And some of those showers
are turning into slow-moving
intense thunderstorms.
So there are warnings
in place.
Not everywhere is gonna see
the thunderstorms,
but where they do occur
[Printer whirring]
-[Geraldine] So, Rachel, tell me
about your week.
Anything you want to share?
-It's been much better.
Joe's really made an effort
with his brother
since that whole incident.
-They all have.
-I agree.
Sunny's been amazing.
And Stewart's besotted.
-And your husband?
-Curtis is Curtis.
I married him.
I love him.
There were always gonna
be bumps in the road.
You just have to stay strong
and be who you are.
-You were right.
I am trouble.
-Has anyone else
got anything to share?
Cassie?
Want to share anything with us?
-I'm fine, thanks, Geraldine.
-I realise that this must be
difficult for you.
A few weeks ago, your mother
was sitting in this chair.
When you're ready to talk
about that, we're here to listen.
-I said I'm fine.
-I think Cassie just needs
some time, Geraldine.
-Wimbledon have given me
a toxicology report
on Amrita Chohhan.
She was three times
over the driving limit.
We checked with the hotel.
It seems that after
dropping the kid off,
she went back to her room,
emptied the minibar,
tried to drive off in a stupor,
and ended up
in the wrong vehicle.
A tragedy,
but as I understand it, an isolated event.
How are things
among the children?
-Not a single incident
since that day.
-Well, then.
Onward, Christian Soldiers.
And let's keep Dr. Zellaby's
active imagination
out of things for now.
[Telephone ringing]
-What's wrong with him?
Personal issues?
What is that?
-Zoe Moran gave it to me
in the car park
on my way in.
She is threatening
to publish it.
She wants a meeting.
-[Sighs]
[Cellphone ringing]
-Hi, this is Cassie. If you
really must, leave a message.
-How was your day?
-It was fun.
We did drawing and singing.
Mr. Clyde is such a bad singer.
Mummy, this way.
We're in the new house now.
-And I like it So much more.
[Birds chirping]
-[Woman singing on stereo]
[Door closes]
-Hey. What's the matter?
-He's sulking about this.
-It looks silly.
You don't look like a mummy.
-Well, you don't get a choice
in my wardrobe, sunshine.
He'll just have
to get used to it.
Won't he?
-Yeah, sure.
-[Singing continues]
-I won't get used to it.
[E-mail chimes]
-Hey.
-Hi.
[Singing continues on stereo]
-He's finally asleep.
When do you think
we should tell him?
He'll probably sense it anyway.
-Can we wait a while?
Why did you put that back in?
-Maybe I want you to know
who you're kissing.
[Sinister music playing]
[Birds chirping]
[E-mail chimes]
-Sam, look, they want to meet.
-Dad, we should go.
-Yeah, coming now.
Come on, let's go.
-Bye, Mummy.
-Bye.
Hi.
-Oh, how are you?
-Oh, good, thanks.
-Well, you don't come
to the meetings, ever.
We miss you.
-Yeah, oh, um, sorry,
I've just been so busy.
-Whatever it is that's worrying
you, I think it would help
if you shared it.
We're all in this together.
-Okay. I will.
-Great. Next week?
-Next week.
[Wind blowing,
leaves rustling I
-[Screams]
[Crying]
-Jodie?!
-It was Nathan.
He did it.
He made --
He made me do it.
-What did you do?
-I just made her mummy again.
It's what you want.
-Don't tell me what I want!
[Sinister music playing]
-It's true.
It's what he wants.
It's true.
[Doorbell buzzes]
-You write well.
-Well, I wrote it
with a purpose.
-You want to leave?
-Yes.
The children will let me
but not Sam.
They've shifted their control
onto him.
Their love, if that's
what you want to call it.
-So Sam wants to leave, too?
-Yes.
-Are you sure about that?
-Yes.
And he can with your help.
-What do you mean "our help"?
-Stop them from
coming after us.
Arrange for Hannah to live
with someone else.
Help her forget us.
-I have to remind you, Zoe.
You did sign
the Official Secrets Acct.
-Are you going to arrest me?
Because I have another copy of
what I wrote in my possession
should I need it.
-And if we agree to help you?
-I will destroy
everything I wrote.
I just want out.
Safely.
Without Hannah.
Without punishment.
And I promise you,
you will never hear
from either of us ever again.
[Doorbell rings]
-[Sighs]
Look, if you're here
to check on me, don't bother.
I'm not going anywhere.
-It's about Amrita Chohhan.
I tried calling.
-I don't want to talk to you.
And I've been barred
from the project.
So just
-She's dead.
-I wasn't expecting visitors.
-I need your help.
No one knows I'm here.
-Tell me.
-We found her body.
Frozen to death
in a freezer van.
-When?
-Just over two weeks now.
-Why didn't you say something?
-I had orders from above.
They're trying to make it look
like a suicide,
but it's not.
-Well, how do you know?
Has Nathan done something?
[Sighs]
I, uh, I told Amrita
she'd be safe here.
-It's not your fault.
I should have listened to you
a long time ago.
But if there's anything you can
tell me, anything you know
[Birds chirping]
-Mr. Clyde.
-Yes, Connor.
-Who decided that plants
would make the air we breathe?
-Well, that depends
on what you believe.
-We think it was
the plants' idea.
So we wouldn't kill them.
[Cellphone dings]
-Olive, careful.
You don't ever touch those.
These berries
are highly poisonous.
Has everyone got that?
-Yes, Mr. Clyde.
-Alright, let's carry on.
[Birds squawking]
[Bell tolling]
-Now, don't forget to walk
in backwards.
It's Midwich good luck.
I give you your happiness.
-Did Sunny's mummy
make you angry?
Did you hurt her?
-[Nathan] It was her fault.
-[Susannah] Why was it her fault?
Because she wanted
to take Sunny away?
What are you dreaming about,
Nathan?
-[Nathan] Stop it!
[Static]
[Speaks indistinctly]
-What's he saying?
-Well, that's what I was trying
to find out
when you sent me into exile.
-[Nathan] I can't --
Yesterday, someone sent me this.
I searched "Nordosk,"
but nothing came up.
Who would send me that?
-Can I take the recording
with me?
-[Sighs]
-You can trust me.
Please.
I have an investment
in this, too.
-Yeah, okay.
Paul.
You told Cassie
about what happened
between me and her
when she was little.
I hid it from her..
For all these years,
and
I shouldn't have.
-You should talk to her.
Steve, I need
an audio cleaned up.
On the quiet.
Now.
-It's Friday night, boss.
-I don't care.
We stay as long as it takes.
-We're back!
Mummy,
there's a picnic tomorrow.
Can we go?
[Door closes]
Mummy?
Mummy, let me in.
I need a wee.
[Toilet flushes,
water running I
-In a minute.
-Mummy!
-In a minute!
[Cellphone chimes]
-What are you dreaming
about, Nathan?
-Stop it!
[Static, hum]
-Can you take out
that bass hum?
-Tell me about your dreams.
[Voices yelling indistinctly]
-[Steve] Sounds like Russian.
[Indistinct yelling continues]
-What the hell is that?
-[Nathan] Nordosk.
-[Zoe] This is going to work, Sam.
All the children will be
at the picnic.
You take Hannah,
but then when I text you,
you find a reason to slip away.
Leave the rest to me.
-The children will stop us.
-They won't know.
Just make sure you leave
when I tell you to, okay?
And, Sam
you cannot say anything
to Hannah.
No goodbyes. Nothing.
Not a word.
-You coming to the picnic?
-I think we will.
-I don't know how you cope
with that man of yours.
It's not right the way
he treats you.
-You know how it is.
When you love someone
-I don't remember.
-[Rachel] When did you last have a
Do you say "girlfriend"?
-[Jane] I say partner.
-Partner.
-[Jane] Not since this started.
But I have Connor.
-[Rachel] It's true.
What I feel when I'm with Joe
It's
-It's better than sex.
[Both laughing]
-Are you going to work?
-Yeah, I have to.
Something's come up.
-But he'll be upset.
-Mum! Let's go!
-Can you at least try
to come home early?
I don't want to be
alone with him.
-I promise.
-[Rachel] I wanted to take David
fishing this afternoon!
-[Rachel] It's just a picnic, Curtis.
-[Curtis] Yeah, but why, why do we always
have to do everything with them?
-[Rachel] Because they like
to be together.
That's how it works.
[Indistinct arguing]
-Daddy, can we take chocolate
fingers to the picnic?
-I'Ill look in a minute.
-I'm not going to come today,
Hannah.
I'm just suddenly
not feeling so good.
But you go with Daddy.
Is that okay?
-I'll get my bag!
[Line ringing]
-Hi, this is Ryan.
Leave a message
and I'll get back to you.
-Yeah, Ryan, it's me.
You were -- you were supposed
to come yesterday.
And I've run out,
and I really fucking need it.
-Mum, there are no clean plates.
-Yeah, in a minute.
-Come now!
[Doorbell rings]
-Oh, wait. Wait.
I'll get it.
It's just one of my friends
dropping something off.
Can you go and get the rest
of your stuff ready, okay?
I'll be one minute.
About fucking time.
What are you doing here?
-I tried to call.
-You're not allowed
anywhere near us.
-Please. Cassie, can we
just have a coffee?
I need to explain.
-I can't.
We're already running really,
really late, I can't.
-Who -- Who did that?
Who hurt you?
-I have to go.
Right now.
-Look, Cassie, ask Nora
to take Evie, okay?
Tell them you'll
see them there later.
-Okay, fine,
but Evie can't see you.
-Okay.
[Door closes]
-[Olive] I've got a plate and a mug.
-[Evie] That's so cool!
[Bird squawking]
-Daddy?
-Yeah?
-I think there's something
you're not telling me.
-What am I not telling you,
darling?
-You're such a bad liar, Daddy.
-Hey, Carol.
How's George's back?
-Much better.
-Just an excuse not to do
any housework, I reckon.
Don't fall for it.
Carol, um
Miss Cummings in?
-In her office.
-Do me a favour,
don't let her know I'm here.
She'll have me working
all bloody weekend.
-[Bryony] This afternoon, yes.
I don't Know how the other
mothers are gonna take it
Okay.
-Do you want a tea?
-Yeah.
Yeah. That be nice.
If you can find a mug.
-Yeah.
I've been a bit busy.
-I'm joking.
You should see my place.
What happened, with Evie?
Why did she hurt you?
-She didn't.
-Please don't lie to me.
-[Stewart] Rory's game today
is Grandmother's Footsteps.
Who knows how to play that?
-Me!
-Me!
-Hi.
-No Zoe?
-She's not feeling very well.
-Oh, that's a shame.
-Can I go and play?
-Yeah, 'course.
-[Sarah] Always in charge
of everything
-[Stewart] Now if I see anyone moving,
which I shall,
you'll have to go back to the
beginning and start again.
-Look, before we begin,
I want you to separate
two things in your mind.
-If we're gonna fucking
do this,
can you at least try and sound
like my mother for a change
and not a fucking doctor?
-Okay. Sorry.
-Did no one move?
-We did move.
You just didn't see us.
-No.
No, I didn't.
-[Jodie] Oh, hi, baby.
-Where's Cassie?
-Oh, she's coming later.
I think she's tired.
-[Sarah] It's all her mother's fault.
I mean, it must be so upsetting.
-[MaryAnn sighs] This is heaven.
-[Indistinct chatter]
-Hey, come on, focus!
[Indistinct conversations]
[Cellphone dings]
-I lied to you about
what happened when you were young.
I should have told you
the trouble I'd had.
I tried.
But I didn't want you
to ever feel that you'd been
-Unloved.
Go on.
-I knew within weeks of having
you that something was wrong.
I was
I was working too hard.
There was no one there to help.
You know, your dad had left.
My mother was impossible.
It built up.
-And
-And I wasn't
thinking straight, Cassie.
And I
I became scared
of you, of myself.
And of what I might do.
And I gave you up.
Only for a little while.
-How long?
-A year.
To foster parents.
They were nice people.
They had the option
to adopt you,
but then I I got help
and I started to feel
so much better and I
I missed you.
I missed you so much.
And I got you back.
-Why didn't you tell me that?
-Because I was ashamed.
But if I was unwell then,
I swear, I'm not now.
Something is really,
really wrong.
[Indistinct conversations]
[Cellphone dings]
-[Sarah] You okay?
-Yeah, yeah, I'm fine.
-Have some food.
-No, I'm not hungry, thanks.
-[Sunny] Mummy.
Can we go for a walk
in the woods?
-Okay, but not too far.
-[Boy] We won't go outside
the edge of town.
-[MaryAnn] Well, that we know.
-[Sunny] Back soon!
-[Sarah] Love you.
-Actually I think I'm gonna,
uh, go and check on Zoe.
-You've only just got here!
-Yeah, sorry.
Save me some cake!
I'll be back soon.
-[MaryAnn] What's wrong with him?
-It's that wife of his.
She's got him right here.
-Girlfriend.
They're not married.
-[Susannah] The children
are controlling you.
You love them, you protect them,
and normally
that's enough for them.
But when you turn against them,
they react.
Look at you.
You're exhausted.
-It's normal to be tired.
-No, not like this.
This is not normal.
Evie is punishing you
for every mistake,
every wrong decision.
-Only when I deserve it.
-[Sighs]
Cassie, darling,
listen to yourself.
Amrita Chohhan is dead.
The children were behind it.
-No.
-Yes.
And I have a feeling
they might harm someone else
at any moment,
maybe one of the mothers,
maybe even you.
-You're lying.
- That doesn't lie.
The children behave the way
they do for a reason.
And if I can understand why,
then I believe
I can change them.
But you have to help me
make them listen.
-Where are they?
-[MaryAnn] Oh, my God.
-Stewart, go and find them!
-Why me?
-Curtis!
-[MaryAnn] Kids!
[Sarah] Sunny!
-[MaryAnn] Kids!
-Okay, yeah, I'm coming now.
-I think she knows.
I think they all do.
-Sam, this is our chance.
We need to leave now.
Come on.
-I saw it.
I saw it in their eyes.
-Sam. Sam. Sam.
I did it yesterday.
I didn't want to tell you
because I don't even know
if it's real, but
but it's yours.
So we have to go.
We have to leave now.
Go on.
-Okay.
-Hello, Paul.
It's me.
I'm just wondering if you're
coming home for dinner.
[Whispers]
I really need you.
-I'm sorry, Mummy.
For hurting you.
-It's okay.
-You're beautiful.
-Thank you.
So are you.
-This one's ready to go.
-Yeah.
-I'll just be a minute.
-Alright.
-How was it?
-It was fun.
We played games.
Then we ran in the woods.
-Well, I'm sorry I missed it.
-You had a sleep.
-No, actually, um,
Granny came to see me.
-She shouldn't have.
She's not allowed to.
-She needs to talk to you, Evie.
-Evie. Don't.
It's me you want to hurt.
-Why are you here?
-Because I want to help you.
-You want to get
in the way again,
but you can't stop it.
It's too late.
-What's too late to stop?
Evie?
-[Zoe] Sam, can you come here?
-Yeah. Just a minute.
[Door creaks, slams]
[Clattering]
Who's there?
[Light clicks]
[Sinister music playing]
[Static]
Please.
No.
[Screams in distance]
-Sam?
Sam, where are you?
Aah!
-Evie, are you planning
to hurt someone?
Like you did with Amrita?
Who?
Please tell me who.
-The one that doesn't love us.
-Zoe Moran?
What -- What is it
that Zoe's trying to do?
-She's trying to take him away.
-Trying to take who away?
-Hannah's daddy.
She has to be stopped.
-Ils this happening now?
[Electricity crackling]
Come on.
Evie.
Evie, please,
before you do anything,
just talk to me.
Tell me about Nordosk.
[Electricity crackling]
[Door opens]
-What are you doing?
-What is this?
-Give me that file now, please.
-You lied to me.
You knew they came before.
A group of children,
all born on the same day.
Russia, 1973.
None survived.
You knew exactly
what happened to them.
-Paul, I'm warning you
-You killed that woman.
Made me cover it up for you.
You deliberately got me
to discredit Susannah Zellaby.
And you played on
my emotional allegiance to Nathan.
You played me
like a fucking pipe!
-I had no choice.
I was following orders.
-I trusted you.
[Cellphone vibrates]
Yeah.
Okay. I'm on my way.
Cassie thinks Zoe Moran's
in danger.
-Zoe's trying to leave
without the children knowing.
-Well, they do know
and they're gonna stop her.
You call Westcott,
and you tell him
I want to know everything.
-Fuck.
-Nordosk is a place, isn't it?
Somewhere you were before.
-We thought
we would be welcome.
-But you weren't.
What happened?
-You killed us in the cold.
[Electricity crackles]
-You were going to leave.
And take Daddy with you.
-And the baby.
-That can't happen.
[Cellphone vibrating]
-I'm still full from the picnic.
Can I go to bed, please, Mummy?
-Oh.
Yeah, alright.
-Good night.
-Night.
-[Woman singing on stereo]
I'll be up in a minute, okay?
[Door opens]
Paul?
[Door closes]
Nathan?
-We chose this world
as our home.
We wanted to be human
like you
but you didn't want us here.
You thought we were a danger.
-Show me.
Show me how we killed you.
[Electricity crackling]
-You locked us
in our school room.
You said it was for lessons.
You all left the town.
We couldn't get out.
Then the planes came.
[All yelling indistinctly]
[Pounding on door]
-[Grunting]
[Panting]
-Dad, you shouldn't be here.
-Nathan, what are you doing?
-You need to leave.
[Pot shatters]
-[Panting]
Nathan.
[Warbling]
-We burnt alive.
We screamed but no one heard.
You tricked us.
This time, we won't
let you do that.
This time, we are
stronger than you.
This time, we will
defend ourselves.
-Wait. Listen to me.
We don't want to do that to you.
You are loved here.
-You don't love us.
You think we're bad.
-No.
No, we don't think you're bad.
We can live together.
You can live here with us.
But not if you hurt Zoe.
Then everything changes.
-And if we agree,
then will you love us?
-I swear it.
-And if anything goes wrong?
-Then I will bear the blame.
-[Gasps]
[Door unlocks]
[Door creaks]
-[Grunts]
-Hello, Daddy.
I'm going to have
a little sister.
-A promise is forever, Granny.
[Cuckoo calls]
In April, I open my bill ♪
In May,
I sing night and day ♪
In June, I change my tune ♪
In July, far, far I fly ♪
In August, awa-a-a-a-a-y ♪
Away ♪
In August ♪