The Midwich Cuckoos (2022) s01e06 Episode Script

-[Bernard] We have been presented
with a gift in this town.
-It felt like
I was visited.
-I don't trust them.
-Joe, look at me!
[Suspenseful music plays]
-[Susannah] The children
are controlling you.
-[Evie] You don't love us.
You think we're bad.
-No.
We can live together.
You can live here.
-And if anything goes wrong?
-Then I will bear the blame.
-I'm going to have
a little sister.
♪
[Birds chirping]
[Ethereal tune plays]
Oranges and lemons,
say the bells of St Clements ♪
You owe me five farthings,
say the bells of St Martins ♪
When will you pay me?
say the bells of Old Bailey
When I grow rich,
say the bells of Shoreditch ♪
When will that be?
say the bells of Stepney ♪
I do not know,
say the great bells of Bow ♪
Here comes a candle
to light you to bed ♪
And here comes a chopper
to chop off your head ♪
Chip, chop ♪
Chip, chop ♪
Chip, chop ♪
Chip, chop ♪
Chip, chop ♪
Chip, chop ♪
Chip ♪
Chop ♪
Chip ♪
[Rapid gunfire]
♪
[Women vocalizing eerily]
[Suspenseful music plays]
-Morning, Evie.
-Morning. [Chuckle]
Okay?
Right
here's your breakfast, love.
Okay.
Erm, do you want to take
some biscuits with you?
-Chocolate, please.
-I think we might actually
only have ginger.
-Ginger's fine.
-There you go, my angel.
♪
-Morning, Carol.
-Morning, Dr Zellaby.
-How long have we been
doing this?
It's Susannah, please.
-Sorry.
Susannah.
They're waiting for you,
with Mr Westcott.
-I didn't know
Mr Westcott was here.
-Yes, he came
on the first train.
-Firstly, I wanted
to congratulate you
on the speed of the
children's development.
-Yes, they're doing well.
-They're doing better than that.
They're outgrowing
older brothers and sisters.
They're five,
but they look and behave
like highly gifted
ten-year-olds.
Their mind is, uh, akin
to a remarkable piece
of machine learning.
-Yes, but they're not a machine,
are they, Mr Westcott?
They're living beings,
just like you and I.
-Well, I'm wondering
if it's time
to understand them better.
-What's that?
-I'd like to take
a couple of the children
for some more advanced testing
at one of our research centres.
It should only take a day.
-At a military base?
Outside of the town?
-A couple of hours' drive away.
It's a pilot project.
If it goes well,
we might do more.
-They --
They won't let you do that.
-We think they may.
-With respect, Mr Westcott,
you haven't been here.
The children
have never left Midwich.
They feel safe here.
They won't leave.
-As I understand it,
the children have been asking
what lies beyond.
-[Scoff]
Asking who?
-They came to us at Ward 300.
-Why didn't they talk to me?
-Perhaps, they didn't want
to upset you.
♪
-You are a man.
Fama machine.
Other than
that slight difference,
we have a great deal in common.
[Beeping]
-What is it, big brother?
-I don't want to stay
at Dad's this weekend.
-I don't want you to, either.
But your dad needs to see you.
-I wish he wasn't my dad.
I wish I was like you.
[Beeping]
-Come on.
[Beeping]
-We should look at this.
Coming from here.
Vroom
[Gasp]
[Both] Oh, no!
-The airport closed.
-The airport closed.
-Oh, no!
-Can we open the door?
-No.
-Just really, really,
one little bite.
-One little bite.
-Ah.
-Ah.
-Mmm!
-Yay!
Good girl.
-Very good.
-You ready, Dad?
-[Coughing]
-We're late.
-Sure.
Yeah, ready and willing.
-Have a good day, love.
-[Smooch]
-Goodbye, Ellie.
-Bye.
-David, get in the bloody van!
-I don't want to go!
-David,
I will not tell you again!
-But I want to stay with Mum.
-Just a second, babe.
-[Squealing]
-David, get in the bloody van.
-I don't want to go!
-[Coos]
-It's only until Tuesday, David.
-David, get in the van!
-Bye, David.
-You, you shut up, you!
-Don't touch him!
-Get in.
-Ignore him, Hannah.
-[Indistinct cooing]
-Remember what Susannah said.
Curtis doesn't represent
any of us.
[Van door slams]
-Feel free to experiment a bit.
We don't have to be
too faithful to what you see.
Go on, Nathan.
Express yourself, hmm?
What's wrong?
-I have to do some tests
at Ward 300 on Monday.
-Erm, who says?
-Uncle Paul.
He'll pick me up from home.
-Well, that's okay, isn't it?
Okay.
That's really good.
-You sure you're okay
about this?
-We trust you.
-But this wasn't my idea.
If you'd come to me,
I-I could've planned it.
We could've talked about it
at our weekly meeting.
-Don't be angry, Granny.
I'm glad you're coming.
-No, I-I'm not angry.
I just --
Well, I wouldn't be here
if I hadn't insisted.
[Vehicle doors open]
♪
[Doors slam]
♪
-Okay, team,
computers off, please.
-[Curtis] David!
David?
[Beeping]
David!
David!
[Beeping]
Ah, so this is where you are.
-You're a man. I am a machine.
-Come on.
We're already late for school.
-Other than that
-Turn it off, mate. Let's go.
-Why don't you live
at home anymore,
with Mum and Joe?
[Beeping]
-You know why.
[Beeping]
-So the Incas should not
have trusted the Spanish.
-Well, there's a school
of thought that says
history is the victory
of the ruthless over the naive.
And, certainly, the Spanish
consciously chose
not to coexist with the
Indigenous population.
-But you are choosing
to coexist with us.
-Yes, Connor,
because history changes
and humans learn.
We learnt about you,
you learnt about us.
And now,
we live happily together.
[Rotors whirring]
Case in point.
-[Officer in distance]
Turn to the right.
Right turn.
-[Chanting]
Right, right.
[Chanting]
-Present arms.
-Present arms!
-1, 2,3!
-Present arms.
-Present arms!
-1, 2,3!
-Welcome to Winthorpe.
-[Soldiers] 1, 2, 3, 1!
-What is this place?
-Two hundred soldiers
are based here.
It's kept out of the public eye
as much as possible,
so it's perfect
for our purposes.
The research station is there.
If it's all right with you
children, we'll go there now.
Nothing scary --
couple of brain scans,
some IQ tests,
that sort of thing.
-Of course.
-1!
-1, 2, 3, 1!
-I'm afraid
it's a limited access area.
But we'll be back soon.
-1, 2, 3, 1!
[Beeping]
[Error alert beeps]
[Rattling]
[Rattling]
-[Soldiers] 1, 2, 3, 4.
-[Sigh]
What are they doing in there?
What tests?
Why aren't we allowed in?
-I have no idea.
-[Chanting] 1!
-1, 2, 3, 4.
-They told you nothing
about this?
-I heard half an hour
before you did.
-[Sigh]
So much for no more secrets.
What does he want
with them, Paul?
[Whirring]
[Electricity zaps,
frequency warbles]
[Static]
[Suspenseful music plays]
[Frequency warbling]
♪
[Creaking]
♪
[Beeping]
[Electricity zaps,
gate creaks I
[Beeping]
♪
[Frequency warbling]
[Frequency warbling, static]
[Warbling intensifies]
-[Gasp]
[Beep]
[Panting]
♪
[Rapid gunfire]
-1, 2, 3, 1!
-[Indistinct chant]
♪
[Chanting]
Left, right, left, right,
left, right, left.
[Vehicle passes]
Left, right, left, right,
left, right, left.
-You okay?
-Yeah.
-1, 2, 3, 4.
-Left, right, left, right,
left, right, left.
[Marching footsteps]
Change.
-David, I'm back.
[Key clatters]
David.
David, you here?
David?
David, mate!
David, come out now.
David!
♪
David, I'm not angry at you.
-[Shallow breathing]
-David!
David, come out now!
-[Shuddering]
-David!
♪
- [Rachel] David!
[Panting]
♪
David!
David?
David.
What is it?
What's happened to you?
David, look at me.
Look at me.
[Hyperventilating]
What's happened to him?!
-Let me just see him.
-Curtis.
-What --
What are you doing?!
-Calm down, Curtis.
-Let me comfort my son!
-David! David!
-Curtis. Calm down!
-Curtis! You can't be here.
-How did you let this happen?
What did you do?!
-[Grunts]
-What the fuck are you talking about?!
-Get him out of here.
-David!
David!
-Get him to the station, now.
-You okay?
-Yeah.
[Buzzer]
-Can I talk to David?
-You remember Dr Zellaby, David?
-Has he eaten anything?
-Nothing yet.
-Thank you.
[Chair scraping floor]
Hello, David.
I just wanted to have
a quick chat with you
about what happened
with your dad.
You went to school.
Do you remember leaving?
-[Faintly]
School.
-Did you go home to your dad?
-School.
-Yes, that's right, you --
you went to school
and then you left.
[Frequency warbling]
-School.
School.
-Oh, my baby.
David?
[Crying]
Please.
-Who are you?
-Oh, no.
♪
[Continues crying]
-He remembers nothing
of his parents,
nothing of his life.
It's like he's no longer there.
-In some abuse cases,
memory's suppressed.
It could be the --
-Curtis?
-Yeah.
-Yeah, it's not.
Something happened at Winthorpe.
We both know it.
-Yeah, but what?
-All I know is that
they're lying to us.
♪
-Act like you know nothing.
Make them believe
that you're their friend
and find out
what they're planning.
-Don't say anything to Bryony.
I don't trust her.
[Scoff] Don't trust
a single one of them.
-Oh
[Indistinct conversation]
-Hello.
-Hey!
Come in.
Sorry for the mess.
This is, er,
this is nice.
-[Scoff]
I'm trying.
Listen, the reason I called.
Yesterday,
Nathan and I weren't
at Ward 300.
We were at a military base
in the countryside.
Erm, we were -- we were told
to keep it a secret, but,
I just -- I don't want to lie
to you anymore.
-Erm,
why did you go there?
-They said it was just
for tests.
But I don't believe them.
Now, a few days ago, I thought
we had this under control.
Now, I don't know anything.
-I don't understand.
Why wouldn't Nathan tell me?
-Have you noticed anything
in his behaviour recently?
Hey, mate.
♪
-I don't want to leave you.
♪
♪
[Creaking]
♪
[Beeping]
-I just found this
at the school.
I saw David there the other day.
The day I passed out.
-You told anyone?
-Not yet.
-Right, then don't.
Just throw it away,
get rid of it.
-What?
-Please.
We have Ellie now.
That is all we have
to think about.
-[Bernard] Why is she still here?
-She won't leave.
She stayed all night.
-You made a mistake,
letting him live.
-He won't say anything.
-It's a risk for the project.
-Trust us.
They think it's the father.
We know what we're doing.
♪
♪
-Come on.
Come on, sweetheart.
-Here we go, love.
Want anything else?
There's strawberry jam.
[Phone ringing]
-Rachel?
-Susannah!
I'm coming to you now.
It's them.
It's them.
-Rachel?
-There we go, sweetheart.
-Rachel, what's them?
♪
[Frequency warbling]
-Evie?
[Door closes]
-Morning, love.
-Where are you off to?
[Door opens]
[Door closes]
-It's okay, baby.
It's okay.
I'm so sorry. It's okay.
♪
I'm taking you somewhere safe.
♪
[Gasp]
[Tires screeching]
♪
[Gasp]
[Frequency warbling]
[Frequency warbling]
♪
[Engine revs, clicking]
[Frequency warbling]
[Gasp]
[Engine revs]
[Steam hissing]
♪
[Indistinct conversations]
-Thank you.
My name is Bernard Westcott
and I represent
Her Majesty's government.
As governing authority,
I would like to accept
full responsibility
for what happened here
yesterday morning.
We let this happen on our watch.
As a result,
the children no longer
feel safe in Midwich.
-Sorry, the children
don't feel safe?
-Stewart.
-Please. Thank you.
-Now, all they did
was defend themselves.
-That's right.
-You really believe that?
-If we can just take
a moment.
-She drove right at them.
She tried to kill them.
It's on camera.
-Two years ago, we were assured
this kind of thing
would never happen again.
-Dr Zellaby negotiated a truce.
It wasn't us that broke it.
-A truce is an agreement
between enemies.
Is that what we are?
-Now, Rachel was
out of her mind.
She hadn't slept.
-That's right.
-Give it a break, Cass.
-What do you mean?
-Rachel didn't deserve that,
whatever she did.
-They're children, Nora,
and they're ours.
-They're not children.
At least, not in a way
that I can understand.
-[Scoffing] What would you
know about it, Stewart?
You never wanted yours
in the first place.
-Well, I don't want mine now.
-Jane.
-No, it's too much.
I've spent five years colluding
with their will,
convincing myself
these are God's creatures.
You're nothing of the kind!
Are you?
You enabled this.
You told us we could trust them.
[Murmuring]
-[Bernard] If I may continue.
Having consulted
with the children,
it seems prudent
to arrange their staggered
departure from Midwich.
-Hold on a second. What --
What are you talking about?
-The children will cease
attending the school
with immediate effect
and plans will be made
to ensure smooth transition
from their current homes
to a government facility.
-Susannah, what is going on?
-The children don't want
to leave
and -- and they're not
going to, all right?
Tell them, Evie.
Tell them! You --
Tell them that you want to stay.
Evie!
♪
-Cassie.
Cassie.
[Slam]
Cassie!
-[Crying]
-Cassie!
Cassie, they lied to me too.
They've deceived all of us.
-Did you take them
to that place, on that day?
-Yeah.
♪
[Indistinct conversation]
-The judge threw out
our application
for Curtis Saunders' detention.
-All right, let him go.
But David stays in Ward 300,
under our care.
No visitors.
Not until the children leave.
-Mum's upset.
-We all are.
-Can you talk to her?
-I don't think she's interested
in talking to me at the moment.
-We're sorry about Rachel.
We had no choice.
She tried to kill us.
-And why would she try
to do that?
-I don't know.
But now we have to leave.
-I thought I knew you, Evie.
I really did.
-There is no me, Granny.
-No?
-No.
Sometimes I'm Evie
and sometimes
I'm Connor or Sunny.
-No, I don't believe that.
Take that ice cream,
for example.
You always have that flavour,
only you, because you like it.
-Very much.
-So why can't we be special
to you like that,
me and Mummy?
-You're not an ice cream,
Granny.
-No, we are
your flesh and blood.
We should be a thousand times
more important than that.
[Crying]
Evie, I really hoped
that, by --
by living here with us,
you would start to enjoy
the differences between you.
-Difference causes problems.
-No.
[Sniffle]
Difference gives us meaning.
-We don't agree with that.
-Your mother is going
to miss you so much.
-She won't.
None of you will.
♪
[Door opens]
-Daddy.
-What were you talking
to Mummy about,
yesterday morning,
before I went out?
-Nothing, Hannah.
Just about Ellie's new nursery.
♪
-Listen, Curtis.
The government have a care order
still active against you.
Now, it stops you
from seeing David.
Now, if you -- if you want
to live with your son again,
you -- you really
must do what I say.
Okay?
I'm serious.
There are things
going on here that
neither you nor I understand.
-[Crying]
[Sobbing]
[Door closes]
♪
-Yeah, sure.
I'll, er --
Of course.
I'll meet you there.
Erm --
Listen, I have to go
to a meeting up at the hospital.
-What, now?
-It-It's an emergency.
About the departure.
[Whispering]
Listen,
Cassie, there are things
I have to tell you,
things about Evie,
about Rachel.
-What?
Tell me, then.
-I--
I will tell you everything
when I get home.
I promise.
10:00.
10:00, I'll be back.
-He made me promise only
to tell you.
He doesn't want Zoe to know
he said anything.
-Where did he find it?
-Round by the cellars.
The outside cellar door
is locked,
but I have the front keys.
[Lock clicking]
[Creaking]
♪
-You know, David --
David kept saying,
"School. School,"
and I-I thought
he meant his own.
You know,
something did happen here.
[Electricity crackling]
-Wait here.
♪
♪
-What are you two doing here?
-Why are you here, Mr Haynes?
-Cleaner found this
in the cellar.
It belongs to David Saunders.
You know anything about this?
You sure?
-We're sure.
You should probably give us
those keys, now, Mr Haynes.
-Don't tell me what to do.
[Frequency warbling]
♪
-Are you alone?
-No, I've got a full
SWAT team with me.
What do you think?
-You're funny.
[Door creaks, slams]
[Lock clicking]
[Keys jingling]
-We like you, Mr Haynes.
We don't want to hurt you.
But you come with us now.
-Evie, what's wrong?
-We're going out.
Tell no one.
-No, no, no, no.
I need to talk to you.
-Not now.
[Frequency warbling]
-Evie.
Evie, come back!
[Crying]
Evie come back, now!
Evie!
♪
[Doors close]
[Engine idling]
-Nathan will stay
with you tonight.
Don't tell anyone about this.
-Don't leave the house again.
-What are you going to do?
When you leave Midwich.
-This will be over soon,
Mr Haynes.
Just stay out of it.
-Where are you going?
You just missed our turn.
-Back to the school.
-You can't go to the school.
They'll know I'm helping you.
-What are you doing?
What are you doing?
Why would you do that?!
So they can't listen.
The pain blocks them.
♪
-This is Susannah.
I'm afraid I can't
take your call right now.
-Fuck.
-Please leave a message.
[Beep]
-Yeah, hi. Erm, it's me.
Er --
Evie's gone and I don't --
Yeah, I don't know what to do,
so can you --
can you just give me a call back
when you get this?
[Sniffle]
My name's Cassie Stone.
I'm just -- I'm just calling
about my mother.
[Sniffle]
Erm, she was meant to have
a late meeting there tonight
and I was just checking in.
- There was no meeting
here tonight.
[Water running]
[Phone rings]
♪
[Phone rings]
[Beep]
[Sniffle]
♪
[Vibrating, ringing]
[Gasp]
[Vibrating, ringing]
-Hey, stranger.
Shop's open.
What can I get you?
-[Shudders]
[Footsteps approach]
-[Squeaking]
-[Faint gasp]
[Warbling vibration]
[Suspenseful music plays]
[Clang, lock clicking]
-[Shudders]
♪
[Women vocalizing eerily]
♪