Original subtitles

[distant airplane]

[door slams]

[sighs] Oh!

Hello.

We didn't know how you were getting on for food, Paul.

Being on your own here and everything.

Thought you might need some dinner.

Well, I'm just on the way to the shops to buy my dinner.

We brought you some supplies anyway.

The kids from the local primary school brought us them.

Harvest festival.

They take cheap food to the elderly and housebound.

-There's some nice tinned pies. -Tinned pies?

Mum, I haven't had a tinned pie since the 4th year

why are you really here?

We wondered if we could "hang out" here for a bit.

I mean, our flat's so pokey. And Leah's house is so...

-Roomy. -Mm.

There's so many rooms.

Four bedrooms. And we've barely got one.

And that's like a cell,

like we've been banged up in Pentonville.

Actually, prisoners have got more room to move about than we do

because they've got bunk beds.

Funny how the only people who sleep in bunk beds

are children and murderers, innit?

Okay, uh... don't touch the thermostat

or the Wi-Fi router.

No trying on Leah's clothes.

-And that goes for you too, Mum. -Thanks, son.

-[Gabby] Hey. -Hey, Gabby.

-Who's that then? -Just a neighbor of mine, of Leah's. Yeah.

[Ally] Fucking, fucking smoke alarm! Argh!

Ava! You need to leave for school!

Ava! Are you still in the bathroom?

Oh, Luke, I've done you a shirt!

And I'm gonna hang it here.

Oh, uh...

Oh, it's got a bit of butter on it.

Um, is it your history presentation today?

-[Luke] No, that's tomorrow. -Okay.

The smoke alarm's going.

Yes, I know! I've got ears! [mutters] Fucking hell.

Oh, thank you.

[classical music playing]

[sizzling]

[mutters] What?

Alexa, what's this music?

Mm. Thanks, Alexa.

[whistles softly]

Uh...

Hey, Nadia... um...

it's a bit of, uh...

bit of domestic stuff happening here today.

I'll be in for ten, not nine, if that's all right.

Um... I don't have much, um...

I don't have much work going on today anyway.

So, um, I'll see you later.

Mm.

[music continues]

[mutters softly]

Ah.

Alexa, volume up, please.

[music increases in volume]

Ah. Mm.

-Are you done in the bathroom? -Yeah.

Great, 'cause you need to get going.

Ava, are you okay?

I mean, I know you're not really, but are you?

I'm fine. Are you still okay to take me to church group later?

Sure. And your packed lunch is in the fridge,

and I've signed your homework diary, and there's a fiver in it

for your trip to the science museum.

-Don't forget your keys. -Yep. Um...

Oh, no. Shit!

Don't-- Don't say you've run out, you slimy little bastard.

-[smacking bottle] -No!

[sighs]

-Darren? -Hi, Ally. Darren.

-I know. -Of course. Is this a bad time?

Well, I'm on my own trying to get both kids out the house

and I've run out of fucking HRT, so it's not ideal, no.

[Darren] Got you. I'll be swift then.

Can you meet me before you come into work?

Oh, I-- I guess so. Where?

Uh, underground car park, Rainham Road.

I don't want anyone seeing us.

Well, why not? Is there a problem?

I'd rather speak in person.

-Right. -But there is a problem.

-[Luke] Bye, Mum! -Bye, sweet cheeks!

-[chuckling] Oh. Bye. -No, no, not you. Bye.

-Have a good... -[door slams]

...day.

[upbeat music]

Oh, fuck's sake.

[sighs]

It's a bit mad, isn't it, Darren? Why are we meeting here?

Berlin has fallen.

Right. Sorry, is it 1945?

No, we had to close the Berlin studios last night.

For good, lay everyone off. Debts had spiraled out of control.

Shit. We just shut it overnight?

The whole operation, no warning?

The lawyers told us we had no alternative.

So we closed at midnight their time.

Which might also be our time? Have the clocks gone back?

I don't know, it's just details. Doesn't matter.

Jesus, Darren. All those poor people losing their jobs.

I know. And our guys here will have got wind of it.

So they'll be worried about the knock-on effect for our UK studio.

Okay, and will there be one?

So that's why I wanted us to meet somewhere private.

We need to be all smiles when we walk in there.

Yeah, positive, upbeat,

full of clever fixes and left-field strategies.

Right, but are we actually in trouble?

We are up to our chins in a barrel of bollocks, to be honest.

But take a look at the figures. You might be able to see a way out.

Hey, Darren! Hi, Ally!

-Hey, Annie! -Hey.

Bad news about the Berlin office.

-Are we okay over here? -Oh, sure!

Um, safe as houses on this side of the pond.

No, that's America.

[clears throat] The smaller pond, I mean,

within which we are still very big fish, heh.

Good to hear.

[Darren sighs]

I was going to say, this car park

is very close to the office, so...

No, I should have anticipated we might see some staff here.

-Yeah, sure. -[man] Hey, guys!

Bad news about Berlin!

[atmospheric jazz music]

[clicking tongue]

[inhales deeply]

Right.

Oh, shit.

Oh! [chuckles]

Oh, bloody hell. Hello.

-[Gabby] Hi. -Hi.

Uh, my gym's just, uh... round the corner.

Oh, right. My work is just round... another corner.

Round that corner, actually.

How come it's so busy?

I think they've started lacing the tuna melts with fentanyl.

[laughs] Right.

I knew there was a reason I kept order those.

Ah, man, it's gonna take ages, isn't it?

Uh, you know what? I might actually go and get a proper lunch at a cafe. Right.

-Classic. -Yeah.

How 'bout you? Think you'll wait here or just...

-Yeah. Right. -It's a minute around the corner.

-Yeah. Cool. Yeah. -Good plan.

[indistinct chatter]

Hey. Oh, good news?

No. Oh, sorry, I was just putting on a happy face

for everyone in the office, and I accidentally kept it on.

Got you some lunch. Soup. Liquid brain food.

Oh, thanks. I've got a liquid brain, so that's ideal.

Ooh. Are those the profit and loss implications for us

now that Berlin is "kaputten"?

Yeah, I'm just having a quick scan of the current slate,

and it looks like we're relying pretty heavily

on the Berlin office making a profit

so we can break even over here.

Oh, bugger. I mean, I honestly thought Seb

would be able to run our Berlin outfit, you know?

-Right. -He was such a brilliant all-rounder at school.

He was head boy, captained the First XV rugby team,

played cricket and alto sax,

and he's just, you know, really, really confident.

Sadly, it turns out he needed a bit more than that.

Yeah, well, public school bluffing

can only get you so far.

-No offense. -Oh, thanks. Heh.

I suppose, in a way, we were doomed

when you left Berlin to come back here, really, so...

What? Wha-- Hang on fucking second.

Are you blaming me for this?

God, no. That's the last thing I'm doing.

Because it was always going to be a temporary thing.

No, I know. I'm just saying you're great.

Yeah, but you're saying it in a really blamey way.

I'm sorry.

Am I going to lose my job, Darren?

Because I don't think I could cope

with losing my job at the moment.

You know, I've already lost my fertility,

my husband isn't in the house anymore,

and I feel like I'm losing my connection with Ava...

Oh, fuck's sake.

Oh, it's Luke's school. Hang on.

Hello? Yeah. Yeah, yeah, speaking.

What? Hasn't he? Are you sure?

Yes, yes, yes, of course... Of course.

Right.

You could have told me this morning.

You'd taken the shirt off the hanger, so I thought you'd gone to school.

I didn't say anything because you were in such a rush.

Well, that's not my fault, Lukey.

-[Luke] No, I... -[Ally] When Dad isn't here,

I'm on my own-- everything is rushed.

-I am rushed right now. -No, I know.

[sighs]

Luke, is this is your first panic attack

since your Dad hasn't been in the house?

Yeah.

Okay, look, I'm gonna stay here and keep an eye on you,

but I'm going to need to get Darren over here to do loads of work stuff,

and then I have to go to the pharmacy.

-Okay. -Okay.

Can I go back to bed?

Sure.

I think that was the first sit-down lunch I've had

on a workday since...

God knows when. Uh, last Labour government?

[laughs] Well, that's why they used to have work canteens, isn't it?

Exactly. Yes, it's human. It's civilized.

You have a proper break, you socialize.

Just... sandwich at your desk while you're checking your emails

and a big bag of Wotsits-- that is no way to live, is it?

Do you have to trudge back to your treadmill, then?

No, actually. No, I'm, uh...

I'm coasting a bit at work if I'm honest.

I'm not sure they'd mind if I stayed here

[chuckling] for the rest of the week.

-What about you? -Oh, day off.

I'm happy to be an alibi, though, if you want.

You could say that I collapsed and you had to do first aid.

Do you know what I might do?

Actually, I might... take a half day

-and go to the cinema. -You madman!

I know. It's the dream, isn't it?

A sit-down lunch and afternoon pictures. I'm living like a king.

[chuckles]

Cinematography was amazing.

Oh, God, yeah. It looked beautiful.

The soundtrack, that was great.

Yep, yep.

That '70s disco stuff mixed in with the...

-Yeah. -...atonal score...

-A-Atonal? Is that the word? -Yes, yeah.

-Sort of wonky music, you mean? Yeah. -Yeah.

[both chuckle]

So that was really exciting.

Mm. Yeah. Yes.

Yeah, I loved it.

[both laughing]

Who's going to be the first one to say it?

Thank you. Me. I didn't understand a fucking second of that.

No, me neither. It was completely impenetrable.

Okay. Who the fuck was the monk? Sorry.

But-- Was it a monk? The guy with the hood.

Was that meant to be his dad?

-No, his dad was dead! -Right, no, but...

in one of the timelines, right, he was dead,

but alive when the monk was alive,

or whoever the fuck the guy was in the hood.

I'd say, yeah, he can't have been his dad. Right?

[laughing]

Next time, can we just go and see "Paddington"?

[laughter]

Ah.

Oi, oi, oi. Missed calls.

Uh, will you excuse me? -Oh, you're good, good, good.

[sighs]

[scoffs]

I've been trying to call you for ages.

Yeah, sorry. No, my phone was off.

Well, for how long? That must have been a massive meeting.

Well, actually, uh, I've just been to the cinema.

Bunked off work for the first time since--

Luke's had a panic attack, and I'm about to lose my job.

Okay. What? Hang on, is the studio...

Luke says it's nothing specific, but it's something to do

with his history presentation.

You need to talk to him 'cause I've got too much going on.

[slams phone down]

Is Paul still not back in the house--

No, not yet.

Right, and do you think he...

I really don't understand how we're so reliant over here

on the Berlin office making a profit.

Right, um, the thing is, Seb decided last year

that it would make a lot of sense to turn the UK studio

into a subsidiary of the German one, for tax reasons.

That's fucking mental. We're three times the size.

I know! Bonkers, in retrospect.

Ohh. Where is Seb now?

Uh, he's on holiday in Portugal.

North Portugal-- blowy, quite cold sea.

He thought if he went to his place in the Algarve

it might seem insensitive given the circs.

[scoffs]

-[door slams] -Ava?

[Ava] Hi.

-You're early. -Well, I didn't go to the science museum,

so... and they said I could go home.

Well, why didn't you go? Are you ill?

Not ill really, but I...

But you what?

I felt a bit funny. I'm all right now.

-Hey, Ava. How's school? -It was good, thanks.

-Is everything okay here? -Sort of.

-No. -Sort of no.

But it's nothing for you to worry about.

Are you still okay with taking me to church group?

Oh, shit! I completely forgot.

[chuckling] Church group?

Brilliant.

It's okay, Mum, I-- I don't have to go.

[Ally] No, no, no, no. You need to go, it's... church.

Um, I can take you after I've picked up my HRT.

[sighs]

Hi, um, Ally Grant.

I'm just picking up a repeat prescription

for my estrogen gel.

I'm afraid the estrogen gel you're usually prescribed

-isn't currently in stock. -[Ally] You're joking.

You're not joking. Okay.

Uh, well, when will it be back in stock? Like tomorrow?

Because I've completely run out and any longer than 24 hours--

How long until the estrogen gel is back in stock?

-[Pharmacist 2] The gel? -[Pharmacist 1] Yes.

-[Pharmacist 2] About ten months. -About ten months, I'm afraid.

There's a shortage, a global shortage.

We hear it's going to take the best part of the year

for supplies to come back to normal. Sorry.

We recommend as a substitute

a combination of tablet and patch.

Look, I've been through all this with my GP, and the thing that works,

the only thing that works for me, is that gel,

and I need to have it.

Well, I'm afraid you can't have it.

Uh... well, can I buy it on the dark web?

Well, I don't know. What's the dark web?

It's where you get bitcoins and machetes

and really horrible porn.

And HRT medication?

Do you understand what will happen to me

if I stop taking this?

Okay, all the shit returns--

the hot flushes, the anxiety, the insomnia.

Look, there has to be-- there has to be a way of getting this.

You can try visiting other pharmacies,

but I doubt they'll have it.

As I say, we recommend the alternative of...

Yeah, but it's not an alternative, is it?

Because it doesn't work.

That's like me going into a restaurant

and ordering [stammers] a medium-rare steak

and then you bringing me, oh, I don't know,

uh, a bra full of Lego.

-Mum, could I... -Ava, sorry,

if this is a problem, then you gotta park it.

Because I'm at my fucking limit with problems right now.

I am not a bad mother.

I am a good mother at the end of her rope.

Would you like the pill and patch alternative?

If that's all there is, then yes.

Do you pay for your prescriptions?

Yes.

Ava, we're going. Come on.

[upbeat music]

I really think Magritte's way better than Dali.

Dali's all, "Look at me, I'm bonkers."

With his moustache and his fucking anteater on a lead.

-An anteater? -Yeah, he used to walk it round Paris, the twat.

Yeah, I feel like Dali sort of wanted to be bigger than his art,

but Magritte sort of just wanted to disappear into his.

Yeah.

[chuckles]

Yeah, that's very clever.

-Thanks for agreeing to meet me. -That's all right.

It's nice to be out in a gallery which isn't on a school trip.

[Paul] Mm.

Listen, uh, I'm sorry to hear you had a panic attack.

Mum seem to think it was to do

with your history presentation tomorrow.

No, no, it's just... just a chemical thing.

Brain chemistry.

-Who's that by? -Ah, Peter Blake.

I've talked to you about him, no?

British pop artist. Brilliant.

Did the "Sergeant Pepper" cover.

-Was Warhol pop art? -Yeah.

Yeah, I like Warhol.

The presentation's going to be pretty great, actually.

-Mm-hmm. -It's about the evacuation of Saigon

at the end of the Vietnam War.

-Oh. -Mm.

Jacob wants us to perform it as a beat poem.

-Okay. -It's going to be really cool.

It's a very cool poem he's written, actually.

It's kind of like a Ginsberg thing.

Is it? Right.

Lots people might be too embarrassed to do it, but Jacob,

-he doesn't care what other people think. -Mm-hmm.

He's super-confident in himself.

Yeah.

-Yeah, he seems it. -Mm.

I love that.

Hmm.

[Paul scoffs and mutters]

[Paul whistling faintly]

Hmm.

I mean, maybe it was a little bit about the presentation.

-Mm. Right. -My panic attack, but, uh...

Do you think you might be a bit embarrassed,

even if Jacob isn't?

-It is quite a weird poem. -Mm.

He wants us to perform in American accents.

Fuck. What, in front of the class?

-Oh, yeah. -Okay.

Do you want to call in sick, tomorrow?

-[Luke] Yes. -[chuckles]

But I won't.

Jacob's my mate, and I've gotta stand by him.

-So I will. -Okay.

Am I doing the right thing?

Does it feel like the right thing?

-Yeah. -Okay, well...

then it's the right thing, isn't it?

-American accents? -Yep.

Look at these chairs. So neat.

You are literally the queen of chairs. Thank you.

You're welcome.

My mum needed to drop me off early anyway

because she has to drive all around London

trying to find her HRT medicine.

Ooh. Not the best evening out.

No. She's really angry about it.

I bet. Um...

could you fetch that enormous mountain of sandwiches

from the kitchen?

-Susie? -Yes?

None of my friends have got their periods yet.

Okay, well, it is still quite young to...

And I have.

Ah.

All right, um, put those sandwiches down.

All right, so... unexpected?

Yeah.

Okay, so... feelings?

Well... scared. Embarrassed.

Funny. I don't know.

Well, you have a free pass to feel whatever it is you want.

What does mum say?

I haven't told my mum yet.

She's got a lot of problems at the moment.

I really don't want to be another problem.

You really should tell her, Ava.

It's not a problem, it's an important thing.

It's an amazing thing.

I'll-- I'll tell her tonight.

All right.

Right.

I-- I got these.

I don't think they're right.

Probably not for you at this stage, no.

I stole them.

You st-- You stole?

I don't blame you. They're not cheap.

Well, don't worry. I keep some period pants in the office.

And they're-- they're best for when you've just started.

Then you don't need to worry about pads or tampons.

All right?

-Thank you. -Okay.

Hi everyone! Come on in.

I rang three other pharmacies as well as the four I visited.

Nothing. And they all said they didn't know

when they'd get the gel back in.

-I'm sorry, Mum. -[sighs]

How was church group? Was it fun?

Yeah. Really fun.

Good. Are you still a bit in love with the Lady Vicar?

-[both chuckle] -Yeah, just-- just a little bit.

Yeah, she's great. She really helped me out this evening.

Oh, what with?

Just some sociology homework.

It's a Bible thing.

It was boring, really. But very helpful.

Ah. Good. That's good.

[Ally sighs and mutters]

[crying softly]

Try to look up as much as possible.

It's all about projection.

So don't read into your chest. Head held high.

No. Yes, right. Okay.

And try to make it a New York accent.

All these guys were from the east coast.

[Swedish accent] You betcha!

I assume that's not the voice you'll be using, it it?

No. That was a joke.

-Okay. Ready? -Yes.

What's this beat poem called, Jacob?

It's "Saigon to the Dogs."

-[Paul] Luke. -Dad? Is everything okay?

No, I'm sorry. It's Nana June.

-Nana June? -Your Nana June.

Right. Is she...

Hours to live, I'm afraid.

She wants us all by her bedside.

It's not his real Nana, it's one of those old ladies that you call Nana

because she used to look after him when he was little.

No, no, no, no, of course. Luke must go and see her, um...

Will you be okay to do this on your own, Jacob?

-Yeah, of course. -Okay, let's, uh...

Uh, Paul... I'm sorry for your loss...

when it happens.

Thanks, Jacob. Should we...

Yeah. Uh, good luck, Jacob.

[American accent] I got it. I'll catch you guys on the flip side!

-Yeah. -[chuckles] Yeah.

[Paul sighs]

Come on then, mate.

Let's get on the last chopper, shall we?

Awesome.

[somber piano music]

[cap clinks]

[sighs]

-Hello, mate. -Hi, Dad.

Everything all right?

Um, yeah. I just wanted to say thanks again

for, um, rescuing me earlier.

Oh, no worries.

I know you have to make your own decisions, but...

Well, you'd made the wrong decision. [chuckles]

Yeah. I think I would have been sick if you hadn't arrived.

[chuckles]

[clears throat]

Look, Dad, I was just wondering if you...

wanted to sleep here tonight, maybe?

Uh... yeah.

Uh, what, you mean in the house?

Yeah.

You didn't cause the last panic attack, you stopped it, so...

Well, yeah, great. Um...

Thanks, mate. Uh, I'll see you in a bit then.

See you in a bit.

Okay.

Looks like I'm going home.

And that means you two need to sod off home and all.

Ohh...

Bugger.

[end theme]