All language subtitles for Strife.2023.S01E04.1080p.FXTL.WEBRip.x265-PGW

So, I'd really like to focus
on how you made the transition

from print to digital media
with Eve Life.

Mmm.

No women available
to cover the rise

of Australia's first
independent women's media site?

Oh, I'm sure there were but...
Oh, I was just joking!

(CHUCKLES SOFTLY)

So, I'm going to follow you
around for a few days

just to get a sense
of who you are and what you do.

Like my own personal stalker.

Like a reporter.

Yep.

(PROGRAM THEME MUSIC)

I'm joined
by Evelyn Jones again,

offering a woman's take
on the news.

Let's get into it.

A viral article titled

The Relentless Shaming
of Stay-at-Home Mothers

has been doing
the rounds this morning.

Now, any thoughts on this?

(LAUGHS) Well, I haven't read
that one yet.

Been too busy working.

(LAUGHS)

I think we're just
getting more honest now...

I think we're just
getting more honest now...

..about the reality.

I love my kids, but mothering
can be really, really boring.

You're losing brain cells
in real time.

I mean, Giles, have you tried
to play Scrabble

with someone that doesn't spell?

It's not that fun.

I have not.

But apologies
to our wonderful audience

of stay-at-home mums watching.

Who I have enormous respect for.

Moving on.

A Norwegian political party

has proposed the banning
of male circumcision

under the age of 18.

Any thoughts on this,
being an outspoken feminist?

Oh, well,
circumcision's really a choice

that parents make together.

It's not really
a feminist issue.

But it's nothing
to be ashamed of.

No. You have a son.

What choice did you
and your partner make together?

Ohhhh...

Ahhhh!
(LAUGHS UNCOMFORTABLY)

No shame!

(LAUGHS UNCOMFORTABLY)
It's, um...

Well, we... we...
we circumcised.

Uh-huh.
Yep, for many reasons, like...

The father is.
That seems to be the most
common reason out there.

The father is.
That seems to be the most
common reason out there.

It was for health reasons,
actually.

His father was circumcised as an
adult because of an infection.

The good news is
the click-through

on the Burnout Bras banner and
the content for Sweats is high.

Metrics are excellent.

And the bad news?

There's been a fair bit
of backlash

and they're getting nervous.

It's not just comments
and tweets,

but also via our feedback form.

There's one that says,

"There's a sweet irony

"in using second-wave feminism
to sell bras.

"What the F-word
is wrong with you?!"

Here's another that says,
"Don't you F-words

"know why women burnt
their bras in the first place?"

Get to the point, Paul.

That's the general gist.

There's hundreds of them
like that.

That's good engagement.

Why are we soliciting
negative feedback anyway?

Should we consider
losing the feedback column?
Evelyn, no.

Uh... Having a formalised place
to voice complaints

is crucial
to journalistic integrity.

Yeah, no, I was just joking.
(LAUGHS AWKWARDLY)

Just tell the client that all
publicity is good publicity.

(PHONE RINGS)
That's them.

(PHONE RINGS)
That's them.

Hi, Rachel!

Yeah, no,
everyone is talking about it.

Yeah.

Paul is becoming
more and more attractive to me.

It's very odd.

I heard he auditioned
for Australian Idol

and didn't make it
through the first round.

He can sing?
That's even more endearing.

No, he can't sing. That's why
he didn't get through.

Huh.
Evelyn, we'd better get going.

Oh, we've got the photo shoot.

Oh, sorry, just one sec.

I just want to have
a quick word.

No apples, no snakes, no Bibles.

Remember,
Eve is a biblical goldmine,

and if you're not careful,

you'll be in the Garden of Eden
with your tits out

and that won't be good
for anyone.

Props were invented
to make women look like idiots.

(ENERGETIC PUNK MUSIC)

MAN: OK, darling, good.

Love it!

Oh, yes.

Show me the truth.

Don't lie to me, Evelyn.

OK, take a break, darling.

While we wait,
let's talk magazines.

So, what exactly led
to the fallout at Fontaine?

So, what exactly led
to the fallout at Fontaine?

Oh, I'd really like to focus
on Eve

and what I'm doing
as an editor now

rather
than dwelling on the past.

When I say fallout,

I'm referring to multiple
reports that you were fired.

With Eve, we're creating a space
that's candid and honest.

Women are craving authenticity,

not this glossy magazine
bullshit.

Right,
let's glue down these lashes.

OK, sure.

Actually,
are they going to come off?

Eventually.
We're back on, beauties.

Excuse me for a second.

Yes. Yes!

Evelyn, phone away.

CHRISTINE: Holy shit.

I cannot believe how much
they've photoshopped this.

OPAL: They've totally redone
her hairline.

EVELYN: And lifted her eyelids!

And where's her clavicle?

PENNY: She looks fab.

We have to publish these,
don't we?

It just sends the message that
women aren't allowed to age.

Yes, because one should never
make themselves over

for a magazine shoot,
should they?

Well, Opal,
they can if they want,

but this is a great Eve story.

but this is a great Eve story.

This is what
we've been waiting for.

Yeah, but of course
magazines airbrush women

so they can sell them
$300 worth of beauty products.

Yeah, I agree. We've just
got to get the tone right.

We are for all women.
Exactly.

That's why we need to see
how this floats

with the average woman.

Penny.

I think this is messed up.
Agree.

She's got hips in the originals
and short legs.

Pen, what do you think?

Well, I mean, yeah, the photos
are heavily photoshopped,

but like...

What?

Well, I wax my upper lip.

I pluck my chin hairs.

I wouldn't want to see it
on the cover of a magazine.

I think photoshop is magical.

Let the woman live.

It's not just about one woman,
though, is it?

Penny? It's about all women.

How are we
supposed to live up to this?

Yeah.
You know?

Who looks like this?

No-one.

I've gotta go.
I've got leaky titties.

But, personally, I don't look
to magazine covers for realism.

That's what public pools
are for.

Forget her.
We have to run these.

Forget her.
We have to run these.

Opal, Jeet, Paul.
Sure.

Definitely.
Yeah.

Let's get a comment from Gwen
and the mag first.

Make sure we give them
right of reply.

Oh, I'll take care of that.

I mean, you'll just be
presenting the facts,

asking the audience to make up
their own minds, right?

Oh, yes. Yeah.

I mean,
it's just such a great story.

And as an all-female staff,

it's really important
we're on the same page.

Speaking of great stories,

tomorrow morning Opal's
interviewing Layla McDermott,

the American stand up comedian,
actress, director.

Yeah, wow, I love her.

Yeah, we're live streaming it
on the site.

It'll be a massive
traffic driver.

We'll all be watching,

as we're a super close,
supportive team.

(INHALES, EXHALES DEEPLY)

Any other updates, Jeety?

Um...
There's some mail here for you.

Oh, this?
Yeah.

What is it?

It's a statement
on circumcision, actually.

Who wrote about circumcision?

You spoke about it
on national TV.

Oh, they really want to kill me.

Oh, they really want to kill me.

Super-impressed
when someone bothers
to go to the post office.

Our audience is so engaged.

Is that real blood?

PAUL: I wouldn't think so.

We don't usually get
death threats.

So, what's up?

I was at a shoot today

and I received an anonymous
email from someone at Fontaine.

(PHONE BUZZES)

And are you going to tell me
what was in the email?

I think it's more important

that you know someone's
trying to bring you down.

The information's sensitive.

There's a story in it.

So, what's this story?

I'm only here
to give you a heads up, Peter.

Hmm.

Ev...

..you're not going to knife
your former employer, are you?

Because that would look petty
and overly...

Emotional?

I was going to say vengeful.

(PHONE BUZZES)

I'm sorry, I gotta go.

Sophie's organised
this champagne and caviar

readers event.

readers event.

(LAUGHS)

Look...

Remember what happened last time

you let emotion
cloud your judgement?

You'll do the right thing.

You got this one?
Sure.

We're posting.

Are we getting a comment?

I think they've provided
their commentary, haven't they?

So long as this isn't personal.

Is it?
Maybe.

But it's the right thing to do.

(LINE BEEPS)

(SIGHS)

OK, we're going live.

LEILA: Cool earrings.

OPAL: Oh, do you want them?

No. (LAUGHS)

No, I don't... I don't want
them, I was being polite.

Oh, thank you.

Yep.
That's sweet.

Are we good?

Cool.

So, Miss Leila, please tell me,

where do you get
your body confidence from?

JEET: Oh, my.

(LAUGHS)

Would you ask a Victoria's
Secret model that question?

Would you ask a Victoria's
Secret model that question?

Well, I mean, no,
because you're, you know...

CHRISTINE: What is she doing?

..you're...
you're... different.

You're... you're... you're...

You're so...
you're so beautiful.

You're not afraid to show
your body on social media

or on camera.

And you really seem
to own your curves,

which is subversive
and inspiring to other women

who don't fit the mould
of what's considered beautiful.

Oh, she's just a bit nervous.

She's actually an excellent
celeb interviewer.

I mean, your
don't-give-a-fuck attitude?

Super cool.

And my six-year battle
with bulimia?

Is that super cool?

Oh, wow, no.

I've struggled with bulimia
myself,

and I'm also
gluten intolerant...

Oh, God.
..which is really hard.

Can we just talk about
the movie?

Yes.
OK.

We can talk about the movie.
Talk about the movie.

What's it like
being a female director?

I mean, women in Hollywood
don't often get chances,

so do you feel pressure
to adhere to...

Honestly, I just see myself
as a director.

I say this
with the utmost respect.

She is shitting the bed.

I'm clenching. Anyone else?

Let's just cut the livestream.

Let's just cut the livestream.

No, we can't.

Can we?

And I think gender marking
is really unhelpful

and it feels reductive.

I'm a director.

Totally.
I mean, I'm just a writer.

I can't watch.

I like to write for women,
but I'm just a writer.

PENNY: Still clenching.
CHRISTINE: Ugh.

Are you expecting any backlash?

Definitely.

Interviewing's a fine art.

(LAUGHS UNCOMFORTABLY)
Sure is.

(OPAL CONTINUES TALKING
INDISTINCTLY)

LEILA: Yeah, look,
I'm quite busy...

She's still going.

What's that?

A plant.

For your office.

What's that?

You don't want to drown it
with too much water.

Got it.

Uh, where's Jamie?

Just gone to get some lunch.

Can you have a read?

Can you have a read?

That headline?

This will go nuts.

OPAL: Did I look like an idiot?
Seriously?

OK, I'm going to go soothe Opal.

Mmm.

JEET: Opal,
step away from the window.

Come on, Opal.

(BEEP)

(DOOR OPENS)

(FOOTSTEPS)

How'd you go at school today?

Come on, Al, talk to me.

That interviewer trapped me.

On purpose.

On purpose.

I mean,
he practically forced me into...

To tell Australia
I'm circumcised, Mum?

The whole of Year 11 were
watching for media studies.

I'm sorry.

I am. I...

You know, I'm not making excuses
but TV's really hard.

I try and be honest and
sometimes I put my foot in it.

(LAUGHS DERISIVELY)
Yeah, no shit.

Even Addy knows about it

and she knows nothing
about anything.

Do you think that's why
she's not staying over?

I don't know, Mum.

Whatever's going on
between you two

has nothing to do with me, OK?

(KNOCK AT DOOR)

Hey.
Hi.

I've apologised to Alex.

How is your phimosis?

It's good to raise awareness
for it, don't you think?

It's good to raise awareness
for it, don't you think?

Yeah, no, it's a great thing.

Yeah, I'm thrilled
to be their poster boy.

You'd better call Addy too.
Hm.

Well, I really enjoy
playing Scrabble with Addy

now that her vocabulary
is beyond 'wee' and 'poo'.

So you'll come to our games
night tomorrow, then?

Yep. Any new rules
I should know about?

Uh, no bodily functions
and no slang.

What about 'queef' for 17?

What the hell's a queef?
It's a fanny...

No, Evelyn.

Come on.

Bye, Mum.

Bye, honey.

(SIGHS)

(PHONE RINGS)

What's happened?

Gwen Lewis's Facebook page now.

(READS)
"Evelife chose to publish

"unphotoshopped images
of my Fontaine cover.

"They wrongly called out
my supposed outrage

"at the long list of tweaks
and embellishments.

"Perhaps you shouldn't let facts
get in the way of a good story.

"But I am not outraged.

"Why?

"Because I'm an older woman

"trying to live and work
in an ageist society.

"Jones, who positions herself
as a feminist icon..."

No, I don't!

"..is making money
off my tired, wrinkled face

"while I potentially lose income

"and has just made things
a whole lot harder for me,

"a woman."

We should have requested
a comment.

Well, you should have said that.

That's exactly what I said.

Ev, this has blown up.

It's everywhere.

Alright, well,
you don't have to be all...
Right?

Again?

We've got a hell of a fire
on our hands now, Ev,

and it would be wonderful,
just once,

not to wake up with a time bomb
ticking on my bedside table.

I'm in the office already...

(VOICE FADES OUT)

(VOICE FADES OUT)

I've got a plan
for the Gwen problem.

Let's just leave it
till it dies down.

It's not going to go away
in a hurry.

Our competitor's
having a field day.

She's hosting an event
tonight at Lorikeet House.

The women's shelter charity?

What if I went?

I'll talk to her.

I'll explain
where I was coming from.

I'll ask her
to take down her post.

And I'll just, um, see
if she wants to do an interview.

Yeah, and then you just skip
off into the sunset together.

And it's not gonna happen.

Just apologise
and be done with it.

We're both upset
about ageism in the media.

We're just expressing it
in a different way.

Yeah, but explaining yourself
never, ever works.

Yeah, but explaining yourself
never, ever works.

Look, go to the event.

Support her cause.

Apologise.

Get a nice photo with her.

Just less is more.

In your case,
less than less is more.

And I'll get a ticket
for Jamie too,

so he can see
how charitable you are.

Love it!

JAMIE: There are a few people
still commenting

on circumcision,

and the response
to the Gwen piece

does seem to be
overwhelmingly negative.

Most people who have commented

think it's a woman's right

to choose
how her image is edited.

See, this is what women do.

Women can be arseholes.

We end up
bickering among ourselves

while our competitors,
run by men, get on with it.

There's a special brand
of hatred reserved for a woman

that...

..labels herself as a feminist
and fails to be a fucking saint.

..labels herself as a feminist
and fails to be a fucking saint.

(SIGHS) That was off the record.

And my son reads it all.

And the words, they just...
they stick to you.

They just pile on and pile on
until you're suffocated.

You can't breathe.

Someone calls you a hypocrite
or a bad mother or a traitor

and you think
the whole world agrees.

Anyway...

Ah!

Lovely empty field
full of hope and promise.

Where is she?

Maybe we're early.

(LINE RINGS)

JON: Hey, what's up?

Hi, I'm just at hockey.
What?

Why?

I'm here to pick up Addy.
Where is she?

I'm here to pick up Addy.
Where is she?

She's at home.

Evelyn,
hockey finished weeks ago.

You were at the last game.
Jeez, you're...

Oh, you're just on speaker
with Jamie from the Tele.

OK.

Hi.
Hello.

Hi. (LAUGHS AWKWARDLY)

I'll speak to you later.

OK, bye-bye.

Oh.

Well, I'm really
pulling back the curtains

on my personal chaos.

Hmm.

I haven't even told them
about tonight.

You could always cancel.

SONG: ♪ What goes up
must come down... ♪

At least the food's always
decent at these things.

Oh, no, we'll be in and out
of here in an hour.

Mingle, apologise.

Scrabble by 8:00.

Win. Bed by 10:00.

Sounds like a plan.

PHOTOGRAPHER:
Gwen, just over here.

Oh.
There she is.

♪ Talkin' 'bout your troubles
and you never learn

♪ Talkin' 'bout your troubles
and you never learn

♪ Ride a painted pony,
pony, pony, pony, pony... ♪

(CAMERA SHUTTERS
CLICK FURIOUSLY)

(CASUAL CHATTER AND LAUGHTER)

(ELEGANT MUSIC PLAYS)

Gwen, hi.

It's Evelyn Jones.

Yeah, I... I know who you are.

(LAUGHS AWKWARDLY)

It's so nice
to see you in person.

Is it?

Well, here I am.
Smack bang in front of you.

I just wanted to explain

what happened with the story
this week.

I said everything I needed to
say in my Facebook statement.

Not that I need
to explain myself

Not that I need
to explain myself

or the way a fashion shoot goes.

I think you've been to enough.
Oh, yeah.

Well,
it was just a miscommunication.

And... and had I known

that you were on board
with the photoshopping,

I just... I wouldn't have...

Thrown me under the bus?

Mm.

As if things for women our age
aren't hard enough.

Look, I'd love
to be allowed to just be.

But, unfortunately,
that's a fantasy.

Unlike my mortgage,
which is very real.

I understand.

I was making
an individual choice, for me.

Well, I was just trying
to articulate

that perhaps there's no such
thing as an individual choice.

What do you mean?

Well, that's the patriarchal
bargain, isn't it?

Working to maintain
limited beauty standards

that have been determined
by men.

Who make individual choices
all the time.

They do. Moustaches.

I am on your side.

We're fighting the same battle.

Standards are there
to wear women down.

Standards are there
to wear women down.

We can't win.

Because that is the point.

Evelyn, you look amazing.

Hm. Thank you, Sophie.

Evening, folks.
And how are we all feeling?

Have we all drunk enough?
WOMAN: Whoo!

(LAUGHS) I think she has.

(LAUGHTER)

Alright, let's raise some money
for vulnerable women.

Alright,
first item is a hockey stick

signed by the
Australian women's team.

My daughter plays hockey.

Well, off you go, then.
Alright...

It's for a good cause.

It's a rare opportunity to own
a piece of national history.

Oh, thank you, Evelyn Jones.

We'll start the bidding
at 3,000.

3,000?! Wow.

3,500.

And a half.

4,000. For my daughter.

Ah, that's lovely.

4,200.
Ooh.

Come on, you can afford it.

I've seen how big
her severance package was.

Kidding. Kidding.

Evelyn?

4,500.
Thank you.

5,000. Last offer.

Evelyn?

Evelyn?

Think of the women.

5,500. For the women.

Thank you, Sophie.

Amazing. Thank you.
True ally.

5,600.

Going once, twice, three times.

What about the women?

Sold to Evelyn Jones!

What a great result
for the women.

(CHEERING AND APPLAUSE)

Great result.
Well done, Evelyn.

(CHUCKLES AWKWARDLY)

My pleasure.

(ON PHONE MESSAGE)
Addy, sorry I missed Scrabble,

but I had to fix something.

It was important.

It was about women
and beauty standards.

You know
how I feel about that stuff.

But I won.

I think.

Did you win?

I hope so.

Oh, and I bought you
a hockey stick.

It's been an expensive night.

It's been an expensive night.

CHRISTINE: You're going to get
hammered again
in this profile piece

if you don't retract posting
those touched up pictures.

We can't.

Me trying to kill it
will become the story.

Well, you just...
You need to get better.

Better at what?

You can't keep making
silly mistakes.

I'm sure you're across
what people are saying.

(LAUGHS)

Yeah, thank you.

I'm also across the numbers.

We surpassed
all traffic targets this week.

And the Gwen story went viral.
Mm.

And the last time
I checked the website,

it was my photo on the homepage,
not yours.

OK.

Jesus!

Oh, shit.
(WHIMPERS)

Shit, I'm so, so sorry.

Shit, I'm so, so sorry.

I didn't expect you to be here
on a Saturday morning.

Big same to you.

I... I couldn't sleep.

I just... I decided I didn't
want to read this profile

in my depressing apartment.

Why are you...

I was up late doing TV recaps

and, um...

..well,
my boyfriend and I broke up,

so I didn't really want to go
back there last night.

Mm, no.

I just had to get away
and clear my head.

I know how you feel.

Should we have a look
at this profile?

Oh, yeah, please.

Oh, of course they have.

Oh,
they left my labial folds in.

Which is good. That's good.

You look amazing.

(HALF-LAUGHS)

I can't read it.

"Misunderstood Evelyn Jones."

Just get to the Gwen debacle.

Just get to the Gwen debacle.

OK.

"Evelyn Jones's intention
was clear.

"This was never about
a celebrity

"who did or did not
choose to be airbrushed.

"To her, this was about
the everyday woman

"who would consume that image

"and compare herself to a face,
a person who does not exist.

"The article was a critique of
an antiquated commercial model

"that profits
off women hating themselves."

He gets it.

Yeah, he gets it. (LAUGHS)

Oh!
(BOTH LAUGH)

Just here.

Oh, thank God!

You know you can't sleep here.

Yeah, no, I was just thinking
like a night or two

till I sort my shit out.

I have a spare room.

Brand-new mattress.

No-one's used it.

Are you sure?

Are you sure?

Mm.

I'm so hungry.

Let's go and get some breakfast.
OK.

The apartment's
actually quite nice.

Heaps of natural light.

I want eggs and bacon.

I'm a vegetarian.

(DOOR CLOSES)