Cobra (2020–2021): Season 1, Episode 5 - Episode #1.5 - full transcript

now leading People's Justice in the
Red Zone.

Scott Arthur Minett,

former soldier who served honourably
in Afghanistan,

now leading People's Justice in the
Red Zone.

Here we are, Mr Prime Minister!
You'd better be listening now.

For better or worse, he speaks for a
lot of people.

I am not inviting him to Downing
Street. Chequers then.

Ellie's not coping well. We will get
her through this if we just hold the
line.

The law must take its course
unimpeded.

I have never interfered with that

and I would never instruct any of my
staff to do so.



Why did he come back to find you
after so long? I don't know.

Edin Tosumbegovic is connected to a
Balkan gangster called Toni Lulin.

Do you love him? I don't know.

The capital has effectively been
encircled

and our attempts to move a new
transformer to the Red Zone
paralysed.

You need to get the tankers out of
the depots,

which might not be so easy

if my members decide to take matters
further.

It's not us who's under pressure
here, Prime Minister.

ELLIE: (ON SCREEN) Georgia was my
best friend.

I loved her. She did not deserve
what happened to her

and she doesn't deserve to be blamed
for it now.

I'm sorry that I've added to the
suffering of her family.

I admit that it was all my fault.



I'm the one that provided the drugs
and I lied.

Not because of my privilege but
because I'm...

scared about going to prison.

She was scared she might go to
prison.

Were you scared, Mrs Sutherland?

You'll have to be more specific.

When you discovered Ellie had
supplied the drugs,

were you scared she might go to
prison? Come on, detective,

you'll have to do better than "when
did you stop beating your wife?"

You didn't advise her to lie in
police interviews and put the blame

Are you asking me did I conspire to
pervert the course of justice?

No, I did not. Did anybody else?

Not to my knowledge.

Did you ever discuss it with Peter
Mott?

With who? You don't know the name of
your husband's press secretary?

Yes, of course I know who he is.

Did you ever discuss Ellie's
predicament with Peter Mott?

I think there might have...

There may have been a conversation

about the level of tabloid interest
a case like this would attract.

So you discussed protecting your
daughter

from press intrusion.

We've often had to do that.

I'm sure.

Look, my daughter has admitted to an
understandable error of judgement

because she is overcome with pain
and grief

over her best friend's death.

You have to decide whether to charge
her. She's prepared for that.

But, in the meantime, I'd like to go
home and be with her

because, believe it or not, for all
her supposed privilege,

right now Ellie...

She's just a very, very frightened
young woman.

And she needs her mum.

OK. Fine. That'll do.

For now.

I'll travel to Chequers by
helicopter. I can't run the risk of
getting trapped at a blockade.

A train to Aylesbury has also been
laid on and there are cars from
there.

Trains? Good God. We may as well
hold this in the waiting room at
Paddington.

We have to show we're not besieged
in the capital, that we can travel
anywhere.

What's happening in the Red Zone?

Well, we've set up a new Gold
Command Centre at the airbase near
Hexham.

From now on only essential supplies
go to the hospital

and we've arranged buses to move
those who want to leave.

What a waste of time and resources.

I think People's Justice know the
action is somewhere else now.

They've still got their foot on our
throat.

Panic buying has increased in a lot
of areas.

There are big issues over fuel
supply now that the Dartford Tunnel
is blocked.

Also enormous problems with bloods
and special medical couriers.

I seem to remember a time when you
dismissed such issues as minor
logistics.

Don't underestimate Scott Minett.

He's got a massive profile now and
he'll take that with him to the
barricades.

Surely his car comes off the road
somewhere on the A40?

What good's the deep state if it
can't organise a simple
assassination?

The only deep state I'm familiar
with is my inbox.

OK, let me be absolutely clear. I
will meet with these people.

But if they push too hard,

I will drive them straight off my
fucking mountain.

(PHONE RINGS)

Yes.

OK. Yeah, yeah, keep me updated,
yeah.

Peter Mott's been arrested.

Searched his office, taken his
computers.

This is a full-blown witch hunt now,
isn't it?

I lied to Parliament, Rachel.

They'll keep trying to prove that.
They can't prove it.

They can say it, some people might
believe it, but they can't prove it.

These are different times. The bar
for misdemeanours is way higher than
it used to be.

Well, thank God for our degraded
sense of political honour.

There is nothing degraded about
wanting to protect your family,
Robert.

Whatever it takes, family first.
Always. (CHUCKLES)

What?

That's what Scott Minett says too.

I guess we're all the same in the
end.

Bunch of selfish apes.

Oh, sweetheart, don't get cynical.

It's not you at all.

I have a visual on lover boy with an
unknown female.

"Dear Diary,

busy morning lusting after Amy
Williams from The Mail on Sunday

followed by a spot of coaching Ellie
Sutherland

on how best to lie to the police."

Oh, he hasn't? It's on his computer.

They're still going through it.

They're not questioning him till
later, which is frustrating.

A slight delay will probably help,
given that all the attention will be
on Chequers.

What about Anna Marshall? Sleeping
with the enemy? In hand.

So... MY hands.

You bugging the flat?

No comment.

Does she know you're bugging the
flat?

Archie... Let me know if they pick
up anything particularly salacious.

I'll only share it with my WhatsApp
group. Piss off, you'll be late for

(CHUCKLES)

(SIGHS)

Nothing can move down there.

We have to end this.

One way or another.

Looks like we're staying put until
we know the outcome from Chequers.

They won't agree on anything. It's
obvious the plan is to bring down the
government.

Maybe, but the PM's in a fighting
mood so we'll see.

At least this means you can go to
your dad's funeral. Obviously I'll be
reachable on the mobile.

Are you gonna take Mabel? Sorry?

You know, you said you were worried
about going... Oh, er,

Francine Bridge is coming along
actually.

Francine Bridge from the Policy
Unit?

That's right. Ah.

Just, you know, bit of moral
support. Mm.

Now, where is the chief engineer?

I need to speak to him about these
elevated stretches of roadway.

He's slipping the move on Francine
Bridge? Wow.

Good for you, Fraser, she is hot.
Aim high, dude.

Yes. (GIGGLES)

MINETT: 'Don't lose your focus now.
The government are on the ropes.'

I'm going down to Chequers with the
lorry drivers today

and I'm going to deliver our message.

Soon there'll be a new government.
(SHOUTS OF APPROVAL)

They're trying to starve wor out of
this building

but the struggle has already moved
on.

(MURMURS OF SUPPORT) We'll take the
last of that fuel

and get down to the barricades in
London cos that's where this is gonna
finish.

But I'm telling yous, I promise
yous...

that in the years to come, people are
gonna look back on us,

marching down them stairs and taking
this room.

And they're gonna remember us as the
match

that lit the flame of the people's
uprising.

now leading People's Justice in the
Red Zone.

Hi, Mabel. Good dog.

Hey, Holly. Hey, Dad.

How are you? I came second in
cross-country.

Holly. Come back here, please.

I love your shoes, Holly.

Holly!

(INDISTINCT CHATTER)

They only start listening when it's
London.

If this had been the Southeast it
would've been fixed in five minutes.
Right.

It's true. Look, I'm not anti-London,
right?

I probably know more real Londoners
than any of the liberals down there
in their mansions.

By real Londoners you mean...? I
don't just mean white, if that's what
you're trying catch us out on.

But you have to remember there are
still millions of white Londoners.

That's the reality and there's nowt
wrong with it.

Still plenty of fuel for YOUR
generator, I see.

You see that house there? On the end
with the flag on it?

That's mad Thommo's house, right?

Raging commie, knits socks for
refugees.

Across the street from him we've even
got a couple of lesbians.

What I'm saying is not everybody
thinks the same. It's not like yous
lot make out

You keep saying this. "They. You
lot. The media".

People who've got the power. Get out
the way. (GRUMBLING) Ah, shut up!

(CHUCKLES)
You see the thanks you get?

People think they can tell us what
we're allowed to think, what we're
allowed to say.

Celebrities with their blue ticks and
their rainbow flags.

As opposed to those
salt-of-the-earth types tying brown
men to motorbikes?

Look, man, some people are completely
racist, right?

And some people are not.

Most of wor are just somewhere in the
middle. Like you?

Look, some lairy kid in an Audi cuts
us up, right?

I might think to myself, "Fuck you,
Paki."

No offence.

I might even say it out loud. It
depends who I'm with, it depends what

So many people are, all over the
world, man, not just here.

How would your parents react if you
said,

"Mam, Dad, I'm marrying a lass from a
different religion"? (LAUGHS)

They'd throw a party if it was a
girl from any religion, I imagine.

Do you think I am a racist?

Lots of people have been asking me
that.

You know, when they're not abusing
me for normalising you.

What do you tell them?

Does it matter to you?

I wouldn't be asking if it didn't.

Well, I certainly
think you're pretty normal.

(CHUCKLES) Thank you.

You're smart.

Maybe in another era
the local headmaster

would have pleaded with your dad to
let you stay on at school.

Nah, he wanted us to stay on at
school, my old man.

He was a deep thinker
was John Minett.

Union man, like.

But, in the end, it doesn't matter
what I think of you personally

any more than what you think of me.

I'm just a journalist and you're
just my story.

Aye.

Howay then. Come and see where your
story lives.

Now, don't mind the Hitler shrine,
right. And try not to touch my arse.

I know it's tempting but not in front
of me daughter. (LAUGHS) There she
is.

Pride and joy.

All right, darlin'. Come and meet my
new friend Manish.

Bye, Mabel.

Come on, Holly.

Good luck.

What with? Him.

We're colleagues.

If you say so. I do.

Bye, Mabel. I love you, Mabel. I'll
miss you.

Bye, love.

Right. Let's go for a drink.

(ON SCREEN) What I'll say to the
Prime Minister is simple.

Call a general election. Let the
people decide.

Do you feel any responsibility
towards people not having operations

because there is a shortage of blood
in the capital? Hang on.

The responsibility for this lies
entirely with a government

who has always ruled on behalf of an
elite and not the ordinary folk of
this country.

Folk(!)

I need a cigarette.

Did you coach Ellie on what to say to
police? No.

Did you and...Rachel Sutherland

advise her to claim that Georgia had
supplied the drugs

because Georgia was dead? No.

Was the Prime Minister present - No.

Was the Prime Minister present at
any meetings where such a strategy
was discussed?

No.

You keep a diary. Mm-hm.

We found some interesting extracts
on your computer.

"RS." That's Robert Sutherland,
right?

No flies on you, Inspector.

"RS very anxious not to get involved
with discussions on ES

and leaving things to me and RJS."

Rachel Jane Sutherland.

So he knew that you two were
strategising.

The only strategy was how to deal
with the inevitable press interest.

"ES v upset after visit from Georgia
Nixon's father.

Took a concerted effort to persuade
her to keep to script."

Figure of speech. "Disturbing news
from the university.

When I told RS, he bit my head off
about interview strategy with ES and
police.

Told him to leave it to me and RJS.

She is much more clear-sighted about
the issues.

Need to stop AM going all Cassandra.

So far RS keeping her out of it."

Anna Marshall, right?

At least she has an alibi.

At one point in her last interview,

Ellie told us that she felt...

pressured into lying.

She tried to backtrack
but...we've got it on tape.

Now, when we get her to tell us who
was pressuring her,

who do you think it will be that
she'll name?

You...or her mother?

And Sam knows?

And he's...?

Sad, I think.

Uncertain.

Well, I always thought it was a good
marriage, for what it's worth.

In many ways, it is.

So what happens now?

Eleanor is running checks because of
the Toni Lulin connection.

You did the right thing going to her,
of course. Of course.

But you can still see him?
According to Eleanor, yeah.

And do you want to?

I'm a bit lost for words, actually.

I've never... I mean, adultery. I
mean, I've never...

I'm not judging. Oh, don't worry.

Closest I ever thought I'd get to it
was reading Tolstoy in the cottage.

I've always thought it's a bit too
much like hard work.

Adultery, I mean, not...

(SOFTLY) ..Tolstoy.

Easier when your partner's hardly
ever there.

Bat.

Oh, God.

Are bats a good omen or a bad omen?

(LAUGHS) I'm not sure.

Don't fuck with them though, they're
better protected than the nuclear
codes. (CHUCKLES)

(MOBILE PINGS AND BUZZES)

The cars are arriving.

Mr Rowntree, welcome to Chequers.

I believe it was Lady Thatcher who
said it was impossible not to fall
in love with this place.

And from your side, I believe Ramsay
MacDonald was enchanted by it.

There's a splendid portrait of him
in the National Portrait Gallery
here with his family.

Ramsay MacDonald was not from
'my side' at all, Home Secretary.

He was a traitor to the Labour
movement.

Still, who needs him when you've got
Francine Bridge, eh?

Well, quite.

Harry, welcome.

Prime Minister.

Are we coming in or do you want us
to wait out in the garden again?

Well, you could do a lot worse.

Come inside and have some tea before
we get started. Thank you.

Well, this is nice. Are People's
Justice here yet? Not yet.

Scott Minett will be arriving
after...

I did try and get you a ticket for
Chequers but, er,

they said you weren't VIP enough.
You're not on the main stage either.

Wait until this time next year.
No-one'll even remember who Harry
Rowntree is.

(TYRES SCREECH AND ENGINE REVS)

(GIRL SCREAMS) No!

(ENGINE REVS)

Keep the kid inside. (KID SCREAMING)

Scott? Scott?

(STIFLED CHOKE)

(KID CONTINUES SCREAMING)

I'll sit next to Harry Rowntree
at dinner.

I think it should be me. You?

We're the only two who still believe
in the undying nature

of the class struggle. Well it was
a sacrifice on my part but feel free.

(WHISPERS INAUDIBLY)

Scott Minett's been involved
in a hit and run.

He's dead.

Harry...

People's Justice has called for
a boycott on talks

until Minett's death is clarified.
Clarified?

What does that mean?
We have to speak to them first.

You can't leave.
There's no time for this.

Harry. Harry!

Every second that transformer stays
blocked, more lives are lost.

People are dying because
of this blockade.

People are dying because
of your government.

We have a duty to the country. You
and I have to sort this thing out.

Are you going to use the Civil
Contingencies Act to keep me here?

Are you gonna throw me in front
of a tribunal if I try to leave?

Are you a dictator now,
Prime Minister?

How do we know that you didn't have
Scott Minett taken out?

(SCOFFS) Don't be so fucking
ridiculous.

This isn't about
the Civil Contingencies Act.

And it's not about Scott Minett
either. Robert...

It's about you acting like you're on
the bridge of the Battleship Potemkin

because you can't control
your members.

You're competing with
People's Justice while hardworking

public servants battle round the
clock to get the power back on.

So why don't you get back to your
barricade, you posturing idiot,

because I'm coming for you tomorrow.

Oh, yeah? Oh, fucking yes. Robert!

And I'm bringing APVs and
bulldozers, so if you do feel like

acting like Tiananmen Square Man,
which, quite frankly,

I doubt very much, then fucking
knock yourself out.

Anna.

Well, that cleared the air.

Fuck him. Let's get back to London.

Convene COBRA. I'm taking these
bastards on now.

now leading People's Justice in the
Red Zone.

TV REPORTER: 'Breaking news just now.
Reports are coming in

that Scott Minett'
What do you want?

Vodka soda.
Hi, two vodka sodas, please.

'..targeted deliberately by two men
in a grey Ford Focus.

The police are looking
for both car and drivers,

one of whom was described
as either black or Asian.

The journalist-'
No surprise there, then.

Truth hurt, does it, love? We don't
all know each other, you know.

I know you. You're a politician.

Bunch of crooks.
Only in it for themselves.

What did he say? Let's go.

Hey, Dave. Dave, do you remember
that sign, "No Blacks,

No Irish, No Dogs"? We've only gone
and got a threefer here, mate.

I think you'd better go, mate.
Why do we have to go?

Well, it's no dogs allowed.

(LAUGHS) What's so funny?

Well, apart from the country going
insane, I just buried my dad.

My kids won't talk to me because
their mother's a lying sociopath.

And even though I've done nothing
to him,

I've got some guy singing in my face
"No surrender to the IRA".

What a setting for a wake,
my dad would have loved it here.

It's hilarious.

Let's go.

(SPITS) That's for Scott Minett,
you slags.

Keep walking.
I was going to.

We'll set up here.
You OK, mate?

Sure. What are you going to say?

What I saw. No, I mean,
about...him...his views.

You know, put it in some perspective

cos you got close to him,

and what with you being,
you know, diverse yourself.

Diverse.
So you can contextualise...

Rob. Yeah? Shut up.

Let's go... Yeah.

Earlier today I witnessed the brutal
attack on Scott Minett

which was unquestionably deliberate.
The mood on the streets is...

Rob. Rob!

(CAR ENGINE STARTS)
Get in. Get in!

(GLASS SMASHES)

(CLAMOURING)

It's gonna kick off big time.
They killed that Scott Minett,

didn't they?
Who's they?

Who do you think? He just got too
popular, didn't he?

They were never going to meet him,
it's obvious.

Why would a bunch of people here
in London care about a man-

People are fed up of everything,
in't they? Lying politicians,

no food in the shops.
Maybe we should drop you first.

You can come back to mine for a bit
if you like?

Will you take us to Kennington,
please?

This is gonna be far worse
than last time.

ELEANOR: Welcome back, Anna.

If anyone can sort out this shit-show
it's you.

That is your boyfriend having dinner
with Toni Lulin.

Lulin's business interests
are highly complex.

Some are quite legitimate. He runs a
very successful fibre-optics company.

Others less so. The Turkish heroin
trade being the most obvious.

So Edin could be involved? There is
a rumour that Toni Lulin

uses an assassin. Based in London.

The assassin goes under the pseudonym
of Nico and is greatly feared.

No. No way. I don't know.

But I'm definitely going to find out.

TESS (ON PHONE): 'I need to talk to
you, Mum. Can I come and see you?'

No. You need to stay inside.
The situation is really volatile

in London right now. Where's Barney?
Upstairs. Look, I have to...

I wanna talk about what's
happening to our family.

You said I can come and see you at
the Pimlico flat any time.

Am I just not important
to you now?

That's really unfair. Look, please
don't leave the house tonight,

all right? We are getting reports
of rioting breaking out.

I will try to come home later but I
need to speak to your dad first.

All right? I love you. Bye.

(SPEAKING FOREIGN LANGUAGE)

ELEANOR: We've had reports of
disturbances from a number of places

and not just the crisis zones.
ARCHIE: Sheer opportunism.

We should round them up and use
Wembley as a mass detention centre.

Never really lost that loving
feeling for Pinochet,

have you, Archie? A great man
and an honourable soldier.

If I could drag us away from
murderous dictators for a moment

and back to our current problem...
Please do.

Anyone who is angry right now is
coming out onto the streets

and that is a hell
of a lot of people.

Manchester, Birmingham, London.

The problem is that it's been a long
time since Northern Ireland.

We used to be a world leader in
handling serious urban disturbances.

Well, I want troops deployed on the
streets tonight.

I'll authorise the use of CS gas
and baton rounds if necessary.

And if it requires more than that?

If my men come under serious attack?

You were unwilling to make that
decision earlier.

We will restore legitimate authority
in the Red Zone,

clear the roads for the transformer
and deal robustly

with further rioting in our cities.
No more velvet gloves.

Why did you leave her?

Lots of things.

Values, lifestyle,
aspirations, politics.

So just the small stuff, then.
The kids are all I care about.

But she's managed to make them
believe I am responsible

for all the bad things, and there's
nothing I can do about it.

Well, it's obviously made you
very unhappy.

Maybe you should talk to someone
about it. People talk too much.

They should bottle it all up
until it gets too much.

And then they should medicate.
That still working for you, is it?

(LAUGHS)

I like you, Fraser.

I like you, too.

First reports of fatalities. A man
was attacked and beaten to death

trying to protect his shop.

Two dead in flats above shops
that were set on fire.

I can't let this continue.

I cannot let anarchy prevail.
I agree.

Even if this time it means...
A risk to life.

Hello, this is the Prime Minister.
Have General Pickering

meet me in the COBRA room, please.

Oh sorry, you may not have heard me.

This is the fucking Prime Minister.
Get General Pickering

out of his meeting and have him meet
me in the COBRA room immediately.

now leading People's Justice in the
Red Zone.

The city's burning.

(PHONE RINGING)

Hello?

OK, coming now. I gotta go.

Now? That was the Prime Minister.

He's about to take out the
barricades to release the
transformer.

OFFICER: 2-1 in position. All
subjects are inside the nest.

VOICE ON RADIO: Allow the deal to
proceed 2-1. 2-1 on standby.

EDIN: I think we all can agree to
the terms, right? Yeah.

AZRA: Everything is in place. The
shipment will be arriving next week.

Nico will be your final contact.

He will be in touch with you nearer
the time.

OFFICER: 2-1 has the eyeball on an
unidentified female

approaching the nest.

Where's my mum?
You're Tess, right?

Where's my mum?
She's not here.

Let me go! I got her.

What are you doing?

OFFICER: The unidentified female is
Anna Marshall's daughter.

Should we go in?
See how this plays out 2-1.

Trust me.
(AZRA SPEAKS FOREIGN LANGUAGE)

No!

Help me! Trust me.

Come with me. You're going to be
all right. Come on.

OFFICER: 2-1 has the eyeball on
Loverboy, he has the girl.

All other targets are leaving
the nest.

Let them leave 2-1. Arrest team
incoming for Loverboy.

Make sure the girl is safe and we'll
get a message to Eleanor James.

ELEANOR: We have intelligence that
a far-right group called

National Spirit has infiltrated the
protestors.

They have links to the armed
forces so probably not wise-

Not a moment longer. I made a
promise to the people in the
hospital

that I would turn the lights back on
and I am going to keep that fucking

Lives are already being lost.
Take that barricade down.

(CLAMOURING)

(CLAMOURING INTENSIFIES)

RADIO: Charlie, Charlie, 1,
advance to the blockade.

(CLAMOURING)

(CLAMOURING)

(VEHICLE REVVING)

RADIO: The barricade is down.
But the protestors...

PICKERING: The first barricade is
cleared. But there are more
protestors approaching.

(CLAMOURING)

(SCREAMING)

PICKERING: We need to take control
of this situation.

(VIOLENT CLAMOURING)

We're pushing their lines back well.

Incoming! (EXPLOSION)

What the hell was that?
Phosphorous grenade.

These are military grade weapons.
Do I have authorisation

to return fire?
ARCHIE: They should retreat.

If they have grenades,
they may have guns.

Robert, listen to me. We can take
stock. Do I have authorisation?

Anna, tell him.

They're throwing grenades
at British soldiers.

This isn't a protest, Robert,
it's an armed attack.

It's too risky.

I'm authorising you to return fire.

Colonel, you have authorisation to
defend yourself

with live ammunition. Send fire team
forward, rules of engagement apply.

SOLDIER: Copy that. Over.

Riflemen forward! Riflemen forward!

Disperse! Disperse!
Force will be used!

OFFICER: Rules of Engagement!
SOLDIERS: Yes, Sarge!

3-1-Alpha, what are you seeing?
What are you seeing? Over.

SOLDIER: Watch your front!

Weapon! (GUNSHOT)

(CLAMOURING AND GUNSHOTS)

(GUNFIRE CONTINUES)

(GUNFIRE CEASES)