McLeod's Daughters (2001–2009): Season 1, Episode 1 - Welcome Home - full transcript

(soft music)
(birds chirping)

(dog barking)

(cows lowing)

(helicopter whirring)

- Hey, get on up there!

Go on, get on up!

C'mon!

(upbeat music)

Come on!

(cows lowing)

(upbeat music)



(woman laughing)

- I know, I know, it's unbelievable.

Yeah, yeah, tell everyone, okay?

Ray's at 10, on me, yeah!

Okay, bye!

I am rich.

I am fabulously wealthy.

Woo!

(country music)

- C'mon, yeah, yeah, way!

Thanks, guys.

We'll draft them up after lunch
and then have a few beers.

- Sounds good lady.

- Right in the middle of the CWA meeting.



It's true!
(woman laughing)

- Lunch is on the table.

- Thanks.

G'day Terry.

- G'day.

- What's it this week?

Fence down, bull on the loose?

- Oh, Harry just wants to know if you

picked up any of his cattle in your herd?

- Gee, you'd think a man
who owned a helicopter

would have a phone.

- No.

- Okay.

- Geez, you coulda done better than that.

- Well, what's the point?

- Claire might know,
but my daughter doesn't.

(laughing)

The CWA?

- [Terry] Yeah.

- [Meg] Did you have
anything on underneath?

- [Terry] I actually had a slip on.

She's a big girl, right?

(laughing)
I'll tell you all that.

(soft music)

- A twinkle in the eye
looking heavenwards.

10 letters.

(clock ticking)

(engine rumbling)

(knocking)

- Who'd be using the front door?

(knocking)

- Two guesses.

Real estate vultures.

I've told you people I'm not selling!

(groaning)

- I'm sorry?

- [Claire] The door's stuck.

Go round the side.

- Which way?

- Forget it, I'm coming around.

- [Tess] No, I can probably open it.

- Just wait there!

(thumping)

- Hello?

- [Claire] Hello?

- Claire.

It's me, Tess.

(gentle guitar music)

- Tess?

You look like your mother.

- Hi.
(laughs)

Should we go inside?

So gorgeous.

The house and the trees and the hills.

Straight out of a painting, isn't it?

It's much bigger than I remembered.

Can't believe I own half of it now.

(sniffing)

(sighs)

I remember that smell.

That smell of...

- Wood?

- Mold.

(laughing)

It's a moldy smell.

You know it's a good mold.

It's a dry, country sort of mustiness.

It's always cool and dark in here.

I remember running in
on really hot days and,

this was Jack's room, wasn't it?

This was Jack's study.

- Can I get you a cool drink?

- Yeah, thanks.

- Tess?

- Meg?

- I can't believe it.

(laughing)

What a surprise!

You're the spitting image of your mom.

- Don't hold that against me.

- Where is Ruth?

- She died.

Two months ago.

A week before our father.

It's sort of romantic, eh?

Excuse me.

Do we have any real water?
- Oh here, let me.

- Anyway, that's probably why I didn't get

the letter for so long,

from the solicitor.

When mom couldn't work anymore, thank you,

we moved to a smaller place.

And ever since she died,

I guess I've been moving around a bit.

So I guess we need to talk
about what we're going to do

with the property?

- I've got to get back to work.

- Sure, I just thought,

over lunch?

- I had it.

I've got to get back to the cattle.

Just make yourself

comfortable.

(soft music)

(sighing)

Better get moving.

- Jack always lets us
have an hour for lunch.

- I'm the boss now.

- [Man] C'mon.

- You think she heard?

- No.

(soft music)

- Oh, I wouldn't go in there.

That's Jack's room.

I'm Jodi.

You know, you don't
look like Claire at all.

Do you want me to show you around?

- Sure.

Do you work here?

- No, I live here.

Well, not here, over at
the cottage with mom, Meg.

I mean, I don't really live here,

I've been at boarding
school for like, ages

and I'm just here waiting
for my exam results

and then I'm going to
go to tape in the city--

- That was my room.

- I don't think so.

- Yeah, it was.

It's got flowered wallpaper
and curtains to match.

- It's been the storeroom
ever since I can remember.

C'mon.

(shushing cattle)

- Get a move on, come on get in there.

Hey go easy on 'em, mate.

- You're working for the
cow whisperer now, remember?

- Stressed out cattle
don't get a good price,

which means I don't make the money

which means you're out of a job.

(pleasant guitar music)

Finish drafting 'em will you,

and put 'em out to water.

(pleasant guitar music)

(helicopter whirring)

- [Man] The cattle are looking good.

- Beat yours on the scale tomorrow.

- Righto.

Put your money where your mouth is.

- The usual?
- You're on.

(romantic music)

- Who is this?

- Hi.

Tess Silverman.

- Hello.

I'm Alex and you're?

- Jack's daughter.

Love your entrance.

Have we got one of those?

- You've got a sister?

- Sure, and the Rolls
Royce is in being serviced.

Half sister, Dad's second marriage.

- You staying here long?

- I don't know, I'm sort of here

to talk about some stuff with Claire.

I'll probably stay at the pub.

- That's too far.

Look if Claire won't put you up,

there's always a bed at our place.

- So what time are you finished

loading up the truck tomorrow?

- Seven, 7:30 as always.

- Yeah right.

- Catch you later, Tess.

- See ya.

- Put it away, mate.

- Get outta here.

I'm a man, she's a woman.

- Thanks, what does that make me?

- Well you're a, you're a Claire.

- I'm gonna give her a hand.

- Just stay right here.

(man whistles)

- Hello darling.

- Hey Becky, you got the time?

I've got the equipment.

- Come on Beck, share a round eh?

- A lovely set of tits,
Becky, give us a look.

- [Man] Yeah Becks!

- Take a good look boys, 'cause
it's all you're gonna get.

Can I help you?

- Do you need a hand?

- No, I'm the delivery girl.

- So, I'm Tess.

Claire's sister.

- I'm Becky.

You don't look like Claire.

- Same dad, different moms.

You know, the usual dysfunctional family.

- Has she talked to you
about what she wants?

- I think she's been trying
to talk to you about that.

- I don't know what to say to her.

- Well look,

for a start you could ask
her if she'd like to stay.

- Am I interrupting?

- No, no.

Actually Claire was just wondering

if you'd like to stay tonight?

(gentle guitar music)

- Yeah I'd love to.

- Good.

- I've got to have a shower.

- She doesn't want me here, does she?

- She'll be all right.

(crickets chirping)

- There's a gecko in my room.

I've got nothing against him personally,

but does he have to be there?

- How do you feel about mozzies?

- It's a love hate thing.

They love me I...

Why?

- You have to decide whether
to be eaten alive by mozzies

or ravaged by a feral gecko.

What are you gonna drink?

- Water, thanks.

Are the others coming?

- They have their own place.

- So you eat by yourself?

- Now I do.

Have a seat.

(clock ticking)

- It's funny how they
died so close together.

Maybe Mom called to Jack.

Maybe she came along to
tell him it was time to go.

- It was a heart attack.

- Well, sure in practical terms

but they were crazy about each other.

It was never gonna work, but
while it did it was passionate.

Makes sense that when Mom
died, she called to him.

Jack died because he loved her.

- Dad died because...

It was a heart attack.

- Dinner.

- Ah, thanks Meg.

Hope you left enough for everyone else.

(Meg chuckles)
- Enjoy.

(clock ticking)

(soothing music)

(fork scraping)

- What are we gonna do, Claire?

We have to talk about this.

We both own a half share of the property.

I spoke to a solicitor,

and according to him
we have three options.

One we sell the place and split the money,

only I figure you want to stay here.

The second is we split the place in half,

because technically either one of us

can sell our share without
permission of the other.

I mean, I figure that'd freak you out too,

so the third option is

you buy me out.

You know you pay me for my half share.

So, we should get a valuation.

- This is my place, mine!

- Well yeah, but Jack left half--

- You left us.

You and Ruth.

Dad and I worked this place for 20 years,

and not one word from you.

You left us.

(somber music)

(upbeat rock music)

- Trust Jack.

Dead and buried and he's
still trying to get his way.

- I would so spew if I had to

share my inheritance with anyone.

♪ Think I want you ♪

- Do you think Dad will leave
us anything when he dies?

- Ex-husbands don't die Jo,
they just keep running up debt.

- No but do you reckon he might?

It'd be great if he struck
it rich on the pokeys

and left it to me.

- What about me?

- What would you need it for?

♪ Hate you love you ♪

♪ Want you when I ♪

- Can you turn it up a bit?

I love this one.

- Haha, night Mom.
- Goodnight.

♪ Makes me high ♪

♪ Need you want you ♪

- I thought that was Jack's room.

- It's the master
bedroom, so it's mine now.

- Claire, I don't want to railroad you.

- I'm going to bed.

- It's half past eight.

- We go to bed early here.

You don't have to.

- Oh no no no, I'm a morning person.

- Night.

- Night.

(gentle piano music)

♪ Maybe I was wrong ♪

♪ Maybe I'm to blame ♪

♪ I thought I'd see you
and it'd be the same ♪

♪ When I look at you ♪

♪ That I knew I see ♪

- Oh go eat mozzies.

♪ Someone new or just a ♪

- Make yourself useful.

♪ Days drift by ♪

♪ Sometimes I cry ♪

♪ I never really understood it ♪

♪ I always thought that you'd be there ♪

♪ Was I crazy ♪

♪ Crazy ♪

♪ Sometimes ♪

♪ It's so unfair ♪

(crickets chirping)

♪ Don't know where I am ♪

♪ Don't know where is home ♪

♪ Don't know much at all ♪

♪ But it ain't much fun alone ♪

♪ Guess I'll work it out ♪

♪ What else can you do ♪

♪ Maybe life goes on
with one instead of two ♪

♪ Days drift by ♪

♪ Sometimes I cry ♪

♪ I never really understood it ♪

♪ I always thought that you'd be there ♪

♪ And was I crazy ♪

♪ Crazy ♪

♪ Sometimes ♪

♪ It's so unfair ♪

♪ And was I crazy ♪

♪ Crazy ♪

♪ Sometimes ♪

♪ It's so unfair ♪

(emotional music)

(crickets chirping)

(gentle guitar music)

- Hi Tess.

I'm so glad you've come.

Welcome home.

(man grunting, shouting)

What's going on?

- Cattle are out.

- What time is it?
- Five.

- Five, five a.m.?

- You said you were a morning person.

- Yeah but this isn't morning.

Morning's what's happening
in New Zealand right now.

Claire.

- [Man] I was here last night

about eight o'clock, the gate
was shut, they were fine.

- [Claire] What time's the truck due?

- Truck will be here at eight, Claire.

- That gives us two hours.

Meg, you take the ute
and check near the road.

You two check up near Baldy Hill.

- Claire?

- Bruce, Gary, come with me.

We'll see if any have
headed down the river.

- Don't understand it.

How'd they get out in the first place?

- Claire, I think it might
have been possibly, well me.

I went for a walk last night,

but I closed the gate behind me, I swear.

(men chuckling)

- Did you put the snap hook on?

- The snap hook?

No.

- Okay, let's go.

Where's Ian?

- He took the ute to town.

No one knew the cattle was gonna be out.

(cattle mooing)

♪ Don't be too loud ♪

♪ Just hear me raise my voice ♪

♪ What I wanna do ♪

- Hey Meg, can I go with you?

I don't get why the chain
needs a clip as well.

What are these cows, locksmiths?

- When a heavy steer leans against it,

it can come undone.

- I'm such an idiot.

This is all my fault.

- I just hope we find them in time

to make the truck for the sales.

- I know it's bad not to make the sale,

but can't Claire take the
cattle to the next one?

- Cattle prices are up now.

Next month, who knows?

Lots of bills to pay before then.

- Is the farm in trouble, financially?

- Claire was really counting on the sale.

♪ Your survival ♪

♪ Yes we do ♪

(radio crackles)

(cattle mooing)

(ominous music)

(explosion booms)

(intense music)

(explosions booming)

(hooves clopping)

- Whoa!

- Dad.

Alex.

What'd burn like that?

- I don't know, nothing good.

Has the truck left yet?

- It's gone.

- You get this lot up to tall
trees, we'll take a look.

- Righto, Brett move 'em out!

- Hey Harry, follow us!

- [Tess] Are you okay?

- [Ian] Yeah I just busted my shoulder.

- Take it easy, Ian.

(cattle mooing)

- Oh my god.

Round up the other cattle
as quick as you can.

(intense music)

- You'll be all right,
just get this bandage on.

- Ian?

- Ah Claire, I'm sorry.

I dunno, I came over the rise
and this is all my fault.

- Yeah I think he's broken his collarbone.

I'll take care of him.

Careful no more of
those petrol drums blow.

A lot of petrol there, Ian.

How did that get there?

- Yeah I,

yeah I was just dumping 'em.

- Yeah right.

- Claire I'm so sorry I didn't mean...

(somber music)

Should we call the vet?

- Too late for the vet.

- No maybe maybe we could
help them or do something--

- Its back is broken.

(gun clicks)

(gun fires)

Now we have to move 'em.

- What do we have to do?

- [Claire] We'll tie
their back legs together,

we rope 'em to the back of the ute,

and we drag 'em down the road.

- That's awful!
- That's farming.

- You all right Claire?
- Yeah.

- Anyone else in the vehicle?

- No, Ian was driving.

- What the hell happened here?

- I don't know.

Smells of petrol.

- [Man] You all right?

- Yeah I'm all right.

- Can you walk mate?
- Yeah, yeah I reckon.

(Ian groans)
- Watch his shoulder.

- Harry call the sheriff,
get a crew down here.

- Yeah righto.

You all right mate?

- How did the cattle get out?

- Doesn't matter now.

- [Alex] Doesn't look like you're

gonna make the truck, does it?

- [Claire] Nope.

- Pity.

Would've been good to
see you top the market.

- Oh we both know it would've been me.

(somber music)

(crying)

- I mean who'd be dumb enough
to leave the gate open?

- She didn't know.

- Bet Claire was pissed.

- [Tess] Sure was.

Have you got a toolbox?
- Laundry.

- Thanks.

- Oops.

(pleasant rock music)

- Stupid pathetic dumb!

(door creaks)

Good door.

(barrel clangs)

(somber music)

(intense music)

- Ian's been stealing fuel.

- You're kidding?

- Terry thought they were up to something.

- Um Claire?

I don't think it was just Ian.

I saw them filling the drums last night.

It was all of them.

I didn't know what it meant.

What are you gonna do?

- Yeah are you gonna call the cops?

- Don't say another word.

(cattle mooing)

- We've got most of them.

Still about 50 or so are missing.

We'll head straight up after them.

- Don't bother.

Pack up your things and
get off the property.

- Excuse me?

- You're fired, the lot of you.

- Some sort of joke is it Claire?

- Stealing my fuel?

I'm not laughing.

- Oh look if Ian was up to something--

- You were all in on it.

- Hey, Jack used to let us

fill our fuel tanks up as a bonus.

- You would never have
tried this on my father,

and you're not getting it past me.

You're fired, that's it!

- You can't do that.

We've got rules here now.

You've gotta give us three warnings

and one of those has gotta be in writing.

- You want to play by the rules?

No problem, I'll call
Senior Constable Cork.

I'm sure he'd be really interested

in your side of the story.

- You can't run this place without us.

- Watch me.

(dramatic music)

- I'm sorry Mrs. McLeod.

(dramatic music)

- [Meg] Good on ya.

- [Jodi] Fantastic, you were great.

- I'm stuffed.

Gary's right.

(somber music)

- Claire?

I'm really sorry, it's all my fault.

You know if the cattle
hadn't have got out,

the accident, everything.

I stuffed up.

- Look, if they hadn't got out

I wouldn't have realized the
men were stealing from me.

- That's a very generous
way of looking at it.

Hey!

You don't have to worry about that.

I fixed it.

(scoffs)
- Thanks.

- Thank Jack.

Things don't get done.

- Just by looking at 'em.

(emotional music)

(dog barking)

- [Tess] Here boy, hello.

- That's Roy.

Roy likes you.

- Named after the big O is he?

I like that song, Pretty Woman?

- Oh no no, he's named
after me ex-boyfriend

who turned out to be mongrel.

But I like that song too.

Big shock.

Come on.

Come on, get out, get out.

- [Man] What so she fired the lot of 'em?

- [Man] Yeah, the whole
town's talking about it.

- [Man] Good on her.

- [Man] How's she gonna
run the place on her own?

- [Man] Well she can't of course,

but you know top marks for trying.

- Maybe I should get over there,

see if I can give 'em a hand eh?

- I think Meg can cope, Terry.

- Yeah, right well I'll
get the feed off of you.

- Poor Claire eh?

She's having a bit of a rough trot.

- Well there's nothing we can do.

She'd never ask for help.

- Might bring her closer
to selling, though.

- You could never be accused
of being a soft touch,

could you Dad?

- It's called business, Alex.

- Yeah righto.

- Tell Janet to invoice
me for the new amount.

I'll pay it then.

- They're a bunch of pricks, you know,

you did the right thing.

- We'll see.

There's a beer in the
fridge when you're finished.

- Tah.

- Oh sorry.

- Look, this isn't such a great time.

I'll see what I can sort out

with the solicitor and get back to you.

You probably wanna go home.

- Home, yeah sure, yeah.

- What's the problem?

- I was looking for
somewhere after Mom died,

but then I got the solicitor's letter

and I thought well, haven't
seen you for a while so...

I'm just not quite sure
where home is right now.

- Oh, well.

It just doesn't stop at geckos, you know?

- Pardon me?

- Well there are spiders everywhere

and when it gets hot there's

the occasional snake in the loo.

The hot water runs out really fast,

the telly's on the blink.

We're up at dawn, we're back at night

and I don't have time to look after ya.

- Well, sis, I've managed
this far by myself.

I've had jobs since I was 12.

One of them was in a bakery,
and there were heaps of mice.

- Alive or dead?

- They were alivish.

And I put myself through
uni and I bought my own car

which hardly ever breaks down,

and when it does I can fix it, sometimes.

You don't have to worry
about me if you were

asking me to stay, here that is.

- I am.

But it might take weeks to sort out

what's gonna happen to Drover's Run.

- That's okay.

I, I packed a few pairs of undies.

- Right then, well I'll
go get this cattle.

- By yourself?

- Oh there's only about 50.

- Jodi and I can give you a hand.

- I'm in no rush to get back to town

if you've got a spare horse.

- Sure.

- I can ride.

- Okay.

Great.

We'll find a horse for you.

Jodi, break Oscar out
of retirement will you?

(gentle guitar music)

- Please Oscar, please be good.

(gentle guitar music)

Please just let me do
this one thing right.

Right.

Let's go.

(laughs)

- [Both] Pony club.

- Wait 'til she has to gallop.

Come on!

(pleasant music)

How's your bum?

- Fine!

(Claire laughs)

(pleasant music)

So all this is yours?

- It's ours I suppose.

(pleasant music)

Hah!

- Hah!

(upbeat music)

♪ I've been right ♪

♪ And I've been wrong ♪

♪ I've been weak ♪

♪ But I've been strong ♪

♪ I've been bought ♪

♪ And I've been sold ♪

♪ I've been brave ♪

♪ And I've been bold ♪

♪ But I never ever been like this ♪

♪ So let me talk ♪

♪ Please try to hear ♪

♪ If you reach out ♪

♪ I will run away ♪

♪ So let me talk ♪

♪ Please try to hear ♪

♪ If you reach out ♪

♪ I will run away ♪

♪ Don't run away ♪

♪ Please understand ♪

♪ Don't run away ♪

♪ 'Cause this is our time ♪

♪ Don't run away ♪

♪ 'Cause you can stay with me ♪

♪ You let me talk ♪

♪ But you cannot hear ♪

♪ I'll reach out ♪

♪ But you walk away ♪

♪ You let me talk ♪

♪ And you cannot hear ♪

♪ I reach out ♪

♪ But you walk away oh ♪

♪ You let me talk ♪

♪ But you cannot hear ♪

♪ I reach out ♪

♪ But you walk away ♪

♪ You let me talk ♪

♪ But you cannot hear ♪

♪ I reach out ♪

♪ But you walk away ♪

♪ You let me talk ooh ♪

♪ You cannot hear ♪

♪ I reach out ♪

(thunder rumbles)

(soothing music)

(synth music)