Serengeti (2019–…): Season 1, Episode 3 - Invasion - full transcript

Many tales have been told of Africa.

And this is our story.

A drama set in the heart
of our world.

Experienced as we live
and breathe it.

It was a year that would change
all our lives forever.

We raised our young
against the odds.

We fought for what mattered most.

And battled to find our place
in the world.

This is the next chapter
in our story...

..of a place they call Serengeti.

Change is in the air.



All of us wait for
the great migration.

With so much hunger,
it can't come a moment too soon.

To reach us, the herds must
risk their lives crossing the river.

Before the masses arrive,

the baboons have come in search of
a seasonal delicacy.

Bakari has a family at last.

The orphan he's tried to raise as
his own has been adopted by Cheka.

Both share the parenting,
and Bakari keeps them safe.

But the troop leader still
keeps Bakari in his place.

Fighting back would only
provoke him more,

and today,
there are far greater dangers.

The leader is taking everyone
on a risky mission.

They're here to steal the eggs
of a crocodile.

SHE HISSES



She guards her buried treasure...

..and hunts down thieves
who dare come near.

Bakari is cautious.

Does Cheka realise the danger?

Their leader doesn't care.

He's impulsive and reckless,

and the nest is on the other side.

He may have got away with it,
but Bakari won't be crossing.

There must be a safer route.

Where Bakari leads, Cheka follows.

And now, so do the troop.

Bakari has a plan.

Use the tree as a bridge.

No problem for a youngster.

And no problem for Bakar.

Now, it's Cheka's turn...

..but she's jumping with a baby.

Bakari reassures her.

To nearly lose someone so precious
makes you value them even more.

Here, fortunes can change
in a heartbeat...

..but the seasons bring their
own certainty.

Rain carries the promise
of better times.

Just what Kali is waiting for.

She's made peace with Sefu -

a male who once exiled her
from the great pride.

Along with her sister, they have
the beginnings of a new pride.

The lean times will soon be over.

The rains will bring the great
migration, and food for all.

The elephants are already
in their element.

The deluge will produce lush new
growth, and the herds will follow.

On distant plains,
this timeless journey has begun.

Drawn by the scent of rain
and the promise of fresh pasture.

But one family of zebra
has reason to pause.

Shani is their leader...

..and one bold stallion
protects them all.

Today, Shani has given birth
to the stallion's foal.

Shani has little time
to enjoy the moment.

A gruelling trek lies ahead.

He finds his feet.

Now, he must find his stamina.

When the herds arrive,

Kali won't have to
scrape a living any more.

And with Sefu to care for
their cubs,

she and her sister will be
free to hunt.

They head to the river
in anticipation...

..leaving Sefu to babysit.

But with their mothers away,

the cubs can't resist
the chance to explore.

For now, the river is calm.

Or it was, until Kali arrived.

The migration will arrive
on the opposite bank.

Could there be early arrivals?

A brave move.

Hippos resent having their peace
disturbed.

HIPPO GRUNTS

She won't cross here again.

Now to search for clues.

A smell, fresh dung,

any hint that the first wildebeest
have arrived.

As they approach the nest,
Bakari is still leading.

But the crocodile is still
guarding her eggs.

It won't be easy.

And it's just got riskier.

The gully would make a prime spot
for an ambush.

Kali isn't the only one
waiting for the herds.

But a twist of fate
brings opportunities.

Bakari and Cheka
won't waste this moment.

They must eat quickly....

..and not just because of
the crocodile.

The leader finally arrives.

MONKEYS SQUEAL

As usual, he won't be sharing.

Bakari has to let it go.

But greed brings retribution.

Baboons are expected to
watch each other's backs.

Not one of them warned him.

When the leader can
no longer trust his troop,

there's trouble ahead.

The promise of the migration
draws new families to our land.

The wild dogs.

Jasari is their leader.

He brought them here
for the promised feast.

And the pups were born to share it.

Only Jasari and his lifelong partner
have young.

Yet the rest of the group
are devoted to raising them...

..and defending them.

Jasari hears a disturbing sound.

GROWLING SNORES

Sefu is sleeping on the job.

To the dogs,
he's too close for comfort.

Both will kill each other's young.

But first,
they have to catch them...

..and not get killed trying.

For the dogs,
fighting the sisters is too risky.

But where are their cubs?

The mud tells its own story.

Now to deal with their baby-sitter.

Perhaps next time, he'll take
his duties more seriously.

Best for now to make himself scarce.

At last, some peace and quiet.

BUZZING

Or maybe not.

BEES BUZZ

SEFU GROWLS

It's just not Sefu's day.

For all, change is on the horizon,

and it gets closer every day.

Shani's foal has risen to the
challenge of the journey.

But jeopardy comes
when you least expect it.

The family are forced to stop.

Shani's stallion is being challenged
by another.

The victor will take control
of her and her family.

As leader,
Shani is the ultimate prize.

She won't be taken easily.

Her stallion will defend her
to the death.

A takeover could tear
Shani's family apart.

Her stallion wins.

Order is restored, for now.

Far greater perils lie ahead.

The wild dogs are marking time.

Waiting.

Until the herds arrive,
they must get by any way they can.

Even if that means stealing.

A leopard hunts by stealth.

Jasari must not let him
out of his sight.

Perfect.

Now, the tricky bit.

The leopard may be powerful...

..but the wild dogs' power
lies in their numbers.

Even a leopard wouldn't dare
take on the pack.

There's no shame in this defeat,

and for Jasari,
there's no shame in stealing.

Until the migration arrives,
it's every predator for themselves.

The tranquillity of the river still
offers no hint of what's to come.

The lions remain hungry,
but hopeful.

It's not just Sefu who has a talent
for passing the time.

Everyone's conserving their energy
for the feast to come.

Except the cubs,
who have energy to spare.

As do the mongoose.

Disturbing sleeping lions
is never a good idea...

..especially hungry ones.

If spotted, the secret is to freeze.

The slightest movement
will give him away.

But not every mongoose is so lucky.

The leopard will not go hungry
after all.

But Kali has a family to feed.

Tackling a leopard is one thing.

Getting down is another.

After all that, it seems
mongoose aren't to her taste.

Perhaps the cubs will enjoy it more.

But Kali won't have to fight
for scraps for much longer.

She can sense it on the breeze.

Finally, they're here.

It's been a long journey,

but Shani has safely led her family
to the river.

Now, the most dangerous part -

crossing it.

The family needs to
quench their thirst.

But danger lurks,
even in the shallows.

She'll be watching and waiting.

Shani will have to
time their crossing perfectly.

The baboons avoid the chaos.

It's far too risky
for the youngsters.

But even here, there are hazards.

Cheka keeps the baby out of trouble.

Caring for him has brought
Bakari and Cheka closer.

The baby feels secure.

And he hero-worships Bakari.

But to the leader, he's an upstart.

The troop's growing respect
for Bakari must be challenged.

He calls on some trusted allies.

Bakari must be taught a lesson.

To protect the baby,
he must first get hold of him.

Attacking a baboon with a baby is
a line even the leader won't cross.

But the rivalry runs too deep.

Bakari can't fight
and protect the infant.

He must let him go.

Now, the fight can really begin.

Bakari finds safety,

but the baby's position
is more precarious.

He's oblivious to what lurks below.

Taunting the crocodile
is their new favourite pastime.

But Bakari is shaken.

His feud with the leader is
putting the baby's life in danger.

It can't go on.

Further up the river,

as more herds arrive, the pressure
builds to breaking point.

But Shani is still cautious.

Her foal's life depends on
picking the perfect moment to cross.

No-one wants to be the first.

Swollen by the rains, the river
is now a raging torrent.

But they can't hold back
much longer.

Something has to give.

Shani bides her time.

Let others test the waters.

She must choose her moment
carefully.

The crocodile is out there...

..somewhere.

She's waited a whole year
for this moment.

Finally, her reward.

But the danger is far from over.

Kali is ready for them.

Wildebeest fight back.

A mass stampede can be fatal.

She's trapped...

..but only for a moment.

With Kali hunting on the other side,

Shani won't risk crossing today.

As the crocodile returns to
her nest, a surprise awaits her.

Her remaining eggs are hatching.

The jaws that deal in death

now show tenderness.

This quiet backwater
becomes her nursery.

The killer becomes carer.

Parenthood brings its own rewards,

but they're hard-earned.

Jasari was wise to den here.

His pups won't go hungry,

but he'll have to work hard.

Where Jasari leads,
his loyal pack follows.

Feeding the pups
is now all that matters.

They should enjoy it while they can,

because with success
will come rivalry.

For all of us,
competition is a way of life.

Survival, our driving force.

The migration is now unstoppable.

Shani must resist the urge
to join them

for the sake of her foal.

Their enemies are ready.

For every danger overcome...

..another awaits.

Kali keeps her focus.

She won't miss this time.

For those who've suffered hunger
for so long, relief is finally here.

But Shani still faces
an impossible decision.

How could her foal survive
such ferocity?

Somehow, they must find the courage.

As the great migration continues,

our story will move from the river
to the plains.

Old foes return, bringing terror.

Rivalries reach breaking point.

Families are broken apart...

..while others are reunited,

and all eyes will be
on the water hole.