Serengeti (2019–…): Season 1, Episode 4 - Misfortune - full transcript

Many tales have been told of Africa.

And this is our story.

A drama set in the heart
of our world.

LIONESS GROWLS

Experienced as we live
and breathe it.

So far, we've faced many challenges.

The great migration
brought risks for some.

Opportunities for others.

And as new families
arrived, conflicts grew.

This is the next chapter
in our story

of a place they call Serengeti.



CACOPHONY OF ANIMAL NOISE

Day after day, the great
migration continues...

..driven by the quest
for fresh pasture.

Shani and her foal endured
an arduous trek to get here.

ZEBRAS BRAY

But there's worse to come.

Reaching the lush grasslands means
braving the treacherous river.

CROCODILES BELLOW

Each day, more crocodiles gather.

And Shani's decision
when to cross becomes harder.

CROCODILES HISS

But after days of feasting,
the crocodiles are sleeping it off.

It's now or never.

ZEBRA SQUEALS



Hungry or not,
no crocodile can ever be trusted.

ZEBRAS BRAY

Crocodiles aren't the only danger.

The current takes many lives.

Now it's Shani who's
fighting for her life.

Crocodiles never give up.

But neither do mothers.

Shani's calls go unanswered.

Her foal is swept far away.

Exhausted...

..vulnerable...

He's oblivious to the danger.

His life is spared.

This time.

SHANI BRAYS

Shani will never
give up on her foal.

But the threats don't stop
for her and her family.

Jasari is the leader
of the wild dogs.

And leaders need to provide.

ZEBRAS BRAY FRANTICALLY

In the chase, he looks for weakness.

Shani knows the art of escape.

Hide among easier prey.

CACOPHONY OF ANIMAL NOISE

Here, death for one spares
the life of another.

Shani has to be sure -
was it her youngster that was taken?

Not this time.

But she must find him,
before they do.

At the den, the pups eagerly
await their share of the meal.

Thanks to the migration,

they are well fed
and full of energy.

PUPS WHINE

And always alert
for their parents' return.

HYENA CALLS

But they've made a mistake.

Zalika is the leader
of the hyena clan.

She'll kill the pups if she can.

PUPS WHIMPER

But she needs to watch her back.

HYENAS BARK

SQUEALING AND BARKING

Was it a mistake to let Zalika go?

Now she knows the dogs are here,
she'll be watching.

SNORTING

Shani is still searching.

Her foal is out there somewhere.

SHE BRAYS

ALL LOW SOFTLY

Lost and lonely,
he seeks the company of strangers.

But here, everyone
keeps to their own.

Those who aren't family
don't belong.

AGITATED LOWING

SNORTING

SNORTING

Without a mother,
no youngster survives for long.

CAWING

WIND WHISTLES

Every day we must all trek
to the water hole.

The one place everyone gathers.

Here, everyone's
competing for a place.

For Bakari, Cheka,
and their baby,

just getting a drink is hard enough.

BAKARI SCREECHES

While Bakari distracts
the wildebeest,

Cheka finds a quieter spot.

The baby is starting
to test his independence.

But it's no place for a baby alone.

SCREECHING

Cheka would never let him down.

With numbers building at the water
hole, it's time to move on.

For some, the visiting herds
bring food and contentment.

Since Kali and her cubs
were exiled from the great pride,

it's the first time
they feel secure.

Sefu has grown fond of the cubs.

CUBS MEWL

With her sister by her side,
catching food is easy.

But in our land,
nothing easy ever lasts long.

The black-maned lions
are on the prowl.

They fear nothing.

Not even the river.

They want to take these
rich hunting lands for themselves.

No rivals will be spared.

Kali and her family are unaware
of the growing threat.

Her cubs are busy learning
what's food, and what isn't.

ALL YELP

YOWLING AND SCUFFLING

There's always something
more exciting.

But young stray from their family
at their peril.

The black-maned males see the cubs
of others as enemies.

Even the smallest.

YELPING

DEEP GROWLING

GROWLING

DISTANT GROWLS

SHE BELLOWS

Mothers always sense
when something's wrong.

But nothing can prepare
a mother for this.

Innocent, helpless...

They took him anyway.

SHE BELLOWS

The black-maned males will return.

Maybe now nowhere
is safe for her cubs.

Just as the seasons come and go,

so do fortunes.

When the herds occupy our land,

our paths cross all the time.

More than ever, we all
need to know where we belong.

BABOONS SCREECH

For baboons, status is everything.

When Bakari tried to raise the baby,

he struggled to find his place
in the troop.

But when Cheka joined him,
everything changed.

Now their family bond
only grows stronger.

With the baby exploring more,

they are having some
time to themselves.

But one thing threatens
their contentment.

Their leader's feud with Bakari
is escalating...

..but it's now fuelled by jealousy.

The leader wants Cheka for himself.

Bakari's tactic is to ignore him.

But the baby can't hide
his feelings...

CHATTERING

..or realise he's
making things worse.

BELLOWING AND CHATTERING

Yet again, Cheka saves him...

..and Bakari puts himself
between Cheka and the leader.

But this only enrages him more.

If he wants Cheka, he will take her.

But Cheka resists.

Bakari will be punished
for her rejection.

Shaken, the family regroup.

But now the leader is determined,
he will have Cheka.

And Bakari will pay the price.

The lost foal
is still seeking company.

But there's no comfort here.

Hungry, thirsty and lonely.

Hope's fading fast.

And Nalla's family
can't accept strangers either.

TRUMPETING

Tembo sends him on his way.

TEMBO SNORTS AND TRUMPETS

WEAK BRAYING

But maybe there is hope.

Could his mother be drawn
to the water hole, too?

WEAK BRAYING

As Nalla's family arrive to drink,
excitement grows.

At this time of year,
the need for water

brings old friends together.

ELEPHANTS RUMBLE

An opportunity for Nalla
to show off her new baby.

Here, there is so much else
for her family to enjoy.

A dust shower will protect
them from the sun.

Anything Tembo does,

his little brother copies.

ELEPHANT SQUEALS

Here, Tembo also gets the chance
to meet males his own age...

ALL RUMBLE

..to play-fight and let off steam.

His little brother
isn't about to be left out.

ELEPHANTS TRUMPET

THEY SQUEAL

But Tembo is getting over-excited...

..and takes things too far.

Nalla can't ignore what's happening.

Playing rough with the males,

showing interest in the females...

Her son is growing up...

..and soon he must leave her.

But is he ready?

Despite her grief,
Kali must seek safety

before the black-maned males return.

The only place that can give
her cubs the protection they need

is inside the great pride.

But this is the pride
that once drove her into exile.

Has time healed old wounds?

Now living is easy, are they
prepared to forgive and forget?

Sefu goes first.

BELLOWING AND ROARING

But his long absence
isn't going down well.

But it was just a warning.

Kali's sister goes next.

The pride's problem
was never with her.

Now it's Kali's turn.

LIONESS BELLOWS

CUB YELPS

But they've not forgotten...

She's not forgiven.

Perhaps if she keeps her distance,
she will be tolerated.

Anything for the safety of her cubs.

Somehow, she must win back
the trust of the pride.

The water hole is now teeming
with zebra families.

But how could he find his mother
in such a sea of stripes?

HE BRAYS WEAKLY

Shani is still searching.

SHE BRAYS DESPERATELY

But just as she's close
to accepting her loss...

Is she too late?

HE SNORTS

Here, the secret is
to never lose hope.

SHE BRAYS

Jasari and his family are unwavering
in their determination...

..but so is the competition.

And Zalika has an instinct
for every opportunity.

HYENAS CHATTER

Jasari may have defeated Zalika
before, but this time,

Zalika has impressive back-up.

Jasari will have to fight hard
to keep his meal.

HYENAS CHATTER AND WHINE

He targets Zalika...

..but she shows no fear.

GROWLING AND WHINING

Jasari is facing his first defeat.

Now the hyenas know they can win,
they'll be watching...

..and waiting...

..and they'll take everything.

How will Jasari feed his family now?

The will to survive drove
Kali back to her family,

but she and her cubs
are still treated like outsiders.

The cubs may have protection,
but they don't have friends...

..and the older cubs play rough.

SMALL CUB YELPS

Kali mustn't overreact.

Cubs need to grow up to be tough.

But things can go too far.

SHE GROWLS

SMALL CUB YELPS

She can reassure her cub,

but it's the pride's respect
she really needs.

Show them she's strong
enough to feed them all.

Once again, she's hunting alone.

PANICKED BRAYING AND MOOING

The stampede has turned.

Kali's courage
almost cost her her life.

But all the pride sees is failure.

CUB YELPS

DEEP GROWLING

For the elephant family,

life now revolves around daily
visits to the water hole.

As Nalla's baby learns
to use his trunk to drink,

his brother Tembo is
at the other end of childhood.

All he wants to do is
throw his weight around.

ELEPHANTS TRUMPET

Nalla has to accept
he's outgrown family life.

Once,
Tembo was just like his brother...

..with the same young,
fighting spirit.

But when it comes to fighting now,
Tembo is a liability.

He'll defend his brother,
whether he needs to or not.

AGITATED TRUMPETING AND RUMBLING

It's a step too far.

Nalla has no choice.

It's time for Tembo to leave.

Like all male elephants before him,

his destiny is to live the life
of a roving bachelor.

But breaking family bonds
is painful for everyone.

For the first time in his life,
he's alone.

Night is where our fears take hold.

CREATURES BARK AND CHATTER

MOOING, CHATTERING

GROWLING

YOWLING

Every sound feeds our imagination.

SHRIEKING

GROWLING

YOWLING

SHRIEKING AND SCREECHING

HOWLING

YOWLING

CHITTERING AND BIRD CALLS

GROWLING

HYENAS CHATTER

TRUMPETING

HE TRUMPETS

SNORTING

Then Tembo is confronted
by his own mortality.

An elephant has died.

HE SHRIEKS

With dawn comes acceptance,

and perhaps a growing maturity.

But in this land, another day
can mean yet another trial.

Jasari must face the reality
that every meal might be stolen.

HYENAS CHATTER

But what choice does he have?

There's no better hunter
than a wild dog,

but no better thief than a hyena.

A throwaway gift for Zalika.

But why bother?

Far easier to wait.

ALARM CALLS

WHINING

SQUEALING

The wild dog family
are out in full force.

The hyenas are fewer,
but each is stronger,

with the confidence
that comes from winning.

But hunger brings
its own determination.

WHINING AND CHATTERING

This time, the dogs separate
Zalika from her clan.

Courage alone can't save her now.

Zalika may have been spared,

but she and her family will be
the ones going hungry tonight.

The baboons are also
still in conflict...

..and the crowds are
just adding to the tension.

THUNDER OF HOOVES

SCREECHING

ZEBRAS BRAY

Bakari's aim is simple -

keep the baby safe from the leader.

But right now, it's not the baby
he needs to worry about.

Cheka is being pursued
by the leader,

and he has his bodyguards in tow.

He wants her for himself...

..to show Bakari who's in charge.

He will groom her whether
she wants it or not.

Bakari is powerless to intervene.

Attack, and it won't
just be him that suffers.

And the leader isn't
finished with her yet.

But Bakari's had enough.

Despite his baby,
he's forced to act.

SCREECHING

Bakari is beaten into submission.

And the leader
proclaims his dominance.

HE GROWLS

Bakari knows what this means.

From now on, Cheka and the baby will
be used as a weapon against him.

For their sake,
he must leave the troop.

Somehow he'll have to survive alone.

ZEBRAS BRAY

A return to a life in exile
is Kali's biggest fear,

and now the risks are even greater.

FLIES BUZZ

But right now,
there are other problems.

With the herds come the flies.

THEY GROWL

There's only one place
to escape the swarms.

Kali is suffering.

Surely they'll let her up?

Only one way to find out.

The tree is by invitation only.

SHE GROWLS

Rejection only strengthens
her resolve.

Shani and her foal
are now inseparable.

Kali must seize the moment.

A new target...

THUNDER OF HOOVES

WILDEBEEST SHRIEKS

The sisters saw her triumph.

At last, Kali has been forgiven.

Shani and her foal are back safe
with their family...

..but their troubles
are far from over.

BRAYING

Our land will soon become parched.

Drought will follow...

..and all of us will struggle.

THUNDER CRASHES
The elements will do their worst.

The black-maned lions will return.

It will be our greatest test yet.