Serengeti (2019–…): Season 3, Episode 4 - Dominion - full transcript

Many tales have
been told of Africa.

But this is our story.

A drama set in the
heart of our world,

experienced as we
live and breathe it.

Our world is changing.

Our lives are in danger.

But we still have each other.

And family is something
worth fighting for.

This is the next
chapter in our story,

in a place they call Serengeti.

♪ Serengeti



♪ Serengeti... ♪

The lions and baboons have
been forced to share a home.

But this uneasy
truce is not peace,

it's a battle waiting to happen.

For now, Bakari's
troupe and Kali's family

have found a way to get by.

While both sides have something
to lose, neither wants a fight.

But all it will take is a
shift in the balance of power.

Askari has found the
rest of his pride.

Now, they're joining Kali.

It's a change that leaves the
baboons in a perilous position.

Bakari could try to
stand his ground,

but they're everywhere.

And leadership is knowing when
to fight, or when to flee.



Timing is everything.

And there's no better time than
when your enemies are resting.

As long as they stay that way.

When needs must, stealth
is the baboons' forte.

They can also scramble,
where lions fear to tread.

Bakari shows the way.

And, as always, the
rest follow his lead.

They're alive, but
homeless once more.

Surviving another day is sometimes
the best we can hope for.

But for those with young, surviving
another day is not enough.

Magamba chose this
bank to lay her eggs.

Now they've hatched, she
must keep them alive.

One day they too will
be fearsome hunters.

For now, they're the hunted.

Jacanas stalk the shallows.

But insects are
their favoured meal.

DRAMATIC MUSIC PLAYS

Night herons present
the real threat...

..if they can get close enough.

But Magamba can't always stay on
guard. She must find herself a meal.

And while she's gone, her
hatchlings must fend for themselves.

Here, those who
can't fight, hide.

Meanwhile, their mother has
caught the scent of a meal.

She's not the only one.

The great hippo bull succumbed
to the wounds of battle

defending the pod.

He was young Mafuta's
great protector.

For Mafuta's mother,
this is a violation...

..an outrage she can't ignore.

But what can she do,

faced by Magamba and
others of her kind?

Like all babies, Mafuta seeks
safety closer to his mother.

But feeling safe isn't
the same as being safe.

Especially when his
mother is distracted.

Yet more crocodiles
have caught the scent.

DRAMATIC MUSIC PLAYS

But for Mafuta, the current
is now the greater peril.

And his mother still doesn't
notice the trouble he's in.

She realises too late,

just as the current
sweeps Mafuta away.

At the worst possible time,
the herds start crossing.

A line of wildebeest
now blocks the river.

Somehow, she must
find a way through.

If she can't go through them...

..she'll go under them.

She's overcome one challenge,
but saving Mafuta will be harder.

Is she too late?

Together once more.

And a dangerous lesson learnt.

Learning to survive can sometimes
be as simple as learning to fit in.

Duma is still trying to join
the team of male cheetahs.

For now, he's
tolerated, but ignored.

He must prove his worth,

show he can be a valued
member of the team.

And that means finding
the right opportunity.

And doing something to impress.

He'll show them what
he can really do.

TENSE MUSIC PLAYS

But he started slow and lost
the advantage of surprise.

And, in a breath, the
balance of power shifts.

He now needs rescuing
from his own hunt!

Success for the team,

humiliation for Duma.

He tried his hardest,
but it wasn't enough.

Success is all that counts.

It seems he has
nothing to offer.

And they've made
sure he knows it.

If he's not accepted
soon, he'll starve.

Being cast into the wilderness is a
fate the baboons know all too well.

As always, it falls to
Bakari to keep them safe.

But has he led them into a trap?

The long grass is
where hunters hide.

Baboons can sense danger
before it is seen.

Bakari raises the alarm.

THEY SQUEAL

His best defence is attack.

Even against the
cheetah coalition.

A bite from Bakari could kill.

For Duma, a second chance
to prove his worth?

Take on Bakari.

Confront him without flinching.

But Bakari won't
retreat this time.

He has a whole troupe
supporting him.

For Duma, another setback.

And those he was so
desperate to impress

have already moved on.

Magamba left the
hippo carcass early.

Every moment away from her
hatchlings is a moment too long.

A grey heron has seen
the chance to strike.

The hatchlings have learnt
to be wary of visitors.

They're no match for a heron.

But their mother is!

DRAMATIC MUSIC PLAYS

The heron could
have taken them all,

but once more Magamba triumphs.

But she can't watch
over them forever.

Soon they'll be on their own.

The lions are relishing their
dominion over the kopje.

And Kali is back with
Askari once more.

Now, both she and her sister
have help rearing their cubs.

THEY PURR

Finally, they belong to a pride

where everyone plays their part.

With her cubs well looked
after, Kali can hunt on her own.

It's what she does best.

Askari chooses a different path.

And his brother is
there as backup.

Despite their strength,
it won't be easy.

Battles are best won by
surprise, and in a hunt

their size betrays them.

They face a seemingly
impossible task.

For those left
homeless and defeated,

the river is a refuge
they can depend on.

For the baboons, a
moment to celebrate.

Bakari has taken them where
he knows there will be food...

..and all the freshwater
they could ever need.

Mtoto has visited before,
but for his baby sister,

it's a new,
overwhelming experience.

SHE SQUEALS

What she needs is
some brotherly love.

Naturally, that involves
some rough and tumble.

But even Mtoto's not
too old for a cuddle.

Bakari led the way, but now the
river's for everyone to enjoy.

There's just one problem.
What's popular for baboons

is popular for others too.

One wildebeest
will soon be many.

And numbers will
grow by the day.

The disruption will take
some getting used to.

Sheer numbers are
not the only problem.

Where wildebeest
gather, lions prowl.

TENSE MUSIC PLAYS

Chasing baboons is not
what Kali came for.

She's far more
ambitious than that.

Now they're trapped by the
river, Kali can bide her time.

The problem with crowds is
it just takes one to see you.

Despite the odds,
Askari has triumphed.

And he lets his whole pride know,
including those who just can't wait.

Among the hungry
arrivals are Kali's cubs.

For once, they're sharing
a meal caught by others.

Kali too will share the spoils.

A moment to enjoy the
support she deserves.

Duma is yet to
find the coalition.

But he has their scent
marks to guide him.

He finds them still
marking their territory.

But is it wise to join them?

Scent marking is a warning to
other cheetahs to keep away.

A warning Duma would
be wise to heed.

But he needs to show he
can be one of their team.

Do whatever they do.

Even if he doesn't know how...

..or why.

Anything to fit in.

But he's yet to learn
how to scent mark.

So he can hardly
make an impression.

They leave him still practising,

trying to become the
cheetah they need.

They've now found yet
another tree to spray.

By the time Duma joins them,

they've left their
marks all over it.

Now it's Duma's turn...

..but he still doesn't
know what he's doing...

..and now his foot's stuck.

Again, they ignore his plight.

Just as well.

With a sprained foot, he'll
be even less use to them.

But he hides his injury...

..as best he can.

Each day, the elephants
head to the river.

It's time to cool down
from the midday heat...

..and for Kadogo
to have some fun.

On the far side of the river,

Nalla's oldest son, Tembo, has
arrived with other young males.

As they play at
being Great Tuskers,

things start to get boisterous.

And when the tough get rough,

it's wise to get
out of their way.

Especially with
youngsters to protect.

Nalla ushers Kadogo and
the others to the bank.

One day, Tembo's battles
will be in earnest.

For Kadogo, fighting
is just for fun.

No matter their age,

both brothers expect to win.

Nearby, Magamba is still
guarding her hatchlings.

They're growing more
independent by the day.

Tembo has had enough
of play fighting.

But he's heading straight
towards Magamba and her young.

Now they take their own cue.

They can't rely on
Magamba for much longer.

But while she's here,
she'll confront the danger.

Tembo has no fear of crocodiles.

Magamba's only fear
is for her young.

But in deeper water,

Tembo needs to be cautious.

Here, Magamba is
in her element...

..and Tembo out of his.

Magamba blocks his path.

Even Tembo proceeds
with caution.

She's still dealt with the
threat when she needed to...

..but her motherly
duties are nearly over.

Her young are now ready
for a life on their own.

Baboons are right to be
wary of crocodiles...

..but crocodiles
have gifts to give

for those who dare to look.

The dikkops are still nesting.

They're as brave as ever.

But dikkops eggs aren't
worth the bother.

Bakari is after a bigger prize.

But he's late.

Magamba's eggs have hatched.

Even Bakari can
sometimes get it wrong.

Today, his troop
leave empty-handed.

For the dikkops, good news.

A chick has hatched.

A reward for their
commitment and courage.

Soon, another chick will follow.

The baboons are left
hungry but safe.

While they work out what to do,

the leaderless hippo pod
is heading downstream.

With their protector gone,

their safety depends
on sticking together...

..but two hippos are missing.

Mafuta and his mother.

Reunited with their pod at last.

But without a leader,

they're still not safe.

For a roaming bull,

a leaderless pod
is an opportunity.

But any takeover
will have to wait.

Another crossing puts the
bull's plans on hold...

..but brings another
danger to Mafuta.

This time, the pod forms a
blockade to keep him from harm...

..while the herds keep the
would-be challenger at bay.

Today is not the
day for a fight.

Magamba, though, is
in a fighting mood.

Freed from maternal duties,

she's ready to take
on the crossing.

She's spoilt for choice.

But that's also her dilemma.

The closer she goes...

..the harder it gets.

She has no room to
manoeuvre at all.

As they reach the other side,

she becomes
increasingly desperate.

Every failure drains her energy.

And now the crossing
is ebbing away.

Has she missed her chance?

With fewer wildebeest,

she's free to move once more.

Now she has the space
to choose and strike.

She has it in her jaws,

but has she any strength
left to take it down?

Her grip is weak

and the wildebeest strong.

In the shallows,

the wildebeest
gains the advantage.

Another failure.

One she can't afford.

Despite his best efforts,

Duma is yet to be
accepted by the coalition.

But he'll keep trying
to show his worth.

Prove he could be a
valued member of the team.

It's a heroic effort...

..and a successful one.

But it's a victory overshadowed.

Those he was trying to impress
have had success of their own.

They didn't notice
his triumph...

..even when he implores them to.

It's as if he isn't there.

DUMA YELPS

Enough is enough.

He'll dine alone...

..on a meal he earned alone.

But perhaps it wasn't in vain.

Although he's too
absorbed to notice...

..the other cheetahs,
too, have finally seen.

In a sign of acceptance,

they leave their
carcass for his.

Duma has finally
joined the team.

After the river crossing,

the leaderless hippo pod moved
back to the place they knew best.

While all is calm,

Mafuta is taken to
graze on the lush grass

above the river bank.

But tranquillity
doesn't mean peace.

The roaming bull
hasn't given up...

..and he's in a fighting mood.

He takes on a young bull.

A chance to take
Mafuta to safety.

For the roaming
bull, an easy win...

..but he's after
a bigger prize -

the entire hippo pod.

Once more, Mafuta
is in grave danger.

Downstream, the
crossings continue...

..in numbers unthinkable.

The crowds keep building.

The wildebeest have chosen to cross
at the most challenging point.

The rocks are slippery...

..the current fast.

One slip can break a leg.

But nothing stops the crowd.

For Magamba, one last chance.

The rapids are treacherous.

But a wildebeest in trouble
is a gift for Magamba.

Then, just like that...

..gone

Magamba has no choice.

She joins them in the torrents.

She emerges unscathed...

..and it's far from over.

This time her grip is strong.

Magamba finally has the
success she deserves.

A feast at last.

The hippo challenger
decides his next move.

Those who want him gone

will have to confront him.

But none will stand and fight.

The river is now a refuge
for the weak and scared.

With the pod in disarray,

and his father gone,

Mafuta can only
rely on his mother.

The challenger dares any
rivals to step forward.

Nothing.

A pod without a leader
offers weak resistance.

All he needs to do
is assert his power.

There can only be one outcome.

One that Mafuta
can't stay to see.

Again and again,

the bull shows his dominance.

To survive,

Mafuta must flee for his life.

But where can he go?

♪ Serengeti

♪ Serengeti

♪ She is speaking

♪ Hear her whisper. ♪