Significant Others (2022–…): Season 1, Episode 1 - Episode #1.1 - full transcript

Sarah put a wrecking ball through her family and through the family home, too. Now she has vanished. Putting the pieces back together is either going to tear her family apart, or rebuild them anew.

Ciaran.

Ciaran, wake up.
Mum's already gone.

Ciaran.

Ciaran?

Shit!

Mum!

Mum!

Hold on!
My mum's still out there!

I've got you. You've gotta help me
help you, OK?

I'm trying to save your life.
Let me.

How long?



She says it's her mum.

I think she's 16.

Hold still.
You've got something on your eye.

No, I don't.

Did you get it?
Yes.

Fish head.

- What's that? The cops?
- Stay in your seats.

I'm the one who'll get
the frickin' fine.

Ciaran Houlihan?

Come on, mate.
We just need to talk to you.

Um,
she's been missing all morning.

Uh, I don't know the details.

I mean, it's nothing.
It's just, uh...

No, sorry. Sorry. What? What?



What are you saying, Claire?

Where are you?
At rehearsal.

No. So, sorry -
who else have you told?

No, uh, I can't get onto Ursula,

because no-one answers the phone
in this family, so, um...

Claire.
Claire, get your shit together.

I'll get packed and...
Get your shit together!

We're needed.

OK! I'll see you there.

Bye.

Uh,
you've reached Ursula Crawford.

I'm currently unavailable.
Please leave a message.

Fuck.

Um, do you want a drink, or...

No, I'm fine.
'Cause we have, like, juice...

I have a water bottle. Thank you.

We've got, um...

..Wagon Wheels.

I'm fine, thanks.

What about you, Hanna?
Want something to eat?

I feel like... I'd probably spew.

You'll have a lot of adrenaline
in your system.

It might cause some nausea.

What should we do?

For now, we're gonna have to wait
for an adult to get here.

Um, that's your...

Auntie Claire?

Mum would choose her.

What if I don't remember things
right and I tell them to you wrong?

Look, Hanna, your brain
is probably finding strengths

that you didn't even know it had.

You're going to replay the events
of today back like a film,

probably for your whole life.

Is that the helicopter search?

Thank you.

Hi.

Hi. Hi.

I didn't know you were renovating.

We didn't want Auntie Ursula
coming over.

No?

Alright. Well, um...

Mum hates her.
Yeah.

Yeah, I know, Han.

Um... Auntie Claire's coming
from the mountains

and, um, she and I will...
be in charge,

so don't worry.

Oh, hi. Uh, Den Houlihan.

Den. Nice to meet you.
Can I ask you a few questions?

Yeah, sure.
Uh, sit down.

So, what's your relationship
with Sarah and the children?

She's my sister -

I'm adopted -

and nephew and niece.

Would you say that your sister's
a confident swimmer?

We grew up around here, so yeah.

Did you notice any recent changes
in Sarah's life?

Uh...

no, I didn't.

Well, I wouldn't have anyway.

So would you have known if anyone
new came into Sarah's life?

I just, um...

It's OK. Take your time.

I just don't know, because...

we had a bit of, um...

..we had a bit of a falling-out.

About this house, actually.

And, uh, I didn't speak to her for...

Oh, it's gotta be months.

Could easily be a year. God!

I feel like I'm floating, a bit...

..right now...

..to be honest.

It's as though I'm in this room...

but... hovering over it.

Isn't that weird?

No, that... that's quite normal.

Alright. So...

Ooh. Sorry.

Sorry. I'm sorry about this.

Den, I'm at work!

Oh. Um, have you heard?

I'll bet this is about Sarah.

You haven't heard.

You know she only speaks to me
through her bloody lawyer now.

Do you know? She hasn't started
work on the house, has she?

Sarah's missing.

Uh...

OK. Well, I can try
calling her but, um...

Claire's been trying her as well.

She went out for a swim and...

Um, sorry - why does that matter?

Ursula, she's been
missing since dawn.

And, uh... are you with Scott?

No. Why?
I meant to check that.

You might need a place to chat.
OK.

Just...

Sorry. Sorry about this.
I'll just...

I just...
She's gone and, uh...

Alright. Well, I can come right now.
I mean... is that what you want?

No, no. No.

Uh...

I don't know how to say this
but the kids don't want you here.

Ursula, they don't.

Uh... Den, they're children and,
uh... you know, this is my sister,

so don't be ridiculous
with me, please.

No, I'll keep you updated but please,
don't come. Not yet.

Um, it's what they want.

OK.

Go to... go to Scott.
OK.

I gotta go.
Yep.

Uh, sorry about that.

Um... OK. So, uh...

It's at this point I like to talk
through the next... 33 years.

That's the life
of this type of mortgage.

Um, the formal process is already
under way with the bank,

so, as your broker,

I encourage you to make
a purchase offer with confidence.

That... Yes? Great!

You good?
Yeah.

Probably should phone in
our ETA, eh?

Is it your brother I should call?
Dan, is it?

The adopted one?
I don't know their names yet.

Who's the one you all hate?

Yeah, OK. Uh...

I don't think I want
to get back in the car.

Oh, sorry. It is a bit of a mess.
I tried to tidy it up.

Yeah. No. I just know
we don't have a future, so...

You're not serious, are you?

Les, um, there's some of your stuff
back at the house,

so just leave your key.

Sorry.

Uh, what's your mum's password?

8008.

Like 'boob' upside-down
on a calculator.

And what about your mum's laptop?

Yeah, so, I actually just...
I need to look at her Facebook.

And... I'm not on Facebook and
she un-friended Uncle Den, so...

Like, she's still logged in.

Uncle Den?
Look, it's totally fine.

You can keep it overnight.

Keep me updated with anything
you think I should know, yeah?

Yeah.

Me and Hanna want to go
and look for Mum.

No, you shouldn't do that.

I know you don't want to hear this

but your place is here at home.

Hungry?

Something simple? Something nice.

Oh, Hanna, I think you'd like
a sweet corn and cheese jaffle.

What's a jaffle?
You know, mate.

A toasted sandwich.

They're toasted
in a toasted sandwich maker.

Oh, your nan's old one
will be here somewhere.

Our family don't call it that.

What do you call a toasted sandwich?

A toasted sandwich.

OK. Well, would you like one?

I keep feeling like I'm gonna spew,
so...

Oh. How about I get you
a sickie bucket?

I'm not going to. It's just, like...
It's just how I feel.

Alright.

Well, I'm gonna get a scrunchie
for your hair,

in case you do need to do vomits.

Auntie Ursula's outside.

What?

Did you ring her?

Look...

I did, mate.

Wayne!
Hey. I'm so sorry.

I love you. I love you.

Oh! Hey, Ciaran.

Hey, Uncle Wayne.
Oh, you've shot up, mate.

Is this dog Patricia?
No, it's Narelle.

Patricia, um...
We rescued another one.

Like you, Uncle Den. A rescue.

Yeah.

A lot of people make that joke.
Yeah. Come on.

I'd better get this stuff
in the freezer

before the Neapolitan merges.

Hi.
Hi.

What happened to you?
Sorry.

I would have been here sooner
but I had a funeral, of all things.

My biggest tulip order this year.
Ciaran thinks you're Ursula.

No, she's parking.

Oh, Hanna!

Hey. Come on.

No.

Mum thought you were a bitch.
Oh. OK.

I mean, we need to ring around
her friendship circle.

I mean, it's...
Look, it's mostly colleagues.

We can make inquiries
at Sarah's work.

What about the children's father?

Uh, well, no. I mean, he's never...

Look, she had this affair
in Denmark, you know?

She had this sort of...

Oh, Ursula!

..thing for a few...

Yes, Den?
That doesn't matter.

Well, I'm just saying that Sarah
can have her 'look at me' moments.

But that's not what this is about.
Isn't it?

Did anyone see her
go into the water?

Yes!
Right?

Hanna.

Dear god. Hanna saw her?

Yes.

Look, we might not
get answers today.

The police and the lifeguard will
continue the search until sundown.

What happens then?
The children are at... wit's end.

Now, let's just...
let's just calm the farm.

Oh, look, I do have a role here.
Thank you, Wayne.

What happens at sundown?

Well, it depends

but generally, a search like this
will pause overnight.

She has been in the water
since daybreak.

When should we tell the kids
that the search has stopped?

They might figure it out
for themselves.

Aren't we better to tell them sooner

so at least they know
what that's all about?

Perhaps, yes.
No. I don't want them told.

Well, they need to trust us...
It's too much for them.

Den.
What?

I mean, can you...?
No.

Look, it's clear that Ciaran
wants to join the search

but it's one thing I know,
from experience, he must not do.

You all need to be
in agreement on that.

Where's Claire?

God!

Nowhere, I'll bet.

I'm happy to wait for Claire.

I also suggest you all avail
yourself to a counsellor online.

Oh, no. We really do
love each other.

You know, our family - we...

We do. Tremendously.

Come, boy!

Hey. Want to give me a hand?
Hey.

You're Mal, yeah?
Yeah.

I'm George. George McAver.

Can I come with you?

Come on.

Hop on the back.

We'll lift him in. Here we go.

Yep, yep, yep. Keep going.

Everyone at school's so sad.

It just...

makes me want to die,
'cause, like...

..I don't know how you're gonna cope.

- Hi.
- Hi.

Hi.
Hi. We brought food.

Oh. OK.

Hey. How are you going?

Oh. Sorry.
Them right here, thanks.

Um, what... what's this?

Oh, we worked with Sarah.
We won't... hang around long.

Just brought dinner, so...
Keep you going for a while.

It's too early for dinner.

We'll just pre-heat the oven. Hey?

Oh, well.

People gave flowers? Now?

Mmm. And gerberas, as if we
didn't have enough to deal with.

Why don't you ask
one of the family members?

See if they know how it works.

I am one. I'm her brother.

Oh.
180?

Uh... yeah.

It was swimming, right?
Sarah was swimming?

You should come and visit.

When you're ready, of course.

Come and collect her things
from her locker.

And... come and find me.

I can help.

George. We're pulling up stumps.

Oi! George! George!

Time to head in. We've done our bit.

Check it out, eh? I'm stiff
from holding on too tight.

You'll never believe
what she's done to the house.

No, no, no. Don't. No, don't come.
I just...

Oh, shit!

No, I'm under the house.
I can't... frickin' see anything.

Yeah.

No, no, don't. Don't.
Don't come get me.

I'm just...

I don't know.
I think I need to stay.

Yeah.

Um...

..in the freezer, there's a lasagne.

Oh... just take it out

and, uh, put it on the sink.

Let it defrost.
Or do it in the microwave.

It's, like, 5 minutes
in the microwave.

Just use the auto-defrost -
otherwise you're gonna cook it.

Becky, you've got it. It's OK.

You're doing really well.

It must be awful.

It's really hard.
Like... none of us saw it coming.

No, of course.
Like, it was just, like...

Hey, mate.

How you going?

I reckon your aunt's not gonna be
too thrilled with you smoking.

Mum lets me.

It's just nicotine, right?

No.

No, mate. Come on. Stub it out.

You don't stub it out. It's a vape.

So, are you, uh...

are you still into basketball?

Sort of.

You play?

Not anymore.

Oh, fuck it. Come on. Give it to me.

What do I do?

Press the button.
Wait for the light to go red.

Where's the button?

It's hydro.

A bit harsh on your throat.

Guys.
Mmm.

I was just making him stop.

Yeah. Put it out.
Make it stop.

Ooh. Oh, that's not
good for you, mate.

Not around me. Got it?

Goodnight.
Are you leaving?

Yeah. It's family time.

Has the helicopter gone?

What?

Do you know?

Is it stopping? Uncle Wayne...

Yeah. Ciaran... we've got...
Look...

They're meant to have
massive spotlights, yeah?

You can see they've been
searching all day...

No, no - there should be
TV trucks on the lawn!

Or is it just like
she doesn't matter?

No. These decisions were made,
that it's what's...

And why can't we go down there
and look for her?

'Cause her body
might be washed up and...

That's precisely why.

Do not go down there tonight,
Ciaran.

What if you tried
a little bit harder?

Mate...

And called them up and said that...
my mum could be clinging to a rock?

Ciaran...
'Cause that could be true too.

It's...
OK?

OK?

Yes.

I can do that.

You're so strong.
Stronger than you know.

You've got this.

G'day, Ciaran.
Uh, Garry from next door.

Uh, we did meet once.

I just wanted to say that when
my father died of mesothelioma...

Oh, well... Oh, that's OK.

It's OK...
Can you go?

Can you all go?
You're allowed to be upset...

You didn't even know my mum.

This doesn't
change your life, Becky.

I don't get why you're even crying.
Ciaran!

Look, tonight's not the night
to be...

What?

They've stopped the search.

Did you know that?

They all knew. Stops at night.

I'll just, uh, pop this down here
on the end of the table.

Who are all these people
in my house?!

We can go.
Yeah, thanks. Go.

Thank you.

Bye.

Thanks.

Ah. Um... I just came to, um...

We've had a lot of visitors tonight
and, um...

Oh. Yeah, OK.

Shall I turf this?

I know at times like this,

people like to keep things.

Like garbage?
I can take it for you.

Oh, thanks.

I just know that when my father died
of mesothelioma, he...

Hey.
I... I, um...

Yellow bin. Recycling.

I don't think this is recycling.

Yeah.

Hey, um...

You know they stopped the search?

Like, the helicopter went away
because it's night.

Yeah. I was out there.

Out on the water?

That smells really bad.

You OK?
Mmm.

Oh!

I'm sorry. Sorry.

Let's get away from the bin, hey?

Ah.
God, some of it went on your foot.

Is that on my hands?
My spew?

Bin juice. Sorry. Um...
That's OK. No...

I'm sorry.
You're fine. No. Keep doing that.

OK. "Wanted"...

No. Not wanted.
'Missing', darling.

Oh.

Um, that one?

No.

Um...

You can't see her eyes there.
Yeah.

Oh. Sorry.
Can't believe I'm saying this.

The photo. It's not very flattering.

I think it's very her.

Is there another one, Han?

Um... I mean, like, there's that one
on her Tinder profile.

But, like, that's
on her phone, so...

What about the one in the hall?

Mum?

What's taken you so long, Claire?

Could we try a different font?

I think
the writing's really good.

Yeah? Well...

Could we put some music on,
or something?

Oh, what about that, um,
Spiderbait song?

I always think of, um...

Revolting.

That wine is revolting.

It's giving me a headache.

Hey, I took... I took that.

I took that photo.

It was at my place,
before I moved to the mountains

and I love it.

So can we... can we just
choose another one?

Sorry.
But it's perfect.

What's perfect about
the photo that I...

You know, we've been getting
lots of things done today, Claire.

Uh, yeah, well, I...
I guess I'm just drunk.

Um... Ahhh.

Drunk!

Oh, and sorry about the...
honey mead,

or whatever it is.

Tasted a lot nicer in the
little cups at the tasting.

Yeah, that happens. It's OK.

Claire, did you go to a wine tasting
before you got here?

- No.
- OK.

So, we literally just have
leftover Christmas sticky tape

but I think... that's fine.

Maybe I don't want to just
hand over the photo,

so it becomes THAT photo, you know?

OK.

But we got it off her Facebook,
so it's not really that private.

She just looks
really pretty in that pic

and we've started and the cartridge
always fucks up and...

Can we just...
I'm sorry for swearing but...

It's late. We can decide
in the morning.

It's not like we're gonna put this up
tonight anyway, are we?

Can I have a longer bit?

Is that enough?
Yep.

We can head back any time.

No, I don't... The posters matter.

Yeah.
Yeah.

Absolutely they do, darling.
Like, in case she got confused.

Did she seem confused?

Well, yeah, it was like she...

waved to me.

Oh, yeah? When?

In the water. It was like
she looked back and saw me.

What do you mean?

Mum put her hand up,
so it looked like she waved to me.

Well... that would have been her
trying to alert the lifesaver.

Yeah.
Don't you reckon?

Yeah.
Yeah.

Except... I was the only one in the
water and she looked right at me.

Do you know what? It's really late.

And it's been a shocking day...

Yeah.
You know, maybe...

I just think that Mum
might have, like, whacked her head

or something made her, like,
not know where she was.

You know?

She didn't want to go.

Like, she wasn't...

She wouldn't have been
saying goodbye, would she?

No!

No. No, it was an accident.
No, absolutely.

Yeah, so now she's, like,
out there with her memory loss.

That's what I reckon.

Yep.

Ciaran, have you got
any mates from school

that you'd like to have around you?

Yeah. We could, um, arrange someone
you could talk things over with.

A lot of people at school are dicks.

Are they?

I've been getting heaps of messages
but... from randoms.

And they're being nice?

Yeah.

Trying to think of something
I should say back.

You just look after number one, hmm?

That's very OK right now.

Ciaran!

Ciaran, I thought we said we weren't
gonna go down the beach, yeah?

Mate!

I told that policewoman!
Fuckin' yes!

Yes!

Ciaran, go and put some shoes on!

You right?

I'm Sarah's sister.

Where's Sarah?
Um...

Ciaran, whoa. Might be better
if I deal with this.

Is she alright?

Uh, Sarah went for
a swim yesterday and...

Where is she?
Um...

Well, we don't know.

If she... Sorry.

It's just...

it's just a really difficult time
for the family and, um...

What can I do? I want to help.
No, no, nothing!

You don't need to do anything.
We just...

You know, we need space, actually.

We just... we just...
need a bit of space.

But what about the build?
Is... are you...

Ciaran!
You're gonna stay, right?

Ciaran...
Aah! Aah!

For heaven's sake. In you go.

You know the builder has to
come back to finish it.

Like, he actually has to.

I know. Just saying it
doesn't make it true.

Did you get to sleep last night?

Don't know.

I think, if I get really stoned,
maybe...

Mmm. Probably a good idea.

You need to sleep.

Just until Mum gets back.

What?

What. What was it?

Hey.
Hey.

Oh, hey.

Hey.

Just went for a, um...

swim.

Saw some dolphins.

Ahh.

Ursula, what are you...
I'm tidying.

Stop!
I'm just tidying.

You can't just be
going through their...

And I found this.

Oh, fuck.

Your aunt has really nice stuff.

Not really.

Just don't touch it.

I had, um...

I had a dream last night.

It was about your mum.

Do you want to play PlayStation,
or something?

I wan to look after you.

How?

I don't know.

Don't. Don't.
What?

You could...

Your aunt won't care.
No, it's...

Smell it.

Come on.

Inhales.

We lost two Christmases
to all that shit with Mum's will.

It isn't. I mean, you know,
she wouldn't... This isn't...

We're not even gonna go there,

because it'd be too selfish,
even for Sarah.

Oh, my god.

Do you hear yourself?

Having a go at her even now!

You hear yourself? Blaming me?

And Sarah is selfish.

You know that.

Well, she nursed our mother.
She cared for her every night.

Sarah lives her entire life with
other people cleaning up her mess.

But not even Sarah would just...

..leave a note for her children.

Well, then,
why aren't we opening it?

What took you so long
to get here yesterday, Claire?

Now I feel pretty terrible about
saying she's been inconsiderate.

Wow.

Wow.

Ursula, it's for the kids!

Yeah. Of course.

Huh.

You know what?
Ciaran needs cheering up.

Ciaran...
Oh, god.

Oh, sorry.
Oh, shit. Sorry.

- Sorry.
- Get out!

Get out of my fucking house!

Fuck!

Hi.

I didn't want you going out of
your way, so thank you, Hanna.

We're going to check through
everything -

your mum's banking
and things like that, OK?

Yeah. In case she's still
using her card? Thought of that.

We also put up missing posters

and I worked out all the passwords
for her socials.

Oh, that was clever.

Um... I can give them to you.

If you want me to.

Can I talk to Hanna for a minute?

Sure.

Thank you.

Mum had plans.

What sort of plans?

Like... making the house better.

It's sort of all falling apart.

She didn't tell them, 'cause
she knew they'd try and stop her.

Who's 'they'?

My uncle and aunts.

They made Mum feel, like,
really bad about what she'd done.

What did she do?
Nothing! Like...

She just loved Nan more, you know?

She got the house. Like... she won.

That's how adults are.

They don't even recycle.

Not properly.

Well, look, I can't arrest them
over that.

Can you stop them taking our house?

Hanna, these people,
they care about you

and I'm certain of that.

Grief just does
funny things to people.

You think she's dead.

I don't.

I think I'm still looking
for the answers for you.

You're not alone.

None of us are...
Yep.

You know, yesterday, you asked Den

if there was someone new
in Mum's life?

You should have asked me.

You have reached the
police trauma counselling hotline.

Please hold and one of our operators
will be with you shortly.

If you or anyone you know
is at risk of harm,

please call emergency services.

Mmm.

Who brought the quiche?

You have to taste this.
Really?

Mmm. Careful. It's hot.

Let's wait till she comes back.

Hello?

Hello?

You're there?

Hello?

Did... did you get this number
off the poster?

We need you to answer us, please.

Mum?

Mum, is that you?

Captions by Red Bee Media

Copyright
Australian Broadcasting Corporation

Someone tore them down.

No-one was more furious with Sarah
than you two!

You... you hated her for what
she did to us! You hated her!

I think he was
going through Sarah's stuff.

Hey, man. Don't be slack.
His mum just died.

I don't want my siblings
seeing my messages to Sarah.

Sarah said she told her sister
everything.

I...
She said that, did she?