Siren (2018–…): Season 3, Episode 5 - Mommy and Me - full transcript

Ryn returns to land to explore human motherhood; Maddie and Robb come across a gruesome discovery; Ben experiences mysterious side effects.

Previously on Siren...

The procedure went exceptionally well.

I'm seeing accelerated development

beyond that of a human fetus.

This is an honor to have your baby.

Big push.

Xander's a cop?

- I'm training.
- Whatever.

Listen to me. I won't go back to
being a drunk-ass fisherman alone.

What I thought I saw...

It was real.



When I saw Sarge again,

he told me, "War is coming."

It is here. Tia, she
wants our territory.

My name is Ben Pownall.

I'm a marine biologist from
Bristol Cove, Washington.

I've been conducting
an ongoing experiment,

using myself as a test subject.

Ben.

Ryn. You're back.

Are you okay?

Okay, yes.

She likes the ocean.

A good swimmer.

That makes sense.



What about Tia?

I did not see her.

She must be far away, with her tribe.

The water is quiet.

I was worried about you.

Both of you.

Yeah.

Shh.

Yeah.

She's beautiful.

Wow.

That is a lot of mermaid merch.

Yeah, that's my friend Helen's shop.

Oh. Does Helen also own...

I don't know, like a hundred cats?

She's not a crazy cat lady, if
that's what you're implying.

I'm not implying, I'm
straight-out accusing.

So, Bristol Cove,

mermaid capital of the world.

Why is that?

I don't know.

Guess every place has to
be known for something.

Oh.

I like this town.

What if my organization were to

rent some space from the MRC?

You'd move it all from San
Francisco to Bristol Cove?

No, not all of it.

Work would still continue down south.

But the currents off the coast here

would be a great testing
ground for our technology.

At least that's what the big
brains on my staff tell me.

And maybe I could be involved.

Not maybe.

Definitely.

I want your help.

And I imagine a hefty rent

would help fund the MRC.

Win-win.

Yes. One sec.

Oh, I'm sorry. It's my
friend who just had her baby.

- Oh.
- I'd have to check with Ben,

see what he thinks, but...

Yeah, of course.

I've got a fundraising
thing in Portland today.

Would you be up for a
late dinner tonight?

Yes. I'd love that.

- Okay, great.
- I got to run, but...

Right. Yes.

- See you tonight.
- Okay.

How many people are wearing glasses?

Three.

Yes!

Sorry.

Okay, how many men have beards?

And are those ironic hipster beards?

Oh, hey. You ready for the exam?

I've never been too
good at taking tests,

but sure, I guess.

You?

Two.

What?

Two men... beards.

I'm impressed, McClure.

You're actually showing up.

Because the last thing this world needs

is more drunk-ass fishermen.

You heard me say that to Calvin?

Power of inclusive listening.
Chapter five.

See you at the exam.

Ted.

What brings you here?

- Good morning, Helen.
- I'm very busy.

Big sale today.

Not at all what they're
really like, is it?

I've had some time to
think about this, Helen,

and I have some questions.

In the story you told me,

Charles Pownall and the
mermaid had a baby, okay?

And that child...

My great-grandmother.

So you're one of them?

One-eighth, to be exact.

A hybrid of sorts.

What does that mean for you? Physically?

Well...

I'm not much of a swimmer,
if that's what you're asking.

What about Ryn?

As pure as they come.

When I saw them in the water,

they were scary as hell.

Aggressive.

Apex predators.

It's like some kind of
twisted fairy tale, isn't it?

Welcome to Bristol Cove, Ted.

Where's Ryn?

She's putting the baby to sleep.

I put baby under bed.

Oh, you mean in bed.

No, under.

I don't think that's safe.

In the ocean, we sleep in caves.

She likes it.

I hope you dusted under there.

What is this?

Have a look.

We weren't sure what you needed,

so we brought a collection
of the greatest hits.

That's so you can carry
her close to your body.

- And this?
- A diaper.

Smells good.

Like candy.

Yeah. Not for long.

You put this bit under her bottom,

and then when there's pee or poo,

the diaper catches it.

She keeps it with her?

In her clothes?

Well, no, you change it.

I'll tell her to use the toilet.

Might be a bit young for that.

She will learn.

One of my best-sellers.

Ryn, what made you come back so soon?

Is it Tia?

No.

I want my baby to learn
about sea and land.

To know both worlds.

Like I do.

I want you to show me how
to be a mother on land.

Large coffee and an egg sandwich to go.

- Thanks, Jodi.
- You got it, Mr. Pownall.

Be about ten minutes.

Patty.

- Ted.
- Good to see you.

Good to see you too.

Have a seat.

How's Elaine and the boys?

Good, yeah.

Yeah, everyone's good.

How about you? How are you holding up?

Oh, well...

... just becomes one long day.

And Xander, he's worried about me,

so I force myself to leave the house,

be social.

But I find myself sitting alone,

no matter where I am.

Come over to our place
for dinner tonight.

We'd love that.

I appreciate that.

I would have thought
finding Sean's body,

being able to put him to rest,

that I could start to find some peace.

Yeah. These things take time.

There's no way around it.

My brain is on a never-ending loop.

I cannot stop picturing the
moment he fell overboard.

It just doesn't add up, Ted.

How does a man work on
a boat his entire life

and die like that?

Freak accident.

Things happen.

Not to Sean.

I saw Robb this morning.

He had an idea about the MRC.

He'd like to rent some space.

Maybe the warehouse? It
could help cover our funding.

You want to rent space to a stranger?

He's not a stranger.

He is to me.

It's too risky having someone in there,

close to all of the
stuff we're working on.

Don't you see that?

Nice catch.

Look who just woke up.

Hi, Mama.

- This is food for her?
- Yeah.

Oh, no, Ryn.

We...

On land, they just drink
straight from the bottle.

Like this.

Yeah, that's it.

Nice.

Good girl.

Oh, good appetite.

Maybe we could go to the library,

get some children's books.

A lot of mothers like
reading to their kids.

Yes. Reading.

I like this.

Never too young to start.

I'll see you all later. I
got to get back to the shop.

Hi! Mwah, mwah!

We will go when she's done eating.

Yummy.

Okay, okay...

Oh, hey.

Oh, hey.

Wow. That's her.

Yes.

Wow.

What's her name?

Baby.

Well, she's a miracle.

Okay, I'm happy for you.

Thank you, Xander.

You helped me.

Oh, sorry. I got to run.

Big exam, but wish me luck.

Good luck!

You don't have to call
her Baby, you know.

You can pick any name you want.

No.

She's Baby.

Okay, that works.

Miss Brennan, the exam is over.

Doing my best, ma'am.

Miss Brennan.

I started this research to
help my mother, Elaine Pownall.

She's been confined to a wheelchair.

Paraplegic for the past decade
due to a boating accident.

To date, she has received

three doses of aquatic stem cells,

has recovered minor sensation

throughout her lower extremities.

Her treatments were terminated
due to a shortage of cells.

But I have located another source.

And rather than expose
my mother to any risk,

I have decided to conduct
an experiment on myself

to better understand its viability.

As of today, I have injected myself

with three doses of aquatic stem cells.

The same as my mother.

I've experienced rapid
and complete healing

of a deep wound on my right hand...

... leaving no visible signs of trauma.

This morning, I had an episode

of acute hearing...

I've also had moments of
improved reflex response.

I will continue to inject myself

with the stem cells,

and monitor my results.

So far, the effects
have been significant.

But what I hope to discover is...

What are the limits?

Waiting to gloat?

No. I just wanted to
see if you were okay.

What are you up to?

Okay.

Someone must have seriously
hurt you in your life,

because, I mean, you
don't trust for shit.

I know I failed.

I can't screw up again.

Okay, so you won't.

Hey, let me buy you a drink, okay?

Tonight, at the Anchor.

Maybe all you need to
do is just chill out.

That's your solution?
Get drunk at the Anchor?

Yeah.

Thanks, but no thanks.

Not really in a social mood.

I'm trying to find this book

about an elephant who loved letters.

Welcome.

Come on in.

Nice to see you.

Welcome to Mommy & Me.

Oh, won't you join us?

- Okay, yes.
- Okay.

Maybe it was a lion who loved letters.

One, two, three...

Oh, God.

Okay.

This is a group.

I've been invited.

Okay.

It takes a village to raise a child,

so all are welcome to
stay and participate.

Thank you.

Well, looks like we have
a few new moms today.

So please introduce
yourself, your little one,

and tell us how old your baby is.

Hi, I'm Kate. This is my baby, Beckett.

And Beckett just turned
two months old yesterday.

Aw.

Hi, I am Ryn.

And this is my baby, Baby.

And how old is Baby?

Two months old yesterday.

How fun. They have the same birthday.

I thought it would be nice

to go around the circle

and just say the first
thing that comes to mind

when I ask you what you
want most for your baby.

Let's go ahead and start with you.

To be happy.

Wonderful.

I agree. Just to be happy.

To find purpose.

To be successful.

To survive.

Yeah, I mean, it's a
scary world out there.

To swim.

Water safety. So important.

To hunt for herself.

She lives on a farm.

That's...

Marissa.

Mr. Pownall, what can I do for you?

I need Dale.

Sheriff's still out on that case.

If I can help you...

This is something I need to
discuss with Dale in private.

Tell him to call me.

Yes, sir.

I appreciate you getting
out, helping me train.

Well, it's good for me too.

Clear the mind.

Hey, I saw Ryn's baby...

earlier, at the library.

It's weird, man.

Feels like she's mine.

I'm going to help raise her.

That seems normal to me.

Dude!

Dude!

Sorry, man. I...

I thought I was in better shape.

You been... You been training, huh?

Yeah.

Something like that.

Your granddaughter's going to love it.

I'm sure she will.

Thank you.

Hello, Helen.

What's brought you to land?

My sale?

All these toys are designed

to stimulate visual and auditory senses.

Here, like this.

This just, like, makes a sound.

Just... yeah.

What is this song?

Oh, a lullaby.

Sometimes moms sing this
to comfort their babies,

get them to sleep.

I like this song.

Nowadays, there are
so many different ways

to raise a child,

and just as many styles of parenting.

One such style is called
attachment parenting.

It promotes continuous
bodily closeness and touch.

You're never supposed to
put your baby down, right?

Yes, that's the ideal.

If you never put the baby down,

then how does the baby learn to fight?

Well...

That's an interesting question.

What is it doing?

I suppose your baby never cries?

No.

If my baby cried, it would be eaten.

What?

All these babies would be eaten.

Okay, Ryn, I think we should go.

Thank you. We have to...

Yeah, we have to head out.

So, thank you so much.

Thank you.

_

_

Hey.

Looks like you have some visitors.

We have come to take baby.

What? Take her?

It is time.

No. Never.

Ben.

Friend.

It's good to see you, Levi.

Ben.

Friend.

Yeah.

- Where's Ryn?
- Talking.

I'm going to check on them.

What's going on?

Levi and Mate came to get the baby,

take it to the water.

Why?

The men always take the babies.

They teach them to fight,

to survive in the water.

That is their job.

Hey.

What do you want?

I know this is how is it done.

My mother, she gave me away.

I did not see her again
until I was older.

But...

There is something...

In here.

A feeling

that tells me not to give her away.

Your maternal instinct.

Your human maternal instinct.

Maybe I can raise Baby on land.

Maybe I can do it differently.

If she doesn't go back to the water,

she may never adapt.

She may never be one of your kind.

Ryn,

this child is your people's hope.

Does it have to be the males?

Maybe you could be the one to
take her in the water instead.

No.

They give her things I cannot.

We've seen it in other aquatic species.

The males trigger a different
hormonal response in the young.

It can affect their growth, development.

She's crying.

She's not supposed to cry.

She's been on land too long.

Ben, we must go.

I need you to promise me

that you will protect
the baby in the water.

Promise?

A promise is when you say
that you will do something

and you do it, no matter what.

Then, yes, I promise.

With my life.

We'll wait until dark.

It'll be safer then.

_

I'm sorry, wait.

So you get a shot
because I passed my exam?

Is that how this is working?

Yeah. Celebration by association.

- Okay, all right. Fair enough.
- Let's go.

Congratulations, Xander.

Having never passed an
exam in high school,

- the odds were with you.
- Ah-ha.

Funny. You got jokes. You're hilarious.

Annie, hey! Come on.
Come on over, come on.

- She seems familiar.
- Yeah, she's my partner.

Remember, the one that helped me

save both your asses the other night?

- No?
- Oh. Yeah, right.

Look, I'm glad you changed your mind.

- Janine, could we get three more shots?
- Coming up.

How's your Girls Gone
Wild cruise line going?

Hm.

That was merely a bump in the road.

We run a very reputable mermaid
sighting excursion line.

I wouldn't call one boat a "line."

- Shall we?
- Oh, I should probably not drink that.

Okay, well, last I checked,

today was Friday.

Which means we've got two days

to be whatever kind of idiots we want.

Yeah, come on. I got your back.

Okay, fine, McClure.

You make a solid argument.

When it comes to
drinking, he always does.

_

_

Ready, Ryn?

It's dark. It'll be
safer for them to go now.

Yes.

It's the right decision.

She needs to be back in the water.

It's where she belongs.

For now.

_

_

_

_

_

_

_

_

_

_

She must learn to survive in the water.

It's the only way.

You're doing the right thing.

Helen said she is hope for my people.

This will be her new name.

"Hope."

Ryn, that's beautiful.

When we meet again, you will be grown.

You will not remember this time with me.

So I will remember for us both.

Go learn and be strong.

I will protect.

I promise.

I was wrong about you.

You're one of the good ones.

Yeah, well, I was wrong about you too.

I mean, you know, you're still a pain

in the ass and everything, but...

I take that as a compliment.

We definitely got to, you know,

work on the whole
liquor tolerance thing.

But you're cool.

It's my ex-girlfriend.

What?

The one who hurt me so bad
I don't trust for shit.

Oh, no.

Wow.

What happened?

It's so boring and cliché
it'll put you to sleep.

Oh. She cheated.

The first time was okay.

The second time was bearable.

And it was after that
I started wondering

what was wrong with me.

Well, you know, for what it's worth,

what she did,

seems more about her
than it does about you.

What the hell? Look.

Those guys, they're going in the water.

- They got a baby.
- No, wait...

Hey, stop! Wait!

Yes, hello? There's two men in
the ocean, and they've got a baby.

- They just went under!
- Who are you calling?

911.

What? Yes, Thompson Beach.

We'll be here.

How long will they keep Hope for?

Until she is grown.

Able to hunt.

Given the pregnancy,

they grow a lot faster than we do.

Might not be as long as we think.

Oh...

- You are okay?
- _

I forgot I had this dinner plan.

I just need to cancel it.

- It's...
- Robb?

Yeah.

You should go.

It is good.

You are love.

Ben is love.

That doesn't change,

even if you two are not together.

I'm always here for you.

Look, Hope won't be gone forever.

You miss her too?

You're positive that's what you saw?

Yes.

Two men, and they had a baby.

They just disappeared under the waves.

And you saw that too?

I didn't see anything.

What? You were standing
right next to me.

Miss Brennan, it'd be real
wise of you to let him finish.

I mean, you know, we've
been drinking some, so...

Making a false 911 call
is a serious violation

of state penal code.

It wasn't false.

A deputy in training ought to know that.

Both of you.

Come on, guys, let's go!

What the hell was that about?
Why'd you do that?

I didn't tell you to call 911.

Well, I see two men walking
a baby into the water,

I'm calling it in.

Unless that isn't what you saw.

You know, maybe it
could've been the shadows.

What? Are you crazy?

Maybe you just had more
to drink than you thought.

That's how you want to play it?

I didn't see what you saw.

You said you had my back.
This is how you show it?

She could report me.

Come on, she's not going
to report you, okay?

She's going to forget
about it in, like, an hour.

Oh, no, she won't. Even
if she doesn't report me,

she's going to remember it
every time she sees my face.

Thanks for having my back.

Partner.

Ann...

I'm so sorry I messed
up our fancy dinner.

Are you kidding me?

I have been to thousands
of fancy dinners,

and trust me, none compare to this.

Mm.

- Oh, my God.
- Wow.

Mm-hmm.

Why does this combo taste so good?

I guess some things just
work better together.

Cheers.

- How was Portland?
- Great.

We raised some more money.

This movement, it's
really gaining momentum.

People want change.

Can't keep treating the planet
like it's an endless resource.

- Totally agree.
- This project's moving forward.

Beta testing here is the next step.

Get this technology working.

Oh, and did you speak to Ben

about renting space at the MRC?

He didn't go for it.

Sorry.

That's cool.

We'll find another place to rent.

Mm.

You know what?

Forget it.

- What?
- Come on.

- Where are we going?
- Come on.

You'll see.

Okay.

You're back.

- Use your words.
- She sent me.

- Who?
- Tia.

Katrina chooses Tia.

Katrina is with them now?

They were her family when she was born.

- What about the others?
- Some got away.

Others try to fight and are killed.

- What, and you got out?
- No.

She let me go.

To tell you.

Tell me what?

Come with her...

Or die.

Ta-da!

Wow.

- This could work.
- Yeah.

Is there a weird smell in here?

Like a little musty?

No.

Like something rotting.

No, I don't smell it.

- Really?
- No.

I think it's coming from here.

We used to store food for
the sea lions in the freezer.

Yeah, trust me,

the sea lions definitely don't
want whatever's in there.

Okay.

What is that?

I must make the water safe for Hope.

I want to help you.

This is a fight beneath the water.

There's nothing you can do.

- Ted.
- So, how was the sale?

A windfall.

I ran into Patty yesterday.

Asked her how she was holding up.

Know what she said?

Of course I do.

She's my friend.

They killed her husband, those things.

Didn't they?

We've managed to keep
everything under control

for the past 150 years.

Three deaths in town, shots fired.

Two murders.

Does not feel like things
are under control, Helen.

What do you want, Ted?

I want information.

I want to know where they are.

How many there are.

And what are you going to
do with this information?

I don't know yet.

Then I say no.

There's no point in your having it.