The Accident (2019): Season 1, Episode 2 - Episode #1.2 - full transcript

Today should be fun.

Let's give this place a makeover.

Oh, Rhys, come on!

It was a gas explosion,

but we hadn't connected our
gas supply.

I'm going to make a statement saying
what we know.

That this was done cheap as chips.

She was there because it was yours
and so was everyone else.

An explosion has to be triggered
by something.

I can't work out if we're
responsible for this.

If you want a chair,
I don't have another.



You'll have to sit on the ground.

Are you talking to me?

I haven't got a seat for you, love.

I don't want a seat.

Why are you writing everything down?

Police -

the ones that were there when we
were been questioned.

They're doing an examination of
the site - part of their report.

They search your house?

Yes.

They turned Mia's room upside down.

"Why was she on the site?

"What do you think she wanted there?

"Cause criminal damage?"



I think they're setting up to blame
it on our kids.

So, if we've records...

I'm also recording it.

It's Bluetooth.

What are your lawyer say you're
going to get?

For your fatal accident claim.

I'm going to be offered 15 grand,
he says.

Useless bugger.

Does that seem right?

It doesn't seem right to me.

No.

Leona's going to get more,
of course,

because she lived and she needs
the care.

And that's...

..that's fine.

So, I'm here, making sure someone...

..making sure someone takes
responsibility for...

..making sure that some takes
responsibility for it all.

It's good that you're doing this.

The question is - how could this
happen in a developed country?

First Grenfell, now this...

Do you know? If you're not better
behaved,

I'll sing and no-one wants that.

She won't want to see me.

Of course she will.

Hi. Have you got 20p for...?

Yeah.

There you go.

Oh, ta.

Oh, you're the mother.

I'm the mother? Whose mother?

I'm not your mother, unless you're
a lot younger than I thought

and I'm a lot older and that trip to
Bristol zoo with Ben Jenkins

was more memorable than even
I remember.

He was a looker, that Ben Jenkins.

Quite a speech you made.

Very powerful.

Oh...

That mother.

What did you mean by that?

"This is your site. You did this."

Who are you visiting in
the hospital?

You said the site was as cheap as
chips, I'd love to know why.

I'm here, with my husband,
visiting my seriously ill daughter.

Do you really think this is an
appropriate place for journalism?

I'm not actually a journalist...

Her progress is less rapid
than we'd have hoped it might be.

Will she walk again?

I suspect not.

But she'll talk again? I mean...

..is she brain-damaged?

All signs still point to a full
brain recovery,

but that organ is most mysterious.

The second thing we need to discuss
is the police.

They're adamant they need to talk to
her and there are fewer

and fewer reasons to prevent them
from doing so.

You just said she might be
brain-damaged.

She can still give some answers.

Please.

Do you think this is as good as
she's going to get?

No, I didn't say that.

Cos you've been waiting for
progress and now there isn't any.

You might as well let the police
talk to her.

Because it's your father's birthday
and he wants you to.

Frank's in your office.

Harriet?

Because maybe you're at an age where
you can understand a complication.

You've visitors.

Got to go.

Morning.

I've walked into the wrong office.

This is George and Laura,
our lawyers.

Ah-ha. This is a hijacking.

-Hello, George.
-Pleasure.

-Laura.
-Hi.

So, Harriet, you're a senior vice
president for development control

and, as such, you were running a
number of sites for Kallbridge.

I believe I still am.

Sorry, legalese, I'm afraid, we are
referring to your position

when events occurred.

Fine.

We've been able to map movements of
the children through

the development complex.

They entered here and travelled
towards the basement, where...

You can see they're very close to
the equipment.

We don't have a shot of them
doing anything,

but we also don't have full coverage
of the room.

So it was them?
This proves it was them.

It proves questions of liability
are complicated.

Like I say, we don't have full
coverage, so we haven't been able

to definitively state what
caused ignition,

we believe a cigarette,
but the blast was caused

by a significant number of oxygen
and acetylene canisters

stacked, contrary to regulation,
in a basement.

Which leaves us with three problems.

One - security arrangements,

a group of minors in the building
for that amount of time

without being spotted and stopped.

Two - the problem of
these canisters,

clear breach of health
and safety.

And three - the rate of collapse of
the building,

which is something we don't
yet understand.

Our level of culpability could be
a concern.

Debbie, I was shouting for you.

You couldn't...

Oh, Jesus, I'm not a runner.

Well, there's a meeting now.

Yeah, you're coming.

I've had every single charity there
is offering to pay for our funerals.

We've got to do it ourselves.

Newspapers, too,

for a subtle exclusive.

By which they mean, they mean
pictures, at the grave site.

Jesus.

And it's made me realise the power
of them,

the statement of them, so I think
we need to do them together.

Together?

Yes, Greta, it's the best
way of getting attention.

Now, the trouble is which priest,
or such, does it?

Do we do lots?

We're not doing freaking lots.

We've got to decide.

I haven't had time to think
this through.

Polly, tell her this is a good idea.

It's a really good idea.

You see?

Even Debbie says so.

My daughter needs to be buried a
Welsh Presbyterian.

I know.

And I need our minister to do
the service.

Polly, help here.

How many religions are
we talking about?

We've got Welsh Presbyterian,
we've got Catholic...

..we've got Anglican
and that's it.

Then you need multiple people to do
the service, don't you?

That's possible.

Greta, this is your funeral, yeah?

I keep finding her hair everywhere,

when I'm hoovering or cleaning
the shower.

She moulted, that girl.

I just used to...

I...

..we need to be loud,
do you understand?

They've killed our children
and we need to be loud,

until they tell us who is
responsible for this mess!

Who?!

Got it.

Official complaint.

Who's complaining?

Our health and safety leader,
to one Alan Kethin, foreman,

self-employed foreman, on the site.

"Please be sure not to be storing
gas canisters on company property,

"particularly grouped like that.

"Gas, indeed any canister, should be
stored..." blah, blah, blah.

Do the police have this?

They will do,

but we should use it first.

We need to change the narrative.

If you're talking about a leak,
it'll be traced back to us.

You know, don't you,
that this company are setting

to throw you to the wolves?

They're lining you up
and you know it.

He wasn't doing his job -

you were doing yours.

Don't dismiss this, please.

No.

No.

No leaks.

What are you watching?

There's some police here who
want to talk to you.

I'm here the entire time, OK?

Any time you want to stop, just...

..just say so.

Hello, Leona.

I'm DS Hendricks,

but you can call me Anne, OK?

She'll not be calling you anything -
she can't speak.

I know you're still not at
your best,

so we're going to keep this nice
and short and to the point.

Firstly, why did you enter
the facility?

Fun.

And what did you intend to
do inside?

How did you enter the property?

Climb fence.

This fence...here?

What can you tell me about what you
did inside?

Mess.

You found your way to the basement,
where you found a lot of equipment.

What did you do to that equipment?

She's had enough.

I just need some help here, Leona.

Can you help me?

What were you doing?

We have footage from the scene.
I just need your version of events.

She's had enough.

Sure.

Thank you for trying, Leona.

So, will you charge her?
What happens now?

-Will you charge her?
-I'm just asking questions.

She can't stand up, but are you
going to arrest her?

No, of course we're not.

No? Because I don't know,
I don't understand what's happening,

and if you don't tell me then...

Look, we and the HSE are doing
our best to untangle...

Aren't we supposed to be the
victims here?

Aren't you supposed to be helping
us and telling us what happened?

Go back into your daughter, Polly.

Debbie? Debbie?

Did Alan kill those kids?

Debbie, any information...

What did you do?

I did what you couldn't.

I didn't want this.

-Of course, you did.
-No.

This is wrong.

This is necessary.

You don't know how it works now,

how quickly you'd be thrown to
the sharks.

I don't know how it works now?

Am I that old?

You're perfect, you know you are.

And you just made a disgrace
of yourself.

Sometimes, what makes things easiest
is to decide on the wood first

and then on the design,

and at least we don't have that
problem of matching the others.

Angela has a military funeral in
mind, I think.

Why don't I have to worry about
the others?

Because, the children, they're just
burying the children together now.

I thought you knew.

He not good enough?

He not good enough to be buried with
the others?!

He not good enough for you?!

Get off me! I am mourning my child!

He died, too!

And you don't know what happened!

And he died, too!

You're a disgrace to this town,

you and that husband of yours!

Blood on his hands!

He has blood on his hands!

They'll see through that.

Which element?

You know what I'm saying,
the girl in the chair.

She happens to be a very
fine lawyer.

She happens to be us trying to look
like we care about disabled people.

It was useful, that leak.

-Very useful.
-Sure.

I mean, whoever got that out there.

Officially I've launched an
investigation, but unofficially...

It wasn't me.

You should never have gone
down there.

Not now, Debbie.

You know what they've said.

I do.

He didn't.

He couldn't.

He did though.

He wouldn't have put them in danger.

No, you have to listen to me.

He went into the building.

He went after those kids.

Because he knew what he was
responsible for.

She looks at me and there's hell in
her eyes, do you understand?

She's screaming at me all the time -

I can see it

and I can't help her,
I can't make her feel better.

All I can do is wipe her dribble
away from her chin.

I like you,
but I can't give him penance.

He was a good man!

He was a good man!

He was a good man.

Are you still awake?

Take your clothes off.

Take your clothes off, turn
around...

..I'm going to give you a massage.

What have you been drinking?

I'm going to massage your shoulders,

and then put my hands around
the front of you

and massage your tits.

And then I'm going to
massage your arse...

..massage your arsehole...

..and I'm going to
tell you that you're...

-Urgh!
-Oh!

Fucking hell.

Come on. You're still breathing.

Come on.

OK?

-Not really.
-I know.

Hold this to your head.

Oh!

What did I do?

Oh, it's best you not know -
it won't fill you with pride.

You put a dressing gown on.

Who were you drinking with?

Everyone.

See the news?

They caught the guy.

They caught Alan Kethin.

I know.

I never liked him.

-Too good for a pint.
-Oh.

And you were relieved
that they caught someone.

-Meant you weren't responsible.
-No.

Oh, you've been terrified
the buck would stop with you.

You were relieved.

Why would I be?

Is my head bleeding?

No.

It feels wet.

-That's just the ice melting on the peas.
-Oh.

I hate peas.

You quite like them.

You can never get
enough on your fork.

Oh.

Oh, it hurts.

It'll hurt worse in the morning.

Take your dressing gown off.

No.

-Take everything off.
-No.

Please?

I know how frightened you are,
Iwan -

I can see how it's damaging you.

I hate your mouth.

Well, like it or not,
I'm the only help you've got.

Gives away your age.

I'm not sure you've got the
mouth of my dreams, darling.

Or anyone's.

Whatever you think I am...

Oh, I know what you are.

I know. I know.
And I'm trying to help you.

No, YOU DON'T KNOW ME.

I do.

Oh, I do.

I know when you're even the tiniest
bit sad, the tiniest bit happy.

I know when you want to fuck me,
hit me and when you need to hug me.

I can read you.

And what's more, stupid as it makes
me, I love you for what you are.

I don't love you
for hurting me, but I love you.

I love you.

Tell me what you're scared of.

Do you know something?

Are you helping someone
hide something?

I'm never going to hurt you again.

Course you fucking will.

Do you know something?

I hate your body.

I hate your arse.

I hate it too.
Tell me what you know.

You can't say or you won't?

You can't say or you won't?!

I didn't do anything wrong.

Do you know, this is our daughter.

Whatever you know, you say -
you understand?

I don't know anything.

Do you remember
when you were courting me?

Your dad.

My dad told you if you weren't
able to keep it in your pants,

he'd cut it off.

I liked him.

I've still got my shoes on.

I don't think he knew
what you were doing to me.

It'd break my heart, if he did.

At least it wasn't so obvious then.

But he did, he did love you.

And my father was a great man,
so his love, it means something,

you understand?

My dad ran this town.

My father was the best thing
that ever happened to that plant,

this town.

MY dad.

And yet it's you
who always talks of yours.

We're not going to get
into a competition over who was

the greater dad, Iwan.

There is a bit of blood.

Oh, shit.

Oh, I hate blood.

Will she be OK?

Yes.

The doctors don't think so.

Well, they're wrong.

I love her, and I love you.

And I did nothing wrong.

I'm going to prove to you
I can be better.

I'm going to be a good man now.

-What have you done to your arm?
-Cooking accident.

-Does a doctor need to see it?
-No.

-Do you know, I'm parched. Would you make me a tea?
-Sorry?

Invite me in, Debbie.

It's a mess. I haven't tidied.

No, you really haven't, have you?

Sorry?

Then let's start with that, shall
we? Where's your marigolds, love?

-Under the sink.
-Good, well, put on the radio.

For me, not for you.

Now, this takes me back...

I love this.

# I know it's out of fashion
And a trifle uncool

# But I can't help it
I'm a romantic fool

# It's a habit of mine
To watch the sun go down

# On Echo Beach
I watch the sun go down

# From nine til five
I have to spend my time at work

# My job is very boring
I'm an office clerk

# The only thing that helps me
pass the time away

# Is knowing I'll be back
at Echo Beach someday... #

Oh! Me and Angela had a dance
routine

involving blue scarves and
hairspray.

-We ruled the school disco.
-God.

I can believe.

Though, pray for the kid who got
in the way of Angela's spins, oh.

She always was a bit of a bully,
is the point I'm making.

And I...

always - always would be
standing just behind her,

mostly, to my shame.

So you don't think he did it?

I just don't think
I should blame you.

You have to look at me
for us to have this conversation.

You know what I married, right?

Everyone knows.

Everyone votes for him,
but everyone knows.

-They can see what he does, right?
-Right.

So, now you know what you married.

But this is about us now.

That's what I realised,
this is about us.

Come to the funeral.

I know he can't,
but you should be there.

I can't.

You can, and you'll stand by me
as you do.

Now, do we need to see a doctor
about your arm?

Probably.

Stop that. Please, stop that.

I want you to forgive me.

This is not the way.
This is not the way.

Shush.

Did you just shush me?
Are you shushing me?

I will kick you in the head.

Then kick me in the head.

-Press?
-No, it's Bertie.

-You can't be here.
-What?

Stay here. Don't make a sound.

Bertie? Bertie likes me.

She likes you as my assistant.

Shush!

-Hey.
-Hi.

I went to see Dad, he was an ass.

Of course he was.

He's worried about you,
kept talking about you,

about all the things you're going
through and how hard this must be.

Meanwhile, his 34-year-old
girlfriend's making us fajitas.

-Fajitas?
-Mum.

I'm being serious.

I hate being there.

And I'm being serious too.

I once spiced his pork chop and he
asked me what was wrong with it.

You look tired.

I'm fine.

Mum, all this being
said about you cutting corners,

-I just want to say...
-You don't need to worry about me.

I'm fine.

He asked... he asked
whether it was your fault.

Did he? What did you say?

I said, "How the hell can I know?"

You didn't say,
"Of course it wouldn't be"?

"Of course Mum wouldn't do
something terrible like that"?

Mum, I'm sorry, I don't really know
what's going on...

You did fine.

Hello.

They let you out?

Got time off for good behaviour.

Is that Spandau Ballet?

Where are you going? Train station?
Get in. I'll give you a lift.

Oh, I'm OK. I'll, er,
I'll make my own way.

Get in the car, Martin.

Good. Where to?

Train station is fine.

What train are you hoping to catch?

Oh, fuck.

You're homeless?

I prefer to think of myself as a
sort of, erm...

I mean, my stuff was in the site...

You were squatting.

It rained the night before.

That's all, and I've told the
police,

I haven't kept anything from 'em.

-You were living there.
-Alan knew.

-He was a kind guy.
-Good, well, that makes it easy.

We're looking for a lodger.

No!

No.

You don't know what we're gonna
charge you yet.

I like my life the way I have it.

The cost is my daughter's life.

I need you to save my daughter's
life.

Oh, you've already done that, you'll
have to stay.

I don't want pity.

Good. Because I'm all out of it.

Oh, yes, you wanted to see me.

How can I help?

I, I thought you'd have a lawyer
present.

I've nothing to hide.

Talk to me about the value
engineering on this project.

-Excuse me?
-I believe you call it value engineering.

The process by which costs
are shaved

between the building
being granted permission and now.

Any value engineering was done
within our contractual bounds.

Is that true? Then why is the steel
not to specification?

I'm sorry?

The Health and Safety Executive

carried out tests on steel
recovered from the site

and learnt that it was not
of right -

correct me if I'm saying
this wrong - tensile strength.

-Why?
-May I see your findings?

There's too much detail here to
respond to. I'll need to, erm...

Did you ask your steel
for a discount?

Did you ask for money off?

That's standard business practice.

Would it surprise you to know
you asked for 30%?

The build was not going well.

I needed to find tightenings,

I expected my partners to find
tightenings,

but at no point did I say,
"Supply with me lesser value steel".

You simply expected them to find
the 30% reduction from...?

Elsewhere in their business model,
yes.

I would never have endangered
safety.

-May I investigate this?
-Of course.

Hello again.

We, erm...

I think I was pretty clear
telling you to fuck off.

I'm not press.

I'm just here to offer
my assistance.

For what?

For this mess.

Oh.

Oh, you're a lawyer.

They've allocated you some no-name
piece of shit, am I right?

Enough to get the measly
compensation payments,

-but not enough to find out the truth.
-What truth?

The truth of what happened
to your kids that day.

If you're an ambulance chaser,
we haven't got any money.

You don't need money.

Not yet, anyway,
not till we see where the truth is.

The police aren't gonna pursue it.

No one is going to jail for this.

How do you know?

1966, Aberfan -
116 children, 28 adults.

No charges, no convictions.

1972, Battersea Big Dipper.

Five deaths, two charges of
manslaughter brought.

No convictions.

1981 - Stardust Fire, 48 deaths.

No charges, no convictions.

1985, Bradford City Stadium fire.

56 deaths.
No charges, no convictions.

1987 - Zeebrugge Ferry sinking.

193 deaths, seven people charged
with negligence,

and the company were charged
with corporate manslaughter.

No convictions.
Heard of any of these?

Not all of 'em, but some.

'88, Piper Alpha. 167 deaths.

No charges, no convictions.

1989 Marchioness disaster.

51 killed, one charge brought,

but oh, no, you guessed it,
no conviction.

2004 stockline explosion.

Nine killed. Four charges,
no convictions.

And that's not mentioning
Hillsborough or Grenfell,

where the cases are to varying
degrees open,

but is anyone in actual jail?

You've got all
that on the top of your head?

It's something of a passion of
mine.

And then comes your case.

Glyngolau, nine deaths,

but illegal entry and complications

over the actions of an independent
contractor.

If I was a betting man,
best you can hope for,

HSE charges for building code
violations

that'll at most involve a fine.

-But that's...
-Wrong, yes.

The way it always goes - also yes.

-Why should we trust you?
-You shouldn't.

But why not use me
whilst I'm offering free advice?

You are fighting people with very
deep pockets,

multinationals
and insurance companies.

They're gonna line up
everything against you.

You're going to have very little
to fight back with.

You need me.

Well...

That's all I had to say.

Oh, one more thing.

If you are getting legal advice,

make sure you look in the right
places.

Those kids were alive after
the explosion.

The thing that cost them their lives
was the building collapse

and buildings shouldn't collapse
like that.

That's the story here.

The purpose of this inquest is
fact finding.

Everything was done thoroughly

and by the book.

There was something about him.
Your Iwan.

-There's nothing, Ange.
-Make you feel guilty, these things,

without you actually being guilty.

Harriet? Why are you calling Iwan?

If you don't do this, we're
gonna pin the whole thing on you.

And when they come for me?
What then?

Where do you stand, Polly?

-You're asking me to risk my marriage.
-Some marriage.

It's all I've got.