The Clearing (2023–…): Season 1, Episode 5 - Maitreya - full transcript

(church bell tolling)

(indistinct chatter)

EVELYN: Open your eyes and follow me!

Lift your feet of clay and dance with me.

- WOMAN: Oh, dear.
- EVELYN: Lift up your hearts.

Lift up your eyes.

(church bell continues tolling)

You are trapped inside the ordinary,

- when you could be extraordinary!
- HECKLER: Hey, Ron.

Can't you keep your missus under control?

- (all laugh)
- (Evelyn speaking indistinctly)



Come on, Ada. Time to go home.

EVELYN:
And magnificent as the galaxies above us.

Follow me.

- I will light the way.
- (match scrapes)

(crowd yelping, clamoring)

(gloomy music playing)

(crowd screaming)

(Evelyn groaning)

(theme music playing)

(sizzling)

(car horn honks)

TOM: Reggie's here.

Here.

Okay.



Yum.

Here. Housekeeping.

Uh-huh.

REGGIE: I'm here, Tom.

(dog barking in distance)

Have a good day.

(door opens)

(door closes)

(light music playing)

(indistinct chatter in distance)

Good morning, Ada.

KIDS: Good morning, Mrs. Atkins!

(doorbell chimes)

Ada!

You're a lifesaver.

Here, let me take that.

MARIAM: Come in, come in.

Ari's just about to run out of shirts.

(door closes)

He'd happily wear the same shirt
every day, but those sweat marks...

(soft grunt)

I wouldn't let my worst enemy near them.

Shall I put those away for you?

Of course.

Thank you, Ada.

(footsteps receding)

("Whisper To The Moon" playing)

MRS. PHIPPS: I wake up every morning
and my stomach feels like lead.

Graeme's gone to work,
and I just stand there.

All I can hear is the clock,
just tick, tick, tick.

Like it's counting down
my endless, purposeless days.

ARI: Let's start you off on two milligrams
of Diazepam, twice a day.

MRS. PHIPPS: Thank you.

(footsteps approaching)

We'll see you next week, Ada.

Honestly, if I have to listen
to one more rich woman

complain about how unhappy their husband
makes her...

Well, it's not like they can leave
their husbands, darling.

And if they could, you'd be out of a job.

We need to keep fighting for the cause,
don't we, Ada?

Oh, I'm sorry. Ari.

Hmm.

(sighs)

(door opens)

(door closes)

(door closes)

(birds chirping)

MARIAM: Ada?

Ada?

I think this will look a lot better on you
than it does on me.

(gate creaks)

(gentle music playing)

Inhale, rise.

And exhale to bow.

Stay connected to your body,

and keep the breath flowing throughout.

(dog barking in distance)

Eileen is pregnant again
with their fourth.

Jerry made a big announcement at work.
(soft chuckle)

It's like every time he expects us all
to buy him a beer

and another one at the birth.

Where's your chop?

I'm not hungry.

Here.

You need the iron.

You asked the Herzogs for a pay rise yet?

(Tom sighs)

All the work you do for them,
they pay you like a servant.

Which I am.

We're gonna need more money
when your mom moves in with us.

(utensils clatter)

(paper rustles)

Dear Mrs. Atkins,

TOM: She can take the spare room.

It's not like we need it.

(both grunt, breathing heavily)

- (Ada exhales sharply)
- (both moan)

(both panting)

Do you think it's too late for us?

We have to be patient, Tom.

It will happen when it's meant to.

CHANDANI: Reach your arms to the sky

and bow to the divine within.

Connect your intention to this practice.

(gentle music playing)

As women, for too long we have been told
our destiny lies in the hands of others.

That is a falsehood.

You can control your own destiny.

First, you imagine it,
then you actualize it.

I want you to all shut your eyes
and envisage your own perfect future.

PRIEST: Thomas Atkins died with Christ...

(door closes)

(keys jangling)

(thuds)

(tense music playing)

How long?

How long have you been lying to me?

(tense music continues playing)

(loud thud)

All I ever wanted was a family.

You took that from me.

I just couldn't do it anymore.

(breathes deeply)

All of those miscarriages,
and I never once saw you cry.

You're dead inside.

That's why our babies couldn't survive.

TOM:
And you lied to me about your pay too.

(door closes)

- (sewing machine whirring)
- (thunder rumbling)

(knocking on door)

(rain pattering)

Mrs. Atkins?

I'm very sorry
but it's my duty to inform you

that your husband, Thomas Patrick Atkins,
has died in a car accident.

We believe he was under
the influence of alcohol

when his car hit a tree
at 11:05 p. m. this evening.

CHANDANI:
You can control your own destiny.

First, you imagine it,
then you actualize it.

(door closes)

(pensive music playing)

(thunder rumbling)

PRIEST: In the waters of baptism,

Thomas Patrick Atkins died with Christ

and rose with him to new life.

May he now share with him eternal glory.

ALL: Amen.

(somber music playing)

ADA: "Diazepam."

- Ada.
- I'm sorry, I couldn't find Mrs. Herzog.

Come in.

Come in.

ADA: Dr. Herzog...

I wanted to ask you something.

Sit down.

So how can I be of assistance?

ADA: You're a doctor of the mind.

Do you think that it's possible
to see beyond this reality?

(exhales sharply)

It might surprise you to know

that many people are asking
that very question, Ada.

Have you heard of... perceptual control?

It's a theory that we act

to keep our perception of the world
within acceptable boundaries.

A very wise man once said,

"Reality is the only word
in English language

that should always be in quotations."

What about the future?

Do you think that we can change that?

Well, I'm not sure.

I am.

I changed the future, Dr. Herzog.

(laughs)

You're a laundry woman,

not a soothsayer, Ada.

Can I tell you what I see, Doctor?

Sure.

I see a man in a loveless marriage
he refuses to break free from.

A man with a need inside him so great,
it pains him.

ADA: A need to be asked the questions
he's always asking of others.

How are you, Doctor?

What do you need?

How can you be fulfilled?

His passion thwarted.

His life lived in a prison of denial.

I've taken up enough of your time.

I should go.

I should pay you.

(money rustles)

Here...

if you are interested in such things.

(Mariam shouting indistinctly)

ARI: Darling, you are overreacting!

MARIAM: Do you think I'm blind?

ARI: She's a young woman
in need of guidance. That is all.

MARIAM:
You understand how humiliating this is?

ARI: You need to take your medication.

(indistinct chatter)

I'm here to see Mrs. Evelyn Smith.

EVELYN: Ada!

(Evelyn sighs)

Look at you.

I knew the church would look after you
when your useless father couldn't.

You're married.

Children?

Smart girl.

I wish I never had.

It's good to think that you're well enough
to go home, Mother.

I was never sick, Ada.

It is society that's sick.

When women speak the truth,
they're broken.

They're put into places like this.

You be careful, Ada.

They burned Saint Joan
and they will burn you too.

Stay in the shadows,

but don't become invisible.

That is the key.

Now when you choose a different path,
enemies gather.

But together, we will defeat them.

- Because we are one and the same, Ada.
- (ominous music playing)

(sniffles)

EVELYN: I have passed my gift on to you.

(gloomy music playing)

(fire crackles)

(gloomy music continues playing)

(screams)

("The Real Thing"
by Russell Morris playing)

(PA chimes)

ANNOUNCER: Qantas Flight 67 from New Delhi

is now disembarking from Gate 9.

("The Real Thing"
by Russell Morris continues playing)

BRYCE: That's because infrared

and ultraviolet rays
sit outside the visible spectrum.

DUNCAN: So they exist but they're just
not detectable to the human eye?

That's right.
They're both transmitted as waves

at the short and long end
of the visual spectrum.

Excuse me. Dr. Latham?

Thank you, Professor.

You don't know me
but I feel like I know you very well.

Um, I do hope this isn't an imposition,

but I was hoping you might sign my...
your book.

Of course.

Who shall I dedicate it to?

Adrienne. Adrienne Beaufort.

- You're French?
- (soft chuckle)

Well, apparently,
a relative on my father's side

was the Comte de Normandie,
but could just be hearsay.

The brain, of course, is, is a gatekeeper.

It's, it's eliminative
by its nature, um...

I've got this terrible habit
of misplacing pens.

So the reality we experience is only
what the brain deems useful to show us?

(splutters)
Exactly, uh...

- (in French) Thank you.
- It was nothing.

(in English) Uh, yes, the brain
wants to ensure our survival,

so it protects us from the wonder
of our greater consciousness,

which, of course, was appropriate

when we were roaming the wilds,
hunting for food, but why now?

Our narrow, utilitarian minds

allow for only 25 percent
of our perceptive knowledge.

The rest is, is just waiting
behind a closed door.

And why should we accept
this vastly reduced awareness?

BRYCE: "Imprisoned perception,"
Huxley calls it.

And, of course, he was able to access it
with the aid of mescaline,

something which, unfortunately,
would never be sanctioned

in academic exploration.

But it would be extraordinary,
don't you think, Mrs. Beaufort, to...

to experience the other 75 percent?

To be able to perceive

everything that is happening
everywhere in the universe?

It would indeed.

Yes.

And it's Ms. Beaufort.

Um, Mrs. Latham and I
are travelling to Bangalore

to spend some time with Swami Muktananda.

His ability to access higher consciousness

via spiritual exercises is renowned.

Yes.

I've spent time with Swami Muktananda.

He is a great master,
with much to teach us.

Oh, do tell.

(gentle music playing)

(inhales deeply)

You must not travel to India.

Mrs. Latham will become gravely ill
and may not recover.

Well, the tickets are paid for.

Dr. Latham, I'm telling you,
you must not go.

ADRIENNE: A strong body...
means a strong mind.

(gentle music continues playing)

Don't let old habits and fear
hold you back.

You will need guidance
to break free from the past.

But once you do,

spiritual enlightenment
and the shining future you deserve

awaits you.

(breathes deeply)

The light within me
bows to the light within you.

Brahma Nadi.

ALL: Brahma Nadi.

Shanti.

ALL: Shanti.

(exhales deeply)

(indistinct chatter)

(sighs)
Sorry.

Never be sorry for expressing yourself.

- Hannah, isn't it?
- Mm-hm.

When things happen to us,
it's easy to believe there's no path out.

Um, this didn't happen to me.
It's my fault.

But this child is a gift of life.

How did you...

And the father?

He doesn't know.

HANNAH: He's a foreigner.

He works in the railways.

I can't contact him.

My family will disown me.

Your family doesn't own you, Hannah.

What have I taught you?

To break free from the past.

ADRIENNE: Exactly.

Do you want this baby?

(inhales deeply)

Then the path ahead is clear.

And I'll be there to support you.

(footsteps approaching)

Ms. Beaufort.

How kind of you to visit.

Please.

BRYCE: We never made it past Delhi,
I'm afraid.

After only two days,
Mrs. Latham was vomiting and feverish.

What are the doctors saying?

BRYCE: Malarial infections
vary greatly in prognosis.

Healthy doses of quinine and prayer

seem to be
the only options available to us.

The assumption, of course,

being we are all unthinking disciples
of some almighty Christian God.

I take it you are not, Dr. Latham?

Religion is definitive,

whereas science
makes room for the mystical,

the chaotic wonder of the universe.

Indeed.

May I see Mrs. Latham?

(door opens)

(weakly)
Who are you?

(shushes)

You have untapped strength.

I can feel it.

(breathes deeply)

ADRIENNE: Go deep inside yourself.

As deep as you can.

(mellow music playing)

(breathes deeply)

(inhales shakily)

(inhales deeply)

(exhales deeply)

(exhales shakily)

ADRIENNE: There.

There.

Release your strength and you will heal.

(mellow music continues playing)

BRYCE: Thank you so much for coming,
Ms. Beaufort.

- Adrienne, please.
- (soft chuckle)

Adrienne.

I know India was disappointing.

But there are other ways
of expanding consciousness, Doctor.

Perhaps everything you were looking for
was right here all along.

("Un baiser sur la joue"
by Vincent Perrot playing)

Ada?

Adrienne.

My!

My!

What we spoke of on the telephone?

Oh, yes, yes, of course.

Lysergic acid diethylamide,
it is extraordinary.

ARI: Trauma recovery is 20 times faster
than on conventional medication.

I truly believe it has the potential
to save thousands of souls in turmoil.

How's Mrs. Herzog?

ARI: Well...

I can't say she shares my enthusiasm
for such things.

Not in the way you do.

ADRIENNE: Where are you?

Inside a living picture book.

But the pages... are flipping too fast.

Because you're moving
through the eons of time.

There's an ocean of suffering.

(breathes heavily)

The clouds are moving.

The raindrops...

contain spirits...

and the tree is talking to me.

What is it saying?

"Follow me. I am the light."

(indistinct chatter)

(inhales deeply)
I need one of those.

How is he?

He's fighting in the Crusades.

There's a lot of blood.

- Oh.
- BRYCE: Somebody help me!

I am the chosen one!

The chosen one.

How are you, Mrs. Latham?

Oh, please, call me Tamsin.

I'm fully recovered, thanks to you.

How are you, Tamsin?

Your brilliant husband, well,
we must call him that, mustn't we?

He has his career. But you...

alone in this big empty house all day.

Well, we wanted to fill it.

We tried for years, but, um...

Dr. Latham is...

How can I put this?

He's more interested
in matters of the mind than the body.

("Prowlin'" by
Whitefield Brothers playing)

BRYCE: It's at my ankles.

Get off me, devil!

ADRIENNE:
The devil is holding on tight, Doctor,

because you refuse to go forward.

You're only halfway
through your spiritual incarnation.

I'm just waiting for him to leave me
for one of his students.

Don't wait for him, Tamsin.

We women have let our destinies
be dictated by men for far too long.

You could study.

Find a career.

Get it off me!
(breathes heavily)

ADRIENNE: I can't help you, Doctor.

You must break free yourself.

Do you want to live the rest of your life
in this mausoleum of your failed dreams?

Are you willing to make human
and financial sacrifices?

(breathes heavily)

- Yes.
- Do you want the door to open?

(soft grunt)
Yes.

- Can you prepare yourself for wonder?
- Yes!

ADRIENNE: Seize this opportunity
with both hands, Tamsin.

The world awaits you.

BRYCE: The devils have gone.

I bestow upon you the imperishable gifts
of the divine spirit.

(breathes heavily)

Who are you?

I am Maitreya.

The enlightened one.

Come to Earth to guide you.

(breathes heavily)

Thank you, Maitreya.

- (indistinct chatter)
- (laughter)

(light music playing)

ARI: Impressive, huh?

HENRIK: Come here.

- Yes, I have.
- You're not talking about India?

Yes.

Let me introduce you
to Judge Buxton Lyons.

Yes, do go. Can I get you another drink?

Hi.
(soft laugh)

- CAROL: Hannah!
- Carol!

- CAROL: How are you?
- (both chuckle)

Oh, there she is.

ADRIENNE: Yes, absolutely life-changing.

HANNAH: Adrienne.

Hannah.

I wanted to introduce you.

This is Henrik. Henrik Wilczek.

Enchanté.

Wilczek. You must be Czechoslovakian?

Yeah, I am. Hmm.

Prague.

Prague is such a beautiful city.

The Saint Vitus Cathedral.
Those glorious stained-glass windows.

(speaks in Czech)

(in English) Hannah has told me
what a great support you've been to her.

I'm just very glad
you found your way home to her.

If I'd known,
I would have come immediately.

Henrik has bought us
a house in the country.

I don't know how I'm gonna cope
with all that fresh air.

- (laughs)
- Sounds delightful.

And the little one?

He's wonderful.
You know, he's crawling everywhere.

We're getting married.

(Adrienne chuckles softly)

What wonderful news, my darling.
Congratulations.

Excuse me.

Why have you all come here tonight?

Because you're dissatisfied?

Because you realize
that you are imprisoned

in the narrow confines
of a predestined existence.

Because you are experiencing
a singular reality,

which you have all come to accept
is the only reality.

A very wise man once said,

"Reality is the only word
in the English language

that should always be in quotations."

ADRIENNE: Imagine if you could break free

and see, feel, touch,
all the possibilities available to you.

You are all here because you are seekers.

CROWD: Yes. Yes.

ADRIENNE: Seekers of a different future.

If you will allow me the great honor,

I will take you on a journey
to that wondrous future.

(indistinct chatter)

(gasps)

ADRIENNE: Walk on, Tavi.

- Mm-hm?
- TAVI: I will.

Thank you, Maitreya.

(chilling music playing)

Hello, Ada!

Mrs. Herzog.

Take a seat.

ADRIENNE: How are you?

Brilliant.

Good.

I'm glad to hear you're keeping
your depression at bay.

I have never been depressed.

My husband thinks any woman
with an opinion needs to be medicated.

Denial leads only to more pain,
Mrs. Herzog.

I... I see what you're doing, Ada.

And it might work on my husband
and all those other idiotic men out there

letting their penises
lead them to enlightenment,

but it won't work on me.

(upbeat music playing)

We've spoken of this. Get rid of her.

(doorbell rings)

- Good evening, Constable.
- Good evening, Madam.

There's been some complaints
about the noise from the neighbors.

Oh, goodness, how thoughtless of us.

(crowd cheering)

ADRIENNE: I'm sorry,
I didn't catch your name.

- Constable Garrison.
- Adrienne.

You have such lovely hands,
Constable Garrison.

Your wife is a very lucky woman.

Thanks.

Would you like to come in?

No, I...

Just for a minute, while you fill in
your report, out of the cold.

It's warm in here.

Justice Conroy is very keen to meet you,

as is Mr. Knight-Stephens,
from the National Gallery.

Oh, I'm afraid I have to go.

I have classes to teach.

Bills won't pay themselves.

Adrienne, we have something to say.

Tamsin and I have decided to part ways.

I can stay in my rooms at the college,

and Tamsin is taking up residence
at her nursing school.

I am so proud of you both.

You have found new paths.

Opened yourselves up to new destinies.

We... we would like you to stay here.

You need to be 100 percent focused

on the important work
you're doing for The Kindred.

In your home?

In your home.

I couldn't possibly accept.

TAMSIN: Oh, Maitreya, we insist.

You've given us such purpose and strength.

We want to repay you.

Then I would be honored.

("Maybe This Time"
by Liza Minnelli playing)

♪ I'll be home at last ♪

♪ Not a loser anymore ♪

♪ Like the last time ♪

♪ And the time before ♪

♪ Everybody loves a winner ♪

♪ So nobody loved me ♪

♪ 'Lady Peaceful', 'Lady Happy' ♪

♪ That's what I long to be ♪

♪ Well, all the odds are ♪

♪ They are in my favor ♪

♪ Something's bound to begin ♪

♪ It's gotta happen, happen sometime ♪

♪ Maybe this time, I'll win ♪

♪ 'Cause everybody
oh, they love a winner ♪

♪ So nobody loved me ♪

♪ 'Lady Peaceful', 'Lady Happy' ♪

♪ That's what I long to be ♪

♪ Well, all the odds are ♪

♪ They are in my favor ♪

♪ Something's bound to begin ♪

♪ It's gotta happen, happen sometime ♪

♪ Maybe this time, I'll win ♪

(audience applauding)

ADRIENNE: Thank you.

Thank you all.

Who amongst us has not inherited
the sins of our parents?

- (crowd laughing softly)
- I know I have.

And my goodness,
I do not wish to pass that on.

(laughter)

Why should children serve a prison term
under a single set of parental jailers,

when they could be raised by a large,
inclusive, voluntary family?

A working model of society at large.

Holy, healthy, happy, whole.

Family should be a community.

A place where both labor and joy
are shared.

If we are not able to have children,
should that preclude us

from being enlightened parents,
or teachers?

Together, we, The Kindred,
can change society from the ground up.

Together, we can create a new future.

- A future of equality and love.
- MARIAM: This woman is a fraud!

Her name is Ada Atkins.

This, all of it, is a sham.

She's not a guru.

- She was, she was my ironing woman!
- WOMAN: Get her out!

ADRIENNE: Goodness me,
someone needs a clearing.

(all laugh)

(piano playing)

Get out and don't come back!

Mrs. Herzog.

What you said in there...

was it true?

MARIAM: Listen to me.

The Kindred is a cult.

Those people in there,

they are signing away their finances,
their properties,

all to her!

- You have to get out.
- I can't.

My husband will never leave and my family,

they don't want anything to do with me.

Here.

- MARIAM: Call me.
- (eerie music playing)

There's no time to waste.
She'll stop at nothing.

I can help you.

(breathes heavily)

ADRIENNE: I'm so glad
Greenhaven's Board of Directors

didn't need to hear your clearings, Ari.

Although your musings
on the teats of bison

would have undoubtedly been
of great interest.

Thank you, Maitreya.

Do send Mrs. Herzog my best wishes
for a speedy recovery.

Sure.

(suspenseful music playing)

(sighs deeply)

(car door closes)

- HENRIK: Welcome! Welcome!
- BABY: Hi.

- Henrik.
- Welcome, Maitreya.

So good to see you.

Hello.

Special greeting, huh?

- HANNAH: Maitreya.
- Hannah.

(Henrik laughs)

Not long now.

HENRIK: Only friends here.

Please, come in.

- Darling, let's find your bear.
- HENRIK: Come in.

- Where's your bear?
- HENRIK: You must look at the view.

HANNAH: Yeah, you take your bear.

What a perfect place to bring up children.

We thought so too.

HENRIK: Please, come.

Look.

ADRIENNE: You going to show me around?

HENRIK: We can all go. Come.

(eerie music playing)

- (breathes deeply)
- (line ringing)

ARI (over phone): Herzog residence,
Dr. Herzog.

Hello, can I please speak to Mrs. Herzog?

I'm afraid not. She's away at the moment.

- Do you know how long she'll be away?
- I'm sorry, I...

ADRIENNE: Quite some time, I believe.

ARI: Hello?

- Mrs. Herzog wasn't well.
- Hello?

ADRIENNE: Unfortunately,
she's been committed to Greenhaven.

I was thinking...

you've been looking
quite tired lately, Hannah.

Perhaps you need a rest yourself.

I'm fine, Maitreya.

("Nights In White Satin"
by The Moody Blues playing)

(door opens)

(sobs)

(door closes)

- ♪ Nights in white satin ♪
- (sobs)

♪ Never reaching the end... ♪

BRYCE: An undertaking of such magnitude
and ambition could only be conceived

by someone bestowed with the wisdom
and greatness of our Maitreya.

(grunting)

(baby crying)

BRYCE: A group of children, some fostered,

some unwanted foundlings,
adopted at birth.

TAMSIN: Just sign here, sweetheart.

BRYCE: Brought together,

educated and trained
in the most perfect conditions possible.

A spartan, rural upbringing,
away from the temptations of modern life.

Where the children's appetites
are subdued,

and where discipline makes them strong

and capable of accessing
divine consciousness.

(camera shutter clicks)

This could be the most significant
experiment of the century.

These children will become custodians
of the world

their Maitreya, in her wisdom,
has set forth to create.

♪ Some try to tell me ♪

♪ Thoughts they cannot defend ♪

♪ Just what you want to be... ♪

Is Mommy going to say good night?

♪ And I love you... ♪

Mommy's busy. She had to go.

♪ Yes, I love you ♪

♪ Oh, how I love you ♪

♪ Oh, how I love you ♪

Amy, back to bed.

(closing theme music playing)