Wolf Like Me (2022–…): Season 1, Episode 1 - Episode #1.1 - full transcript

Oh?

OK.

Well, why aren't you upset?

I mean, I am.

But it's fine. You obviously
have your reasons.

Do you want to
know what they are?

I mean, if you don't think we
should keep seeing each other,

I'm certainly not
going to force you.

We've been seeing each
other for three months

and you have never
once opened up to me.

I do have a little
girl to consider.



A little girl? She's 11.

It was a big step for
me to start dating again.

You're a grown man, aren't
you? Maybe it's time for you

to put on your big-boy pants
and be emotionally available.

There's a lot for me to
navigate, with regard to Emma.

Oh. Thank you so
much for reminding me.

Please don't be sarcastic.

Can you please not
be a piece of shit?

OK... um...

Emma's in a really
fragile state right now.

She keeps having these
full-on panic attacks.

I'm not even sure if I
know how to stop them.

Then I should talk
to her. I'm an empath.

OK, are we ready to order?



Does it look like
we're ready? Fuck off!

You don't think I'd make
a good mother, do you?

I'm the one
breaking up with you.

Please don't take
this away from me.

I'm sorry?

- You're antiquated.
- I'm antiquated?

You're old-fashioned, outdated.

No, I know what the
term 'antiquated' means.

You're a dinosaur.

And do you know what
happened to the dinosaurs?

- Mm-hm.
- A flaming meteor crashed into them

and they died because
they weren't ready.

Can anyone really
be ready for a meteor?

Well, you're certainly not.

And you're a three.

- I'm a three?
- Mm-hm.

Usually, I'm a seven.

But when I'm with
you, I'm a nine.

Emma would be sooo lucky
to have a mum who's a nine.

Can you please
stop making a scene?

Oh, my God! Stop trying
to control everything!

You can't control everything!

And traffic is starting
to back up on the A20.

Now here's Tony
with the weather.

Thanks, Karen. After a
chilly night of 7.5 degrees,

Adelaide is in for
a sunny one today,

with a high of 25
degrees in the city,

while the lower
southeast Mt Lofty region...

Hey, bubs.

Gotta go.

Em?

Look, I know how tricky
today must be for you.

- It is for me too...
- Dad!

Right.

Uh, I'll meet you
outside, then, OK?

I don't need your help.

We're not going
to make it in time.

I was trying to get you out
of your room this morning-

I had to finish Earth.

Go that way.

Bubs, we're better off staying

- on the usual route, I'm telling you.
- It's not moving!

Hey, over here!

Emma, no.

- Dad!
- No, no.

- Stop.
- I said no.

Dad!

You gotta be kidding
me. It's too damn early.

Hey, how are you?

- We gotta go.
- Hope these sandwiches are OK. - Thank you.

- Bye-bye.
- Thank you.

You cannot do things like that.

- He's homeless.
- I don't care.

He could be dangerous.

It is my job to keep you safe.

- Hey! Are you calling?
- Somebody call an ambulance!

No airbags. No airbags.

Em?

Em, it's me it's daddy.

I'm here. You're OK.

Hi. Are you OK?

- She gets panic attacks.
- Yeah. OK. I get it.

Look at me. Look at me. OK.
I just need you to look at me.

There's something in her bag.

Coming, Em! Coming, baby!

Em! Em!

Em! You're... OK.

What did you say to her?

What did you do?

She hit your car.

Oh, God.

It's to stop me from
turning my head.

- Does it hurt?
- Who is it, bubs?

Um, hi.

You gave me your
address, through insurance.

I wanted to say sorry for...

for wrecking your universe.

I read it when I was
your age, and I loved it.

You don't know my age.

- 11?
- I'm 12 in two months.

That's a thoughtful gesture.
What do you say, Em?

No?

You don't want to say anything?

Well, at least she took it.

Um... Do you want to...

This is a complete
invasion of...

I should not have... I
shouldn't have come here.

What? No, no.

Hey. Um...

Hey! Hey!

Uh... Hey!

Wait up!

What was your name, again?

Mary.

Would you, uh,
like a cup of Gary?

Fuck.

Tea.

Would you like a
cup of tea, Mary?

My name is Gary.

Sure.

How long have you
been in Australia?

Uh, 12 years.

That's Emma's mom.

My ex-wife.

She live far away?

Uh, yes...

I'm sorry. I don't know
why I said ex-wife.

Um.

She died.

Oh.

Cancer.

Um, I'm sorry.

Oh. Well, thank you.
We're used to it by now.

As used to it as
you can be, I guess.

- Uh, milk?
- Yeah.

What was her name?

Lisa.

- Oh, shit.
- What?

The book I gave her -

the mom is dead and she
lives alone with her dad.

Oh, God. Well, I wouldn't
worry about that too much.

Well, then her dad dies
and leaves her all by herself.

Mmm. She may
actually like that bit.

Agh!

- Are you OK?
- Uh, yeah.

I just dropped the, uh... Damn!

- Oh, that's a lot of blood.
- That is a lot of blood.

I would put that under the tap.

- I'm gonna go get a bandaid.
- I'll get you a bandaid.

- OK. Sure.
- Tell me where to go.

- It's, uh, just
down the hallway,

and it's gonna be the
bathroom, last door on the right.

OK.

You said you knew where I was.

After the accident.

When I was scared.

You said that you'd
been there too.

Oh, I have. A bunch of times.

Well, there's a lot of blood
coming out of your dad.

I'm gonna stick some of
this... This is eucalyptus oil...

It's gonna sting.

- I'm sorry.
- Brave. Brave.

Yeah. I'm gonna do
two. I'm gonna do two.

- Mm-hm.
- I'll make it quick.

- Mm-hm. Mm-hm. Mm-hm.
- Oh, gosh. Sorry.

- It hurts a lot.
- Does it really?

Yeah. I want to
pretend like it doesn't.

What, uh, brought you here?

Truthfully?

Um...

There was something
about your daughter.

At the accident, I... I know this sounds
like a complete weirdo thing to s...

I'm so sorry.

I meant what brought
you to Australia?

Oh.

Idiot. Um...

Uh... I... I wanted a change.

Whereabouts in America?

Chicago.

Can't get more of a change
than Chicago to Adelaide.

Mm-hm. You bet.

Why did you choose Adelaide?

Uh, I can work from anywhere.

What do you do?

I volunteer places. I
do stuff for charities.

So I go to a nursing
home every day,

I make and donate stuff.

Oh. Did you mean
what do I do for a living?

Oh, right, um...

Uh, I give relationship
advice in a column.

Wow! What kind of qualifications

do you need for
something like that?

Oh, I have an undergraduate
degree in psychology, um,

but I don't really use it, um,

well, I stopped pursuing
that when I got here,

'cause it was really hard for
me to do the one-on-one stuff.

How come?

Um... Why did you come here?

Lisa was Australian.

Um, so we moved
when she was pregnant.

And then, uh,
after she died, um...

I just felt like I couldn't take
Emma away from Lisa's family.

Felt like it would hurt her too
much to leave them behind.

Emma? You OK?

- Oh!
- Oh! God! W...

- It's all over you!
- Oh, my gosh. I'm so sorry.

I... I... You're
sorry? I'm sorry!

- Have you got a tea towel?
- Yes.

We are not good with mugs.

Last time you're gonna
see mugs over here.

Do you need anything
else? Like ice?

Ice or anything?

Mary!

Mary.

Are we really doing
this again? Are you OK?

I just... I felt like...

You know, I gave your daughter
an inappropriate book, and...

Like I said, it's
seriously not a big deal.

- But then I smashed one of your mugs.
- It's just a mug.

- I just feel like I should go.
- It's just a mug.

You'd already smashed a mug.

Look, you, um,

coming in to check on Emma
was a very thoughtful gesture.

I did hit you both with my car.

You did. And I am
planning on suing you.

I've been struggling
a lot lately.

Emma's got all sorts of issues.

I don't, frankly, know
how to handle them.

You speaking to her
after the accident, I...

I don't know what
you said, but, um...

I'm having a really hard time
articulating myself right now.

Uh...

Can I maybe take you
out to dinner tomorrow,

to talk about her?

Oh, I can't do that.

Oh. I'm so sorry.

I did not mean to
overstep my boundaries.

No! No. I mean
I can't do dinner.

Um...

I could do lunch.

Tomorrow?

Sure. I could do lunch tomorrow.

- Great.
- OK.

Promise you won't
run away again?

Uh, yeah, yeah. No, I
mean, I can't promise that.

I don't know, between
work and Emma,

I don't really feel like I
have much time for myself.

- I get that.
- What about you?

- Oh, I have lots of hobbies.
- Like?

Well, I speak four
languages. I do topiary.

Um, quilting and knitting.

Pickling and pottery.

I spent a full year
doing close-up magic

to entertain at
the nursing home.

Muay Thai.

And I make cheese.

You make topiaries?

- Like, building things out of trees?
- Shrubs.

Where do you even begin
to learn something like that?

Online.

Oh. This is it.

It's amazing - it's been
run by the same family

for the past 60 years.

- Gianni, how are you?
- Hey, Gary!

- How you doing?
- Good to see you.

- Alfie, how are you?
- Table for two?

I can't eat there.

Uh, hang on a sec.

Hey!

- You don't like Italian food?
- Uh, I've got allergies.

- I'm vegan.
- What to?

Italian food.

OK. I'm so sorry. I
wish I had checked...

It's not your fault!

Is it a gluten thing? They
have great gluten-free pizza.

What about here?

I haven't heard music
in a bar for 12 years.

What are you talking about?

I haven't been out in a
really, really, really long time.

How's that even possible?

I get why someone
like me hasn't been to...

Do you dance?

Uh, probably going to need to

drink a lot more
before that can happen.

- That was really expensive.
- Mmm.

What music are you into?

I don't listen to music.

Why? No. Really?

Do you know this
is Melody Gardot?

Melody Gardot?

- Wow.
- Oh, oh! Melody Gardot?

- No, I don't.
- OK.

Well, before Melody Gardot
was THIS Melody Gardot,

she was actually...
More. ..hit by a car.

She was in hospital for
a year, with memory loss.

But there was this
physician who believed

that he could heal her
brain through music.

So he taught her to
hum and then to sing.

And now here she is!

And if she hadn't
been hit by that car,

we wouldn't be
listening to that voice.

That voice melts spines.

Why don't you like music, Gary?

Well, Mary, I like it.

I just don't listen
to it anymore.

Why?

We had trouble settling
Emma when she was a baby.

'Cause she would cry all
the time. We tried everything.

And then one day we worked out

the only thing that
would make her sleep...

Was what?

The only thing that
would make her sleep

is when I would sing to her.

Aw. What would you sing?

Just a song.

- Can I hear it?
- No.

No, I haven't sung
that since she was little.

- Come on, Gary.
- No.

- Gary!
- No. No.

- No, no, no.
- OK.

What if the reason
we ended up here

is so that you could sing again?

The music stopped! You're
laughing, but it's meant to be!

- Come on.
- It's not gonna happen.

I'll cover my eyes. I'm not
even gonna look at you.

Look, I'm looking at my hands.

You can cover your entire body.

- I don't want to sing right now.
- Come on, Gary.

- My God.
- Do you want me to go under the table?

No! Just... Stop
bringing attention to us.

OK. Just do it. Really quietly.

I'm not gonna judge you.

Thanks, I appreciate that.

That was beautiful.

Clearly, it didn't work.
You're still awake.

I think you should
sing it for her again.

Fuck, no. She would hate that.

No, I bet she wouldn't.

You don't know my daughter.

- You said...
- Hey, no, no, no.

The secret to the
answer is in the questions.

You find out what it is
that THEY want to do,

then you advise them to do it.

But, then, sometimes, I honestly
have to make up the question,

because it's so boring.

- You make them up?
- Mmm.

- Isn't that against the law?
- No.

OK.

I just kind of draw on my,
um, life experience, I guess.

Give me an example. You've
got to give me an example.

OK. Dear Adelaide...

- Adelaide?
- Adelaide.

Dear Adelaide, I, um,

I feel like I'm doing
a bad job as a dad,

and my little girl has trouble
telling me what she needs.

So I try to make everything
perfect around her,

but it doesn't seem
to make her happy.

And I don't know what to do.

Sincerely, G.

I can relate. Go on.

Dear G,

you say you're trying to
make everything perfect,

but perfect doesn't exist.

Perfect's the armour we wear to
stop ourselves from being seen.

And maybe it's the thing
that's stopping your little girl

from seeing you and
feeling close to you.

Maybe you should run
towards imperfections,

and laugh and cry
and dance, sing.

Get messy.

Messy's good.

Break yourself open -
it's how the light gets in.

Always, Adelaide.

When did you come
up with that one?

Right now.

I'm trying to get you
to sing to your kid.

Right...

Can I ask, um...

what you did in
the car for Emma?

I could see she
was scared in there.

She's done that before.

It's like she's built this
fortress around herself,

so that nothing can hurt her.

I'm doing everything I can.

I get scared sometimes.

Scared of what?

Somehow I caused all of this.

After Lisa died, I spiralled.

Emma was four.

And, um...

Took me years before I felt
like I could be her dad again.

I know it probably
doesn't feel this way,

but you're already doing
the best thing for her.

You're present.

And she may be pushing
you away, but you're there.

I mean, that kind of
stability is so rare, Gary.

It's... It's fucking priceless.

I can't believe I just
unloaded all that on you.

- I'm sorry. I am so sorry.
- No! No. No, it's OK.

- I'm an advice columnist.
- Oh, God.

- That's fine.
- You know what?

I help everybody
with their problems.

- You know what, Mary?
- What?

I'm not gonna sue you anymore.

No, I promise. I'm gonna
call my lawyer tomorrow.

I just...

I can't believe I'm
giving anyone advice.

My life is a mess.

Messy is good.

Who put on that song?

- I don't know.
- Did you just put on the song?

I've been sitting here with you.

Um, I need to go.

Did I do something wrong?

No, I just feel
like this is, um...

I shouldn't have put
myself in this situation.

- What situation?
- I haven't day-drunk in a really long time, so...

I don't think it's day anymore.

- Really? What time is it?
- After 6.

Oh, fuck!

Dear Adelaide,

I've been alone for
a really long time.

A boy has appeared and
made himself vulnerable to me.

He has made me question

why I've chosen to
live a certain way.

I feel like I'm
running from my past,

and I can never
reveal who I really am.

I've been badly hurt.

I feel lost, and I
don't deserve love.

How do you know when
that person is the right one?

Sincerely, M.

Dear M, thank you for writing.

Losing yourself - I'm
not going to sugar-coat it -

that's the worst
thing you can do.

Don't stop believing
in who you are.

It's one thing to know that

kindness and
vulnerability matter,

but the first person you
need to be kind to is you.

We're all feeling our
way through the dark.

Stop running in circles.

Stop running from yourself,

and start running to the light.

Oh, fuck!

Don't lose track of your heart.

It's the only thing
that's keeping you going.

And remember, you
don't get what you need

until you're brave enough
to admit that you need it.

Jump in head-first
and fight for it -

even if it means
fighting for yourself.

Fuck!

How do you know that

this person is the
right one for you?

You won't know unless
you open the door

to the possibility that you
do deserve to be loved.

Agh!

Strip away the layers
and break yourself open.

That's how the light gets in.

Don't lock yourself
in your basement.

Always, Adelaide.