Original subtitles

They've offered me my own show. It's late-night.

But I've heard whispers that you're doing weeknights,

6pm, the flagship show.

HELEN: He's gonna find out that I am in direct competition with him

in front of 2 million people.

DALE: It's a little more than reading an autocue.

And you're very good at it.

HELEN: Congratulations. When are you due?

About four weeks.

And the winner is...

..Dale Jennings, News at Six.

(CHEERING AND APPLAUSE)

DALE: The way they have positioned this feels like a cheap stunt.

You are the first woman in Australian history

to be offered a prime-time television show.

DALE: So you think we can go head-to-head

in the most ambitious time slot in television?

Is that ridiculous?

(WHIRRING) (BEEP)

MAN: (ON BROADCAST) The tanker had just left Port Valdez,

at the southern end of the Alaska Pipeline,

when it ran aground on Bligh Reef, rupturing its starboard tanks

one, three and five.

The Valdez is one of the largest American supertankers

and has already spilt an estimated 270,000 barrels,

or 51 million litres, of oil...

(PHONE RINGS)

..into the Pacific Ocean,

making it the largest oil spill in US history.

The Coast Guard reported that the ship was manoeuvring to avoid...

Hello? HELEN: Hey. It's me.

Hey, listen, I know we said Friday,

but I would really like to meet tonight.

Like, just...we can sit down.

We can watch each other's shows, you know, good, bad, whatever.

Just 'cause it's my first show.

Sure.

OK, great. You want to meet here?

Uh, yep.

Eight alright?

Perfect. Alright. Hey, listen. I'm sorry about that article.

(CREAKING)

What article?

Oh, it's just a little article in the paper about my show launching.

But there's a... a bit about you in it.

It's nothing to worry about, Dale. Mm-hm.

HELEN: It's a nice picture of me, but... (LAUGHS) ..it's...

..I just...I wouldn't bother.

Dale? DALE: Yep. One second.

Uh...

..uh, no, it's not here yet.

What does it say?

Um... OK.

It was an interview with my boss.

Um...it says,

"There's true journos, who break stories and set agendas,

"and then there's TV presenters like Dale Jennings,

"a pretty boy with more hairspray than brain matter."

Uh, "Tonight, you're going to see Helen," uh, "take back the crown."

(LAUGHS)

That's fine.

Yeah. It's alright. It's not that bad.

Yeah. No.

That...that is nothing. It's fine.

OK.

OK. Well, good luck tonight.

You too. Thank you.

And I...I'll... I'll see you on Friday.

No, tonight.

Yes. I will see you tonight.

Alright. See you then. Bye.

Bye-bye.

(BEEP)

(PUTS PHONE DOWN)

(LIFT BELL DINGS) (LIFT DOORS OPEN)

(LIFT BELL DINGS) (LIFT DOORS OPEN)

Good morning. Hey. You're across the oil spill?

Uh, yeah. Why? Vincent's here.

Thinks we should cover it. Morning. Nope. Absolutely not.

We've been very clear about what Public Eye is,

and it is not breaking news.

BILL: Let's just watch it, hey? Nope.

Hi. Helen, you need to see this.

MAN: (ON RECORDING) The slick,

originally covering 80 square kilometres,

is now double that and spreading.

Today, dozens of birds and sea otters struggled in vain

to rid themselves of the unwanted oil.

(STOPS RECORDING)

Yeah, it's strong. VINCENT: Isn't it?

Mm-hm. Yep.

Mmm.

But we need to be very clear about what Public Eye is,

because we are not the day's top stories.

Each episode is a dedicated in-depth look into a single issue.

Yes, but some breaking news is gonna be unavoidable.

Yeah.

You saw the interview we got for the IVF story, right?

Yes. The couple are very emotional.

Yeah, they're great, and they're gonna be great tomorrow night,

but if News at Six have this and we have a couple crying over IVF,

I know where I'd go.

BILL: Yep.

Right. OK.

We had planned for Wednesday, uh, an episode about the environment.

We...we could bring that forward and incorporate the oil spill.

I mean, that's.. it's about the greenhouse effect.

It's really a completely different issue.

Yeah, but it's all planet in crisis.

No?

This might be the best, uh, visual, uh, manifestation

of the planet in crisis.

Will you just excuse us for just a moment, please, Vincent?

(PHONE RINGS)

BILL: What?

You're folding.

It's day one...

I'm not folding. ..and you're folding.

I'm not folding. He's right.

The oil spill IS the spectacle people want to see right now.

And that with the greenhouse effect, I think, is a hell of a first show.

I genuinely think this is a decent compromise.

OK. Yeah?

OK.

OK. This is good.

OK. This is good.

Alright, everyone. Uh, a change of plans.

We're gonna bring forward Wednesday's show to tonight.

So meeting in 15 minutes, please.

Hey, Leonie, can you please bring in the, um, climate change videos

and also anything you can find on Exxon?

Thank you.

Get any sleep?

No.

DENNIS: We are leading with the oil spill.

I'm trying to get a live cross to Alaska.

Then we move on to the Oscars.

You know, profiling nominees, that kind of stuff.

Uh-huh. Where's Noelene? She's in hospital.

She alright? Yeah, yeah, no.

No baby yet, you know, but they're monitoring her blood pressure.

You can call her if you want. (PHONE RINGS)

I don't think we've got enough yet to counter Helen's show.

We need another feature story,

a major interview.

What? Uh, now, D.J., if I may.

The Oscars are a ripper story. I was just talking to Jean about it.

She's mad for them. And I know your mum loves her flicks.

And what a year it's been. Hey, Dennis? A magnificent year.

You've got your Rain Men, you've got your Working Girls,

and you've got the, um... (SIGHS)

Dennis, what's the one about the big monkeys?

Gorillas. Gorillas in the Mist.

LINDSAY: What a year. DENNIS: Mm-hm.

Last week, Noelene was pitching an interview with Bob Hawke.

There's a new edition of his biography.

It's very personal. Mmm.

And I would love to see nothing more

than you having a sit-down chat with Bob Hawke.

Great. Just later on down the track.

In the meantime, how about, um...

Dennis, what's that girl who's up for the Best Acting gong thing?

Meryl Streep? No, no, no.

The one with the big tits from the B movies.

DENNIS: Melanie Griffith.

LINDSAY: Melanie Griffith! An interview...

Can you give me Noelene's number, please?

Um...you can get her at the Women's.

LINDSAY: (CLEARS THROAT) Dennis. DENNIS: Hm?

LINDSAY: Christ!

Honestly!

Tonight, of all nights, is not the bloody night

for a Dale Jennings live political interview.

Mate, he's...you know, he's not that bad when he's well prepared.

Christ, Dennis! What rock have you been bloody living under?

Human conversations are not that boy's strong suit.

I don't care what it takes.

Get onto Noelene. Bend her ear. Put a stop to it, will you?

And, mate, by the way...

..you wouldn't happen to know what

Helen's leading with tonight, would you?

Well, I don't know. I've seen a bunch of TV ads, but it's all vague.

"Helen Norville in action," blah blah blah.

(LAUGHS) Could mean anything, couldn't it?

(LAUGHS)

Jean?

Would you happen to know the number of, uh,

Helen's Public Browneye show, whatever the bloody thing's called?

JEAN: No.

But I can ring the network switchboard.

Could you do that for me, please? Thank you.

Oh, eh. You're just gonna ring 'em and ask?

No, I'm not, mate. Can you shut the door, will you?

Uh, last week, you mentioned interviewing Hawke

about his biography, the new edition.

This edition goes into way more detail about Hawke's alcoholism,

about problems with his daughter.

Is there a way I can get a copy?

My copy, it's either on my desk or in the drawer.

Check my bottom drawer. DALE: OK.

One second. (PUTS PHONE DOWN)

Noels, the doctor could not have been clearer.

I'm still resting. I haven't even stood up today.

(PHONE RINGS)

Mmm.

Got it.

Look for my note about infidelity.

I mean... (LAUGHS) ..you've noted everything.

NOELENE: It's about halfway through. OK. Found it. Yep.

NOELENE: So, that section pretty heavily implies

that Hawke cheated on his wife.

And as far as I know, no-one's ever asked him about that ever.

You could be the first journalist to put that to him live on air.

Can we get him tonight?

I could call his press secretary.

Dale. Morning update.

Let me know how you go. Thank you.

Noels. Noels. Dennis can make whatever calls you need to be made.

I promise you, getting Dennis to do it would be more stressful

than just making the call myself.

Hi.

I'm wanting to speak to Barrie Cassidy, please.

It's Noelene Rickards from News at Six.

SONG: # No money man could win my love... #

CHERYL: So...

..I didn't want to ask you this, but everyone expects me to know,

like, all the camera boys and the girls in wardrobe.

(LAUGHS)

The Woman's Day.

Is it true?

What?

The...the article, about you and Kay Walters.

Oh. Here.

I actually do know Kay.

Well, we...we do aerobics together.

And recently, she has been asking about you.

And I'm always, like, "Dale is the sweetest."

But it's such a good picture of you.

Like, she'd have to be happy with that.

MAN: (ON RECORDING) The first mate was not certified for command

in inland waters.

Hey, are we gonna cover the culture at Exxon?

Because there's definitely a story in there.

I'm just not sure how it relates... Gough Whitlam's dead.

What?! Died this morning.

Just heard from the newsroom.

LEONIE: Do you have any other contacts with the family or...?

OK, that'd be great. Thanks, Alan.

Um... (HANGS UP PHONE) ..apparently the newsroom had a call

from Margaret Whitlam's personal secretary

confirming former PM Whitlam passed away this morning aged 72.

Suspected heart attack.

But is that confirmed? LEONIE: Don't think so. No.

They're sending a statement out this afternoon.

They wanted to give TV stations advanced warning.

Advanced warning.

I mean, I've never heard of advanced warning. That sounds bogus.

Do we have a number for his private office?

SHARON: I've got a caller who says he's a friend

of one of the Whitlam sons.

Has more detail. Can you put it through?

No, no, no. That should go down to the newsroom.

We stick with the oil spill. Yep. No.

That's what we discussed. Great. Let's just confirm.

Hi. Uh, this is Bill McFarlane. Can I ask who's calling, please?

MAN: My name is Alexander.

I am a uni mate of, uh, Whitlam's son Tony.

I was actually with him when he found out.

BILL: OK. Are you in Melbourne?

No, Sydney. Yeah. That's where Tony and I live.

But, uh, yeah, jeez.

We've just got off the blower to the airport

trying to get him first flights home, so, yeah.

Sorry. Um...Whitlam was at home when he died, was he?

ROSS: In the back garden, actually.

Yeah. Jeez, he was a good man, that Geoff.

Uh, Gough. He...I used... he liked it when I called him Geoff.

Uh, he was a great family man. (HANGS UP PHONE) That'll do.

Yep. Help yourself to a sixpack.

Sharon, did you get a number for him?

I mean, you need more verification than that.

Yep. I'll... I'll give Michelle Grattan a call.

Bill, I think we need to stick with the environment.

That's what we discussed. That's what we're doing.

Yeah. Well, we might have to manage both.

Guys, we'll have to have another meeting in 15 minutes, please!

(PHONE RINGS)

Hi, Michelle. It's, uh, Bill McFarlane...

Come on. What?! No!

No! They'll recognise my voice.

No, who's gonna recognise YOUR voice?

Mate, you could just be a young bloke

who worked for old Gough back in the '70s.

Come on. DENNIS: No, no, no. Listen.

Someone like you gets caught doing something like this,

you're just an old bastard who's gone crazy.

I get caught, I'll never work in news again.

No, Lindsay, no. You're a team player, mate.

No sixpack for you.

Jeannie.

Absolutely not.

(SHOUTS) Rob!

Rob!

We see it as a TV event -

uh, loved Prime Minister

talking to Australia's favourite television personality.

Given the Alaskan oil spill, it will be a great opportunity

for the PM to show his environmental credentials.

But beyond that, Dale really wants an insight into Bob Hawke the man.

What is it about him that makes ordinary Australians

connect to him so strongly and...

No! Of course. Yes.

(SNAPS FINGERS) I understand. Get me...

Um, no. I am not at my desk at the moment.

Could I leave you a different number?

Um... No, actually. (LAUGHS)

I am at the Royal Women's Hospital.

Would it work for me to call you back in 15 minutes?

20?

(SIGHS) The most stressful thing is you watching me.

Well, that's 10 calls, and counting.

Can you just...

..sit?

I AM sitting.

(PHONE RINGS)

EVELYN: I'll get it!

(PHONE RINGS)

Walters residence. Evelyn speaking.

Hello. It's Dale Jennings.

Dale.

I'll take it.

I was just wondering if Kay was available.

I...I'm not sure if you're aware of this Woman's Day article. (LAUGHS)

EVELYN: Yes. Very much aware.

There was a photographer at the end of our driveway this morning.

Give me the phone, please.

DALE: I apologise for that. Usually they call in advance.

Sorry. One moment, thanks.

Give me some privacy, please.

Sorry.

Sorry. It's like living under the Stasi here.

(LAUGHS) (LAUGHS)

(DOOR CLOSES)

How are you?

Good. Good.

So, look, I just wanted to, um...

..apologise for this...

..article.

Usually they would call in advance, but I...

Oh, they did. They rang here.

Right.

KAY: I didn't give a quote or anything.

I just asked them to say that I designed my own dress,

which they did, and it's a great photo, so I'm fine.

Are YOU upset about it?

No.

No. I mean, I'm used to it.

But, um...

..I was just...

..concerned if you were, um...

..if you were seeing anyone or...

No. I'm not.

Are you?

No.

I liked your speech, by the way, on Logies night. It was very charming.

Thank you.

(LAUGHS)

You do know that's the last time that you'll be able to pull off

grateful country boy, though?

(LAUGHS) Sorry?

We'll, you're TV royalty now.

It's good to get there in your 30s. Dad didn't till he was about 45.

You'll be able to milk a lot more out of it.

(KNOCK AT DOOR)

JEAN: Call for you.

Won't give a name. It's clearly Helen.

Thank you.

Right.

Um...

So, sorry, Kay. I might, uh, have to call you back.

Sure.

Or maybe just come around.

If you can handle the Stasi.

DALE: OK.

Thank you again.

I didn't do anything.

(HANGS UP)

JEAN: Shall I put it through?

DALE: Yep. (SIGHS)

(PHONE RINGS)

Helen.

HELEN: Hey, are you covering this Whitlam stuff?

Erm... Sorry?

Yeah. Well, if you don't know, then, uh, you're not covering it. (LAUGHS)

What...what happened?

We had a couple of phone calls this morning saying that he had died.

They said they were calling TV networks early,

but, I mean, if that was true, they would have called News at Six.

Um, Helen,

I...I...I don't think we should start

trading information on our line-ups,

but, no,

we do not have any dead prime ministers on ours.

Do you know where, uh, Lindsay is?

He's on the other side of the wall to me. Why?

(HANGS UP)

(DISCONNECTED TONES)

(HANGS UP)

BILL: Yeah. Thanks, Michelle. I appreciate it.

I mean, if you haven't heard anything about it at this point,

then I think we can just say it was, um...

You can forget about the Whitlam stuff. It's all bullshit.

None of the other networks have it.

Yeah, I got onto the Canberra bureau.

They said the same thing. Yep. Yep.

Because it was all sabotage,

like I told you from the first fucking moment!

Helen!

And now we've torn up our fucking day for the second time

because you wouldn't listen to me!

And that, that, was my old boss trying to screw me over.

And do you know why it worked?

Because my current fucking boss just screwed me fucking over,

on my own goddamn show!

You done?

This behaviour is more damaging than that prank call.

Alright?

So why don't you step outside,

take a breath?

Back to work, please.

(SIGHS)

(INDISTINCT CHATTER)

Noelene's just locked in Hawke. What?

Yeah, live to air, 6:15... No, no, no, no.

No, no, no, no, no. I've told you to stop that.

DENNIS: I tried to call her,

but she's on the phone the whole bloody time.

LINDSAY: Fuck!

DENNIS: Look. It might be alright. OK? Hawke always rates.

LINDSAY: Oh, Bob Hawke's not the bloody problem.

When he's on form, he's the most laconic man alive.

The problem is, you put Bob Hawke against Dale Jennings,

Dale comes across looking like a pinched sphincter with a blow-dry.

A what?

Mate. Grand news.

We've just confirmed Bob Hawke, just now.

A pinched sphincter?

But you're the best-lookin' pinched sphincter I've ever seen.

With a blow-dry. (LINDSAY LAUGHS)

You're the Robert Redford of pinched sphincters, Dale! Eh?

Have you been spreading false claims about Gough Whitlam?

Ah, no, just... Mate!

You are supposed to be the head

of the number one news bulletin in the country!

All this behaviour is pathetic.

(DOOR OPENS)

Jean! (DOOR CLOSES)

I have told you to guard that door with your life!

We can't have the bloody talent traipsing in and out!

That door was left open by you!

And as I've said many times, when you leave the door open,

your voice travels all the way to Collins Street!

Ah!

MAN: 30 seconds!

WAYNE: Helen!

(LAUGHS) Hello, love.

Gosh, Wayne. How are you? I'm good. It's good to see you.

You too. What's it been? Like, five years?

Uh...oh. Late '70s.

So...we'll... we'll just say five years.

(LAUGHS) (LAUGHS)

LINDSAY: Ah! Here he is.

Mate, I've got Murray to put together some overlay

for your chat to Hawke.

I don't want you in the studio. Oh, mate. Come on.

We'll speak tomorrow after we get the numbers. That's it.

WAYNE: Would you like to hear a bit about the other network's promos?

God, no. Nope. Not tonight.

OK. No worries. Alright, everybody. In two minutes.

Give this a little shine. Thank you.

MAN: And in 10...

..nine, eight...

WAYNE: ..seven, six, five...

..four...

HELEN: Good evening.

For years, we've heard the warnings of planet Earth in danger.

But now, in 1989, a new sense of urgency has taken hold.

As we witness the Alaskan wilderness choking in oil

and as we hear scientists predict the devastation

our children will see in their lifetimes,

Australians wonder, "Can we save the planet? And how?"

Welcome to Public Eye. I'm Helen Norville.

(THEME MUSIC)

WAYNE: (LAUGHS) That's great. Alright.

(THEME MUSIC)

Decent opening. Mmm.

HELEN: (ON TV) We begin tonight in Prince William Sound, Alaska.

But this once-pristine environment

is right now the scene of an unprecedented disaster.

The Exxon Valdez supertanker has run aground...

..triggering the single largest oil spill in US history,

devastating countless wildlife and hundreds of miles of coastline.

Our correspondent, Andrew Rooney, is in Alaska.

Andrew, can you tell us just how much oil has been released?

ANDREW: Estimates are as much as 50 million litres, Dale,

creating a slick that's some 13km long and growing by the hour.

DALE: And, Andrew, what's been the reaction of the local Alaskans?

Flip it over to Helen, will you?

ANDREW: Their livelihoods depend on this waterway.

WOMAN: ..spill comes at a time when Prince William Sound fishermen...

(LAUGHS) Whoo! It's the same pictures.

..preparing for the herring season.

(BLOOD PRESSURE CUFF PUMPS)

(HISSING)

OK. I'm sorry. It's inched up.

I've rested. I really have.

I don't think it's related to rest

or work pressures or any of that.

I think we're seeing a late-term spike.

It's very common.

But given how close you are,

I do think we should induce.

I didn't sleep very well last night. Maybe if I get a good night's sleep.

Noelene.

If it keeps going up,

then we get into risky territory.

So is it...is it harder, being induced?

Like, we've just...you hear stories. No. Labour can be faster.

But I...I really think it's the best decision for you and the baby.

OK? Alright.

OK.

No, it's good.

Hey. We're good. Noels. Look at it.

I wasn't stressed. No.

It's just...it's just...

..it's just... (SIGHS)

..it's time.

You're gonna have a baby, Noels.

And I love ya,

and I'm right here, and this is when it's supposed to happen, mate.

Yeah?

Yeah. Yeah!

Alright, you want me to call your, uh, parents?

Oh, no. I want to do it. Alright.

I just have to make one last work call.

Oh! OK. The very last, I promise.

(PRESSES NUMBERS)

(SIGHS)

DALE: ..president of the Exxon Shipping Company has confirmed...

Yeah, Dennis. ..at the time of the accident...

NOELENE: It's Noelene. I need you to pass something on to Dale.

Well, he's in the middle of a bulletin.

Get a pen and paper. (DENNIS SIGHS)

DALE: The president said that he didn't know...

OK, go.

When he's speaking to Hawke, when he asks him about infidelity,

he shouldn't use that word, OK?

Don't use 'infidelity' or 'unfaithful'

or 'adulterer' or any of those.

They might make him clam up.

He should just use...

..'womaniser'.

OK. Why?

Say exactly that and Dale will know what I mean.

DALE: ..the tanker through Prince William Sound.

Whilst there will be an investigation,

the Exxon president said...

You give this to Dale, straightaway. Straightaway.

HELEN: Now, as the world's scientific community calls for urgent action,

some dissenting voices have emerged.

My guest tonight, Professor Alan Tyndall,

has been a meteorologist for 30 years.

But he has triggered controversy by calling greenhouse science

the flavour of the month.

Professor Tyndall, welcome. Thank you, Helen.

HELEN: Now, the world's scientific community...

VINCENT: Jesus! Is he the best you could get?

..seems united about the dangers of a heating planet.

But you are saying that... (SIGHS)

..they're wrong.

TYNDALL: Well, no. I'm...I'm not saying that.

I'm...I'm saying that we...

..well, we can't be certain yet and we must reduce uncertainty

before we commit to any drastic action.

Is that the biggest jacket she could find, is it?

First woman on broadcast television, you can't even see the tits.

TYNDALL: Right now, there are various computer models

of what might happen to the Earth, and they're all saying

completely different things.

All I'm suggesting is that we refrain from drastic action

until we can get consensus.

Uh...it seems that within the scientific community,

there is already consensus that the planet is warming.

TYNDALL: Well, it...

This is starting to feel like a lot on one topic, Bill.

Well, it's the show that we pitched, Vin.

Sure, but it's a show that's making me want to turn over to News at Six,

for fuck's sake.

Oh! Jeannie. Sorry about that.

DALE: After six years as Prime Minister...

There you go.

..he's a polished statesman on the world stage.

But somehow, through it all,

the Prime Minister has managed to maintain that common touch,

that connection with the average Aussie voter.

Bob Hawke joins me tonight.

Prime Minister.

It is a gift

that few politicians have.

What's the secret? BOB HAWKE: Very simple.

I just...I just do love people. I get on very well with people.

Always have. It's...

Why can't Dale ask a question like a human being?

I don't know. He might warm up. I don't know. Hopefully.

Fingers crossed. A sphincter? Pigs might fly.

Part of why the average Aussie voter relates to you is because, well,

we all know that you like a drink,

but did the drinking ever become a problem?

I was never an alcoholic, uh, in the sense that I could never work.

I mean, I...I...I worked... always worked very hard.

I got to the stage where at the end of the day,

I'm looking forward too much to a drink.

It was becoming something of a crutch to me.

And I thought that was pretty unintelligent.

You ARE accusing your fellow scientists of being alarmists.

I've never used the word 'alarmist'. No, I'm gonna stop you right there.

Because you did.

You, uh...

..you have accused your fellow climate scientists

of stoking false panic

in an effort to secure more funds.

I did not say that. You did. You wrote it.

This is your quote.

"In this age of media hype,

"all scientists know is if they want a bigger research budget..."

TYNDALL: I was merely observing that caution is...is no longer popular.

I don't think that anybody reading that

would think that that was an observation.

I think that they would read that as an accusation.

It wasn't. Next question.

"Next question."

Fuck.

Thank you very much, Professor Tyndall.

And we'll be back after the break.

Are we meant to be going to a break?

And we're out. OK.

We're running about two minutes ahead.

Yeah, OK, then we're just gonna roll the backup story.

(INAUDIBLE)

BOB HAWKE: I know that Hazel was very, very pleasantly surprised.

Prime Minister, people have described you as a womaniser.

What do they mean by that? Dale! Dale!

They mean that I was unfaithful to my wife.

DALE: Is that true? Yes.

DALE: And is that chapter

over now or...?

BOB HAWKE: Yes, uh...

..I don't think it's a thing that I want to talk a great deal about,

but, uh, the one thing I DO want to say about it is, well,

I just do feel indebted to... to Hazel, and...

..she understood that it was

part of a...a pretty volatile, exuberant character.

And, uh, she knew that my love for her had never changed,

and it never... I always loved Hazel, always will.

Come on. The other woman. Get her name! Get her name!

Come on, Dale! And what makes Hazel so remarkable?

Oh! Wait, wait, wait. Wait.

She's, uh, just an incredible woman.

An incredible woman. DENNIS: Yes.

Tears. Tears. Tears! Tears! We've got tears.

Yeah! (LAUGHS) We've got tears.

The whole nation is gonna be talking about this for a month!

And who organised it? Me.

Yep. You did well, Lindsay. Well done.

OK. Thanks.

(HANGS UP)

Wayne just called.

Apparently, Helen's already headed off.

I heard things got a bit rocky up here today with Helen.

Yeah, we ran into some sabotage, so it was a bit tense.

Leonie?

Yeah. A bit tense.

You assured me, mate,

that Helen was up to it.

She is.

VINCENT: Well, I hope so,

'cause this show needs a rethink.

Helen Norville has been a lot of things onscreen, Bill,

but she has never been boring.

Until tonight.

Yep.

So, nice achievement, buddy.

Uh, no, no, uh, but I can get a message to him.

Hi, Jean.

WOMAN: (ON SPEAKER) I rang my sister, and I said,

"Turn it on to Bob Hawke," you know, and she did, and she cried.

(LAUGHS)

WOMAN: We both felt that Dale is, um, a lovely chap,

uh, handled it all very nicely and, um, terrific little...

Oh. ..figure on him too.

We appreciate the call. We'll pass that on.

They're all like that.

Well. (LAUGHS)

JEAN: Would you like to see the audience reactions?

The... Can I?

Mr Bertrand insists that all viewer sentiment is collected.

Sure. (LAUGHS)

Well, which bit?

There are the calls,

there's letters, tapes, audience responses,

print coverage.

All of it.

Alright.

I'll have it on your desk in the morning.

'Night.

TYNDALL: (ON RECORDING) All I'm suggesting

is that we refrain from drastic action until we can get consensus.

But, uh, it seems that within the scientific community,

there is already consensus that the planet is warming.

TYNDALL: Well...I mean, there's no doubt that the Earth is warming,

and it's...real question is...is why it's warming.

It's a scientific fact that the Earth's temperature fluctuates.

Oh, I can't. Oh, well, let's just finish it.

No. It just goes on and on and on and on and on like that.

(SIGHS) It just goes on like that.

(TRILLS LIPS)

He's boring? Yeah, he's agony.

So why'd you pick him? I didn't!

I didn't. We switched it all up.

And I didn't even get a chance to talk to him first.

Oh. Right. I mean, the first bit was shit too.

No!

(SCOFFS) No.

I mean, I get going in-depth on one specific issue.

Yep.

It's just...

..you can do so much onscreen.

You can be combative and warm. You can destabilise people.

You can comfort them. That's why people love you.

This felt like you were stuck in one gear.

Yeah. Yeah.

I think you should tell them you want to change it.

Yep.

Yep...

Yep.

OK. Let's watch yours.

Oh, it's getting late. No, no. Go on. Put yours on.

Put yours on. Um...

(SIGHS)

(SIGHS) Actually, I'm sorry. I can't.

I just can't. We will. That's fine.

That...it's fine. It's fine. I'm sorry. I'm sorry.

No. I'm gonna go. I'm gonna go. Alright.

Um...but I'll call you tomorrow after your show.

(SCOFFS) If there IS a show.

There will be. Thank you.

(DOOR OPENS)

(SIGHS) (DOOR CLOSES)

(FOOTSTEPS APPROACH)

Hey.

Can you not wait out here in full view of the street?

(KEYS JINGLE)

Where would you prefer me to wait?

Um, in your car? Oh, yeah. My car.

What, the Rolls-Royce parked around the fuckin' corner?

Say you're sorry.

I'm sorry.

Say it again.

I'm sorry.

(DOG BARKS)

Now ask to come inside.

Can I come in?

Please...

..sir?

ROB: Come on. Come on. Come on! (NOELENE SCREAMS)

DOCTOR: Just one last one. You're doing so well.

(PANTS) DOCTOR: You doing OK there, sir?

Yeah. Yeah. Noels, do you want to change position at all?

No. ROB: Do you want a sip of water?

DOCTOR: Alright. One last big one, Noelene.

Here we go. Come on.

(PANTS) ROB: Come on, Noels. Come on.

(MOANS)

(BABY CRIES)

Oh, Noels.

DOCTOR: It's a beautiful baby girl. (SOBS)

Rob, do you want to do the honours?

Yes. Yeah.

DOCTOR: There we go. That's alright.

(INDISTINCT CHATTER)

There we go. (LAUGHS)

(BABY CRIES) (MOANS)

(SOBS)

ROB: Oh, Noels.

(SOBS) (LAUGHS)

(BABY CRIES)

Hello. Hello.

Oh, jeez.

Oh.

Sorry.

Hello. NOELENE: Hello.

ROB: Noelene, she's beautiful.

(NOELENE LAUGHS) (ROB LAUGHS)

(DOOR OPENS)

Ah. Yep.

7-pound girl.

And she's just beautiful.

And Noelene's great.

Oh! Congratulations.

Oh. Thank you.

Rob, uh, her sister wants photo.

Oh. Come in.

Is that OK? Yeah. Come in. She wants to see you.

Here she is.

Noelene.

Mate, can I get you to, um...

Mr Kim.

Be honoured, mate. Yeah. Just, uh...

OK. (SIGHS)

Big smiles. (CAMERA CLICKS)

Three...

..two...seven.

(SHUTTER CLICKS) (LAUGHTER)

Beautiful.

(LAUGHS)

(SOON-HEE LAUGHS)

(INDISTINCT CHATTER)

HELEN: Morning. (CLEARS THROAT)

Morning.

Are the numbers in yet?

Not yet.

We were supposed to debrief after the show last night.

Mmm. Yeah. I'm sorry.

We need to debrief after the show every night.

I know. (CLEARS THROAT)

Are you alright?

Yeah.

You never behaved like that on the road.

Bill, it was the first show. I was incredibly anxious.

And the Whitlam stuff really threw me.

That was more than anxiety, Helen.

Irene's sister saw this woman for a year.

She said she was incredible.

You don't have to speak to her if you don't want to, of course.

Um...

..but I think you need to deal with it.

Because I can't have that in this office.

Uh, the ratings call will come in at around 9:15.

Mm-hm.

And then we're having a staff meeting after that.

HELEN: OK.

(DOOR CLOSES)

LINDSAY: Hey, here he is! (LAUGHS)

(APPLAUSE) Come on!

Oh, mate.

Mate, we just got the call. The figures came through.

We fucking blitzed it.

We won by a country mile.

Helen.

Helen, a distant third.

Mate, the...the graph just kept going up and up

and up and peaked on Hawkey's tears, eh?

(LAUGHS) Well done.

The CEO says he's got something for you. He wants to see you.

And after that, mate, the three of us - you, me and...

..and Dennis -

we're going off to Florentino's for a lunch, hey?

(LAUGHS)

I'm not having lunch with you, Lindsay.

Oh. Come on, Dale.

Look, I know there was a bit of a rough patch there, but, uh, you know,

it all added up to a win, and we should celebrate.

That win had nothing to do with you. Mate.

That win rested on a Hawke interview that you didn't want

that I had to conduct in the wake of vile insults and humiliation,

and you ought to acknowledge that.

Well, mate, it was a terrific interview,

and full credit goes to you, Dale.

Full credit.

No.

I want to hear you say the words.

LINDSAY: Uh...

What words do you want to hear?

You profoundly regret what you said.

LINDSAY: I... Yeah.

Yeah, of course I do. Of course I do!

(PHONE RINGS)

Oh.

(SIGHS)

Dale.

I profoundly regret what I said to you.

Hm.

You were wrong. Sure.

And the bulletin triumphed in spite of you.

(SIGHS)

(LAUGHS)

Now...

..I wouldn't try to throw your weight around...

..like that with me.

I don't care what you think. Hm.

Jean, could you put Richard Bertrand through to my office?

(DOOR CLOSES)

Hey, Lindsay, are we still going out for lunch?

No.

We are fucking not, Dennis!

(SIGHS)

Damn it!

BILL: And...

..that put us in third place.

What was our share?

18.

And News at Six?

29.

We knew there was gonna be work that needed to be done.

Right? We knew that.

And this was our first show.

So we can only get up from here.

Why don't we go out there and put together the best show that we can?

(CLEARS THROAT)

So...

..in, uh...in rewatching it, um...

..I believe that we can't stick to a single story.

I do think that it would have worked late-night, but, um...

..but at 6pm, we need at least two major stories.

And I do think we need to end with something lighter.

Agreed. No, that's great.

Uh, I think that we should stick with the IVF divorce story.

HELEN: Yep.

But I don't think it should go for any longer than eight minutes.

Mm-mm. Um...and then yes.

Let's... let's cut to something lighter.

Mm-hm. Yeah.

In the US, religious groups are boycotting a Madonna Pepsi campaign.

It's got the Church. It's got sex.

Good. Great.

It's compelling. Yeah.

ROB: I rang my folks.

I rang the office. Mmm.

Also...

It's on all of 'em.

Hawke blubbing.

Did they say anything at the office?

Yeah, yeah. Huge congrats.

Everyone wants to know where to send flowers.

Jean, Dale, everyone.

Mmm. But about the interview?

Uh...

..no.

Sorry, no.

They...they didn't.

But...

Mm-hm. (SIGHS)

Rob?

Yeah?

I know Jessica was looking like our favourite name.

Yeah.

But...now I think...

..would it be OK if we picked a Korean name?

Hana.

Sounds a lot like Hannah.

And I like...

..Hana Kim Rickards.

(SNIFFS) (LAUGHS)

In Korean,

'Hana' means "the one".

(LAUGHS)

And maybe...

..she's the centre of our world.

(INHALES)

(CLEARS THROAT) Yep.

Noels, I think that's bloody perfect.

(LAUGHS) (LAUGHS)

Little Hana. Mmm.

(LAUGHS) It's beautiful, Noels.

(NOELENE SNIFFS)

Are you smiling?

(LAUGHS) Is that a smile?

Yep. (LAUGHS) There you go. It's a done deal.

(TOASTER POPS) (CUTLERY CLATTERS)

You have a visitor out front.

Who?

Dale Jennings.

You know what Nadia said.

You took a couple of steps back after your father's passing,

so right now, we need to avoid anything

that might knock you off centre.

Dale Jennings isn't gonna knock anyone off centre.

(FOOTSTEPS APPROACH)

Sorry to...

..show up unannounced, but, um...

..well, I was given a car by the CEO today.

(LAUGHS)

Told you. TV royalty.

Yeah.

Is it a bit ridiculous? (LAUGHS)

No.

But are you gonna ask me for a drive?

(INAUDIBLE)

(FOOTSTEPS APPROACH)

(DOOR OPENS)

WOMAN: Helen.

I'm Marcia.

Hi. MARCIA: Come through.

(HELEN CLEARS THROAT)

Thanks.

Can I offer you tea or water or...? Oh, no, thank you. I'm fine.

(CLEARS THROAT)

So, what brings you here today?

Um...

..so I, um...I've...

..I've just, uh, started a new job.

Erm...

..it's a...

..it's a...a big...deal.

Like, it's a...probably the biggest job of...of my life.

Take your time.

(LAUGHS)

Um...

..and, uh, I guess, um...

..I suppose I'm...

..I'm, erm, struggling a bit.

How are you struggling?

In what ways?

Lots of ways.

How long have you been struggling?

(INHALES)

My whole life.

My whole life.

Are you throwing yourself a party?

My show's about to get axed. I don't want to go to an industry event.

Especially not with Lindsay.

He's not invited.

I'm making a point.

He's not relevant.

We've been discussing your emotional reactivity.

Is this your diagnosis, Marcia?

Noelene came in with...

Well, you remember Tim, from camera.

They're discussing the protests in China, I believe.

Noelene, this is the story of my life.

Is there any way you could come in with me?

DALE: I think the fall of communism is the single biggest story

in the world right now.

MAN: This is a revolution.

Captions by Red Bee Media

Copyright Australian Broadcasting Corporation