The Killings at Parrish Station (2026) s01e01 Episode Script

1
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Get your own.
Yeah, I'll just duck
to the shop, shall I?
There she is.
Fuckin' how does
anyone survive out here?
You don't, I guess.
Happened slowly enough
they managed to get
a distress signal out.
What distress signal?
You're standing on it.
Ah, you two drew the short
straw, huh?
Hey, give us one of those?
Local PD are underground
in the living quarters.
They're waiting for a chat.
OK, so, uh, just this way.
Watch out for the
So, yeah, uh,
young Darryl here found 'em.
Is that right, Darryl?
You found the bodies?
Uh, yeah.
Yeah, four bodies, uh, all found
in and around the premises.
All male.
All in states of deceased.
What do you know about
the missing scientist?
Kate Reynolds.
We were looking for her
by the creek
and, uh, we came across
the old guy.
Yeah.
Do you know what it is
they were studying out here?
Space.
Space?
Yeah, you know, stars. Galaxies.
You know, things of that nature.
-Planets.
-Well, yeah, exactly. Yeah.
Uh, um, I mean, we largely
left them to themselves.
I mean, this station's -
what is it, Darryl? -
about 340 clicks
from Barrawin, so
So how did you know
something was wrong?
Well,
apparently there were plans
for the scientists to
contact their families
on Christmas Day via radio
and, you know, when those
communications were missed,
that's when the family members,
uh, contacted us.
Howard, that was three days ago.
That is That's
Yeah.
You waited three days
to come and check it out?
Yeah, well, look,
it was Christmas Day.
You know, Barrawin PD,
I mean, it's just basically
me and Darryl, you know?
Oh, yeah, and Geoff.
Except Geoff has the diarrhoea.
Who's Geoff?
He has the diarrhoea.
OK.
What's down there?
Mick?
Alright,
you nasty bitches!
Are you ready for some murders?
Whoo!
Yay! Amazing!
So it's been 37 years
since the Parrish killings.
Man, these killings
are older than me.
-Are they?
-What?
So we've been talking
about this for months now.
This Parrish series has been
a huge multi-parter for us.
Big-time.
And I've gotta say,
you do get obsessed
from time to time.
But this one,
the Parrish Station massacre,
this is special for you.
-Well, yeah, this is my baby.
-Yeah.
-This is my little murder baby.
-Don't call it murder baby.
It's not just that this case
remains unsolved.
This thing,
the more time you spend with it
and the deeper you go,
the weirder it becomes.
And you have these two cops
at the centre of it,
Georgia Cooke
and Michael Thorne.
And neither of them
will ever run another case
after this.
Simon Lim.
Late 40s, early 50s.
Body's been displayed
post-mortem.
Crudely autopsied.
Organs removed.
Tell me when you spot it.
George, you seen
Toaster's
been taken apart.
A couple of other items
on the pool table too.
A guitar, a cassette player,
some tools.
Oi.
Is this a research station
or a mine?
Uh, correct, yeah.
What's correct?
Uh, well, I-I-I mean,
it used to be a mine.
And then, um, you know,
Parrish Minerals converted it,
as it were,
into a research station.
You seen it yet?
Yeah, what did they mine?
Um
Uranium.
My dad worked out here
in the '60s.
So this was all run by
the Parrish family?
Yes, yes, that's right.
Uh, all part of
the philanthropic, um
Oh, Jesus.
It's That's a bit full-on.
Mick?
Is that clotting
on the incision?
It is.
This happened
while he was alive.
Times of death
are gonna be
hard to pin down precisely
in these conditions.
You understand
how massive this is gonna be?
How close can you get?
Uh, they've been here
at least three days.
Uh, beyond that, I don't know.
Heat does some fairly
wacky stuff to the human body.
This is a site run by
Parrish Minerals.
This will be national news
for weeks.
Gary Boyd.
Circular gouge to the left side
of the throat,
consistent with
Beer bottle?
About the right size.
No shortage out here.
Can I ask a silly question,
Wendy?
Where the fuck are his teeth?
Left hand.
Left hand?
Now, I've never
claimed to be a dentist.
-True.
-OK?
But that is not
where teeth,
you know, medically go.
You know what I mean?
So, I guess
Uh, I guess, what the fuck?
-We don't know.
-Mm.
We honestly don't.
The case file, which has been
publicly available since 2002,
is, I would say,
suspiciously thin
on the details about
all of this.
OK, so it's a cover-up. Does
it go all the way to the top?
OK, just so you know,
I am aware I am being mocked.
But let me give you
another example
of something that we have
fuck-all explanation for.
This was found in the vicinity
of the crime scene
and four more dotted
around the site.
George, reckon we can
hurry things along out here?
What's this about?
Pile of rocks.
Fuck, you're good.
Did he get burned by something?
The sun.
The sun did that?
He tried to crawl to shade.
See those marks?
That tree, maybe.
They said they looked for the
missing scientist out this way.
But there wasn't
another vehicle?
Just that one back there?
No. As far as we can tell.
If she's on foot, she's dead.
And the last one?
Tower.
Paul Edgars.
Blunt force trauma to the head
and, uh
Where are the fingers?
Had a poke around,
haven't found them yet.
What's Callum Parrish doing
funding a radio telescope?
I don't know.
Half the shit in this city
is named after that family.
That'd be alright,
wouldn't it?
Do you hear that?
Ah!
Oh!
-George!
-I'm fine, I'm fine.
Found her!
Can we talk about the only
survivor, Kate Reynolds,
for a hot second here?
Yeah, I was actually
really hoping
this was gonna come up,
if I'm honest.
-Is this?
-It is.
So, for anyone who's new here,
whenever we get a new case,
I pick an element of it
and text it to my mother,
Denise.
Whoo!
-Yeah!
-Go, Denise!
Oh, some Denise fans in.
Kind of creepy with the shirt,
but still cool.
So I texted my mum to find out
what she remembered
about the case,
especially about Kate Reynolds.
And she replied this morning.
-Are you ready to hear it?
-Always.
OK.
"Damien, I do remember
the Parrish Station killings."
"We were living in Silver Pine
at the time,"
"next to Margot and Phil."
Simply not relevant information,
Mum. Stay focused, please.
"Scientists were killed
at a research station."
OK, that's actually
pretty good for Denise.
"The woman, Kate Reynolds,"
"was one of
the scientists' girlfriends."
-Bah-bow!
-Yes. Mm.
No. OK.
Look, it's not just Denise.
A lot of people get this wrong.
She wasn't a girlfriend.
She was an extremely
accomplished astrophysicist.
-Yes.
-But people forget that.
That's true.
Do better next time, Mum,
OK?
Ah!
Motherfucker.
Have a sook, ya big baby.
Hello?
Uh, hello?
Millie Farah receiving. Over.
Hey, Farah.
Frankie there?
Ah, yes, correct. Confirmed.
Just before you pop her on,
take this down for the boss.
Four dead, one survivor found.
Kate Reynolds
currently being choppered
into our Lady of Mercy
for examination.
Is she a suspect?
Too early to say, but we had
a interaction.
Tell Charlie we'll meet him
at the hospital.
Pop Frank on, yeah?
Uh, copy.
Hello?
-Mum?
-Hi, possum. You OK?
You being good for Millie?
Frank?
What's it like where you are?
Well, it's hot.
Very dry.
It's really dusty.
And I'm gonna be back in a bit.
You were late on the radio.
I know. I know, I'm sorry.
Want to do a check, baby?
OK.
I've got 10:34 and 21 seconds,
22 seconds, 23 seconds.
I got that too.
There you go. Same.
And what do you do
if you start to feel scared
or you start to feel lonely?
I look at my watch.
And why is that?
Because I know you
have the same time.
Wherever I am, Frank, same time.
Look, I gotta go. Be good
for Millie, yeah? I love you.
Love you too.
I want to see
Kate Reynolds's room.
Still doing
the watch thing with Frankie?
Seems to help.
She still a bit off?
She worries a lot.
About me mostly.
Does she know
you're indestructible?
Have you told her that?
I, uh, know who you are,
by the way.
Yeah. Um, we both do.
Yeah?
-Thanks.
-Yeah.
Darryl spotted you first.
I wasn't sure it was you.
We studied Moorland.
In the Academy.
-Yeah?
-Mmm.
Well, uh, I'm pleased.
I'm pleased.
Yeah.
Signs of
attempted forced entry
into Kate Reynolds's room.
I'm not articulating
this very well.
No
Lock was busted open.
You don't really think
in a situation like that.
You don't have time. It's, uh
Instinct?
That's exactly right.
Bed was used as a barricade.
Listen, you know,
you don't think
Well, we don't get many
hostage situations out here.
What about Benny Mulligan
when he barricaded himself
in the pub that time?
Yeah, well,
it's not the same thing
as what he went through
at Moorland.
-Well, no.
-No.
He walks into
a domestic dispute, solo.
Turns into a full-blown
hostage situation with kids.
I'm not trying to say
it's the same thing
No, but you're talking about
when Benny Mulligan
locks himself into the pub.
You're cheapening
his accomplishment, Darryl.
It's rude.
-I'm trying
-Fellas, fellas.
Mick?
Who the fuck is that?
Hey!
Hey! What the fuck
are you doing?
I'm Callum Parrish.
This is my facility.
No, this is my crime scene
and you just landed
a fucking helicopter on it.
I understand there's been
some kind of incident.
Hey! This is a crime scene.
Look, I'm not trying to get
under anyone's feet, OK?
-Great.
-I'm just here to help.
Then fuck off.
That'd be a terrific help.
Hey, hey, look.
It's hot. It's been a long day.
She's been hit in the head
with a hammer.
None of this is ideal.
We all good?
Just asking to be
kept in the loop.
Well, congratulations.
You're in the loop,
OK?
OK.
Let's go!
Now, when it comes
to Georgia Cooke,
you are
How do I put this?
You're super gay for her.
You're gay for Georgia Cooke.
I have tremendous respect
for her as an investigator.
Yes.
But also would.
-Of course.
-Absolutely would.
Now, you you say
you respect her
as an investigator,
but just to play
devil's advocate,
it seems to me that she was
you know, at best,
completely incompetent.
And at worst
dangerously unhinged.
Ohh.
-Boo!
-Oh, shut up. She was.
OK, I will allow
that Georgia Cooke was
unfit for active duty
by the end of the case.
Yeah, well, that's not
really up for discussion.
She shot two people.
But, like, I know
it seems unlikely,
given where she ended up,
but it is, in fact, possible
that she was right
about a bunch of stuff.
Hmm.
And and when you say
"where she ended up"
Mm-hm.
I think some people in the room
might not know what
you're referring to here.
OK, uh, she's currently
in a health facility.
She's in a mental asylum, guys.
-Ohh.
-She went fuckin' crazy.
And she's been in a mental
asylum for 37 years.
What you doing there, mate?
Muzjiks?
You trying to make me angry?
You know what I like best
about our games, Leonard?
The conversation.
Challenge.
Oh, Leonard, you sonofabitch.
"Muzjik. A Russian peasant."
Hey, Barry, you ever heard
of the word 'muzjik'?
Oh, this is some bullshit.
I'm gonna write to
the dictionary people,
is what I'm gonna do.
You got a visitor.
Go on, mate.
You touch this game
and I'll set you on fire.
Muzjiks!
Millie fuckin' Farah.
It's been a while.
I've been meaning
to get out here and see you.
I think the last time was, um
Christmas 2010.
I don't get many visits.
I tend to remember.
Well, that's too long.
Yeah. We've all got stuff on.
Have a seat.
I'm running Homicide now.
You heard the word 'muzjiks'?
Yeah, I think it means,
uh, peasant, doesn't it?
See, you're clever.
That's why you're
running Homicide.
How much do you remember
about the Parrish case?
I mean, there was a time,
wasn't there,
where you were thinking
about a lot in here.
How are you on the details?
What is this, Farah?
You writing a book?
Three weeks ago,
the body of a man
named Clayton Wallace
was found in bushland
near the airport.
His throat was cut.
Teeth were removed.
Just like Gary Boyd.
Then, two days ago,
at a beach
in the northern suburbs,
a university student
named Todd Finch was found.
Face bashed in, fingers cut off.
Same as Paul Edgars.
OK.
Someone's re-creating
the murders out at the station,
here, in the city.
It's happening again.
OK.
Hands up.
Oh, nearly had it.
Try again.
Frankie?
Frankie, are you OK?
Who's that?
That's someone
your mum's gonna speak to.
Frankie girl!
Hey.
Ohh! What did
Millie feed you today?
Did she feed you bricks? Hey.
You OK?
She was great
till a second ago.
Thanks for this.
It's fine.
Poppy's gonna come
grab you real soon, OK?
Oh, g'day, pumpkin.
How you going? Alright?
OK.
Oh, Christ,
she got you good, girl.
How's she doing?
She's dehydrated.
Sprained ankle.
Some irritation on her skin
She's fine.
Dr Kahn and I are having
an ongoing conversation
about access to the only witness
in a quadruple homicide.
There's a little difference
of opinion here.
You can talk to her
in half an hour.
Half an hour?
But keep it brief,
keep it calm.
Avoid stressful topics.
She was found at the scene of
a massacre. That might come up.
Just tread carefully.
You don't need me for this.
You've got
all the old case files.
You've seen them, Georgia.
They're useless.
Now, Charlie Lockwood's dead.
Mick Thorne's fuck knows where.
But you're here.
It's all in your head.
Yeah, but that's the problem.
It's all in my head.
How about you help me
and I help you?
How's that?
I can get you outta here
for a time.
I don't wanna get out of here.
And if I could take you
to Frankie?
I know you've looked.
She's here in the city, Georgia.
Right here.
Oh, you're a real piece of shit,
you know that?
Isn't there a part of you, just
a, you know, a small part of you
that wants to see this through?
And I know you're stable enough.
Yeah, I am.
And you know how I got that way.
I accepted that every single
conclusion I reached was wrong.
Tragically wrong. I worked
a long time to accept that.
It was hard won. It's what
we call in here a breakthrough.
You really know
where Frankie is?
That's not bullshit?
I know where she is.
And there's three words
there, and they're in Latin.
-He-hey, there she is.
-Poppy!
Hello, possum.
There's the lazy bastard.
Hey, Charlie.
You looking after me girls?
Yeah, mate.
Hammer.
Hammer?
Well, yeah.
But this one's alright.
Retirement's good?
You missing all of this?
Not one bit, mate. Not one bit.
You can come in now.
Hey, you gonna be
good for Poppy?
Oh, she sure is.
Gonna watch the test cricket,
aren't we, possum?
Hey, remember what I told you
about, uh, Allan Border?
-Great batsman.
-Yeah, and?
Should have quit after India.
Should have quit after India.
Good girl.
Wanna do a check?
2:34 and
17, 18, 19
Mum.
Don't.
Hey, give us a sec.
Hey, Leonard.
I gotta take off for a bit.
Uh, we'll call this a draw?
I'll be back before you know it.
Don't.
I'm Georgia Cooke.
This is Michael Thorne.
We're police officers.
I've seen you before.
Yeah, you tried to kill me
with a hammer this morning.
No, not this morning.
Before that.
Do you prefer Kate or Katherine?
Or Dr Reynolds?
I understand
that you have a PhD.
-I'm Kate.
-Kate, OK.
Good.
Do you know where you are, Kate?
Hospital.
Something happened
at the research station.
They're all dead.
That's right.
I'm sorry.
Can you tell us
what happened out there?
It sleepeth in the darkness dead
with hunger of unended years.
Run that by us again?
What happened to your skin,
Kate? Did you get burned
You have to take it away
from me. It has to get out.
It's OK.
It can it can come out.
Listen,
uh, Miss Reynolds?
The best thing you can do right
now is tell us what you saw.
What I saw?
What I saw?!
-It's OK
-Tell you what I saw?
No, please! You have to
take it away from me!
Hold her down.
-Hold her down!
-We need help.
Five milligrams!
Get it out!
It's easy to forget, I think,
just how fast this thing moves.
Four days.
That's the whole thing.
Four days from the moment
of that interview,
Kate Reynolds will be dead,
and that'll be the end of it.
But it'll also be the start,
because that death will leave
so many questions unanswered,
and people will spend decades
trying to answer them.
Just tell us what you saw.
What I saw?
What I saw?!
Hold her down!
Hold hold her down!
The best thing
you could do right now
What's that you got?
These are, uh
The university sent them over.
-What university?
-What I saw?
The university
running the project
with the Parrish Minerals Trust.
Best thing you do right now
They had a telefax out there.
These are the reports
they sent back.
I don't think there's anything
in there, but I can have a look.
"The S-wave pairing is dominant
in the low-density regime."
Good God, Farah.
I think you've cracked it.
What happened
to your skin, Kate?
Did you get burned?
Hey, uh, did you know that's
incredibly fucking annoying?
I'm looking for something.
It sleepeth
in the darkness,
dead with hunger
of unended years.
That. What's that?
It's a tilt at an insanity plea.
It's from something.
Bible, maybe?
I doubt it.
Hey, Mick, did I tell you what
Dad got Frankie for Christmas?
-No.
-A book of Bible stories.
That's nice.
No, it's not.
He didn't even ask me.
I mean, I don't give a shit
if he wants to do
his God-bothering,
but leave her out of it.
She's just a scared
little kid right now.
A word?
-Yeah.
-No, just Cooke.
This is Detective
Sergeant Cooke.
Charlie
I believe you've met.
Deputy Commissioner Carrick.
Did you assault Callum Parrish
this morning?
No, I did not assault
Callum Parrish.
He says you did.
He says you shoved him.
He was about to enter
a crime scene.
I prevented him from doing that.
Are we being serious right now?
So you did assault him?
As I said, he was about to
enter a crime scene.
Not going to press charges.
An apology should suffice.
This is his private number.
Know that off the top
of your head, do you?
George!
Sergeant, I understand
that there are events
in your recent past
from which you may
still be recovering.
There was a motor vehicle
accident this time last year
where you lost your husband.
-Do I have that right?
-You do.
-Your daughter was injured
-Oh, Pete
She was dead for four minutes.
And how is she now?
-She's great.
-Excellent.
'Cause my only concern
is you get all the support
you need at this time.
If that means
having time off work
Are we done?
You'll apologise.
Come on, Pete.
I'm talking to her.
I'll apologise.
You'll be sleeping
on my pull-out bed,
if that's alright.
Fine.
Where's the, um,
you know, the
There's a button.
Ah. There's a button.
Hmm.
Don't smoke in the car.
We could
make mugs, maybe,
like with little Parrish Station
logos on them or something.
I think people would like those.
Actually, I don't really know
what people like, to be honest.
Thank you.
Hey, I wasn't too harsh about
Georgia Cooke and Kate Reynolds,
was I?
I just don't want people
to think I'm punching down,
you know,
like with mental illness
and all that kind of stuff.
You were fine.
Cool. Thanks.
This is half, right?
All good. All good.
See you tomorrow.
Actually, which direction
are you going
See you tomorrow.
See you tomorrow.
You got any kids?
No.
-Husband?
-No.
-Wife?
-No.
Oh, OK.
Well, this was a good chat.
Don't stay too late.
OK, bed's ready.
You want another cuppa?
No, I'm fine.
Yeah. It's still there.
I'll get you a towel.
Alright, bedtime.
Read me one of these?
Oh, your mum's not too keen
on that book, love.
Alright. Just one, OK?
Then it's sleep time.
Alright. Now, let's see here.
Uh that's a bit gruesome.
Ah! Alright.
You ready?
So, a while ago
And, Frankie, I mean a while.
This is way back in Bible times.
There's a group of people
in a city called Babel,
and they got together
and decided to build
a huge tower so high
that it could reach the heavens.
Why'd they do that?
Why'd they want to
build the tower?
Oh, no test cricket
in Bible times, possum.
Not a lot to do.
But, you know, I reckon
I reckon they just wanted to
know what was up there.
Why'd they want to know
what was up there?
Oh, human nature,
I think, possum.
People like to pry.
You see, these folks
had looked up at the heavens
their whole lives
and wondered
And now
they were gonna find out.
And so they built their tower.
And brick by brick
by brick by brick,
the tower got higher and higher,
until one of the builders
could almost reach out
and touch the underside
of heaven.
But God didn't like that, chickadee.
Not one little bit.
And so he punished them.
Why'd he do that?
Well, because some things,
Frankie, they're just for God.
They're not meant for us to see.
Not while we're here.
And as the tower
came tumbling down,
God scattered the people
of Babel all across the globe,
and made it so they couldn't
understand one another.
Time to sleep.