A Tale of Two Cities (2026) s01e02 Episode Script

1
[soft music playing]
LUCIE: I was eight years old
when I watched my father die.
But now this stranger brings
a message from Paris.
Recalled to life.
No.
Charles Darnay, I arrest you
in the name of the King.
Ask them what he's being
charged with.
WATCHMAN: Treason, Miss.
He's a French spy.
You understand what you'd be
risking defending this man?
How do you know he's innocent
if the charges against him?
- How can you be sure?
- LUCIE: I can't.
But he's all I have.
And do exactly as I do.
- The man to the left.
- I'm afraid not, Mr. Barsad.
LUCIE: You did a good man
a great service.
I didn't do it for him.
[glass breaking]
You do not care for me,
Mr. Carton,
though I cannot say why.
- [screams] Juliette!
- [horse galloping]
JULIETTE: [screams]
CHARLES: France may not be
as you remember it.
No more waiting.
Whatever happened
to my father, I have to know.
[instrumental music playing]
[horse trotting]
[indistinct chatter]
[instrumental music playing]
[indistinct chatter]
[bell tolling]
[woman praying]
[in French]
[indistinct chatter]
Mademoiselle Lucie?
[chuckles]
[in English]
You're Matilda's daughter.
Every inch.
You knew my mother.
The kindest of mistresses.
Ernest?
[gasps]
[sighs]
ERNEST: Your father,
he is here.
[indistinct chatter]
[in French]
[in English]
This is my wife.
[in French]
Where's my father?
[footsteps]
The night you escaped Paris.
I wish I could have done more.
LUCIE: What happened to you?
ERNEST: I was beaten.
After I looked for you,
but, er
It was too late.
You and your father were gone.
I would like to see him alone.
The door on the right.
You lock him in?
The change he has suffered.
After all these years,
locked in La Bastille.
You will understand
[tense music playing]
[inhales]
[door opens]
[shudders]
[soft music playing]
Papa.
It's me.
It's Lucie.
Your daughter.
I've come to take you home.
ALEXANDRE: No.
My home is here
at La Bastille.
[in French]
[eerie music playing]
ERNEST:
CHARLES:
ERNEST:
[tense music playing]
[door opens]
[in French]
[speaking French] Are you ready?
Gaspard? What
[indistinct chatter]
[door closes]
[door closes]
[fire crackling]
[footsteps approaching]
I'll listen.
if you want to talk.
Was this a mistake?
Coming here?
[chair scraping]
[sniffles]
No.
I spent 18 years grieving him.
And pining after a country I
barely remember.
Now, I'm here.
He doesn't know me.
Doesn't even know himself.
Eighteen years.
Alone.
Without hope.
Of course he's changed,
yes, but
you can bring him back.
With your strength, your love.
Today was only the beginning.
Thank you.
[clears throat]
I'll say good night.
Would you stay?
I won't sleep tonight
in any case.
Yes. Yes.
Of course.
Um
[soft music playing]
[thud]
[footsteps approaching]
[indistinct chatter]
[woman laughing]
[keys jingle]
[lock clicking]
STRYVER: a truly reputable
institution, madam.
Ah, my associate Sydney Carton.
Out burning the midnight oil
on our client's behalf.
- No doubt.
- HESTER: Mr. Carlton, I believe
you've had some dealings with
my late husband's former ward.
Lucie Manette.
Mrs. Hester Lorry.
Recently bereaved.
My deepest condolences
again, madam.
Now minority stakeholder
in Tellson's Bank.
Thank you, Mr. Stryver.
That will be all.
Oh.
I have some business
to attend to.
Urgent business.
[clears throat]
Madam.
Sydney.
[door opens]
[door closes]
I wonder if you've heard from
Lucie since she left London.
You haven't?
Your former client,
Charles Darnay.
He traveled with her.
What do you know of him?
Nothing.
Didn't care for him much.
But you defended him.
I did what she asked me to do.
I saved his life.
Because he was innocent.
[exhales] I do not pretend
to understand Lucie, at all.
But any young woman traveling
between two warring countries
on the word of an alleged spy.
A man she barely knows.
Couldn't have stopped her.
Nobody could.
I see she's made an impression.
[Hester sighs]
I've not slept much
these past few nights.
My house is too quiet.
She, um, came to me.
The night before she left.
I was surprised, too.
Lucie knows her own mind.
I sent her away.
Why?
I'd be grateful
for any news.
Oh.
Will you call, at the house,
Mr. Carton?
[eerie music playing]
[footsteps receding]
[trickling]
[in French]
[sighs]
ALEXANDRE:
THERESE:
[suspenseful music playing]
[groans]
[groans]
Show me.
Well, you're still my patient.
[Charles wincing]
[sharp breath]
LUCIE: It's healing.
I was well cared for.
LUCIE: And this?
Another disagreement?
A souvenir.
From Yorktown.
Courtesy of a Redcoat's rifle.
You fought
for the American rebels?
Yes.
I was wrong about you.
You are a traitor
to the British crown.
[chuckles softly]
A war hero.
A rebel.
Who are you trying to prove
yourself to, Charles Darnay?
I told myself I was brave
fighting others battles.
I was hiding.
I don't care who you were.
I don't care about your secrets.
Nobody is innocent.
The life ahead.
That's all I want.
I want that, too.
We should
We should rest.
[soft music playing]
[clucking]
[distant bell tolling]
[indistinct chatter]
[in French]
[door opens]
[crowd chattering]
They know your father is here.
[intense music playing]
[indistinct chatter]
- [knocking at door]
- [soldier yelling]
[banging continues]
Papa, we have to go.
Papa, he's a friend.
[in French]
[in English]
No time! Come, quick.
All of you.
[indistinct chatter]
LUCIE: Shh
[dramatic music playing]
[door opens]
[thuds]
[chuckles softly]
[soldier in French]
[floorboard creaking]
[suspenseful music playing]
[music intensifies]
[distant yelling]
[yelling continues]
[chattering and yelling]
[suspenseful music]
[soldier in French]
[in English] Out! Come on.
[distant yelling continues]
LUCIE:
It's all right, it's all right.
Come.
Right away. Go.
The boat will be waiting
for you at Sangatte, hurry!
[dramatic music]
Come on! Quickly!
Go, go, go!
LUCIE: Thank you.
[indistinct chatter]
[yelling and chattering]
[overlapping chatter]
[dramatic music playing]
[utensils clinking]
[footsteps approaching]
[speaking French]
You all right?
[soft music playing]
[knocking on door]
[horse neighs]
What's wrong?
Why are we stopping?
The driver
will take you to Sangatte
and help you find Ernest's man
and he'll get you
across the Channel.
You're not coming with us?
[in French]
It's all right, Papa.
We barely escaped the city.
They might still send soldiers
out looking for him
and you're leaving us.
There's something I have to do.
Something I should have done
a long time ago.
What?
What?
[in French]
Shush, Papa. I'm here.
I wish I
[sighs] I'm sorry.
I trusted you.
But your words,
it means nothing.
If I have to do this alone,
so be it.
[horse neighs]
[horse galloping]
[tense music playing]
[trickling]
[distant bell tolling]
[knocking at door]
[birds chirping]
[sighs in relief]
Well we walked inland
from Dover, an hour, maybe two.
Hey, Miss Manette--
Finally flagged down
our mail coach--
Lucie.
The night you left, um
I should-- I should have
You're here.
That's all that matters.
ALEXANDRE: No!
- JERRY: Blaggard!
- HESTER: Calm down.
- JERRY: Do sit down
- HESTER: No.
It's all right. It's all right.
All right.
No!
JERRY: Blaggard!
No one's gonna hurt you!
Papa. Please.
- ALEXANDRE: Please, please!
- LUCIE: [shushes]
No. No. No. No,
you're safe here. You're safe.
You're staying. You're safe.
- You're safe.
- No.
ALEXANDRE: [mumbles] No, no, no!
What's happened to him?
He was a prisoner
in the Bastille.
Locked in a single cell
for almost 20 years.
This
He's been this way
ever since we left Paris.
ALEXANDRE:
[mumbles] No, no, no.
LUCIE: I don't know what to do.
ALEXANDRE: No, no.
- No, no, no!
- Is there a key for that door?
Of course.
[keys jingle]
ALEXANDRE: No, no, no.
[locking door]
And Mr. Darnay?
Where is he?
Gone. After we left Paris.
HESTER: He abandoned you.
Knowing the dangers
you both faced.
There's nothing more to say.
He's gone.
We're here.
[eerie music playing]
[bell tolling]
[horse galloping]
[footsteps approaching]
[in French]
[sighs in relief]
[breathing heavily]
[suspenseful music playing]
[Marquis St. Evremonde
chuckling]
[man snoring]
[coughing]
[chuckles]
[laughs hysterically]
Papa. Please. Just
One mouthful.
- Papa, leave that please.
- No!
[dramatic music playing]
[Alexandre mumbling]
[sighs]
[dramatic music playing]
[sighs]
[thud]
[door opens]
[Lucie panting]
He's in shock.
The more familiar
this all feels, the better.
If he wants to sleep
on the floor, let him.
Offer bread and water.
He won't be able to keep
anything else down yet anyway.
You've done this before?
Not in French.
Does it get any easier?
Whatever you feel
joy, rage
regret,
they're yours.
No one else's.
My father back.
That's all I ever wanted.
[chuckles]
Now you have it
it's in your hands.
Well, somehow,
it's never felt further away.
My mother.
She was, uh
The doctors
They told us it was just
hysteria.
Um
An affliction of a female mind.
But when she was well
when she laughed
the world stopped.
For the moment.
Just me and her.
I want that feeling again.
Just once.
A home,
family.
Is that too much to hope for?
I think you can have
whatever you want.
[soft music playing]
[bell tolling]
[knocking at door]
[distant bell tolling]
[chuckles]
[laughing]
Huh?
[sniffing]
[sniffing]
[scoffs]
[exhales]
[eerie music playing]
[sniffles]
[footsteps receding]
[soft music playing]
[soft music playing]
[exhales softly]
[indistinct chatter]
[chuckles]
[moaning]
[speaking French] Go.
[soft wind whistling]
[window thuds]
[wind blowing]
[eerie music playing]
I didn't know what to expect.
Tonight.
And now?
Are you greatly changed?
No.
How did you break this?
A malunion here.
The bone never healed.
Do all doctors' daughters
learn medical theory?
I pay.
For private tuition.
- Anatomy?
- Surgery.
But you need cadavers.
That's a capital crime.
And I didn't have the choice.
Those lessons
It was the only time
I ever felt close to him.
My father.
[fire crackling]
[groans]
[sighs]
I was a boy
nine or ten
a real gutter rat.
You'd have crossed the street
to avoid me.
[chuckles]
I found my mother sat out
on the street in the rain.
She'd lost her coat or
sold it again.
I picked her up. She didn't
weigh anything by then.
We got back to the house
and started up the stairs.
But I er
I slipped.
Or she did.
When I came to, she was
at the top looking down at me.
She was
She was laughing.
[inhales]
I think we can both
have what we want.
One day.
A home. Family.
You already have a family.
Hester. Your father.
Even if he doesn't even
know who I am.
He's more like you
than you realize.
He fought tooth and nail
to stay alive.
To get back to you.
He carried you with him.
[suspenseful music playing]
No, wait. Wait!
Call on me tomorrow.
First thing.
[door opens]
[door closes]
[panting]
[knocking on door]
Oh, no, don't mention it.
Lucie?
There was a bag. A case.
My father gave it to Mr. Lorry
the night I left Paris.
[panting]
You know where it is?
Well, Jarvis thought it
for the best.
No. He, he worried it would
bring it all back if he saw it.
He-- he got rid of it?
No.
[soft music playing]
[dramatic music playing]
[emotional music playing]
Lucie?
[sniffles]
[birds chirping and squawking]
[birds chirping]
[eerie music playing]
[ominous music playing]
[shuddering]
[birds chirping]
[soft music playing]
[door opens]
You have a visitor.
I told him you weren't receiving
any callers, but he insisted--
[sighs]
[dramatic music playing]