Playing Gracie Darling (2025) s01e05 Episode Script

1
[eerie ambient music plays]
[music builds]
[door creaks]
[birds twittering]
[Young Joni]
Won't they be back soon?
[Young Gracie] Nah.
Don't waste it!
Desperado much?
[Young Joni scoffs]
Cheers.
Ooh. Cheers!
["So Real" by Jeff Buckley
plays over stereo]
This mix is so angsty.
Jay made it for me.
[chuckles] That explains it.
Sexual frustration.
[scoffs] They're just songs.
Joni, if you don't
fuck him soon,
I'm gonna be forced to
out of pity.
- Fuck off.
- [laughs]
[Young Joni sighs]
We should see
if he wants to come over.
No.
[dialling] He can choose
which one of us
he wants to pop his cherry.
- Gracie, no!
- Oh, hi, Jay.
- Oh, hi.
- Gracie!
Do you wanna come over
or are you too busy jerking off?
Well, that's such a shame
[continues indistinctly]
That's it! Your CDs
are getting destroyed!
Oh, that was so real ♪
Oh, that was so real ♪
Stupid bitch!
Oh, that was so real ♪
[song outro plays]
[Anita] I mean, what the fuck
were you thinking?!
- You don't live here anymore.
- I know that, Anita.
You don't get to just walk in
here whenever you feel like it.
I think you're missing
the point.
This was exceptional
circumstances!
Invading our daughter's privacy?
He hacked my computer!
Raffy, did you not think
this could be evidence?
Evidence?
It was a joke!
Okay, put it away. I'll tell you
when dinner's ready.
Thank you.
It's bloody pornography.
I mean, where would Frankie
get ideas like that?
Oh, come on, Jay.
I think 'sexy priest'
is a pretty perennial fantasy.
Sex? She's just a kid!
Don't you remember
what we were like at her age?
Yeah, and, boy, did we make
some huge fucking mistakes!
[groans wearily]
25 years and a kid together?
That's not what I meant.
Like lying to the police
for you that night?
You could have been anywhere,
doing anything.
[uneasy music plays]
They found her body, Jay.
How do I know the police
aren't gonna turn up
and start asking me
more questions?
What am I gonna say?
[uneasy music continues]
[Young Anita] Jay?
Shit! Get in.
[Young Jay grunts]
I lost you.
Where have you been?
Where are the others?
You have blood on you.
Shit. Fuck. [gasping]
Hey, just
I'll wash it for you.
Where where's Joni?
Should we go look for them?
Um
can I stay here tonight?
Yeah. Sit down.
[soft music plays]
You're shaking.
[Young Jay sniffles]
Don't worry. It's gonna be okay.
[soft music continues]
[tense music plays]
[insects chirping]
Should I make you
something to eat?
[Mina] Not hungry.
[gasps]
Jesus, Mum!
What are you doing,
creeping around out here?
Lulu crashed early, so
She wanted to wait up
for you, but--
Yeah, I know. I
[keys clink]
Mum?
Did you ever hear
the name Levi Darling?
Oh, God!
Darling this, Darling that
You are obsessed
with that family!
You never liked them.
For good reason!
But you, with your
rose-tinted glasses--
Oh, okay. No, no, no.
I mean, can you even blame me?
You did so little
actual parenting,
I might as well
never even have existed!
Oh, my God, you have no idea
what I gave up
and what I sacrificed.
- What you sacrificed?!
- Yes.
And when are you gonna grow up
and stop being so selfish?
I never wanted to go to
the city. I was miserable there.
You were miserable here!
I gave up everything so you
could have your treatment.
I gave up my job,
I gave up my marriage.
No. No, no, no, no, no!
You don't get to do that!
- What, tell it like it is?
- Oh!
I can't.
[sighs]
[pensive music plays]
[murmurs]
[exhales sharply]
Uh
[typing]
[menacing music builds]
[gasps]
Levi
[breathes shakily]
[menacing music continues]
- [menacing music builds]
- [distorted soundscape]
- [panting]
- [menacing music escalates]
[music and soundscape
stop abruptly]
[exhales]
[phone buzzes and chimes]
[sighs]
[line ringing]
- [Joni] Jay.
- Yeah. What is it?
Did you see my messages?
Uh not not properly, no.
Right. Okay, so I've been
doing some research.
And, um, you know what?
Levi is Levi Darling.
- What?
- Yeah. Levi Darling.
You need to search
the station records.
No, I did that. We don't have
anyone named Levi on record.
[Joni] No. No, no, no.
You need to go further back.
You need to search dead people.
- Keep me updated?
- [Jay] Okay, I'll check it out.
Okay, thanks, Jay. Bye.
[fan whirring softly]
How can I help you, Joni?
I saw your car parked outside.
[sighs]
I came to apologise.
No need.
I've been [inhales]
thinking
did I encourage them?
How'd I fail to see
what was going on?
I ask myself that every day.
[chuckles softly]
I've been thinking a lot about
what you said
the other night about
the spiritual world.
[Zac] Hm.
My faith says that
there is a transcendent
spiritual world,
you know, beyond this
this physical one,
which I know is hard
for sceptics.
But when I look back
across history,
the things we've done
to each other,
you know, the horrors
Doesn't it seem likely
that there is something else,
something evil,
acting through us?
Demons?
[Zac] Well
yes and no.
You know, some people think
that demons are fallen angels.
You know, that's the majority.
But the other possibility is
ghosts,
dead people
with unfinished business
wandering the Earth,
looking for a host.
I think that's what
the Bible implies.
Thanks.
The plaque just there
Do you know anything
about Levi Darling?
No. No, sorry.
[uneasy music plays]
[music fades]
I apologised.
And I apologise.
Thank you.
[Joni] How about
we drop by the Darlings'
and then go for a swim today,
just you and me?
That would be nice.
[uneasy music plays]
[water bubbling]
[music fades]
[Moira] Thanks for coming.
Ruth's not coping so well.
Oh, it's totally understandable.
She's out there in the bush,
every day.
[crockery clinks]
How are you?
How are you getting on?
I get by.
Moira?
Did you have a relative
by the name of Levi Darling?
Doesn't ring a bell.
Why?
Just thought
it might be relevant.
It was something
that Raffy said.
There's an old plaque
at the church.
Oh, huh, those old things.
Way before my time.
Shall we go in to Dad?
Yeah.
[uneasy music plays]
The fence needs fixing
in the back paddock.
Well, you can do that later.
Oh. You don't need that on.
You remember Mina, Joni's girl?
She's here to read to you again.
Go from where you left off.
- Okay.
- I think he liked that.
Sure.
Um
Uh, you remember they were
having a picnic in the bush
and Judy was chasing after
her little brother?
[clearing throat] Uh
"Just as she started after him,
he looked back"
[whispers]
I'll just go check on Ruth.
[Mina] "..his eyes dancing, his
face dimpled and mischievous,
"and - oh! - so dirty.
"There was a tree falling,
"one of the great, gaunt,
naked things
"that had been ringbarked
long ago.
"All day it had swayed
to and fro,
"rotten through and through.
"And now there came up across
the plain a puff of wind,
"and down it went before it.
- "The crash shook--"
- Mr Darling.
- Mum. Mum.
- What was that?
Not now.
Can I ask you a question?
[James] Huh?
Um
did you know someone
by the name of Levi?
Do you recognise that name?
[stammering softly]
Moira!
- Mum
- Who was Levi?
- Help me!
- I want to help you.
How can I do that?
[tense music builds]
Let him out.
Let who out? Levi?
Mr Darling,
was Levi your brother?
- [exclaims]
- [crockery shatters]
- Oh, I'm s
- [Moira] Joni!
[Joni] I'm sorry.
I didn't mean to upset him.
- [Ruth] What's going on?
- [James] My tea's all ruined.
[Moira] It's all right.
We'll get you another one.
Ruth, I'll do that.
I'll do it.
[crockery clattering]
- Oh
- I'm so sorry.
[Ruth] It's fine, Mum.
I've got it.
Is it the same Levi?
Oh, Mina, I can only think
that Frankie heard
the name somewhere and
even though they're pretending
like he never even existed,
I don't know I don't know
[bemused chuckle]
I don't know what to think.
You still want to go for a swim?
Can you drop me at Raffy's?
Sure.
[insects chirping]
[knocks softly]
Hey.
Hey.
My dad's totally freaking out
about the thing with Zac.
I'm, like, double grounded.
Sorry.
I just came to tell you
that Levi was real.
There's this, like,
memorial thing at the church.
Maybe Frankie told you.
They're all connected.
Levi Darling, Gracie Darling,
Frankie Darling.
We need to find out
what happened to him.
[insects chirping]
[eerie ambient music plays]
[eerie music builds]
[exhales gently]
Oh
[disquieting music plays]
[gasps sharply]
[panting rapidly]
- [shrieks]
- [menacing sting]
[muffled struggling]
[gasping for air]
- [shrieks]
- [music intensifies]
[pants, splutters]
[coughs]
[breathing heavily]
[music fades]
[exhales sharply]
Hey.
- Hey.
- Uh, you're all wet.
Did you go swimming without me?
Okay. Mum!
- What is up with you?
- [kisses]
Nothing. I just love you.
- [Lulu chuckles]
- I love you. [kisses]
I love you, I love you,
I love you.
- [Lulu] Can I put the ring back?
- [Joni] Num, num, num!
Which ring? Ah!
That's your favourite.
[insects chirping]
Hey, Mum.
Hi.
Kids won't smell it from here.
Oh, you're fine.
I've been thinking
about what you said last night,
and you're right.
I
I never did think about how all
of that affected you and Dad.
Well, selfishness
is a child's prerogative.
I know I wasn't a great mother.
The Darlings thought
we were irresponsible parents.
Perhaps they were right.
You were fine. You were fine.
It's a tough gig.
Yeah, well
I don't know, sometimes
when you were young,
really young, I just felt
the pressure,
the responsibility.
You know, I
I just felt trapped.
I just wanted to
walk out of here,
keep walking
and never look back.
In the end, I did walk.
But I took you with me.
Yeah.
Yeah.
- [disquieting music plays]
- [wind turbines pulsating]
[birds twittering,
insects chirping]
[man] Billy Parkes?
Hello, mate.
We just want you to come down
to the station with us.
- Fuck off.
- We got a few questions for you.
Stay calm. Whoa, whoa!
No need for that.
- Get away!
- We just wanna talk to ya, mate.
- Just--
- Oh!
Oi!
[Billy grunting]
Fuck!
[Billy] Stop it,
you fuckin' pigs!
Oi! Hey! Call these
fuckin' dogs off me, Jay!
Show me a fuckin' warrant!
Get the fuck off me!
[Young Billy] Jay, Jay!
Please tell them I didn't
do anything-- Ah, fuck!
Please tell them
I didn't do anything to Gracie!
Please! [grunting]
[Billy] Get the fuck off me!
[wincing]
Come on, ma--
You fuckin' you have no idea
what you're fuckin' doing
[shouting continues in distance]
[detective] Animal lover.
He rescues them.
The turbines.
Rescues? [laughs]
What are you charging him with?
Perverting the course
of justice.
What do you mean?
We got CCTV of him
dumping Frankie Darling's stuff
in a skip.
[uneasy music swells]
- [music fades]
- [Joni babbling playfully]
[Lulu laughs]
[Lulu] It's nice lying here.
Ten more minutes
and then off, okay?
Don't let her see it.
Okay.
How was Raffy today?
Are you okay, Mum?
[Joni] Yeah. Yeah, yeah.
I just need some sleep.
I think, um
we'll go after the funeral.
But what about Frankie?
I just I don't think us being
here is helping anyone anymore,
so I think we should just
go home and get on with things.
- Boop!
- [chuckles]
- Pshoo!
- [Lulu] Okay.
Oh! That was magic.
- Close your eyes.
- [Lulu] Goodnight, Mina.
'Night.
[loud banging on metal]
[banging continues]
[Billy yelling] Let me out!
Billy's lawyer here yet?
He hasn't requested one, so
[banging and yelling continues]
What's going on in there?
- [Billy] Jay!
- [banging continues]
[Billy grunting and yelling]
[banging continues]
[Billy] Fuckin' Jesus
fuckin' Christ!
[loud thumping]
[Billy whimpering]
[Billy] Fuck! Goddammit!
Fuck!
- Billy?
- [Billy groans]
- Fuck!
- [lock turning]
Arggh! Oh!
First aid!
Hey, hey, all right.
- [wincing]
- Billy
- All right.
- Fuck
You're all good. Thanks.
[Billy wincing]
Listen, I need someone
out here tonight.
No, no No. No.
Don't transfer me. The--
[exasperated sigh]
- [muzak plays through phone]
- [sighs]
[uneasy music builds]
[Jay trembles]
[gasping]
[music escalates]
[music stops abruptly]
[Luke] Hello.
You're speaking with Luke.
How can I help you?
Hello?
- Hello?
- Yeah.
Um hi.
[stammers]
[eerie music plays]
[tape clicks]
[static playing on tape]
[Gracie] Levi, what's the word?
[Young Joni] J
[glass sliding on tape]
O
N
[Young Jay] N? Whoa.
[Young Anita] 'Joni'? Seriously?
- [crackling on tape]
- [Gracie] What the fuck?
[loud rattling and rumbling]
- [loud thud]
- [Young Jay] Fuck this.
- [girl] No, no, no
- [Young Jay] No, fuck this!
[girl 2]
Let's go, let's go! Run, run!
[panicked chatter fades out]
[disquieting music builds]
[faint whispering voice on tape]
[music fades]
[static playing on tape]
[tape stops]
[tape rewinding]
[tape stops]
- [Young Jay] Fuck this.
- [girl] No, no, no
[Young Jay] No, fuck this!
[girl 2]
Let's go, let's go! Run, run!
[panicked chatter fades out]
[static playing]
[whispering raspy voice]
Let me out.
[Joni] This is from the first
seance that we ever did.
[panicked overlapping chatter
on tape]
That's us running out.
And then
[static playing on tape]
[whispering raspy voice]
Let me out.
[tape stops]
What the fuck was that?
Someone else was there.
[Jay scoffs]
Where did you get this?
I found the tape
in Gracie's room.
[tape rewinding]
[static crackling,
volume increasing]
[whispering raspy voice]
Let me out.
[tape stops]
So I think
if we can find the tape
from the night that Gracie died,
then maybe--
No, no, no.
Her Walkman was with her body.
It's a lump of
melted plastic now.
Someone must have been there
every time, watching us.
- Billy?
- [Joni] I don't know.
I don't know. That night
is just full black holes.
Yeah.
When I
first went to the hospital,
the psych told me
how seances work.
Right, there's this thing
called the ideomotor effect.
Subconsciously,
we're all pushing the glass.
Uh-huh.
Some memories
are buried so deep
that the brain
actually needs to be
in the state it was in
to remember.
I think
I think we need to go back.
- No. No.
- I think we should try again.
[Joni] I think it could
unlock something.
- It won't.
- Just humour me, please.
- Joni--
- Humour me.
I need to know that
we tried everything.
[uneasy music plays]
[Joni] You right?
[exhales]
God, don't shine it in my eyes!
Where the hell have you been?
I've been waiting here for ages!
I got held up.
With Jay?
What?
I know you've been having sex
with him behind my back.
[scoffs]
Fuck, Joni
how can you be
so fucking naive?
[Gracie exclaims]
[Young Joni] Oh, my God.
Oh, my God, Gracie.
I didn't mean it.
You have no fucking idea.
- [Young Jay] Whoooooohh!
- [Young Anita laughing] Stop!
- [Young Jay] Whoooh!
- [Young Anita] Stop.
God, it's freaky enough!
[laughing] Is that crayon?
You know, the spirits may not
take that board seriously.
Our subconscious
can work with it.
[match striking]
Okay.
- Ready?
- Yep.
[Joni clears throat]
Our connection
to the spirit world tonight
is deep and powerful.
We open ourselves
to the shadow realm
and we command evil
to stay outside the circle.
If the good spirit of Levi
is near
please enter the glass.
Open your eyes.
Put your fingers on the glass.
Is there anyone here?
Stop it.
Levi, is that you?
You're moving it.
I didn't move it.
Levi
show us what we have forgotten.
Show us
who hurt Gracie.
Please, Levi?
[uneasy music builds]
[glass sliding]
- [Young Joni] Holy shit.
- [Young Jay] Fuck me.
[Young Anita] What's happening?
It's an evil spirit.
We have to end it.
- [Jay] What?
- [Anita] End it!
- [Gracie] We have to end it!
- End it!
Levi, go to goodbye!
Levi, go to goodbye!
- [shrieks]
- [Gracie] Joni!
[Jay] Oh, shit! Fuck!
- Joni!
- [glass sliding rapidly]
[guttural grunt]
[gasps sharply]
[deep raspy voice]
Let me out.
[menacing music escalates]
- [Joni] Okay, uh Oh, shit.
- Um
Yep, yep.
- Light it, light it.
- Okay.
[strikes match]
- [menacing sting]
- [both exclaim]
- What the fuck?!
- No.
- Get out.
- Wait.
Jay!
[whimpering]
Wait!
- You were pushing the glass.
- I was not pushing the glass.
You pushed it.
Why would you push it?
- I was not pushing
- I felt you pushing the glass.
I was not pushing the glass.
You were so scared.
You were so scared. [laughing]
You were so scared!
["So Real" by Jeff Buckley
plays over stereo]
- [Joni laughs]
- [Jay] Yes!
- [laughing] Oh, my goodness!
- [Jay chuckles]
- Yes!
- Remember our song?
- [Joni] Yes! [chuckles]
- Yeah.
And we thought
we were so original.
[Jay] I know.
Okay, so
are we subconsciously
are we blaming each other?
Or
are we kicking ourselves?
Do you feel responsible?
Yeah.
You?
I wish I'd been
more of a man, you know?
Instead of running away
like a scared little boy.
You were a little boy,
and it was really scary.
You know, it's fucked me up
for years,
thinking that
whilst I was with Anita,
Gracie--
Oh, you and Anita, that
that's when you first
got together?
[Jay] Yep.
I came to your house first,
you know?
Where were you?
I don't know.
Well
we just scared the bejesus
out of each other for no reason.
[Joni chuckles]
Thank you.
I I did remember something.
I wanted to punish
Gracie so bad,
and that there was a moment
when the spirit came
that I hesitated.
Like I wanted it to get her.
Why did you want to punish her?
For stealing you.
What-- [exhales]
Me?
Well, I thought you two
were secretly fucking.
- [Jay] No.
- Mm?
No. That never happened.
Well, you wanted to.
[sighs]
Do you really have no idea?
What?
I didn't know that.
Hey do you know now?
I'm starting to get the idea.
[gentle music plays]
[lighter flicking]
[chuckles]
- [Jay] Are you laughing at me?
- [laughs]
[Jay laughing] You are laughing!
[faux-seductively]
Is this a tantric thing?
No, I'd say it's
more like a teenage dream.
[Joni chuckles softly]
[gentle music continues]
[uneasy music rises]
[both moaning and panting]
[music fades]
[gentle music plays]
[soft disquieting music plays]
[insects chirping]
[fire crackling distantly]
[low distorted soundscape]
[screams]
[Gracie shrieks]
[screams uncontrollably]
[soundscape stops abruptly]
[gasps, pants rapidly]
[tense music rises]
Shit!
[gasping]
- [music fades]
- [exhales heavily]
[wincing]
[groans]
[breathing heavily]
[uneasy music plays]
[fire crackling distantly]
[panting]
[breathing erratically]
[eerie ambient music plays]