My Brilliant Career (2026) s01e06 Episode Script

[upbeat rendition
of "Going Up the Country" playing]
I'm going up the country ♪
Baby, don't you want to go? ♪
I'm going up the country ♪
Baby, don't you want to go… ♪
Times are hard for everyone.
Your father included.
How fortunate
he has a friend in you, Mr. McSwat.
Indeed.
Nothing wrong with a man
taking a risk in business.
Except when he sends his daughters out
to repay his loans.
[chuckles] That's good.
You're cut from the same bolt of cloth,
all right.
Very sharp.
We'll need all those smarts with our boys.
-I thought you also had girls?
-I do.
And between you and me,
they're a lot brighter.
A shame they can't take over the business.
-They can't?
-[scoffs]
Mrs. McSwat was expecting your sister.
Thought you'd been sent to be married.
You know what they say.
Those that can, marry,
and those that can't, come work for you.
No use of you running ♪
Or screaming and crying ♪
'Cause you've got a home, man ♪
[Mr. McSwat] Here we are.
Your home for the year.
Our little patch of paradise.
Whoa. Whoa.
Stand.
Cooee! McSwats!
-[boy] Hey!
-[girl] She's here! She's here!
-[young man] Slow down.
-[boy] Get her.
-[girl] I wanna bring her in.
-[boy 2] Grab her dress!
-[girl 2] Stop pushing me.
-[girl] Hey, I want to bring her in.
[clamoring]
-[girl 2] Out of my way!
-[Sybylla] I've got it.
-[boy 2] Go on.
-[Sybylla] Okay.
[girl] Let me show you my room.
-[girl 2] Come on, hurry up.
-[boy 2] Let me through.
-I'm gonna get ya!
-[girl 2] Stop chasing me.
[McSwat] What are you doing?
-I'm gonna get you!
-Come here.
Oi, let go.
-Careful.
-Get off, you scamps.
-Hello my loves.
-Stop!
-[girl 2] All of you!
-[young man] Leave it.
[boy] I didn't, she did.
-Who's this?
-Sybylla Melvyn, the sister.
We can't have two of them.
-It's just this one.
-You said the other one was the nice one.
I'm the smart one.
So you're not married?
-That did not happen.
-But you were engaged?
Yes.
-So?
-It's complicated.
Drought-related financial collapse.
-He broke it off.
-[Mrs. McSwat] Ah.
Ah, well, we're happy
to have you here for the year.
Even if you are an old spinster.
-[kids laugh]
-[boy 2] Spinster!
[chanting] Spinster!
Spinster! Spinster! Spinster!
-Spinster! Spinster! Spinster!
-Hey! Hey! Hey!
-[young woman] Stop!
-Spinster! Spinster! Spinster!
-[young woman] Dinner!
-[Sybylla] That's Mama's bowl.
This way.
-[Sybylla] Sorry.
-Move!
Both of you, get your hands off her.
Time to eat some grub.
-[kids chattering]
-[young man] I'm off to see Susie.
-Peter's courting Susie Duffy.
-Yeah, and her dad owns 1,000 acres.
-Shut up, Jimmy.
-But he does!
-Susie said it's rude to mention it.
-Well, she is a catch.
And she sings the best of anyone else
in the district.
Better.
[uncomfortable silence]
She sings better
than anyone else in the district.
We knew what you meant, Liza.
-Well, can we call you Sybylla?
-Miss Melvyn's here to educate you.
-Not me.
-Definitely not.
She will also do breakfast, sweeping,
chickens, vegetable garden,
as well as helping out with the children.
All right.
-Dig in, McSwats.
-Here you go, darling.
About time you had some help.
Well, it'll be nice to have someone else
to scrub Jimmy's dirty pants.
I'm not dirty.
[girl] Are so!
Oh! Don't you start.
Let's not get started on you.
[Peter] Remember that dead rat sandwich?
-[Mr. McSwat] Rat sandwich.
-[Sybylla breathing nervously]
-[laughter swirls]
-[Tommy] First of all, it wasn't dead!
-[girl] Tommy, stop it. Stop it, Tommy!
-[Mrs. McSwat] That was disgusting.
-[chatter cuts out]
-May I see… my room?
I'll do it.
[chickens cluck]
[Mrs. McSwat] What about a Sunday watch?
Does he have a Sunday watch?
[Mr. McSwat] Tell Mr. Duffy I have
six fine gold watches in this week.
-[chatter fades]
-[ominous music rises]
[Jimmy] She thinks she's a toff,
but she's only
old boozy Melvyn's daughter.
-[girl] Thought she'd be prettier.
-[Liza] That was her sister.
-This is the one we've got.
-[girl] Well, why did we get this one?
[Liza] Don't be mean.
[Mrs. McSwat] They should be grateful
we're taking her off their hands.
[Mr. McSwat] I had no choice.
She had her bags packed.
-[Mrs. McSwat] It's on your head.
-[Mr. McSwat] No, it's on yours.
[Jimmy] Mama, is she our servant now?
-[Tommy] I didn't eat it.
-[Liza] Yes, you did.
[Sybylla breathing shakily]
[Helen] Goodbye my darling.
[music grows somber]
[Gertie] Oh, Syb.
You don't have to do this.
Have you met me?
You're a Bossier.
We bend, but we do not break.
That's the nicest thing
you've ever said to me.
[Bossier chuckles]
Chin up.
[sighs]
[Sybylla] What's your favorite book, Liza?
Mum and I like the catalogs.
Do you know those?
For buying things?
Exactly. I like the pictures.
Come on, miss.
-[girl] Tommy's as slow as a wet rag!
-[Jimmy] Too slow, Tommy! Beat it.
[girl 2] Slow, slow, slow.
-Time to sit down now, children.
-[Jimmy] Take that!
-Move! Move!
-[Liza] Sit down!
That's my desk.
[Liza] Yes! It's come from Possum Gully.
[Jimmy] So what? Toughen up!
-[Tommy] Haha, you missed me!
-[girl] Stop!
-[hen clucks]
-[Sybylla gasps]
-Good job, Lucy!
-[whimsical music playing]
You named her after my Mama?
She's a good layer.
[girl] Get Jimmy! Don't aim for me!
-[Jimmy] Get Liza!
-[girl] Got you!
-[Liza] Stop!
-[Jimmy] Friends! Stop fighting!
[Sybylla] Children! Liza!
[Liza] Ouch!
[Jimmy laughs]
-[Liza] Stop!
-[girl] Liza!
When I count to three
I want everybody to freeze.
[yelps]
[whimsical music fades]
[wind whistling]
[dog whines]
[soft, aching music playing]
[Sybylla] Dearest Harry,
If you could see me now.
My days, filled with drudgery.
Time here passes slow as mud.
Like Mama's stolen piano, my keys exist,
but I've long since lost my tune.
All this solitude makes my mind wander.
-And of course, I journey towards you.
-[horse neighs]
My heart flies through the skies,
across this vast country
to try and find you.
Where are you, my love?
-Oh, Mum. Mum.
-Mm?
Look at these gloves.
-"Finnest"?
-[Mrs. McSwat] "Finest leather."
Oh, shall we have some?
[Sybylla] One letter from you
would make my heart sing again.
But your silence
only multiplies my loneliness.
[sighs deeply]
Jimmy, if I have two shillings
in my purse,
and the bread comes to one and six,
how much change do I get?
None.
'Cause your family don't have
two shillings to rub together no more.
-[girl] Nice one, Jimmy.
-[sighs]
[Sybylla] Write to me, Harry.
Tell me I'm not forgotten.
Help me remember
the dream of our life together.
Where all we need to flourish is our love.
[sighs longingly]
[exhales shakily]
[somber music dies out]
[loud banging]
-Are you ready for her tea party?
-Yeah, I'm going.
Do you like my doll? It's so pretty.
It's nice.
[Sybylla] Jimmy.
Stop doing that.
[dramatic music rises]
James.
[banging echoing]
-[kids gasp]
-Stop doing that, or you'll all get it!
[Jimmy] Mama!
Mama!
[Mrs. McSwat] Did she hurt you?
You tell Mama everything.
Outside! Go on,
all you kids, out of there.
-Jimmy says you thrashed him.
-I never touched him.
-Are you calling him a liar?
-[Sybylla] Yes.
Plus, he's disobedient,
boisterous, and obstreperous.
Oh, big words!
You think you're so high-and-mighty,
coming in here
with all your airs and your graces,
but what exactly
have you taught my children?
-Maybe they're unteachable.
-Them?
You are as hopeless as your father
and as stuck-up as your mother.
[Sybylla inhales sharply]
Well, you're all feral.
And this place is like hell!
Is it, now?
[dramatic music dies down]
Well, maybe instead of walking around here
with your nose stuck up in the air
judging us,
you could do something
to make my children actually respect you,
and then maybe they'd learn something.
[Sybylla exhales]
-[softly] Excuse me.
-Mm-hmm.
[spirited music playing]
[Sybylla grunts]
[cries out]
[groans]
[panting]
-[plates clatter]
-[laughter]
-Right, I'm off. I'm seeing Susie.
-[Mrs. McSwat] Bye, love.
Bye-bye.
-Say hello to Susie for me.
-Yeah, I will.
-[Jimmy] Scared her off last time.
-[Liza] I did not! I was asking questions.
-[Jimmy] Don't.
-Don't let the rats break you.
[excited chatter continues]
-[Jimmy] She was scary.
-[Mrs. McSwat] I was not mean.
-[Mr. McSwat] I believe that.
-[Jimmy] She was.
-You stormed in there.
-[Mrs. McSwat] I wasn't. Beg your pardon.
But you're not the one
who can step in here and do that.
I was not mean.
[Jimmy] You were!
[uncomfortable silence falls]
You never thrashed me.
I've got a big mouth, and I'm rowdy as.
Sorry, miss.
The children should have
new school primers.
And the piano needs tuning.
-[Mr. McSwat] Mm.
-Right, yes.
[Mr. McSwat] So…
-How scary was she?
-[girl] Just could hear her.
[Liza] Neighbors could hear.
-Neighbors could hear?
-[Jimmy] Yeah.
-[girl] Yes, they could. 100%. They could.
-[Mr. McSwat] Was she that scary?
-Like a bunyip?
-[Mrs. McSwat] Kept it on the down-low.
[Mr. McSwat] Very scary. Tell you what…
-[girl] She was, like… She was scary.
-[Mr. McSwat] Like a bunyip?
-[Mrs. McSwat] I wasn't--
-[Jimmy] Like a bunyip!
[energetic music playing]
Give me another word.
-Snot!
-That's a little short, don't you think?
How about we stretch ourselves?
-Phlegm?
-Diarrhea!
[laughs] Yes! That's very tricky to spell.
One, two, three, four, five…
[kids shouting and laughing]
[chuckles]
That looks nice.
It does.
I like this one.
Oh, I think I'd wear that.
-But I would not wear that.
-[laughs] No.
[giggles]
[calming piano music playing]
After we deliver this lot,
I've got another job lined up for us.
Good one, boss.
The more sheep we move, the more we earn,
and the quicker
we can all get back to our lives.
[Nell] So have you written to Sybylla yet?
Go, go, go.
-[all exclaim]
-[Mr. McSwat] Son!
[door opens]
-We have a visitor!
-[Mrs. McSwat] Oh.
[Susie] Hello.
Susie Duffy. Uh, pity you are early.
Kids, clear the table.
Sybylla, put the kettle on.
-[Liza] Sarah, pick that up.
-[Mr. McSwat] Susie.
-What an honor. Sit.
-[Mrs. McSwat] Yes.
-[Sarah] Clear the table.
-Over here.
-Just take it.
-[Mr. McSwat] Yes.
Oh no, no, not that one. Not that one.
Jimmy, get the good chair.
-[Jimmy] I'll get it.
-[Liza] That's not the best.
You wouldn't know a good chair
if you sat on one.
-[Sarah] I like this.
-[Tommy] It's too small.
Very pleased to meet you, Susie Duffy.
-Sybylla Melvyn.
-Hello, Sybylla.
-[busy chatter]
-Is there always this much chaos?
[Mr. McSwat] Steady on.
Come on, now. You're just making it worse.
-[Sarah] You don't have the right chair.
-Yes.
-[Liza] Mary-Anne, come and help me.
-I have the chair.
-[Mrs. McSwat] Good boy.
-[Mr. McSwat] Good lad.
-Good, Jimmy. Great.
-Mama. Come on.
-[Mr. McSwat] Come on, quick.
-[Mary-Anne] Sit. Sit. Sit.
-Sit down there.
-[Mrs. McSwat] Come on.
-Thank you, Peter.
-[Mr. McSwat] Don't pick your nose.
-[sighs]
-[Sarah] Where'd you get your dress?
-That's breeding for you.
-[Mr. McSwat] Go. Give the girl air.
-Kettle? Kettle.
-[Mr. McSwat] Yeah, scram!
[Mr. McSwat chuckles]
Here we go. There.
-[sighs, chuckles]
-[Mr. McSwat laughs]
[Mrs. McSwat sighs] Susie Duffy.
[birds calling]
[reflective piano music playing]
[crickets chirping]
[Mr. McSwat] All right, you lot.
Time for bed.
[Jimmy] I'm not even tired.
[family continues chattering indistinctly]
[Nell and Charlie laughing]
[Charlie] Get over here.
[Charlie] Come here!
[Nell giggles]
[Charlie laughing] Come here.
[Harry exhales sharply]
[Sybylla sighs softly]
[Liza, slowly] "Archibald Butler is
a world-renowned traveling photographer."
Can we?
May we?
And of course…
-Ah, the school primers.
-[Mr. McSwat] Ah.
And a letter.
Looks like it's from Caddagat.
[Sybylla gasps softly]
[Mr. McSwat] Hmm.
[intriguing music rises]
[Gertie] Syb,
I have news I know you'd like.
Oh, I'm sorry
to leave you here alone, Gert.
Don't let mother talk you into marrying
any old suitor who comes along.
[scoffs] I won't.
That schoolteacher from Gool Gool
asked me for another walk.
Oh, I like him.
-Me too.
-[both laugh]
Shall we?
So you're leaving without saying goodbye?
[sighs] Of course not.
Be sensible, Helen.
How can this possibly be a plan?
Well… Julius is gonna take me
to Gool Gool.
I'm gonna take the mail coach
and train to Sydney.
-Augusta's gonna meet me.
-Don't be facetious. You know what I mean.
-It's time, Mother. We both know it.
-This is ridiculous.
-What are you going to do?
-Get a job.
A job?
-[gentle music playing]
-But you already have a job here.
I need you, Helen. Julius needs you.
Oh, no, no. I don't need you.
I mean, we'll miss you,
but I fully support Hels leaving.
Thank you, J.
My husband ran off
and left me with nothing.
Why should I carry the shame
of something that he did
for the rest of my life?
Oh, Helen, buck up.
I'm done. I did what you asked.
Helen.
Times are changing, Mother.
No, Helen, please don't go.
[music grows tense]
-Helen!
-[door slams]
[door opens]
I told you you'd like it.
-[gasps]
-[tense music fades]
[softly] Go, Helen!
[camera flash powder popping]
[pleasant string music playing]
Lovely. Now with the whole family.
-[Mr. McSwat] Right. Don't push. Oi!
-[photographer] Good.
You need to assert yourself
with this lot, Susie.
I wouldn't know where to start.
Make room for Susie Duffy, you monsters.
Sarah in, that's it.
-That's too much.
-Over you go, Jimmy.
[Sybylla] I'll pop in here.
Hold still.
This is very kind of you
to include me, Mr. McSwat.
I hope you don't look at this photograph
next year and think, who is that girl?
Didn't your parents write?
Your father defaulted on his loan.
-We have you for another year.
-[gasps]
-[pleasant music concludes]
-[hens clucking]
Did you know?
That I was in for another year?
-Well, your dad's pretty hopeless.
-That's fair.
Why do I have to pay for it?
I'm sorry you didn't know.
[sighs, sobs]
Don't cry, Peter.
-I'll work something out.
-No, it's…
[exhales slowly, sniffles]
Uh, it's Susie. She's, um…
She's worried
that we'll end up like my parents.
Common.
She said "common"?
-Well, you think it.
-No.
-I mean, I used to.
-[sighs]
It's true.
She's so good, and she's kind.
And I love her
more than anything in this world.
I know she feels the same.
No, she's broken it off with me.
-Peter, listen.
-[sniffles]
If you let Susie go, you will regret it
for the rest of your days.
You need to write to her.
And tell her the things
that you love about her.
But I can't write.
I can't. Not like that.
-[light, sprightly music playing]
-I think I have an idea.
And it might help us both.
But you have to tell me
all the things that you love about Susie.
Like… do you love the way
his eyes crinkle when he laughs?
[scoffs] She.
-She. I meant she.
-[chuckles]
I like the sound of her laugh.
-[chuckles]
-We can work with that.
What else?
Uh, I like how she's so clean.
[sighs]
It's done.
Not yet.
Do you promise to help me?
I do.
Then here's the letter.
I've added three poems for good luck.
Send them in exactly the order
they appear on the pile.
Susie won't be able to resist you, Peter.
I think Ma's right about you.
Beneath all your airs and your graces,
you're all right.
I'll take it.
-Now…
-Oh.
Are you ready for part two of the plan?
Come on.
[bright music fades]
Mm.
[sighs]
[Sybylla laughs] Peter!
[Peter and Sybylla chuckling]
[indistinct, hushed chatter]
[Sybylla] Stop!
[laughter stops abruptly]
[quietly] Horace! Horace!
You're stealing our Peter
away from Susie Duffy, and it is not on.
-Well, let's give the girl a chance.
-[Mrs. McSwat] We've given her everything.
This is how she repays us,
like a snake in the grass?
[hesitates] A betrayer. Jezebel.
Language, Mother.
We don't know the full story.
Well, what was that
I just saw with my own eyes?
We're in love.
No. Not our Peter.
Why don't you ask him?
He was on his way to break it all off
with Susie Duffy when you stopped us.
Thank God I did.
[Sybylla] I realize
how destitute I must seem.
And my papa already owes you so much.
But I know how thrilled he'll be
once we're all family.
Peter. Son.
Be honest.
Are you really choosing
this girl over Susie?
[Peter breathing shakily]
I would never.
Peter McSwat!
You're not getting away with this.
I'm gonna tell the world what you've done!
Starting with Susie Duffy.
And what would it take to shut you up?
[intriguing music rises]
[Eddie] Sybylla?
Eddie.
You've come on like a haystack.
You look like cow shit.
How you been?
I hate this place.
-Dad's hopeless.
-[Lucy] Sybylla?
Can you fetch the desk?
"There was an unfortunate incident
between Sybylla and our Peter."
"Best Sybylla come home
before causing any more trouble."
-What incident?
-[clicks tongue] It was nothing.
What about our loan?
Read on.
[sighs]
They've cleared your father's loan?
With one condition.
Papa is never allowed
to borrow money from McSwat ever again.
This is a lot of money for nothing.
Be honest. What did you do?
I finally found the inspiration I needed
to put pen to paper.
Sybylla, I don't have
any patience today for your nonsense.
And yet, here we are.
Free of the McSwats forever.
Because of me.
Definitely my best work.
[gentle music playing]
[siblings laughing]
[sister 1] Stop, you're going too fast.
Too fast. Keep up.
-Under.
-[sister 2] I'm trying. You're too fast.
[music fades]
[Richard] Sybylla.
You're back?
And you're debt-free.
It's hard to believe,
but the McSwats are finally off our back.
We don't owe them anything.
Trust you to fix it, Syb.
You always were too clever by half.
Let's get some food on the table.
Come on. Sit down.
Come on.
[somber music playing]
[Eddie] Florence,
would you like some bread?
-[gasps softly]
-I wore this when I came out.
Me too.
Granny gave it to me.
Told me,
"Bossiers bend, but we do not break."
-[chuckles] That sounds like my mother.
-[both laugh]
Take it, Mama.
I'll save it for an emergency.
Helen told me about Harry Beecham.
I think he's forgotten about me, Mama.
Oh, Syb.
I'm sorry.
How do you know if love is real?
You sacrifice everything for it.
[heartfelt music rising]
We're doing well. Let's set up camp.
[Charlie] Here's the thing.
Nell and me, we were thinking
we'd go back up to Queensland.
One more job.
[Nell] We've been following you around
all year.
And you know
Charlie wants to find his mob.
We need the pay, Nell.
I have to keep saving.
You really think
Sybylla cares what you have?
I need to make it up to her.
I let her down.
[Nell] Yeah, you did.
So what are you gonna do about it?
[heartfelt music fades]
[clattering outside]
[soft, pensive music playing]
[Lucy] The summer of 1900
scorched the earth
with the same careless brutality
as the banks.
Even the shadows splintered
under the heat,
and not a creek dared whisper.
Been shopping?
Came into some money.
You sold your necklace?
Found an emergency.
I read your story
about the bushranger and his friend Cora.
That story got rejected. Veracity issues.
Which is fair. I really don't know
anything about bushranging.
So write your truth, Sybylla.
Do you think you're a good writer?
Yes.
[pensive music swells]
[pensive music fades slowly]
[Richard] Give it here.
[slow, tender music playing]
[birds calling]
Harry!
[giggles]
[both laughing]
You're here.
You're here.
I've been an idiot, Syb.
Possibly.
[both laugh]
I should've written.
I didn't know what to say.
Harry, you're here now.
Syb. I've been earning good money droving.
I should have enough
for a farm near Gool Gool.
I'm so happy for you.
Happy for us.
I wanted to give you more,
but I've already wasted too much time.
-Sybylla Melvyn…
-[laughs]
Let's start our lives together.
Will you marry me?
No.
[chuckles softly]
No?
[tender music ends]
No.
I don't understand.
I can't marry you, Harry.
I've come to take you away
from all of this.
[somber music playing]
I don't need to be rescued.
It's not you, Harry.
There's something deep inside of me
that makes me unsuitable
to be anyone's wife.
And if I denied it air and time
and space to flourish,
it would destroy both our dreams.
I want to be a writer.
And I need to give it
every fiber of my being.
If I marry you, I'll never know if I can.
[Harry breathing shakily]
["Daydreamer" playing]
[exhales slowly]
White, silicon eyes ♪
Watching storms, sitting quiet ♪
Reading books ♪
In the heat of city lights ♪
[takes a deep breath]
I know I'm just a girl ♪
But can I change lives? ♪
If I am nothing ♪
If I am trying ♪
I think I can ♪
And we become ♪
Nighttime dreamers ♪
And street walkers, small talkers ♪
When we should be daydreamers ♪
And moonwalkers ♪
And dream talkers ♪
And we become ♪
Nighttime dreamers… ♪
[train whistle blows]
Small talkers ♪
When we should be daydreamers ♪
And moonwalkers ♪
And dream talkers ♪
Nothing can die while we are here ♪
Nothing can die while we are here ♪
Nothing can die while we are here ♪
Nothing can die while we are here ♪
Then we become nighttime dreamers ♪
Street walkers and small talkers ♪
We should be ♪
Daydreamers and moonwalkers ♪
Dream talkers and we become ♪
Nighttime dreamers and street walkers ♪
And small talkers, and we should be ♪
Nothing can die while we are here ♪
-Nothing can die while we are here ♪
-Daydreamers ♪
-[uplifting pop music fades]
-[pensive piano music playing]