The Listeners (2024) s01e03 Episode Script

1
I'm going to ask everyone to
slowly
..move their focus further inward.
Now listen
..deeper.
Can you?
Can you hear your blood
circulating inside of you?
SHE HUMS
The Hum is there.
Inside
the deepest part of you.
Focus on i-i-i-it.
Let it gro-o-o-o-o-ow.
Let it gro-o-o-o-o-ow.
Let it fill your body.
Let it fill your body.
Let it fill every space
in between your cells.
Aaaaaah.
This is the only sound.
This is
the original sound.
The sound that predates
life on Earth.
The sound that made us.
And as The Hum
fills your entire body,
you become nothing but sound
..vibrating on the same frequency.
Boundless, until there is no
distinction between our bodies!
Release yourself!
Release yourself!
PEOPLE HUM
Come back. Come back. Come back.
Release yourself
into this boundlessness.
Release yourself
from the confines of your body!
Release yourself.
Release yourself.
Erase yourself.
Well, that was something.
HE CHUCKLES
Yeah.
It was It was amazing.
Incredible, right? Fuck, man.
No, but seriously, fuck.
Everyone is on their path.
Kyle, for instance.
He's at a point in his life
where he's being asked to
discover and define himself.
He's open to all
of life's opportunities.
Ready to challenge himself.
Whereas Whereas, what?
I've lived my life and now
I'm ready to be put out to pasture?
No. No, not at all.
Merely he is actively searching
for his purpose in life.
Mm-hm, right.
And I'm finding this difficult
because my life has no purpose.
It's not about what I'm saying,
it's about you, your life.
Yeah, well, my life
is fairly obliterated.
I mean, my husband's left me,
I have no job.
Yes, and that's frightening.
And you are shutting it out
because you're frightened.
And we hoped the quarry might help.
I'm sorry if it didn't.
Why are you doing this?
I mean, what's it for?
We're not criticising you.
You know, it took me
a long time to welcome it in.
We want to help.
But why?
The experience becomes deeper,
more expansive.
The larger the group, the more
connections that can be made.
More possibilities.
We can exist on
a new spiritual plane, Claire.
And that can be transformative
for all of us.
When you feel it,
you will understand.
We know you could get there.
But I think if you wake up tomorrow
and never hear it again,
you would choose that
without a second thought.
You are not trying, Claire.
ROTORS THRUM
Well, he's right, isn't he? Mm?
Nuke it.
Dig it out of your ears.
Go back to the before time.
What, you mean you wouldn't?
No.
Not after that.
Huh.
I don't know, I
..slightly reject his whole "you
have to be in a perfectly content
in your life in order
to progress to the next level."
That's not what he's saying, though.
Really?
It's about how YOU feel.
I don't get it.
I think they're onto something.
I felt like
..like we're not suffering together,
there's something beautiful in it.
I felt connected to everything
for a few seconds.
Can you hear this?
LOW HARMONIOUS HUM
Mm-hm. Yeah.
HUM INTENSIFIES
I don't know what I'm doing. I feel
like I'm watching my life collapse.
I AM watching my life collapse.
Ashley is furious with me.
And Paul? Has he come home?
No, he's staying in some studio
in a block he's developing.
We've barely spoken since.
I want to talk to him. I think.
I just don't know how, because
I'mreally fucking angry with him.
I don't understand why he
felt so threatened by them,
those people that
I think most of us
move through this life
with responsibilities
andburdens,
familial, financial, domestic.
To stop oneself and constantly ask,
am I
..choosing this life?
I mean, I do, of course I do,
but in a way, but
Is this the life I chose?
I don't know
that they're the solution.
I don't feel what they feel.
I just don't know how to say
any of that to him.
What do you want, Claire?
Ashley? How'd it go?
DOOR CLOSES
OK, we don't have to talk about it.
Dinner's nearly ready. Look,
I opened a packet all by myself.
I'm not hungry.
Yes, you are. I need to revise.
Yeah, but not on an empty stomach.
Come on. And this, this offers more
than your recommended
daily salt intake.
It always feels like it's gone
worse than you think.
Remember how you felt after GCSEs?
Yeah, this is not the same.
I don't want to talk about it. OK.
I'm here if you need.
You know I'm really proud of you.
How was your group?
Yeah, I don't know.
I think I might notgo any more.
HUM AMPLIFIES
What are you doing?
What?
Hey.
HUM INTENSIFIES
WATER TRICKLES
BIRDSONG
Hi.
No, it's fine. How are you?
Mm-hm.
Right.
That makes sense.
No, not at all.
You have to do what's right for you
and for your family.
And what we do,
it's, it's not for everyone and I,
I could see you holding back
and that it was a lot for you.
Claire.
Well
..Omar and I wish you all the best.
Shame.
Hi.
Thank you for meeting up with me.
How have you been? Yeah, fine, busy.
Exam season, so
Look, I wanted to meet up
with you because I
..I thought that, erm,
we were friends.
I mean, we've been there
for each other, and
..and I have been struggling,
and I miss you.
And look, I know that it has been
completely weird,
but to not call or even reach out,
I mean
I've been a good friend to you
over the years, haven't I?
Come on.
No?
So what? That was all just
a fucking lie then, was it?
Sometimes being your friend was
a bit like being a wall, Claire.
Something for you to talk at,
bounce your voice against.
That is not fair, Cass.
OK, well, sorry you feel that way.
You know, I didn't really mind that.
But I do mind being lied to.
No, I didn't lie to you.
Yes, you did. No.
He's a student, and you lied.
You don't know anything about it.
You haven't asked me anything.
Why would I ask a rapist anything?
Inside the deepest part of you.
Amen.
Since when do you smoke?
I don't know.
Very, very, very bad for you.
I have heard.
Did you sleep OK?
I'm going to go to the library.
Well, then, I'll give you a lift.
Dad's going to take me.
Oh.
He needs to grab a bag.
Can he come in?
Yeah. Are you?
I'm Sorry, are you asking me
or is he?
Well, he is.
CAR DOOR SHUTS
Yeah, of course, it's completely
DOOR OPENS
..fine.
DOOR CLOSES
Morning.
Hi.
I'll be, um, down in a second.
OK.
DOOR OPENS AND CLOSES
I just need tograb a bag.
No, Ashley already told me.
Go for it.
How have you been?
OK.
You?
Yeah, fine.
I wanted to ask you
..if we can talk.
Because every time that we try to,
it escalates so quickly, and I,
I don't want that to happen,
I want us to figure this out.
Me, too.
I was
..wondering if you wanted to, erm
Are you asking me on a date?
Yeah. I mean, I don't want to speak
for Claire, but from my perspective,
things were good, I think.
Er, you know.
Nearly finished bringing up
our kids, erm,
work was not without its struggles.
We were good.
Nice house, good kids.
HUMMING THRUMS
You know, we had friends, lives,
right?
Yeah. Yeah.
It was good.
You've mentioned several things
that aren't directly
about the two of you,
about the relationship, Paul -
work, your daughter, social lives.
Right, but
..when you're at
our stage of life
..those things are the relationship,
aren't they?
If this is because of
No, it's I just can't any more.
I've been reckless.
It's not fair.
I shouldn't be leaning on you.
It's not right.
It feels right.
I just think I was hopeful for
..something more.
Some of the time.
Look, I get that it's a lot.
But what we're doing as a group
..it fucking works. Yeah, for you.
For anyone who's open to it.
You said that our life was good,
is good,
and that's true, it is,
but it's all so small.
I mean, we used to have more than
just three friends each.
Do you think that might be connected
to why you're hearing this buzz,
Claire? Buzz?
Because it's offering something
No. ..more exciting.
No, it's not
I hear a sound, a real sound
that some people can hear
and others cannot.
I just struggle to buy that
this is the reason for your
..fixation with some student.
That is not what this is about.
That's literally it. You're making
a choice to keep fucking suffering.
No. Look, I'm glad that
it's working for you, I am.
But it doesn't for me.
You were fired, Claire.
And you are still
Going to a place where there are
people who validate how I feel.
You know what?
It doesn't matter
because I have decided
to stop going there.
One person feeling bad all the time
is better than three, right?
I'm done. OK?
Goodbye.
THRUMMING
Er, hey.
We miss you.
There's a new guy.
I think you'd like him.
PEOPLE CHATTER AND LAUGH
Er, hey. We miss you.
Come on, it's funny
because if it's not funny
There's a new
guy. I think you'd like him.
No, I I feel so much better,
you know,
having listened with you guys,
honestly.
Oh, that's nice. That's so nice.
You all right? Did she not tell you
she's not coming?
It's a former member
of our group here. Right.
No, yeah. No, she did.
Erm, I just thought she would
have changed her mind.
I'm going to have a party.
Excuse me? That wasn't a question.
No, it didn't sound like one.
After prom,
no-one else's house is free.
Obviously, you can't be there.
And I won't trash the place.
It's basically the least
you can do after everything.
KNOCK ON DOOR
Hold that thought.
KNOCK ON DOOR
Hi. Hi, Claire. Sorry to disturb.
Just wondered if we could
have a word.
Someone set fire to my bins.
God.
That, erm
Ash, can you maybe head upstairs.
I haven't finished my dinner.
Well, I'm very sorry
about your bins, Tom.
Sima and I have been talking
about The Hum very publicly.
Well, as publicly as we can,
haven't we? Mm.
And people are not happy.
Hence my bins. Yeah, well, it's a
It's a very extreme reaction.
My neighbours are worried that
it's lowering their property value
or some such rubbish.
We've been talking to the council
and we have a few signatures,
but we just don't have enough
for them to launch
a formal investigation. Right.
We have tracked down a few people
who used to attend
Jo and Omar's groups
and then left
Emily goes there
all the bloody time.
She mentioned that you'd left.
That's right.
We are gathering testimonials,
banding together.
Look, I'm really, really sorry,
but I can't.
Claire, you do realise that Omar's
theory is bullshit, don't you?
The sound that he's talking about,
yeah, that exists,
but humans cannot hear it.
Yeah, I don't know what to think,
to be honest, but I don't happen
to think that it can be a factory
or a wind turbine or a phone mast
or whatever, it's just
Omar is a charlatan.
It's a cult.
That wasn't my experience.
It wasn't.
Anyway
Anyway, I'm not going any more,
and I can't help you!
When he was at Rosyth,
he taught under a different name.
OK. Oscar Barat.
Joe was his student.
I'm, I'm aware of that.
And then he ran a group
with the students listening.
He got fired over incredibly
serious allegations.
Like what?
Well, some people described it
as psychological conditioning,
grooming, tantric-like meditation.
No, that's not What? Exactly.
No, it's not
Extremely inappropriate
and unscientific practices.
Did he make you do
the deep listening?
Yes. Because we did hear from
some people who were forced
to do that and then went on to have
extremely frightening experiences,
like forms of psychosis.
Yeah, well, I wasn't forced
to do anything, and I'm fine.
I am.
OK, you know what, I
..I think that you should leave.
I'm just trying to have dinner
with my daughter.
OK? Please?
If you want to order pizza,
which I know you will,
then use my credit card.
Thank you. Go crazy. Can I?
Can you, what?
Well, can we get a few more?
Damien? Damien. Hey.
Hi. How are you? I'm good.
This is, this is my son.
This is Aaron.
No way?
I had no idea that you had a son.
Hi. Hi, Aaron. Hello. Hi.
Good boy.
CLAIRE CHUCKLES
You remember Ashley.
Hi. How's it going?
Yeah, we've missed you, Claire.
Wewere sorry
you decided to leave.
You're coping OK?
Yeah, she's doing great.
You know we're not the only ones
that can hear it.
I mean, we can't be.
It's obvious.
It's not just us wackjobs, right?
HE LAUGHS
But it does make you think, though,
right?
You know, why isn't this a thing?
Why isn't it talked about
in the mainstream?
Why, why are they keeping it
from us?
So? They?
Ash.
I mean, I'm not stupid.
I know it sounds
like paranoid bullshit.
But this isn't a new thing,
you know,
the Government are listening.
They're literally listening to us
all the time.
They'll have heard everything
we said at Jo and Omar's.
OK, why would they, why would anyone
want to listen to that shit?
OK, OK.
No, no, no, it's good.
That is exactly the right question.
This is This is a war.
It's a war for people's minds.
And I know that I'll do
whatever I need to do
to protect myself and protect
..protect my family.
Look, it's really hard to explain
because they're not
allowing you to hear it yet.
But The Hum unlocks something,
right? Something that
It has the potential to be
catastrophic
to those that are in charge
because it liberates.
The liberated mind,
it can't be controlled.
He's fucking nuts.
I have empathy for him.
He's a murderer.
OK, well, that kind of language,
that's not helpful, Ash.
No, no, that language clarifies,
Claire.
Just because it was probably
some drone strike
doesn't mean he isn't a murderer.
You know that most people
live in a bubble.
And I think that being challenged
and learning to listen
Learning to listen to incels
and abusers? Yeah, very cool.
Tell me why you have
decided that Damien is an incel.
And who is the abuser? Omar.
Sorry, Oscar Barat.
You know, the professor who
doesn't understand boundaries?
Well, I've stopped listening
to him, haven't I?
I don't listen to anyone
any more, Ashley, apart from you.
Is that what you wanted?
Yeah, that's exactly what I wanted.
Fuck!
Ash.
CAMERA SHUTTER CLICKS
Nice.
And again.
CLAIRE LAUGHS
OK, I lied, this is the last one.
CLAIRE CHUCKLES
OK, I'm going to go.
You look beautiful.
You're going to have a great night.
Don't trash the house.
CAR HORN HOOTS
Come here.
I love you.
CAR HORN HOOTS
DEEP, DISTORTED HUM
THRUMMING
Almost there.
Inside the deepest part of you.
METALLIC CLANGING
TENSE THRUMMING
DISCORDANT GURGLING
CLAIRE GASPS
SHE SOBS
Please, please, please.
Hi, it's Paul.
Leave us a message and I'll get back
to you as soon as I can.
CLAIRE SNIFFS
Hi, it's Paul.
Leave a message and I'll get back
to you as soon as I can.
SHE WHIMPERS
HE STRUMS GUITAR
It's your prom, you should go.
Really don't want to go.
MOBILE PHONE VIBRATES
What the hell
do you think you're doing?
Oh, God. Leave my son
I'm sorry!
SHE SOBS
PHONE RINGS
SHE BREATHES QUICKLY
Hi.
Get into the car.
Take a breath.
You're doing so wonderfully, Claire.
I'm here with you.
Omar's here.
POP MUSIC PLAYS
What?!
What the fuck are you doing here?
DOOR SLAMS
Fucking hell, man.
Is this your parents' room?
Do you want to chat while
people dry hump next to us?
I don't want to be in here.
Well, everyone assumes
you already have been.
HE CHUCKLES
Such a fucking cunt.
MUSIC PLAYS DOWNSTAIRS
Can you hear it now?
All the time.
ROCK MUSIC PLAYS IN NEXT ROOM
I'm sorry.
For what?
For whatever
you need an apology for.
I offer you my sincerest apologies.
Tulpen und Narzissen
by Die Doraus and Die Marinas
und hab' nur die Blumen
und hab' nur die Blumen
MUSIC FADES OU
Erm, I wanted to ask you something.
It's delicate.
Please.
OK. Thank you.
Erm, somebody told me something
about when you were a teacher
at the university. Mm.
And I read some articles.
Look, I don't want to be
..rude.
You're absolutely entitled
to ask, Claire.
I, erm, had a research group.
Very small, very select, studying
the effects of the
Schumann resonance on the brain.
And honestly, and, you know this
..research work that requires
radical thought and openness
..can sometimes demand practices
that operate outside of the norm.
Some people were excited
by the idea,
but could not commit
or got bored or scared.
Or possibly
..it unlocked something deep inside
of them that they could not control.
Things were not perfect
all the time, obviously,
but it was misconstrued
and, erm, they kicked me out.
Good morning.
Ah, good morning.
Morning.
Thank you for letting me stay.
You've been struggling this week.
Yes.
Yes, it's been Mm-hm.
CLAIRE STRUGGLES TO SPEAK
I've really missed being here.
We understand how difficult it is
clear, Claire, but no-one moves
through these experiences unscathed
or with their lives
and their families intact.
You have to make a decision.
Step fully toward what you feel
is right
..and commit to it.
It was a party.
Obviously, Mum okayed it
otherwise, why else would
she not be here?
Well, where is she? I don't know.
Who was here?
Just people. Is upstairs trashed?
Ashley.
DOOR OPENS
Wow.
OK.
Morning. Are you kidding?
Come on.
We have a very good kid
who's having a really difficult time
and needed to blow off some steam.
It's not a big deal, Paul.
Where were you?
I tried to call you.
You were with them.
You promised. I know I did,
but where am I supposed to go?
Which of my friends do you see
flooding to support me, Ash?
Bullshit. Why is he here?
Get the fuck out of my house. Kyle?
You should go. Sorry, but
..you called me, I was worried.
Oh, my God. Can you go?
Claire, I care about you.
I want you to leave, Kyle.
Yeah, well, I want to go, too.
Let's go. No. Ash, wait!
No, no, no, no, no, no!
Hey, hey!
Claire, you need to get a grip.
I'm trying!
But you, you fucking left!
What do you want me to say?
We can't have this conversation
You isolate me, you ignore me.
..not here. Dad, can we just?
You fucking laugh at me. We cannot
have this conversation here!
I
Ashley!
DOOR SHUTS
INTENSE THRUMMING
CLAIRE GASPS
a fine night tonight
a fine day tomorrow
Dee, da, da, da
If you could wake up tomorrow
and never hear it again,
you will choose
that without a second thought.
Connected,
like we're suffering together.
VOICES CONVERGE
Deepest part of you.
DISTORTED VOICES
Hear this.
or something
CLAIRE EXHALES DEEPLY
I want to try.
MUSIC FADES OU
We've just been adding to it
for years. Mm-hm.
Kyle, you can't sleep here.
Well, I don't really have a choice.
Mum kicked me out.
Yeah, well, I think
she'll let you back
if she knew that you were
sleeping here.
This isn't sustainable.
I mean, it's fine short-term.
You can shower at the gym.
Come on.
You must have somewhere
else that you can go.
Like where?
I don't know. I've
That's not a good idea.
No, I know, but
Claire.
Hm?
You have to give in.
It's fear. Hm-mm.
Not fear of anything bad,
I don't think.
It feels like you're afraid of
what could be good.
Because of how it might make you
feel about the rest of your life.
Actually, I feel pretty good about
takeaways in the middle
of the day in my pyjamas.
Claire
..I love you.
I don't mean that I'm in love
with you.
But
..I love you.
Not like a teacher or a friend,
or a mother, or anything romantic,
but something between
all of those things.
Something there isn't a name for.
I think you're fucking amazing.
And you're filled with
the sound of fucking earth.
What can you hear?
The wind in the grass.
BUZZING
A bee.
My breath. Your breath.
Your breath.
Theblood in my ears.
THRUMMING
THRUMMING INTENSIFIES
SHE GASPS
SHE GASPS
SHE LAUGHS
SHE LAUGHS