Tenko: episode guide

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Episode 3.01

1 July 1945

The women have been in their new camp, a former prison, for close to two years. The episode starts with a shot of the graveyard in the new camp, displaying the grave markers for Verna and for Blanche.

The women are called for roll call. After the roll call, the women discover that it is Alice's birthday. Alice is a 17-year-old who's mother died during the previous few months.

Sato is still the commandant of the women. He announces many British, Australian, and American losses on Okinawa and Borneo. Sato forces Bea to falsify death certificates, to say that deaths are not being caused by malnutrition. Marion is still keeping her diary, and Bea is still keeping Dr Trier's case notes up to date.

The camp is buzzed by Allied planes. The underground brings word of Allied advances in Borneo. Marion and Joss start to make plans in case the Japanese decide to kill the internees when the Allies arrive.

Christina is still working for Major Yamauchi. He shows her a picture of his 6-month-old grandson. He is still ill. Christina asks Yamauchi for something for Alice; she gets some paper and the women make Alice a card. At the party, Sato storms in to break up the singing, and rips the cards to pieces.

Van Meyer reminisces about her house, worried that it will have been looted when she returns. Joss gathers stones for resisting the Japanese, and finds a leaflet in Japanese, which the guards confiscate. Kate still wants to be a doctor.

Yamauchi tells Christina it's her last day in the office. Christina sees an order ordering the execution of all prisoners when the Allies' final push comes. The committee plans resistance—they have nothing left to lose. Fighting teams are armed with stones, and the women are nervous about their future.

Tenko is called. The women are lined up, with all the soldiers in front of them instead of scattered about as normal. The women are ready to fight. The initial part of Yamauchi's announcement makes them think they are about to be shot, but he announces Japan's surrender instead. Joss points out to Marion that she's in charge now; Marion and Yamauchi go to talk privately.

Alice runs and tells the people in sickbay. Yamauchi, in the office, tells Marion of the bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki. While they talk, Maggie gets a group together to take revenge on Sato. Yamauchi tells Marion that the internees are to remain under Japanese control, orders from Montbatten, for their own safety. Yamauchi will protect them, but there must be no reprisals against the guards. Outside, Maggie leads her group towards Sato.

Episode 3.02

20 August 1945

Maggie's group is intent on attacking Sato. Kate goes to take down the Japanese flag; Marion stops her and then stops Maggie. Marion explains things to the group: they remain under Japanese control. Coolies will do the heavy work, the women will maintain order and sanitation, extra rice will be given, and they can trade with the locals with the contents of the storeroom—blankets, sheets, towels, butter, vitamins, medicines. Yamauchi explains that they weren't sure how long things would need to last, which is why the contents of the storeroom were withheld.

Christina returns voluntarily to help Yamauchi in the office, with Marion's approval. While the vitamins and medicines help some of the sick, some still remain ill or die.

Kate wants to go to the men's camp and see Tom. Maggie, not believing that the natives are restless (the Japanese promised them their independence from the Europeans), encourages her to abscond to see him. Joss hears from the underground that the natives being restless is true. Kate and Maggie, en route to the men's camp, meet a man coming over from the men's camp. He warns them not to continue. Maggie and the man go into the back of the truck to have celebratory sex. Afterwards, they see hostile natives and flee back to their own camps.

Van Meyer overeats and makes herself ill. Alice sees Maggie's bruises and thinks one of the guards has attacked her. Alice and Maggie talk and realise that they couldn't have killed Sato.

Yamauchi arranges a visit to the men's camp for those with relatives there. Australian soldiers arrive in the women's camp and find the women's history appalling. The Japanese records are somewhat confusing, due to the moves and number of deaths. The other women come back from the men's camp, where twice as many have died. Marion is told that the women will go to Singapore the next day.

Alice is disgusted when one of the soldiers mistakes her for a boy, and worries about her femininity: she's only had one period ever, and has no breasts. Christina remembers Simon Treves promise to meet her at the Ritz when the war ends. Bea apologises to Kate for being rough and offers whatever she can do to help Kate become a doctor. Joss feels tired now that there's nothing left to fight. Dorothy and Joss witness Sato commit hari kari.

The night of September 19, their last night in the camp, the woman pray: thanks for their survival, forgiveness for their enemies, and in memory of those who died. In the morning, one of the ill has died. Joss and Bea watch Marion go to say goodbye to Yamauchi. Bea says she can forgive him much, but not withholding the vitamins and medicines. Yamauchi says goodbye to Marion, apologies for the deaths, wishes for peace, and bows. Marion bows back. Christina, last to load up, sees Yamauchi. He bows to her, and she bows back. The trucks roll out of the camp.

Episode 3.03

The women are on the plane to Singapore. The plane lands and the women are greeted by Phyllis Bristow, the RAPWI representative, and a newspaper photographer. Phyllis wants them to go through some formalities—name, next of kin, etc. The women are served tea, given soap and some other necessities. Phyllis tells Alice her father is still alive, Van Meyer that she'll be transferred to a group of Dutch women, and Kate that she'll join the nurse's group. Van Meyer and Kate balk, and Phyllis leaves them with Marion's group.

Marion and Joss are interviewed by an army reporter. After tea, the group is moved to their quarters—at Raffles. The rooms aren't ready, so they eat dinner in the hotel restaurant. Marion asks Phyllis to track Clifford. Bea is approached by a woman looking for news of her daughter. The real table, silverware, dishes, all impress the women. The group is brought sandwiches and bangers, which they love.

Marion is approached by Colonel Smithers who is collecting information for war crimes trials. Alice, without thinking, starts to pack her plate in her pack. The group is given a suite at the hotel, with their own bath. Kate joins Maggie in the tub, and they have a wonderful time getting clean. Bea marvels at the clean clear water, Van Meyer the curtains, Joss the bed. Marion admires the paper, and tried to write to Ben. Joss is tired and unwilling to leave the bed. Marion brings in a gin sling from the Colonel. Marion ends up sleeping on the floor - the bed is too soft.

Phyllis leads the group through medical exams, loss lists, spending money, postcards home, news from Britain. Bea feels de-powered: she's not in charge, has no authority, and her eyes are poor. Dorothy sees captured Japanese soldiers mending the road, and sneaks them cigarettes. Kate turns over Dr Trier's notes to one of the medical people, which pisses Bea off. The group tries to readjust to the idea of freedom.

Groups of youths run wild in the streets, killing collaborators in daylight, stealing tires from trucks and cars. Van Meyer finds comfort in the thought of being a rich widow. Kate visits the hospital: the group there is comfortable enough. Kate can't find Tom, and Bea gets bad news about her eyes. Van Meyer goes to the bank to check on her money. Alice wonders if she's still fertile.

At the party that evening at Raffles, Colonel Jackson is attracted to Van Meyer. Dorothy steals a saltshaker and an ashtray, because it's not a handout. Marion still worries about Clifford's fate. Marion and Dorothy cut out from the party; Bea finds it all too much, and flees.

Episode 3.04

The ex-internees go to a thanksgiving prayer service. Colonel Smithers, of the War Crimes group, tries to get Marion's evidence against Yamauchi. Marion is still looking for information about her husband. Joss meets one of Monica's old friends, Stephen Wentworth. Tensions increase between the ex-internees as they try to adjust to freedom, but they continue to stick together and defend each other against outsiders. Stephen is trying to help the natives. Christina can't find any word of Simon Treves, as she's not officially his fiancee; she also discovers other forms of British prejudice against half-breeds and other non-whites.

Phyllis tries to sort people into the boxes where they belong', including trying to get Alice to associate with girls her own age instead of people like Maggie. Tom is diagnosed with tuberculosis. Maggie speculates, "Know something? However different we all are, however much we row and say things, I sometimes think we'll never be so close to anyone, ever again."

Marion thinks that Clifford may have left word with the servants at their house. Female collaborators are marched through the streets. Jake helps Joss back to Raffles, then gives
lifts to Marion, Dorothy, and Maggie. Dorothy and Maggie think of settling into Dorothy's old bungalow together. The bungalow has been trashed by anti-British locals. Marion's house and contents, taken over by the Japanese for the duration, are in perfect shape. Dorothy is determined to fix up her house. Jake takes Dorothy and Maggie to get furniture, confiscated from the Japanese who confiscated it themselves.

Stephen asks Joss to help with his group of native refugees and returnees. Jake helps Dorothy select good quality furniture for the house; since it may well never be reclaimed anyway, they should get something that will increase in value. Marion is urgently called back to the hotel.

Episode 3.05

Marion and Clifford are reunited, and Clifford tells her that her mother and Ben are fine. Van Meyer tells some of the ex-internees about Dorothy and Shinya. Clifford wants to return to their house; Marion is reluctant to leave the women. Clifford tells Christina that Simon Treves is married, and reveals his own prejudice against non-whites. Clifford is now working in Intelligence, will be working on the War Crimes group, and is determined to avenge everything that has caused changes, and puts Yamauchi at the top of his list.

Dorothy and Maggie start work on the bungalow. Clifford learns of Marion's first diary. Clifford regret that he as unable to protect Marion, prevent her from becoming a prisoner. Clifford insists on replacing the servants who haven't returned, so that Marion won't have to work, but Marion doesn't know what she'll do with herself, with nothing to do.

A new group of ex-internees arrive at Raffles; our group has been out about a week. From the new group, they learn that Nellie Keene is dead, having died of malaria about three months from the end of the war. Bea tries to get back in harness.

Clifford asks Marion about collaborators, women sleeping with the Japanese. Marion defends the women who slept with the Japanese, and also Lillian. Clifford wants details; Marion doesn't want to talk about it. The new ex-internees shun Dorothy. Bea finds out that she's going slowly blind. Marion is forbidden by Clifford to exert herself, even arranging flowers, and it really bothers her. Jake offers Marion a lift to Raffles.

Christina decides to stay in Singapore. Christina and Marion remember Yamauchi as a good man in some ways. Clifford runs into Bea, asks about war crimes, especially Yamauchi. Bea, still upset about the withheld medicines and vitamins, tells Clifford in venomous detail and agrees to testify against Yamauchi. Clifford doesn't like Jake, reveals his prejudice again. Clifford tries to send Marion to Britain, but Marion resists and they argue over her return.

News of Dorothy's pregnancy and abortion sends a group of ex-internees hunting for her. After being attacked, Dorothy flees the hotel and runs into Ulrica.

Episode 3.06

Ulrica and the girls catch up in their rooms. Colonel Smithers is pressured by Clifford about Yamauchi; Smithers says that Clifford is feeling guilty that he had the war easy. Ulrica asks if she can spend time with Dorothy to help her. Clifford catches Marion eating … quickly. Clifford mentions an upcoming party, but doesn't want to hear Marion's description of their last party in camp for Alice's birthday.

Dorothy thinks about teaming up with Jake. Christina is contacted by her Chinese uncle, who has been hurt for helping the Japanese. Marion re-reads part of her second diary. Joss tricks Bea into helping out at Stephen's place. Joss finds out Bea is going blind, within the next few years. Mr Van Meyer can't be found, so Van Meyer is told she can't access his money.

Dorothy gets ecstatic with Ulrica's presence, but gets depressed when she realises that it's only temporary. Bea and Kate, wrapped up in their own concerns, argue; Bea apologises. Clifford finds Marion's diary and reads it. One of the new ex-internees lodges a collaboration complaint against Dorothy, who refuses to return quietly to Britain. Dorothy finds out that her mother is dead. Marion feels violated by Clifford's reading of her diary, offended by his labelling of her friends. Joss schemes to get medicines for Stephen's Centre. Marion goes to Raffles. Jake gets Joss some medicines for free. Dorothy inherits her mother's house. Marion feels isolated from the others. Marion worries about telling Maggie and Dorothy about the exposure of the diary. Dorothy feels more exposed as word begins to spread. Realising that she *does* care about what others think of her, she decides to return to Britain.

Dorothy wonders what her "self" is inside, and asks for Ulrica's blessing. Ulrica doesn't want Dorothy to go. Jake and Maggie give Dorothy a farewell fete at her bungalow. Jake offers Maggie his spare room now that the bungalow will be sold. Dorothy plans on renting out rooms in her mother's house. Dorothy tells Clifford that not all the Japanese are bad; he promises to keep the diary as confidential as possible. Colonel Smithers reads part of the diary over the phone. The other women tell Clifford what a rock Marion was. Bea tells Marion she's going blind. Clifford starts to see that these really *are* Marion's people.

Episode 3.07

Joss and Christina's uncle are picked up by the police. Christina sees them being picked up. Joss is questioned about the medicines Jake gave her, but denies everything—she's been interrogated before. Bea is determined to give evidence, regardless of concerns for her health.

Jake arranges that he gets the contract to clean out the prison camps. Van Meyer is overdrawn to the bank's limit. Bea goes into hysterics over the dead and wounded and the kept-back medical supplies. Joss is released. Ulrica comforts her. Ulrica expects to be returned to Holland; it tears her apart to be sent away when so many locally need her help. The Centre is searched by the police.

Colonels Jefferson and Smithers ask Maggie and Alice about Yamauchi and other war criminals. Bea visits Ulrica and confesses that she thinks she may have been too personal in giving evidence. Ulrica confesses her own doubts about rejoining her order. Kate prays for Tom's recovery. Stephen and Joss share memories of their camps. Marion accuses Clifford of seeing the Japanese every time he looks at her, that his vendetta is personal. Clifford tells her that Yamauchi is in Singapore.

Phyllis is told to speak with Joss about the Centre—dealing on the black market, working with collaborators, not giving sources will get them in trouble with the police. Van Meyer gives an interview telling of her selflessness and self-sacrifice in the camps. Phyllis tries to get Joss to leave; Joss refuses. Bea takes Van
Meyer to task. Giving testimony, Maggie tells of Blanche's fate: caught smuggling in food, she was put in the punishment cells, except she had beri-beri and died. Marion tells the others that Yamauchi is interned in Singapore. Van Meyer regrets the interview. Stephen decides to stay in Singapore; Joss needs to take care of some matters in Britain; he asks her to return.

Marion tells Clifford that she won't testify against Yamauchi. Clifford and Marion argue about Yamauchi's good points. Clifford is told that Christina wants to visit Yamauchi; initially, he denies it, but decides to spy on her instead. Christina brings biscuits, which are broken into pieces during the guard's search for contraband. Yamauchi says he will feed the bits to the birds who come to visit. Yamauchi inquires about the women; Christina gives him paper and pencil. Yamauchi still has no word of the fate of his family.

Ulrica realises that her decisions in camp weren't always wrong. Van Meyer pawns her wedding ring for money and admits to Joss that her only comfort has always been money. Jake and Maggie go to bed. Van Meyer is very contrite after being told off. All of the girls and Stephen end up meeting in the hotel bar. Ulrica is told that Yamauchi is in Singapore. Christina tells them that she visited him and he asked after them. Ulrica, Christina, and Marion state that they won't give evidence. Ulrica offers to get extra food to Christina's uncle, still in jail for dealing with the Japanese to get extra food for his son, who was later shot by the Japanese for smuggling rice into the British men's camp.

Episode 3.08

Alice asks Bea to teach her to tango. Tom dies. Jake tells Maggie she can stay with him as long as she likes, and he'll arrange a job for her when she feels like it. Marion plans to sneak in to visit Yamauchi. Kate arranges Tom's funeral. One of the other internees tells Kate that Tom was absolutely wild about her, always talking of her in the camp. They ask Kate if she has someone to help her, and she immediately thinks of Marion.

Jake offers to help Marion with the red tape involved in visiting Yamauchi. Kate goes to see Ulrica because Marion is out. Ulrica and Kate talk. Yamauchi tells Marion that death is more honourable than prison. Yamauchi is writing to his daughter using Christina's paper; he doesn't know if his daughter or grandson are alive: they lived in Nagasaki. Marion offers to make inquiries for him; he accepts. Marion apologises that her diary will be used against him; he reveals that he knew of the diary and let Christina take the paper from his office for it. She apologises that she has lost control of it: she knows that the truth isn't as simple as the diary appears to say.

Kate decides that she'll definitely become a doctor. Kate asks Ulrica to come to Tom's funeral. She is reluctant because he was a Protestant. Kate reminds her that the camp always grieved for their dead together. Marion brings Kate a black dress. Ulrica comes to the funeral. Bea plans on coming to the funeral to provide moral support; Kate thinks it would be against Bea's principles as an atheist and excuses her.

Clifford runs into Van Meyer and Maggie and learns of the funeral and Marion's visit to Yamauchi. Bea is depressed. Maggie bucks Bea up for a bit. Alice goes to her first grownup outside dance, and goes outside with a boy who feels her up and upsets her tremendously. Marion invites everyone back to her house for tea. Bea explains the facts of life to Alice. Ulrica confesses to Marion that at least in the camp she felt useful, and she wants to feel useful again.

Stephen asks Bea to help at his Centre. Maggie tells Bea she thinks she's pregnant by the guy in the jeep from the men's camp. Marion and her housekeeper talk: she's been so long with the women and so long from Clifford that she's not certain how things will work out. Bea confirms Maggie's pregnancy, and Maggie tries to decide what to do. Clifford asks Marion about her visit to Yamauchi, as he can't believe she did that, and what will other people think? Marion defends Yamauchi's compassion to Clifford. Clifford and Marion argue: he feels that he's taking second place to the women, she wants a more responsible and involved life for herself. She says she doesn't know if they have a future together.

Episode 3.09

Alice is going home tomorrow; Marion, Bea, and Joss sail in 8 days; and Kate the week after. Christina decides to stay in Singapore. Van Meyer is convinced her husband is dead and her house destroyed. Maggie also decides to stay on in Singapore. Jake knows that Maggie is pregnant. Maggie wants to keep the baby. Joss and Bea run into Ulrica en route to the Centre. Ulrica is thinking that she might have been wrong to leave the women in the camp. Ulrica, Joss, and Bea send Stephen out to take care of his cold while they run the clinic.

Clifford tells Phyllis that Marion is more affected than he had realised, unwilling or unable to adjust to her old life - she resents his work, undermines him by visiting Yamauchi, and is thinking of separation - and that the other women are keeping her from him, not realising that Marion's changed. He wishes *he* had been the internee. Word comes from the Dutch that Van Meyer's husband is still alive.

Jake offers Maggie choices: abortion, adoption. She tells him she wants to keep the baby. He offers her a room, then marriage.

Joss thinks she may be getting Stephen's cold. Van Meyer's house is safe. Jake takes a turn dancing with each of the women. Van Meyer goes off alone to cry.

Clifford asks Marion about the separation. She explains that she herself is different: for three and a half years, she's been a leader, a person in her own right, and she can't go back to being a decoration. She thinks he loves the person he'd like her to be. To make their marriage work, they'll have to start from scratch.

Maggie turns Jake down, and decides to go back to England. Van Meyer asks to see Ulrica, but Ulrica has gone to deliver a child to a leper colony. Joss and Stephen spend the day walking, due to their colds and Bea's insistence. Marion and Clifford discuss the new terms of their marriage - she would like a part-time job, he offers her another child. Clifford confesses that he feels guilty about her being in the camp. Marion explains Yamauchi as best she can to Clifford: he may not have been able to give her food, but he gave her dignity.

Christina helps Bea with the Centre notes. Christina decides to become a teacher, to teach the Chinese and the poor and the neglected. Bea worries about her future; Christina gives her some reassurance. Joss tells Stephen she'll be back in the spring, and that she's going to put some of her inheritance into building a new Centre.

Marion leaves Clifford to talk with Van Meyer, who is sitting alone and depressed. Van Meyer confesses that she never loved her husband, she married him to help her family. She thinks her husband hates her as much as she hates him, but without him she has nothing and she refuses to live without comforts. Marion points out that's what she did in camp, and Van Meyer replies that in the camp, she at least had the other women.

Maggie reveals that she was previously pregnant, by her father, who killed himself when the family was broken apart because of it, and the shock of which caused a miscarriage. Joss is mugged for her purse. Marion decides to give her marriage another shot. Joss is put into the hospital.

Episode 3.10

Kate offers to help in the Centre until she leaves. Phyllis tells them they're having a picnic that afternoon. Bea, Christina, and Kate are working at the Centre; Ulrica shows up to help. Van Meyer tells Marion that she has had no female friends before. Van Meyer and Marion believe that Van Meyer's husband was a collaborator. Marion suggests Van Meyer use her interview to cover up his collaboration, which would save his family honour and give her status in their marriage.

Both the girls and Jake suggest Maggie bunk in with Dorothy, but Maggie is reluctant to bring back memories of Violet. Clifford takes the day off to spend time with Marion. Marion tells Clifford that in the camps, they knew the best and the worst of each other, while she and Clifford have always sort of worn faces. Clifford apologises for not understanding her changes; Marion says they've both changed, but they both really love each other. Marion remembers the picnic later and rushes to join the others at the beach.

Christina gathers everyone's addresses so they can all stay in contact. The group agrees to meet at Raffles on 20 October 1950, five years to the day after they leave. Bea goes to visit Joss. The nurse thinks she's sleeping, but her heart has given out and she's dead. Stephen decides to go back to England; he has no heart to go on with the Centre. Everyone goes to Joss' funeral. Joss' will is read: she leaves money to each of the women, and she leaves a annual stipend for Bea and Stephen, provided they run the Centre together. Bea and Stephen agree. Ulrica decides to stay in the Pacific, working in the leper colony. Van Meyer breaks the news to Colonel Jackson that her husband is alive; both are upset at the news. Sister Ulrica visits Yamauchi: his trial is not yet, but he is sure he will be hanged. Yamauchi and Ulrica talk: he is mentally punishing himself for not having killed himself. But they both see the good in each other: "we must all try our very best - always, to the very end".

At the hotel, Kate brings in a small cake. Together, the group remembers some of the good times in camp, and they drink to those who aren't there—Nellie, Sally, Sylvia, Judith Bowen, Debbie Bowen, Rose, Little Susie, Blanche, Dr Trier, Joss, and Violet.

Christina goes to the Buddhist temple. Bea leaves Stephen at the Centre. Kate helps Maggie pack, but is called in by Phyllis so Clifford sees Marion into the coach. Jake gives Maggie a lift to the dock: Dorothy has opened an antiques shop and will be taking Maggie in. He gives her some occupation money to sell in London. They kiss goodbye. Marion offers to help Bea with the Centre when they return. They overhear some sailors saying that the sailors could have been sent home by now if they weren't needed to repatriate the women who were too stupid to know that the Japanese were invading.

Christina, Kate, Van Meyer, Ulrica, and Phyllis wave off the ship carrying Marion, Bea, and Maggie. Van Meyer desperately wants Christina to come visit her. Having left shore, Marion turns from the rail, says, "Well, that's over", and walks off.