[Ben] In every family, people have their role.
I guess there's no one here!
[kids screaming]
[Ben] Mine was the fun one, the goofball.
No! Ha-ha!
[Ben] The lovable screw-up in the family
who, mostly, had it together.
[screaming] My notes, Ben!
Her notes, Ben!
Yes, Ben!
I'm sorry!
That's it!
[laughter, squealing]
No! No! No! [laughing]
Argh! Don't! Ha!
Surrender your weapon, sir.
[Ben] Now look at us.
Me aside, the Rafters are a mess.
Mum and Dad
gone from joined at the hip to daily calls.
Nathan OK?
[Dave on phone] About to take him biking.
Good.
[Dave] I was thinking Rachel should be home by about now.
Uh, yeah.
[Ben] Rachel tied to her desk,
soon to factor in being a single mum.
And poor old Nath.
Single dad twice-divorced, building screwed,
and barely holding down a part-time job.
[dirt bikes buzzing]
[Dave hoots]
- Want to go again? - Come on!
You do know, Dad, you've got your very own Carbo here.
[Laughs] You reckon? Not quite.
I'm good. I'm good here. You go.
OK. Won't be long.
[starts engine]
[Dave hoots]
♪ I met your demons And they do not scare me ♪
♪ I know they'll be angels once they learn to fly... ♪♪
[Ben] Suddenly, I'm the functional one.
Can't take all the credit.
The kids would love a bag of red frogs.
And some red cordial to wash them down?
And then a ladder to get them off the ceiling.
[laughs]
[Ben] Mum always said 'You'll know when you know.'
And I did.
Hello.
My future just a wall away.
[phone chimes]
[women giggle and chatter]
This is a bit weird.
Thank God you swiped right.
Would you like a drink?
[chuckles] Yes.
[Ben] I stretched out my break
until Donna threatened to fire me.
I still can't believe she swiped right, let alone married me.
Welcome home, Mrs. Rafter.
Ooh! I like that.
[Ben] And maybe that's why, just like that,
the goofball was gone.
Now I was son, brother, uncle, husband.
And as for father? Work in progress.
Babe?
[sleepily] Hm.
I really don't think we should take it.
Hm?
Rachel's money.
That's good. It's all good.
I don't feel comfortable taking money from her.
Sweetheart, Rach doesn't do anything she doesn't want to.
I get that, but I'm saying I don't want to take it.
It'll put us way ahead of the game.
Soon as you're back on deck...
[Ben] We work because we talk,
like Mum and Dad used to.
Ben Rafter - never thought I'd say it -
the most together one in the family.
You don't think you're obsessed?
What else are weekends for?
[chuckling] Fair enough.
One here for you.
Uh...
It's a good place here.
Tell that to your mum for me.
I just want you to know
that I haven't come up here to avoid responsibility.
I know you think that I was reckless for chucking in my job.
Just worried.
But if I hadn't, I would've snapped or had a breakdown.
I don't know. I was no good to Eddie the way that I was.
My thinking was to come here and get my strength back.
For him.
You're in the right spot.
Seems like it. Yeah.
- Here he is! - You ready to shred it?
I was thinking we should take Nath
up around Patterson's track.
You know, the one I told you about.
Yeah...
I don't think you have much choice.
[chuckles victoriously]
[Dave hoots]
♪ No man can make it hard for me ♪
♪ I don't wanna be on my own forever... ♪♪
[hooting and laughing]
♪ Better than ever ♪
♪ When I'm looking at you I'm better in every way ♪
♪ Better than ever ♪
♪ Got a smile like sunshine
♪ Brightens up the darkest of days ♪
♪ Better than ever, better than ever, better than ever ♪♪
[revving engine]
[hoots]
Well done.
Know a senator dragging
the chain on climate policy?
What do you give them,
other than a lump of coal?
- Stress poo!
- And flush 'em down the loo.
Stress poos?
This OK with Observation Earth?
Save the planet with a biodegradable stress poo.
Uh, it's a bit more than I expected,
but... [sighs] ...I'm sure it's fine.
Mm. I guess.
[sighs] Hey, if having us all at your place gets too much,
please just say - Donna has offered us a room.
I will, but it's fine - honestly.
[Carbo] Come on through and get one today.
Hey, buddy, you're looking stressed.
Why don't you give your stress poo a hefty press? Whoo!
Listen, I might slip away and see Dad.
Are you right to take Edward home?
Yeah. Of course.
If both those kids get carried away
you can always get Ben to calm them down.
Yeah, OK.
[phone chimes]
Hello?
Take that, Chuck.
[Carbo] Don't poo-poo the stress poo!
Justin? American Justin?
How can I help you, mate?
Do you understand what 'bad optics' means?
Um...
It means 'Shut down the live stream.'
You're hawking plastic landfill, man.
I'm pretty sure they're biodegradable.
Just be glad it's not me and not Rachel on this call.
But they're really into it!
[Justin] I'm at Observation Earth
about to negotiate on behalf of your family and your sister.
And if they're watching this train wreck, they'll...
Just shut it the hell down. Now!
Copy that. Sorry.
Hey, buddy, under duress?
Here, give your stress poo
a hefty press, hey!
[whispers furiously]
Cut it. Cut it! Cut it. Charles!
We should go to that café more often.
It was great to get out, wasn't it?
Hm.
Oh, no, Dad, maybe leave them on for now.
Why don't we go to the lounge room for a cup of tea?
I've got time before work.
Since when did you work?
Well, I'm just filling in for Nathan
at the Boat Club, remember?
With Donna.
You know Donna?
That new Indian Sheila, is it?
Smells a bit funny, if you ask me.
No, Dad. That's... That's your nurse. Rhea.
She wears patchouli oil and she's lovely.
I didn't say she wasn't.
Aren't we going to some fancy café?
Maybe another day.
Good. I'm buggered.
[stifles sobs]
[man] Mrs. Rafter?
Hard morning with Dad?
Yeah.
I've got five minutes.
I'm not saying I expected a miracle,
But I did think more time with him would make a difference.
For who?
Well, him, obviously.
No, I know he won't get better. I understand that.
I moved closer to see him more often.
I've said before
that more time isn't guaranteed quality time for him.
It may be for you and wonderful if so
but if it makes you distressed...
Ted lives in fragments -
a fractured mosaic remembered in parts, if at all.
So the only person more frequent visits might help is you.
The question is are they helping?
Well, um, I'm out here and not in there, so...
And if Ted were well and saw this, what would he say?
He wouldn't like to see me upset.
Ted gets a lot more from his family than most around here.
It's not my place to give advice, Mrs. Rafter,
but from my experience over the years,
don't shape your life around him.
Thanks.
I hope she's not too bummed.
You're not too bummed
that we had to stop the streaming, are ya?
All protest artists get shut down.
Or it's not a real protest.
Where did you read that?
- Charles said. - Oh.
Charles knows.
Can I keep my poo?
Yeah.
Hey, Benno, can you just give me a hand?
I left something back at the...stall.
Uh, yeah. I'll catch you at the car.
- So, I had a brainwave. - Yeah?
OK, so, um, before you guys,
you know, have another go with the baby,
Retta and I reckon you guys need some chill time.
So you're coming with us to Lesbos!
Wait, what?
Lesbos? The island.
Greece! Hey?
When we go back, you can come with us, help us break it in.
Mate, we can't afford it.
Yeah, well, I can. I'm raking it in.
And, well, Retta reckons Cassie seems a bit stressed lately.
Yeah, that was before we got Rachel's money.
What, you didn't reckon so today?
- You reckon? - Trust Retta.
She knows these things.
So what do you say? Are you gonna do it?
Just say yes, mate! Come on. Greece. Just say it. Yes.
'Yes, Carbo. Yes.'
What do you reckon? Hit the quarry next time?
Kick it up a few notches?
Hey, you were pretty good out there. What do you say?
I'd say you've got a visitor.
- W-we'll clean the bikes. - Yeah, whatevs.
Mrs. Spade. This is a surprise.
Really? I thought you might've expected me.
And may I say, before you demonise me,
Ruby's convictions are one thing
but denigrating the school on social media quite another.
We think you do a great job, Mrs. Spade,
it was just this one misunderstanding.
I have a request of you. A local reporter
wants to do a piece on this matter for syndication.
I was hoping you might speak to him.
To say what?
Set the record straight.
Just explain that you understand
our decision about Ruby's artwork.
There are two sides to this thing, of course.
And this whole thing has gotten wildly out of hand.
A ludicrous explosion of worldwide attention.
No argument there but I'm not badmouthing my daughter.
I'm not asking you to.
Simply say you understand why we did what we did.
Well, all I know is that Rubes put some poo on a painting
and now she's being made out
to be the next Greta what's-her-name.
That's precisely the online world at its very worst.
She's the hero, we're the demons.
The whole school suffers!
It will blow over.
Friction between the parents, quite violent exchanges.
I haven't heard any of that.
Our lovely little town has become an international joke!
Right.
[sighing]
Alright.
He wants to go to print tomorrow so...
..the sooner you phone him, the better.
Yep.
[phone keypad bleeps]
[Julie's voice] Hi, this is Julie Rafter.
Please leave a message after the beep.
[bleeping]
Oh! So that's what you were doing with Carbo?
Agreeing that we'd go on a month's holiday.
- Ben, you really should... - I know what you're gonna say.
But this isn't gonna cost us.
Don't think of it as a holiday.
What else would it be?
For a whole month?
Do I just drop the contracts that I'm helping with
just after we've taken money from Rachel?
Money to help us have a baby! And this will be helping too.
I know it's been stressful,
and I know because of your whole family thing
it makes it hard for you to accept gifts, but...
It's not my family thing. It's got nothing to do with gifts.
It's because, you know, you never...
Carbo is coming from a...
Sorry, go ahead.
I interrupted. I'm sorry.
I couldn't speak. Literally could not speak.
Ben gave me an opening
and it's like my mind just went blank - I froze.
- OK. - It wasn't logical. It was...
It was what?
It was like I was back with...
With my first husband,
if I tried to stand up to him about the slightest thing...
Go on.
Well, I finally did stand up to him and look what happened.
He kicked you out.
Alright. What I'm going to say comes from love.
Do you actually want to overcome this?
To tell Ben that that's it for IVF?
Or do you want to keep talking about it and talking about it
and hope that it just fades away?
Have you ever been to a counselor?
No.
Could you get Ben to go with you to see someone?
It's me. Not him.
It's a relationship, Cass.
I think I have someone I can recommend.
[sighs]
A few couples I know have been a bit rocky lately.
Hm. Could the common factor be me?
[scoffing]
I guess I had this romantic idea that I'd help, somehow.
It was one bad day. Of course you're helping.
Am I, though? Who?
Dad's possibly worse. Ben and Cassie seem to be coping.
Nathan and Edward aren't out on the streets
and Rachel's... she's flown in and flown out.
Where's Dave in all this?
We call.
Do you know Ben even tried
to give me marriage advice yesterday?
Which seems to be his new role - the family glue.
He's a good man.
I moved to help them, not the other way around.
And I miss Dave.
Then go back.
Not without answers.
I thought it was about family. If it wasn't...
Then what?
[sighing] The million-dollar question.
Hey, have you got a minute?
Yeah, sure, sweetheart. What do you need?
Actually, I was looking for Donna. Have you got a sec?
[scoffs] I rest my case.
A month? And would you like fries with that?
I know it's a lot, but hear my plan.
I train up Nathan and with Mum behind the bar
and him doing my job, I'm covered!
You do remember he just absented himself
with no guarantee of return.
He'll be back - in a few days, he'll get bored. And he's skint.
Just a heads-up...
as much as I also would love a holiday in Greece,
you have to pay me in solid gold to go with Carbo.
Every moment of tranquillity will be live-streamed.
You'll plunge into that turquoise Mediterranean Sea
and he'll be down there with his camera.
Talking underwater.
Cassie will lay down the law. So is that a yes?
Go on. Go look after your wife.
She's lucky to have you.
I reckon too.
[smooches] Thank you.
[sheep bleat, birds chirp]
Hey.
Thanks again for chatting, Mr. Rafter. I'll keep it quick.
Alright, look, before we start,
I think that Ruby's commitment on climate is brilliant.
But all this fuss over her is a huge load of crap
about a...well, a little bit of crap.
It's all just crap.
Well, it's good that you can laugh about it.
Yeah. Too crazy to take seriously.
Oh! Don't know how you do it. Looks like a hard slog.
I guess I enjoy the challenge.
There's always a new carrot dangling.
Today, Masters. One day, maybe a PhD.
Ooh! And your eyes just glowed.
It's just tiring. And being broke gets very old.
You'll look back on it one day and smile, I'm sure.
You never went to uni?
There was a saying...
'A piece of paper won't get you a husband.'
No.
- Ah. Different times. - Ugh.
'Typing, shorthand and home economics is all a girl needs.'
So said Mum, bless her.
I do envy your generation.
[phone chimes repeatedly]
- Anyway, thanks for today. - Oh, no worries.
All that selling poo?
And paintings. I think I might leave school.
I wouldn't be saying that around Mum.
Why? I only go to school to become an artist.
I already am one.
One good day, Rubes. You're not Banksy.
He's a street artist.
As if I don't know that.
Even you knew that.
I was talking to Edward.
Getting a bit full of yourself.
A good artist knows their worth.
Let me guess - Charles?
- He's lived. - And you haven't yet.
So if you want to put the kibosh on the whole thing,
tell Mum you're leaving school.
I will too.
See? You're a bad influence. Now, tidy this all up.
I don't want Cassie coming home to a pigsty.
Fine.
And I won't have time for school and Observation Earth.
Just saying.
Sorry. I had to make a decision. I did call.
I was working.
And the reporter only had today so I took care of it.
What reporter? Was it about me?
Uh, yes. Right, Dave?
Then why didn't they interview me?
Good question. It is her art.
It was about other stuff. Adult stuff.
How was your day, Rubes? Market go well?
- I made $350. - Wait... What?!
- Today? - Yeah.
[scoffing]
Mostly from my paintings, but some from the poo.
And Carbo's coming over tomorrow
to film me making a new piece.
- And what's this one about? - The prime minister.
- Oh! - It's called Heart of Coal.
Carbo thinks it could get us on the news.
OK, well, let's talk about that after dinner, shall we?
Let me say good night to your dad.
OK. Bye, Dad. I miss you.
You too, Rubes. Be good.
And thanks for saying good things to the reporter.
Did you?
First, where you want to start?
The fact that she's about to piss off the prime minister
or she makes more money in a day than both of us?
Yeah, well, I'm starting to see your point.
I just don't like this to get bigger than her. She's a kid.
It's already changing her.
Is that what you said to the reporter?
In so many words.
He seemed pretty impressed, actually.
OK, well, I should get off.
It's my turn for dinner.
- OK. Love you. - You too.
'Night.
[sighs]
[door opens]
[Nathan] Oi. Mind if I join?
No kombucha tonight?
It's hard to find in Buradeena.
Besides, it's the first time in a while I've felt like a beer
and not been worried I'd want three more.
The last few days have felt like a wheel alignment.
Good.
Good you're feeling a bit more on top of things.
Yeah. Yeah, I think so.
Well, you know I'm here for you. I'm your dad.
It's funny, watching you and Paddo
made me realise something.
It's not a dad I need right now. I... I need a mate.
Well, a mate it is.
[sirens wail]
[Ben] Cassie? Are you still up?
[sighs]
Babe? About Greece.
It isn't about the money. Well, it's not just that.
Ben?
[Julie] How could you be so stupid?
[Dave] I was just trying to hose it down.
What, by calling your daughter's artwork crap?
That's not what I said.
'It's just a big load of crap about crap.' End quote.
Who said that?
No one, darling.
[Dave] Is that Ruby?
Don't go online.
Ruby? Look, it was just a joke that I said to a journalist.
He made it sound like I was serious.
[Ben] It's a bit early for art, isn't it?
That's what Retta said. But Rubes calls the shots.
A bit too much these days, I reckon.
Why does that look like blood?
She wants to up the impact. You know, go big or go home, right?
Hey, Justin really doesn't want that live stream thing.
Mate, the fans will flip out if I don't.
OK. Who's ready to get carbonated?
You said that to a journalist?
Dave, stop speaking. Ruby, it is not as bad as it sounds.
I'm trying to save the world and my dad thinks it's crap!
Here she is, what do you say, Rubes?
Ready to stick it to the PM?
Is that Carbo? Is he filming?
- You called it crap. - I didn't mean it!
My dad thinks I'm a joke.
Carbo, turn the camera off!
[bleeping]
- Oof! - What?
- Comments. - They're commenting?
Mm.
Don't people have better things to do?
Nah. They don't seem to.
What are they saying? Actually, no, don't tell me.
Well, she's officially gone viral again.
So, isn't this what you want?
Not if the whole world is laughing at her
and it's my fault!
This is exactly what I didn't want to happen.
Can't we shut it down?
[phone chimes]
You gonna answer that?
Mm-mmm.
[sighs]
Hello.
Dad, why didn't you call me first? Or Justin.
Buradeena's taking a bit of a walloping, Rachel.
The whole thing is in danger of falling apart.
This isn't what Ruby wants.
[Dave] Look, in the scheme of things...
In the scheme of things, this is a nine-year-old girl
who is being offered an amazing opportunity
that may never come her way again
which is always, always depended
on her parents presenting a united front
and being supportive.
Not one parent completely undermining her.
Let's just calm it down a little bit.
Good luck, Justin, spinning 'rogue father'.
I'm not rogue and I don't want to be spun.
Speak to no one, do not answer any calls, except from me.
I'll phone in a few hours.
Given how civil this one's been, I can't wait for the follow-up.
Margaret Thatcher, eat your heart out.
Who?
[birds sing]
[Julie] I need to see Dad before work
but I'm not sure I should leave her.
Can't Donna get someone to cover?
She'll be fine. I've already got a plan to cheer her up.
The healing nature of art.
You never cease to surprise.
Ben Rafter - art-lover, fixer. Who knew?
To think I came down here to help.
You know, I keep thinking about Greece.
It's going to wonderful for Cassie.
We'll need someone to carry our bags.
Oh, what, your mother trailing along the cobblestones?
I don't think so. Thanks, sweetheart.
Bye.
[car door slamming]
[birds sing]
[sighs] What am I doing?
Dave's right. The kids don't need me micromanaging them.
Even if I do call it helping.
This feeling isn't going away.
Which means it isn't about the kids or you at all.
Donna asked me, 'Well, then what?'
Then what?
This is the fourth message I've left for you, Ryan.
You misquoted me.
And on behalf of my daughter, I demand an apology.
And have the guts to answer your bloody phone.
[revs engine]
Please tell me your solution isn't buying drugs.
Not yet.
What if someone recognises me?
Calm down, Picasso. I think you'll be fine.
There she is.
The newest sacrifice to the whims of the Twitterverse.
Charles knows all.
- You OK? - Mm-hm.
- Come on, you two. - Coming.
Thanks for this.
Thank you for asking.
Welcome. Come on in.
- You know this artist? - He cut off his ear.
Poor Vincent. You probably made more yesterday
than he did in his whole career.
Now he's called a genius.
I bet people didn't laugh at him.
Oh, but they did. Even his own mother thought he was a joke.
Like Dad does me.
An embryonic radical like you
believing what you read in the papers?
Shame on you.
I have no doubt he was misquoted. Let it go.
Fine women artists battling social prejudice.
Marie Bashkirtseff.
Her journal tells us she cried with rage
because women were blocked from the main art school in Paris.
Marie Bracquemond Talented, self-taught.
Stopped by her new husband from painting at all.
Suffocated by their times.
You're in good company, Ruby.
All artists suffer.
True artists rise above it
and pour those feelings into their work.
Take 'Poor White Bears'.
Your empathy for a starving creature captured on canvas,
your emotion, held there for the future.
- Who painted this one? - That one is mine.
Possibly the best thing I've ever painted.
I took it to the market one weekend
so confident, but sadly over two full days, not a single bite.
Perhaps you're a stronger artist than I
but rather than face the pain of rejection again, I keep it here.
It may not have sold but it is exists. That's what matters.
The work itself. The rest is commerce.
We combine these with this and we make these.
That eclipses any momentary blues.
This is the most grown-up conversation I've ever had.
And one you merit. Now, pack away your woes,
go home and paint whatever our talk inspires.
- What, now? - Mm-hm.
Something serious. No more poo, I think.
If that feels right.
It's sort of done but still protest, though.
I want to make a difference.
Then find what needs saying, say it, and you shall.
Let it free. It'll come out, one way or another.
[kookaburras laughing]
You get why Dave wants to stay, right?
Oh, mate, I do now. Last few days have felt like
getting off one of those hamster wheels
that just keeps on turning.
Not sure what I'll get up to with you and Dad back at work.
- He's a solid bloke, Dave. - Yeah. He is.
- And Julie. - Yeah, we lucked out.
Look, my dad wasn't so great.
Not someone we admired as kids, let's put it that way.
Look, I've learned a lot from your old man.
Not just the apprenticeship.
He's been a role model, and I like having one.
It's a two-way street.
It's been good for him having you here too.
Cheers. I appreciate that.
Ah, it's true.
Hey, remember that place up on top of the hill?
The big one? The new place?
Yeah. It's a wellness retreat. Your dad and I wired it up.
They gave him a voucher but you should use it.
Oh... That's his.
Dave doing hippy-dippy shit?
[they laugh]
No, I really should get back
and get onto the whole building thing.
Alright, besides, lots of ladies.
And I saw the board. 'Probing sexual chakras'.
You made that up.
Nuh.
Chakras, mate. Chakras.
[hose sprays]
[door opening, closing]
[footsteps approach]
- Ben? - Yeah.
We need to talk.
Sure.
I tried to talk to you last night but you were asleep.
Babe, if Greece stresses you out this much, we don't have to...
I don't want the IVF.
I only said yes again because I love you.
I agree that we shouldn't rush.
We can wait a few cycles, take as much time as you need.
Ben, please, I'm done.
I'm done with the hormones, I'm done with the waiting,
my cycles under a microscope. My cycles!
And the grief!
The grief, yours as much as mine.
I cannot do it anymore.
You're done? Just like that?
Just... Oh, my God.
Do you have any idea how hard it's been for me to tell you?
So that's my fault?
You're blaming me because you couldn't say how you feel?
Name one time that I have blocked you talking.
One time.
You don't need to because I knew that you be angry and you are.
[exclaims]
I'm finished.
This is our children we're talking about, Cassie.
Our family, and you're just finished?
I cannot let it be my life. I will not let it.
I cannot be a womb on legs.
I'm sorry.
[slams door]
Donna, I've gotta go. Dave's had an accident.
What's happened?
He's had a bad fall off his motorbike.
It's his shoulder, his arm, I'm not sure -
I just have to get up there, alright?
Of course. Call me when you know more.
[Ben] Let us know when you get there.
I will. I'll call you as soon as I arrive.
I'll be back soon, OK?
I'm alright. Don't worry about me.
Tell Dad I hope he feels better.
I will. He's going to be fine.
Tell my dad I'm good.
Oh! I will, darling.
- OK. Bye. - Bye.
- Drive safe. - I will.
OK.
- Mwah. Bye. - Bye.
I love you all.
[Ruby] Love you, Mum. Bye.
Bye.
Last corner. You want us to help you in your pyjamas or...
No, no. I'll just lie down for a tick.
Here you go.
Yep. Gotcha.
[sighs loudly]
You know what I can't get out of my head?
That split-second from when you're in control
and then you're flying through the air
feeling like you'll never stop.
Until, slam, you do.
And that's when I saw it.
A spike sticking out of a log. Like a dagger.
Another six inches, it would've gone straight through me.
You were pretty lucky, eh.
Gives a man perspective, is all I'm saying.
[Ben] Dad always the solid one. Now on shifting sands.
Suddenly the girl with everything
can feel everything falling apart.
[sobbing]
♪ I feel out of place without seeing your face ♪
[Ben] And Nathan,
the most likely to succeed, who can't cut a break.
♪ I am not leaving you now ♪
♪ Home is the place where you come from ♪
♪ I am out but feeling your love ♪
♪ Home is the place where ever you are ♪
♪ I am not leaving you now ♪
♪ Home is the place where you come from... ♪♪
[Ben] And then there's me.
The most together one in the family.
[sighs]
You haven't said a word to me all night.
We will be fine. We are fine.
Ben, we're not fine.
I had to throw down vodka to get the courage to talk to you.
What does that say about us?
A wife who's too scared to tell her husband the truth?
A husband who's too obsessed to hear it.
We need help. A counsellor.
To say what?
I've always wanted my own kids, Cassie. Always have.
You know how I feel.
We don't need marriage guidance people
to tell us what we already know.
Well, maybe I do!
For heaven sake, Ben. Stop lying to yourself.
[sighs loudly]
[Ben] And just like that, I'm as screwed up as the rest of them.
[soft piano]