Tenko - Season 1

In Singapore in 1941 the British middle classes lead a comfortable life though Marian Jefferson,unlike her friend Vicky,wants to return to England to do war work whilst her army officer husband Clifford is one of the few who believe the Japanese will attack by land. His opinion is shared by Australian radio presenter Bernard Webster who gets sacked for broadcasting his view that the colony is unprepared for invasion - though his girl-friend Rose admires his principles. Romance blossoms between two young couples,Lieutenant Simon Treves and Eurasian tour guide Christina Campbell and Kate Norris and Harry Redburn but these are rudely interrupted when the Japanese bombers strike. Hospital doctor Beatrice Mason,helped by Sister Ulrica and her nuns,tends to the many injured.

Despite Bernard's warnings few Europeans believe that Singapore will fall to the Japanese and New Year is celebrated as usual. However news of the capitulation of Hong Kong causes a change of heart and civilian evacuation to Australia gets underway though Dr. Mason and Sister Ulrica stay at the hospital. Simon must use force to get Christina on board when her European parentage is doubted and Rose's demands make her unpopular with other passengers. Squabbling among the evacuees is forgotten as the ship is torpedoed and many people,including Vicky,drown. The survivors make it ashore but they are caught by a Japanese patrol who separate the men from the women.

The female survivors are marched to the Kampong Getah prison camp where nurses Kate and Nellie meet up again with Dr. Mason,who takes charge of cleaning out their squalid hut. Sharing it with them are Sylvia Ashburton,a snobbish,imperious general's wife known to Marion, brassy Cockney Blanche Simmons who helps the withdrawn Dorothy Bennett with her baby,pregnant Sally Markham and weepy Judith Bowen and her daughter Debbie. The commandant Captain Yamauchi tells the women that disobedience will be punished and Marion,nominated by the others, has to intercede with him when his sadistic lieutenant Sato -Satan to the women - catches Sylvia trying to use a radio. As Sylvis is released from the punishment hut Dutch captives,including Sister Ulrica,arrive.

When some of the younger women are taken away by the guards there is fear that they will be raped but instead they are made to chop down trees. Sister Ulrica is appointed the spokesperson for the Dutch,who have more possessions and money than the British. Married traders Jo and Lia come to the camp and Sylvia softens,giving Dorothy money for food for her baby Violet. Dorothy offers to work for the wealthy Dutch prisoner Mrs. Van Leyden and,with the money earned,sneaks out at night to get milk for Violet from Lia. However Yamauchi finds out and bans the trading. Lia is staked out in the camp and,despite Dorothy's efforts to save her,dies.

Baby Violet dies and morale is low amongst the prisoners,especially when Judith Bowen,Christina and others go down with malaria,necessitating that sleeping arrangements are switched around to allow for a sick bay. The upheaval leads to Marian overhearing criticism of the quality of her leadership,which she herself begins to doubt. However,at a meeting she rallies all the women into organizing improvements to their lives. Then two Japanese secret policemen arrive and ask to see her.

Marion is released after being quizzed about the British troop strength in Singapore and Yamauchi goes off to headquarters,leaving Sato in charge. Christina recovers from malaria but a Dutch woman dies and Judith is weakening so that,when they hear that Red Cross parcels have arrived, Dorothy,Rose and Blanche,fearing that Sato will keep it for himself,steal some quinine. They are caught by guards who try to rape them. Whilst Rose and Blanche protest to Yamauchi on his return,Dorothy claims they were all willing and Blanche and Rose are to be punished as liars but Sylvia overhears Dorothy tell a guard that she lied and informs Yamauchi,who releases Rose and Blanche and gives Dorothy extra work duties. The incident splits opinion among the British women.

As Sally's time draws closer she becomes dependent on Nellie,who defies Dr. Mason to act as midwife at the premature birth. However the child is stillborn and Marion asks that Nellie moves into Sally's hut to comfort her. The two young women become very close, Nellie organizing Sally's birthday party,but a minority of nasty-minded women suggest that they are Lesbians,which upsets Sally. Nellie does not care but still moves out of Sally's hut. Judith gets a second,more deadly bout of malaria,prompting Blanche to consider an escape attempt.

Marion protests when a boy aged thirteen is sent to the men's camp,leading Yamauchi to allow the women to write home though Dorothy is apathetic. Christina wins Sylvia's respect when she acts as teacher to the children but Blanche is desperate to escape,especially after Judith dies. Everybody thinks she is mad except Debbie,who persuades her to let her go with her. Finding them gone Rose and Marion tell Yamauchi and the would-be escapees are caught.

After Debbie and Blanche are caught rations are cut,causing friction between the British and the Dutch. The two escapees are tied to posts but Debbie,on account of her being a juvenile,is released to her hut and Yamauchi agrees to release Blanche if the prisoners can make five hundred hats out of palm leaves. The deadline is eventually reached,with help from the children and latterly the Dutch and Blanche is untied. Yamauchi,meanwhile,impressed by Christina's abilities as a linguist,makes her his secretary and she promises to steal paper from his office.

The Dutch and British combine to celebrate Christmas as best as they can,with a concert,dinner and presents for the children. Blanche,still angry at Rose and Marian for reporting her,is initially apathetic but joins in,claiming to have seen evidence of male prisoners nearby. Festivities are brought forward a day as the women are told they will be moved to another camp though Yamauchi,now allowing Christina to take paper,does not know if he will be going with them. The male prisoners are briefly glimpsed but Sally is distraught that she cannot see her husband.