Join or Sign In
Sign in to customize your TV listings
By joining TV Guide, you agree to our Terms of Use and acknowledge the data practices in our Privacy Policy.
10 Episodes 1982 - 1982
Episode 1
The women have been split up as they march to their new camp and Marion's group later learns that the second group, including Blanche, Nellie and Sylvia, are being sent to another camp and won't be rejoining them. On the way, they pick up elderly Joss Holbrook during an overnight stay at an abandoned house, left behind by another party for being too ill but who has now recovered fine. Debbie dies when she is bitten by something on the journey and the women insist on giving her a proper burial, at which point Marion learns the Bowens were Jewish. The bedraggled, depleted party arrive at their new camp on January 1, 1943.
Episode 2
The women are greeted by the efficient French doctor Natalie Trier and fed by her young assistant, orphan Daisy Robinson. The camp has superior facilities but its commandant Nakamura cannot speak English and relies on his stern, imperious interpreter Miss Hasan to run things for him. Marion meets an old friend, Lillian Cartland, with her little boy Bobby and the new prisoners are welcomed by Verna Johnson. Verna initially seems nice but soon the women learn that they will be working in a factory to make Japanese clothes and that they will be paying some of their wages to Verna and her boss, Miss Hasan, for their food.
Episode 3
Dr. Trier notes Dr. Mason's failing eyesight and gives her glasses and light hospital duties. Dorothy raises eyebrows through her friendship with Shinya, one of the guards, but Rose is cheered to know the male internment camp is nearby. Miss Hasan tells Marion and Sister Ulrica that Verna is the prisoners' only leader but Verna gains Marion's confidence by hiding her forbidden diary and asking her to join the discipline committee. During a show visit by Japanese dignitaries to give the impression that the women are well-treated, Sally kills herself, thereby sabotaging the exercise.
Episode 4
For allowing Sally's suicide to disrupt the propaganda visit, the prisoners must work overtime at the factory though Christina is whisked off to work elsewhere. Sister Ulrica confesses to a visiting priest her shame at condoning the burial of a suicide and as a consequence takes a vow not to speak to the others. Lilian becomes obsessive over Bobby's welfare as he is her only child after several miscarriages. Joss is discovered to be a titled lady but at her sixty-eighth birthday she and the other prisoners learn that Dorothy is pregnant following an affair with a guard at their previous camp.
Episode 5
The women are split over whether Dorothy should have the termination she desires though Sister Ulrica breaks her penance of silence to console her, which she appreciates. Verna guesses and borrows money from Hasan to pay May, a local abortionist, helped by Dr. Mason. The new district commander arrives, Yamauchi, now a major, who replaces Nakamura with Sato. Sister Ulrica confesses to the visiting priest how she broke her penance and is transferred to a convent to remove the temptation of involvement with worldly matters. All the women are sad at her departure.
Episode 6
As Dorothy senses the Japanese are losing the war, the women's rations are cut to feed the army. Christina and Blanche arrive at the camp, the latter with news that Sylvia died of cholera. Lilian is upset to learn that she is not on the list for repatriation as she is selling all she has to feed Bobby but Dr. Trier is, leaving Dr. Mason in charge of the hospital. Christina, who has acted as interpreter, tells Rose that she has proof that Bernard and Peter are still alive.
Episode 7
Reluctant to return home to Vichy-occupied France, Dr. Trier hands over her research notes to Dr. Mason, who is concerned for Lilian's sanity. Rose gets a message from Bernard and, whilst the Japanese are celebrating the Emperor's birthday, slips out into the jungle to meet him in a hut. He tells her that Peter is dead and Tom is in solitary confinement for stealing paper. They agree to marry after the war but the soldiers become aware of Rose's absence and follow her into the jungle. The women are shocked to hear two shots ring out.
Episode 8
Bernard is killed instantly but Rose is put in a coma, finally coming to after Kate, rather than Dr. Mason with her bad eyesight, has removed the bullet from her. However, she is paralysed from the waist down. Dorothy learns that Rose was betrayed and suspicion falls on Christina because she has extra food - actually given to her by Yamauchi as he has an upset stomach. Christina appears before the disciplinary committee but is found not guilty, after which Marion discovers that it was Lilian who betrayed Rose in exchange for money from Hasan to buy food for Bobby.
Episode 9
Bobby is ostracized by the other children whilst some of the internees attack Lillian for betraying Rose with the result that the mother and son are transferred to another camp for their own protection. Christina, however, finds it hard to accept the other prisoners' apologies for suspecting her. Rose finally learns Bernard's fate and sinks into a depression, asking Dr. Mason to kill her. The doctor refuses, knowing that Rose is dying anyway but the next day she announces to the others that Rose passed away peacefully in the night. It is implied that she may have helped her on her way.
Episode 10
Cheered by news of an Allied advance, the women celebrate with sake brewed by Blanche whilst Shinya, about to leave for battle, asks Dorothy to forgive him for shooting Rose, which she does. He also tells her that the Red Cross parcels, evidence of which Christina has seen, have been deliberately withheld to make the women pay for their contents. Verna admits this but claims that Hasan ordered it. However, before the prisoners can expose Hasan, she and Shinya are killed and Daisy and Sato are injured when an Allied plane drops a bomb on the camp. The internees seize the chance to raid the store room for the Red Cross parcels, defying Yamauchi.