Season 2026 | Episode 1: The Letter

♪ ♪ EDMOND: For the last 15 years, I have been in prison for a crime I didn't commit.

(shouts) I intend on finding out why.

And when I do, I'm going to punish those people responsible.

MERCEDES: You're playing with people's lives.

They played with mine.

(grunts) ABBÉ: When planning revenge, dig your own grave first.

EDMOND: I am the Count of Monte Cristo.

I want justice.

♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ (door creaking) (door creaking) (door closes) ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ Bless me, Father, for I have sinned.

When was your last confession?

15 years.

I fear I have forsaken God.

And have you?

I wish to avenge myself for a grave injury that befell me.

What was done to you, my son?

I was robbed of 15 years of my life.

The only woman I ever loved was taken from me in that time.

And now I want revenge.

♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ (wind howling) (shouting): Depth!

(shouting): 30 fathoms!

PIERRE: The captain wants to talk to you, Edmond!

Pierre!

I can't hear you!

The captain wants to talk to you, Edmond, now!

Take the wheel!

Hold her steady, bearing 270!

(waves pounding, men shouting) (ship creaking) (footsteps approaching) How is he?

I doubt he'll make it through the night.

You asked for me, sir.

Where are we?

We've just rounded Cape Corse.

And the main mast?

Repairs are almost complete, sir.

Listen to me, Edmond.

It is no longer a question of days, more like hours.

I want you to take over command of the Pharaon.

But, Captain, I... I am his senior-- the duty should fall on me.

Your duty, Danglars, is to buy cargo and ensure its safety.

Mine is to the ship.

Edmond Dantès will be acting captain from now until we reach Marseille.

Is that clear?

(softly): Aye, aye, sir.

Now leave us.

Stay, Edmond.

♪ ♪ Unlock the box there.

There's a sealed letter inside.

(lock turns) No.

Put it safely in your pocket.

You have to deliver it to someone very important in Paris-- it is a matter of extreme urgency, Edmond.

I will do it with as much haste as I can muster, sir.

To whom must it be delivered?

(weakly): Come, come closer.

(speaking softly) (aloud): Now, then, go back up and get us home safely.

Yes, sir.

♪ ♪ (waves pounding, wind howling) Men, can you hear me?!

PIERRE: Yes, sir!

(man responds faintly) Unfold the main sail!

MAN: Yes, sir!

(men calling and shouting) The mast won't hold in this wind, Edmond!

We have no option!

If we can't get through this storm, we'll perish!

(shouting): Unfold the main sail!

PIERRE: Aye, aye, Edmond!

MAN: Yes, sir!

(men calling and shouting) DANGLARS: Dantès!

Are you mad?!

The sail's already ripped to shreds!

Go help the men!

We need as much speed we can get.

Since when do you give me orders?

I'm in charge now, Danglars-- do as I say.

Go help the men now, and I'll get us through this.

♪ ♪ (wind howling, waves pounding) (birds twittering) (people talking in background, tool clanging) EDMOND: Tie it up for now-- make good.

Figure it out tomorrow.

(people talking in background) Jack?

Captain.

That needs to come down.

Okay.

Let's get this cargo offloaded for Monsieur Morrel!

PIERRE: Yes, sir!

(wood clatters) (people talking in background) (calling): Monsieur Morrel!

MORREL: Edmond.

(tool clanging, people talking in background) I saw you entering the harbor from my balcony, but I didn't see any sign of Captain Leclerc.

I have grave news.

Captain Leclerc is no longer with us.

We buried him at sea three days ago.

You brought the Pharaon back?

I did, sir, yes.

MORREL: God bless you.

EDMOND: Monsieur Morrel, would you please excuse me from my duties for the rest of the morning?

I have loved ones I need to reassure of my well-being.

Go-- go!

Thank you, thank you!

MORREL: I shall see you later!

EDMOND: Yes!

(calling): Mercedes!

♪ ♪ Edmond?

(breathing heavily) Oh, my God!

(both panting) EDMOND: Hey.

(softly): Hey, hey, hey.

♪ ♪ MERCEDES: Oh, my God.

When did you get back?

Just now-- a moment ago.

We'd all but given up hope on you ever returning!

I'm back, I'm back, I'm back.

More than a month late-- what took you so long?

The storms we sailed through, Mercedes, were like nothing I've ever experienced.

But thinking of you is what got me through.

You can't go away again without us being husband and wife.

♪ ♪ Well, we can get married tomorrow, if you wish.

(laughs): Well, we have to announce our engagement first.

EDMOND: Of course, I forgot.

(whispers): My cousin.

EDMOND: Fernand!

Back from the military academy, I see.

And a lieutenant.

(chuckles) Congratulations!

(stammers): Are you all right?

I'm just surprised to see you, is all.

I thought perhaps you had drowned out there.

(chuckles): Fortunately not.

Well... I just stopped by to see if there was anything you needed.

I have everything I need.

(Edmond chuckles) Good.

I must go.

Report for duty for the barracks.

♪ ♪ (people talking, tools clanging in background) Danglars.

My God, what's wrong with you?

I just came from Mercedes's house.

Edmond was there.

I can't let her go!

Calm down, man.

No, you don't understand, Danglars.

We are both Catalan-- it is our destiny to be married.

I have to stop it.

I'm meant to be her lover.

You could always challenge him to a duel.

I can't.

If I kill him, she'll throw herself off a cliff.

MORREL: Danglars!

I need you here!

Where are... (shouting): I'm coming, Monsieur Morrel!

(softly): You think he'd have at least given us the day off, after what we've been through.

I saw the ship.

Looks like it took a beating.

You know Captain Leclerc died out there?

Yes, I heard.

And now Morrel has promoted Edmond to be captain.

People are laughing at me.

I have other things to worry about.

Fernand, wait, wait, wait.

I was wondering... What?

(quietly): Before Leclerc died, he gave Edmond a letter, in secret.

A letter?

Hm.

Maybe we could use it.

What are you getting at, Danglars?

We have a... A common cause.

Yes?

Yes.

It seems so.

Hm.

(claps arm) ♪ ♪ (people talking softly in background) (softly): "The honorable king's attorney "is hereby informed "that Edmond Dantès "was entrusted with a letter "from the usurper Napoleon, "with instructions "to deliver it to a Bonapartist committee in Paris.

"As proof, look for the letter on his person."

Or at his home.

"Or in his home."

How should we sign it?

Without using our names, of course.

How about, "From a friend of the Throne and the Altar"?

I like that.

"From a friend of the Throne and the Altar."

Hm.

There.

We now have nothing to worry about.

(footsteps approach) ♪ ♪ Why are you doing this?

Edmond is a fine young man.

Are you, are you trying to get him into trouble, or what?

DANGLARS: Come now, Caderousse, we were just having some fun.

(stammers): Fun?

This could ruin a man's life!

You're accusing... (quietly): You're accusing him of being a Bonapartist!

(slowly): Calm down.

You two you are up to no good!

♪ ♪ DANGLARS: You satisfied?

For your sour wine.

(coins clink) WOMAN: Caderousse, come help me in here!

♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ Fernand!

Don't do anything stupid.

You hear me?

Fernand!

(talking in background) (glass ringing) (conversations stop) I just, uh, I... I have a few words I would like to share with you all.

Firstly, Monsieur Morrel, Mercedes and I would like to thank you from the bottom of our hearts for sponsoring our engagement celebration, and I could not wish for a better man to serve, sir.

And I feel immense honor that you have bestowed upon me the great responsibility of being the new captain of the Pharaon.

(Morrel clears throat) Well, thank you.

Thank you for the kind words, Edmond, yeah.

Or should I call you Captain Dantès?

(laughing) Ladies and gentlemen, let's raise our glasses to the happy couple.

May their union be blessed in every possible way.

To Edmond and Mercedes!

(all exclaim) (playing lively tune) (music continues) (sniffs) MORREL: Danglars.

(clears throat) I noticed you didn't toast the happy couple.

Are you not enjoying yourself?

Monsieur Morrel, I will be frank with you.

When you appointed me head of cargo of the Pharaon, you said it was with a view to giving me command of my own ship.

Now would've been the perfect opportunity, sir.

You've been with us for only one voyage, Danglars.

Edmond has sailed for me since he was a boy.

Your turn will come.

Oh, oh, there, there was, uh, one other thing I meant to tell you earlier.

What?

On our return voyage, Captain Leclerc, whilst with fever, demanded we put in at the island of Elba.

I tried to convince him otherwise.

Even asked young Dantès for his support, although that was not forthcoming.

Well, Elba wasn't on the itinerary.

Precisely.

Well, what was his business there?

(music continues in background) (quietly): Napoleon Bonaparte, it seems.

(softly): He spoke with Bonaparte?

The sailors who rowed him ashore said they saw the two of them talking together like old friends.

Please, um, keep this to yourself.

(inhales) Now that Napoleon's been exiled to Elba, it seems that everyone has become a Royalist overnight.

MARQUIS: I propose a toast to our king, who has finally rescued us from the excesses of Napoleon.

Long may he reign!

To the king!

ALL: To the king!

And to your happiness, Renée.

Thank you, Gerard.

(chuckles) Well, as you know, Monsieur Villefort, we are staunch Royalists and detest anything to do with Bonapartists, and would never allow our daughter to marry someone with those tendencies.

As Renée will tell you, my loyalty to the crown is such that it even led to me renouncing my father's name.

RENÉE: Mm.

Oh, so you no longer use the name Noirtier-Villefort?

No, it is simply now Villefort.

Mm.

In fact... (chuckles): ...I can hardly bring myself to pronounce the name Noirtier.

My father's political position is very far from mine, and, frankly, an embarrassment to me.

RENÉE: Mm.

To the king!

ALL: To the king!

(lively music playing) (people talking in background) (people exclaiming and laughing) (music continues) Edmond.

May I dance with my cousin?

Of course.

(music continues) We're Catalans, Mercedes.

We don't marry outsiders.

We stick with our own-- it's the law.

(chuckles): It's not the law, it's a custom, and I am not beholden to customs.

Congratulations, my son!

(laughing) Thank you, Father, thank you.

Do you know, Edmond, every day for the past three weeks, Mercedes came to my office asking after you?

There is still time for you to change your mind.

(scoffs softly): About what?

Do you want to be a captain's widow one day?

How can you say such a thing?

He will never be more than a captain.

Me, one day, I'll be general!

With me, you have a future.

Stop this.

♪ ♪ Are you all right?

I'm fine.

Hey, he's drunk.

♪ ♪ DANGLARS: Caderousse told me he saw you leaving the tavern with the letter in your hand.

What did you do with it?

What you hoped I would do with it.

For your attention.

(coins clinking) And for your trouble.

But without consequence, it would seem.

We'll see.

♪ ♪ (knocks) (whispering) How dare you disturb me here.

I think in my place, you would've done the same, sir.

This was found on the desk at the charge office earlier.

No one knows how it got there.

You have this Dantès in custody?

Not yet.

I thought it best to inform you first.

Find him and arrest him.

And take him under guard to my office.

MORREL: Edmond.

This is for you and Mercedes, to start your new life together.

Monsieur Morrel, you've already given us too much.

Open it.

(slowly): Sir... You deserve it.

Father, can you look after this for me?

♪ ♪ Mercedes, I promised Captain Leclerc I would deliver a letter to someone in Paris for him, and I was wondering if you'd like to come with me.

(birds chirping, music playing in distance) We could both go.

You know, a week, even longer, as a honeymoon.

To Paris?

Mm.

I've never been to Paris.

Neither have I. And, as we will be husband and wife, we can travel together.

♪ ♪ Is this where Edmond Dantès lives?

But he's not here now.

He's at the Morrels' house.

(people laughing and talking in distance) Edmond.

Yeah?

Tomorrow, you will put a ring on my finger that I will never take off that will remind me of you whenever you're away on your travels.

So I, too, have something for you to remind you of me whenever you're away.

It belonged to my father.

It's beautiful.

Look at the back.

It keeps times perfectly, and it will tell you the hours I miss you by.

(softly): Thank you.

(lively music playing) (music stops) ♪ ♪ What did I tell you?

INSPECTOR: Who here is Edmond Dantès?

I am Edmond Dantès.

You are under arrest.

(stammers): Sorry, what for?

You'll find out soon enough.

MORREL: What's the meaning of this?

I'm just doing my duty, sir.

This is our engagement celebration-- what's going on?

INSPECTOR: On the orders of Monsieur Villefort, the deputy prosecutor.

Come along, Dantès, and don't try anything foolish.

Sir!

Sir!

MERCEDES: Edmond, what's going on?

Just stay here.

I don't know what's going on.

I'll go with them, and I'll, I'll be back with Edmond.

(aloud): Everybody, please, there's obviously been a mistake.

Um, just carry on.

What is going on?

♪ ♪ Stop him.

What do you want here, Caderousse?

Ah, you did it, didn't you?

You gave that letter to the police!

(yelps softly) Yeah, you two-- you did it!

I'm going after them!

I'm going to tell him it was you two wrote that letter, the two of you!

You do that and I will cut out your heart and show it to you while it's still pumping.

(panting) Go home, Caderousse, and forget any of this ever happened.

♪ ♪ (door slams) Is this the man?

Yes, sir.

I am Monsieur Villefort, deputy prosecutor of Marseille.

Come on, step into my office.

You, stay here.

Stand there.

I believe you were at your engagement celebration when arrested.

Uh, yes, sir.

I am getting married tomorrow.

How lovely.

And you're a sailor?

I have just arrived back from a four-month voyage, sir.

A voyage?

To where?

Egypt, Constantinople, and back.

I, um... I have information that your political opinions are extreme.

I... I, I hardly have any political opinions, sir.

You love Napoleon?

As almost everyone does.

And now you love your king, do you?

Of course.

Any enemies?

Why do you ask?

Answer me.

Not as far as I know, sir.

Yet someone is intent on getting you into some serious trouble.

By what means?

Someone delivered this letter to the police today.

In it, they claim that you have been entrusted with a letter from the usurper Napoleon with instructions to deliver it to a Bonapartist committee in Paris.

Is it-- may I see that?

Stay back.

Did the Pharaon stop at the island of Elba on its return voyage from the East?

It did, sir, yes.

Why?

Well, I believe captain wished... Speak.

He wished to pay respects to Napoleon Bonaparte, um... Captain Leclerc was in the imperial navy, and I believe they knew each other.

And did he?

Pay his respects to the usurper?

I assume so, sir.

I, I did not accompany him onto the island, so, I, um... (sighs) And you obviously have witnesses to this effect?

The crew of the Pharaon will vouch for me on that, sir, each and every one of them.

I, I was... I was on ship.

Were you or were you not entrusted with a letter with instructions to deliver it to some other person, or persons, in Paris?

I was, sir.

And where is this letter now?

(stammering): I, I have it on, on me.

This is the usurper's seal.

I wouldn't, I wouldn't know.

And you've not read this?

Oh, as you can see, the, the seal is unbroken, sir.

(stammers): What does it say?

If this had fallen into the wrong hands, it would've caused immeasurable damage to king and country.

(stammering): Sir, I had no, no idea, I... Thank, thank God it didn't.

Indeed.

Well, I guess this concludes it.

You're free to go.

Um, thank you, sir.

No, I'm sorry for inconveniencing you, tonight of all nights.

Yes.

Thank you.

One more question.

To whom were you supposed to deliver this letter?

Uh, a Monsieur Noirtier, Paris.

♪ ♪ (calling): Come back.

Yes, sir?

I need to check on this, uh, Noirtier before you leave.

Inspector!

You take Monsieur Dantès outside and wait with him there for further instructions.

(stammering): Sorry, sir, I don't understand.

Off you go.

♪ ♪ (voiceover): In fact... (chuckles): ...I can hardly bring myself to pronounce the name Noirtier.

(echoing) My father's political position is very far from mine.

♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ (exhales): Why is it taking so long?

I know the police commissioner personally.

I'm going to see him right now and put an end to this nonsense.

I'll wait here, for Edmond.

(exhales) INSPECTOR: Captain Dantès, Monsieur Villefort would like to apologize for having kept you detained so unnecessarily, and has asked me to escort you in my carriage back to the house of Monsieur Morrel.

Excellent.

Follow me.

Um, can, can I remove these now?

When we get there.

In you get, Dantès.

(footsteps running) Edmond!

EDMOND: Mercedes.

They're taking me to Monsieur Morrel's house.

I'll, uh... Sit down.

EDMOND: I'll see you there.

Edmond.

(calling): Edmond!

(knocking) (Gerard exhales, lock turns) Where's the marquis?

He's getting ready for bed, sir.

Tell him I need to speak to him.

It's urgent.

♪ ♪ Where are you taking me?

♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ Out, Dantès.

I'm not going anywhere until you explain yourself, Inspector.

Why am I here?

Edmond!

Take these off me.

Edmond, Edmond, what's going on?

What's going on?

What's going on?

Hold her.

Mercedes... What... Mercedes.

What's going on?

Hold her!

Edmond, where are they taking you?

I don't know-- I don't know!

Edmond!

I don't know what's happening.

Where are they taking you?

Edmond, where are they taking you?

This is a mistake.

Edmond!

This is a mistake!

Let me go!

INSPECTOR: Hold her!

MERCEDES: Edmond!

Mercedes, I'll come back for you!

I'll be waiting, Edmond.

INSPECTOR: Row.

Monsieur Villefort, what brings you here at such a late hour?

I apologize, sir.

The affair which took me away earlier has revealed one of Napoleon's spies.

The king is in grave danger.

I have to leave immediately for Paris to speak with him face to face, but for that, I need a letter of introduction.

Where is my son?

MERCEDES: They took him away.

Is Monsieur Morrel back?

(exhales): Not yet.

(exhales nervously) Mercedes, where did they take him?

Out to sea.

I'll go to my commanding officer and get him to find out what's going on.

Thank you, Fernand.

Come home, Monsieur Dantès, it's getting late.

Let's get home.

What did Edmond do?

I don't understand.

What did my son do?

(whispering): I don't know.

(rowers grunting) ♪ ♪ (man speaking indistinctly) Not the Castle d'If.

♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ (rowers grunting) ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ Morning, Governor.

One of those, eh?

Mm-hmm.

Sir, I've not been charged with any crime.

I've not been put on trial.

I'm not a criminal.

That's not what your admittance form says.

What does it say?

It says you're a spy working for Napoleon.

Well, that's a lie-- you have to believe me.

Do you have any idea how many times I've heard that phrase uttered by the likes of you?

Political prisoners go straight to the dungeons.

Take him there.

♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ Remove the prisoner's handcuffs.

♪ ♪ In you go.

(keys jangling) (door closes) ♪ ♪ (birds chirping) (knock at house door) You're up early, Father.

What brings you to Paris?

(exhales) What happened to your hand?

There's blood on it, Father.

Indeed.

No, I cut myself last night, on a rusty railing.

Some coffee?

No, no, I'm here on urgent business, but I needed to speak to you first.

What business?

(exhales) I've come to warn the king of a conspiracy against him.

An incriminating letter from Napoleon-- addressed to you, Father-- came into my hands.

Fortunately, I've destroyed the letter.

(exhales) I've silenced the bearer.

Or your neck might've been under the blade of the guillotine.

(chuckles nervously) What did this letter say?

I think it's better you don't know the contents.

I can imagine it.

Napoleon is planning an escape from Elba-- not so?

Who told you?

I have people everywhere, Gerard.

So it is true.

He has already made his escape.

Three days ago, he landed in the South of France with 700 men.

Impossible.

He's marching north as we speak.

Garrison commanders are turning allegiance to him one after the other.

His army has already swollen to over 6,000 fighting men.

(quietly): Oh, my God.

Soon, he will make his grand entrance into Paris.

So, I suggest you run along to your little king and tell him about this letter immediately.

But know this, Gerard.

You are not doing it to safeguard the king.

You're doing it only to advance your own career.

I've been watching you from afar, son.

All those men you have sent to their deaths for so-called political reasons.

How does it make you feel?

Why are you so ruthless?

It's ambition, isn't it?

No.

What I do I do according to the law.

You do it for the sake of ambition.

It's why you changed your name, dropped the Noirtier.

(voice rising): Isn't it, Monsieur Villefort?

Go.

Tell your king to flee France while he can.

I will make no mention of who the letter was addressed to.

(laughs) Of course you won't!

If you did, it would destroy your career!

You would become a blemish on the landscape of law!

All because of my name, the name Noirtier.

Of which I am immensely proud.

♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ What did he say, the commanding officer?

He's going to find out.

Told him it was very important to me.

You look like you haven't slept.

How am I to sleep without knowing where they have taken Edmond?

(footsteps retreating) Where are you going?

I'm going to make a sense of it.

(people talking in background) And?

Monsieur Villefort has gone to Paris on some business or other and won't be back for some time.

Did you speak to the inspector?

I asked him about the boat, and he says he knows nothing about it.

They rowed him out to sea, Monsieur Morrel, I was there.

What if they've taken him to the prison of Castle d'If?

Well... Surely not!

(watch ticking) ♪ ♪ (people talking in background, church bell ringing) (knocking) (calls): Come in.

(door opens) Did you find him?

No.

He must be somewhere.

He can't have just... ...disappeared.

He'll be back soon.

You'll see.

He'll walk through that door.

He always does.

(footsteps approaching) (door opens) Hand number 34 his uniform.

Take your clothes off and put those on.

I shouldn't even be here-- this is a mistake!

(slap lands) Don't raise your voice at me.

Ever.

GUARD: Do as you're told, number 34.

Now, I have made it a rule that no one interned in the dungeons ever makes it out alive.

I've been here six years, and in that time, that rule has never been broken.

I expect you to adhere to it.

Now hurry up-- I don't have all day.

No food and water for the next two days.

(footsteps retreating) (door slams) Mercedes.

My commanding officer finally found out what happened to Edmond.

Tell me.

He was charged with treason and taken to the Castle d'If.

They've been holding him there ever since.

(quietly): Oh, my God.

And you know no one ever comes out of there alive.

He could be dead already.

(breathes deeply) No.

Not Edmond.

He knows I'm waiting for him.

He'll come back to me, you'll see.

Is he sure?

Your commanding officer, that they took him there?

He's very sure.

(footsteps retreating) ♪ ♪ (sobbing) (sniffles) (breath trembling) ♪ ♪ (sniffles) (breath trembling) (sniffles) ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ (whispering): Why, God?

Why?

♪ ♪ (panting) ♪ ♪ SOAMES: This is my family.

Wealthy.

JO: Respected.

SOAMES: And very much out of control.

♪ ♪ FRANCES: As a Forsyte woman, you're expected to shine.

We all deserve our moments of madness.

♪ ♪ JOLYON: How do we maintain our supremacy?

♪ ♪ SOAMES: We can't afford to be sentimental.

♪ ♪ Can we afford to be human?

♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ EDMOND: I was falsely accused.

I am an innocent man.

Please, sir.

Please, please... I've been dreaming of revenge.

ABBÉ: Be careful, Edmond.

You must have hope.

You cannot live without hope.

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