Tenko - Season 3

It is now July 1945 and several prisoners, Blanche and Verna among them,have died of the illness sweeping through the camp. Nonetheless the women mark Alice Courtenay's seventeenth birthday with biscuits donated by Yamauchi until Sato stops the celebrations. As Allied planes drop propaganda leaflets there is a concern that the Japanese,facing defeat,will shoot the women,who prepare to defend themselves. They arm themselves with stones,only to hear from Yamauchi that the Japanese have surrendered and the war is over.

Several women,led by Dorothy and Maggie,attack Sato but Marion persuades them to leave him alone after Yamauchi has promised protection and opened the storeroom. Shortly afterwards British troops arrive to liberate the camp and the Japanese flag is replaced by the Union Jack. The troops take the women to visit the male prisoners and Kate is appalled by the decline in Tom's health. During a celebratory party Joss and Maggie step outside and witness Sato committing ritual suicide. Next day the women set out for Singapore,Marion saying goodbye to Yamauchi,who has now become the prisoner.

The women are flown to Singapore where they are put up in comfort at the Raffles hotel but warned against going out alone as collaborators are being shot in the streets. Whilst most of the party revel in their new freedom Dorothy,with no family,feels alienated,Christina and Marion are desperate for news of Simon and Clifford and Dr. Mason finds the celebratory party all too much for her.

Joss is approached by Stephen Wentworth,who knew her late friend Monica,who asks her to help set up a welfare centre for locals and they get drunk together. Christina is angry that British officials still discriminate against her for being half-caste. Marion finds her home has been kept immaculate by occupying Japanese but has no word of Clifford whilst Dorothy's bungalow has been vandalised by locals daubing anti-British slogans. She is befriended by Jake Haulter,a charming if shady local,who helps her obtain new furniture.

Marion is reunited with Clifford and they move back to their house though,after four years of looking out for herself,she feels uncomfortable at being waited on. She also finds Clifford racist,especially when he tells Christina that Simon is married. More newly-released internees come to the hotel,from whom Dr. Mason learns of Nellie's death. This makes her determined to give evidence against Yamauchi,at Clifford's request. Some of the women recognise and attack Dorothy as a collaborator following her affair with the Japanese guard but she escapes and runs into Sister Ulrica.

Whilst everybody is pleased to see Sister Ulrica she makes it clear she is only convalescing locally and may return to Holland. Joss and Stephen recruit Dr. Mason into helping with their work but her failing eyesight causes her to lash out at those around her. Marion is annoyed when Clifford finds her diary,which he intends to use to indict Yamauchi,increasing their alienation from each other. Learning that her mother was killed in an air-raid and has left her a house Dorothy decides to return to England whilst Jake offers Maggie a room at his house. At Dorothy's farewell party Dr. Mason confides in Marion that she is going blind.

Joss is arrested in possession of black market penicillin obtained from Jake but is released after questioning. However,Christina's uncle,taken with Joss,is imprisoned as a collaborator because he carried on working under the occupation to feed his family,increasing Christina's dislike of the British. In fact,when word comes that Yamauchi is awaiting trial,along with Marion and Sister Ulrica,she is the only ex-internee who refuses to testify against him,even visiting him in prison. Maggie and Jake meanwhile start a relationship.

Tom dies in hospital and the group of women,along with welfare officer Phyllis,support Kate at his funeral. Alice attends a dance where a boy touches her up and Dr. Mason has to teach her sex education to assure her that she is not pregnant. Maggie on the other hand would seem to be,following her afternoon delight with a male prisoner to celebrate their liberation. Marion visits Yamauchi who tells her that he knew about her diary and that he would rather be executed than face life in prison. Clifford is not pleased when he finds out,leading Marion to say that she feels they have no future together.

Alice is overjoyed when Phyllis tells her she is going home next day with the others following in a week. Jake detects that Maggie is pregnant and offers to marry her but she gratefully declines and prepares to leave for England,having confided a secret from her past in Dr. Mason. Mrs. Van Meyer is dismayed to learn that her husband is alive as,despite her boasts,hers had been a loveless marriage of convenience. Ironically she tells Marion how much she envies her,unaware of the rift in Marion and Clifford's marriage. Joss is mugged after a pleasant day out with Stephen and taken to hospital.

Joss dies peacefully in her sleep whilst her friends are at a picnic. After her funeral her will is read,leaving them each a thousand pounds and a stipend for Stephen and Dr. Mason,so long as they continue to run the Centre. Sister Ulrica,having announced that she will stay in Singapore to work at a leper colony,visits Yamauchi to cheer him before his execution.The women have a party to remember absent friends and agree to a reunion in five years time. After Marion and Clifford accept that,whilst they love each other,the war has changed them,she prepares to return to England with Maggie,who will be staying with Dorothy. The others wave them off at the quayside.