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♪ ♪
[Penguins squawking]
The Animal Discovery Institute
is the world's leading nonprofit organization
specializing in the protection of wild animals.
Here, in our headquarters in San Diego,
we manage over 200 sanctuaries around the world.
As compliance and outreach manager,
I'm responsible for ensuring our sanctuaries
meet our highest expectations and standards,
providing care, educating the public
and supporting the scientific community.
What I lack in practical experience,
I more than make up for with passion, enthusiasm
and an unmatched knowledge of our protocols.
And that is why I am the best candidate
for the general manager position
at the Polar Bears Discovery Center in Alaska.
Tilly Monterey, you are something else, you know that?
So glad you put yourself forward for this position.
Great presentation!
Thank you.
And you, you are our number one compliance manager.
[Chuckling]
No one writes compliance reports as thoroughly as you do.
And I personally would love nothing more
than to see you thriving in a position like this.
Why do I feel like there's a "but" coming?
- But... - Ah!
We need someone with relevant field experience.
[Scoffing]
Running a polar bear sanctuary comes with real challenges.
These are wild animals, Tilly.
I'm sorry, we need someone with appropriate experience.
With all due respect, Mac,
how am I supposed to get field experience
when you have me stuck behind a desk?
Tilly, I'm...
I know all the processes inside and out.
And with my background
in community outreach and event planning,
I could theoretically manage a sanctuary tomorrow.
Theoretically, you could.
Keep volunteering at the local facility.
Keep getting the experience.
Our local facility is a squirrel sanctuary, Mac.
I mean, squirrels are great and all,
but it's not really
the kind of field experience you're looking for.
- Tilly... - I mean, come on.
Tilly...
Please. Patience.
The right opportunity shall find you.
Now, Ben, you said you had some concerns
about that facility in Australia?
Yes, I do.
Crystal Bay Penguin Sanctuary is the facility
for little blue penguins on Australia's east coast.
Done some good work in the past,
but their fundraising efforts are falling short.
I previously brought up my own concerns with Crystal Bay.
And without the support of the local council and community,
some sanctuaries find their budgets
getting tighter and tighter.
OK...
Everyone, solutions.
It might be time to shut it down.
What about the penguins?
There's a facility in New Zealand.
We can use it to relocate the penguins
that aren't ready to be released into the wild yet.
No, shutting down a facility is a last resort.
Let me help. You said if the right opportunity came up.
Then this is it, Mac!
Let me go down there and see if I can
get the local and scientific communities engaged.
If Crystal Bay could be high profile once,
it can be again, right?
I've gone through the numbers on this.
- Ben. - We...
[Sighing]
- Penguins! - Huh?
Yeah. You know, the birds that can't fly?
Could you take Pickles outside? Thank you.
Yeah, yeah, I know.
They, uh, they eat fish and they live in Antarctica.
They look like they're on their way to prom.
Why are we talking about penguins?
Because they live in Australia,
and they're itty-bitty.
Oh! Is Australia the one with the crocodiles or the snakes?
Oh, I think they have both.
Anyway, Mac is letting me go down there
to help with the penguin sanctuary.
[Squealing]
Mason! Mason...
Put that down!
[Child crying]
Sorry, honey.
So, you're going to Australia
and leaving me here with my mother-in-law?
I thought that was free babysitting. Where's Bruce?
Uh, root canal.
Another one?
Yeah, well, between his deadlines at work
and Harper's toilet training,
you know, I think he's actually enjoying dental surgery.
Oh...
I mean, this is not fair.
The younger sister should be jealous of the older sister,
not the other way around.
Well, I'm working, if it makes you feel any better.
And Mackenzie has only given me a week to turn things around.
Can you believe that?
A week?
[Dog barking]
Harriett! Harriett?
Could you put the dog down? Thank you!
Gemma, if this all goes well,
Mackenzie will give me a field job.
He turned me down for the center in Alaska,
but there's still hope.
I mean, you know that I've wanted to work with animals
since I was 14 years old.
You know that, Gemma.
And live in a cottage by a sea.
Not much has changed since 1997.
Well, I just thought I would have met the one
and settled down by now.
Yeah, the dream house with the dream job
and the dream man...
It's impossible.
No, it's not. Look at you.
[Laughing]
You know what I mean.
I mean, you have a home and a place to belong. I just...
I want that too. That's all.
[Glass shattering, child screaming]
What was that?
OK. I have a flight to catch this afternoon,
and it sounds like you have a lot going on.
Tell me about it. What flight are you on?
The 3:00 p.m. San Diego to LAX and LAX to Sydney. Why?
No reason. Have fun.
You are the littlest penguins in the world!
Yes, you are!
[Sighing]
Business class, it's so fancy!
What are you doing here?
[Giggling]
Like you said,
I get free babysitting with the mother-in-law,
so I took the credit card, and...
[Singing]: ♪ I'm coming with you
You're coming on my work trip with me?
- Yeah. Yeah! - What about Bruce?
Oh, he thought the break was a great idea.
He was still groggy from the root canal when I told him.
- Sure. - But, uh...
- Australia, here we come! - Yes!
Ah! Can you smell that? Mmm, it's the ocean.
[Gemma yawning]
I really need a coffee.
You know, that was a really, really long flight.
Oh, we can do that. Um, excuse me?
Can we stop at, uh, Fiona's Bakery?
Mmm.
Fiona's Bakery is famous for pavlovas.
Right. What's that?
Pavlova is a meringue-based dessert
topped with fresh fruit and cream.
Mmm! Sounds awesome.
As long as they have coffee.
Oh, they will.
[Sighing]
Who's hungry?
On the menu today, we have some delightful hors d'oeuvres
of anchovies and sardines,
followed up by some tantalizing main menu
of anchovies and sardines.
And if I could possibly tempt you with dessert,
our special today is anchovies and sardines.
That's right!
Oh, you know the way to their hearts.
Remind me again why you're still single?
Well, humans are much harder to impress, Parker.
We can't all be happily married like you.
Yes, well, heads up:
Kyle seemed pretty stressed on the drive in.
They're sending someone from head office to check up on us.
- Really? - Mm-hmm.
When?
Well, he put on his special business jacket,
so I'd say pretty soon.
Oh, OK.
Well, thanks for the inside scoop.
- No worries. - Here you go.
- Hey! - Hey.
Did you leave your lunch in the car again?
Yeah, I must have.
I'll pop it in the fridge for you.
Thanks, sweetheart.
I've just gotta let Fletcher know what's happening.
- Good morning, Fletch! - Morning, Kyle.
Can we chat?
Yep. Just, uh, let me wash my hands.
Right you are.
Fletch...
I know you've never been overly interested
in the managerial side of the sanctuary.
Hey, that's all you. I take care of the penguins.
Let me just get rid of these fish.
What the...
OK. But I need all hands on deck today,
all three of us.
She'll be here in an hour.
An hour?
- Yep. Head office. - Head office...
It's the first time they've sent someone.
We've never sailed this close to the wind before.
We're in trouble.
Now, I need you to impress this woman
if we've got any chance of repairing the sanctuary
or even surviving the year.
Why don't you read one of your papers to her?
- Kyle... - What?
Firstly, she won't want to hear me waffle on
about the behavioral patterns of little blue penguins.
And secondly, can we even trust head office?
You don't trust anyone.
I trust you, Parker, and the penguins. That's it.
The Institute has kept this place going for nearly 20 years.
They're not gonna shut us down.
Now, I know this isn't your thing,
but I'm asking for your help.
Yeah, OK. Whatever.
Good! And you can start by getting a pavlova...
From Fiona's. All right.
We want to make a good first impression.
- For the penguins. - For the penguins.
[Chuckling]
[Birds chirping]
- Ah, Fletcher! - Morning, Fi.
- Morning. Black coffee for you? - Not today.
I'm here for the same reason as everyone else.
Ah! Well, you're in luck. There's one left.
Perfect.
- They've got coffee. - Oh, sorry.
Good morning.
Good day.
It's beautiful weather, isn't it?
Yeah. Yeah, sure is.
I'm here for the pavlova. I hear they're a local delicacy.
They are, but I don't think there's any left, I'm afraid.
- Oh, really? - Sorry, love.
This is my last one.
- Thanks, Fi. - See you.
Better luck tomorrow.
I hear it's best to beat the morning rush.
Um, I'll get two coffees.
Two coffees?
One second.
What can I get you?
Can I have two very, very strong coffees?
You got it.
Sir! Oh.
Excuse me! One second!
Whoo! OK.
Hi! Excuse me, sir!
Ah! Hi!
Just running in heels.
[Laughing]
Ah, OK, I'm just gonna ask you a question,
and it's gonna sound a little weird.
- OK. - OK.
Can I purchase that pavlova from you?
- You want to buy this cake? - Yes. Yes, I do.
It's my first day at the Crystal Bay Penguin Sanctuary,
and, uh, I just need something
to help, you know, break the ice.
Right. I've heard about them. I hear they do good work.
- They will once I'm there. - They already do.
They need a little bit of help.
Or a little extra money.
I'm gonna do everything I can to get it for them.
You know what?
How about, as a thank you for the cake,
a behind-the-scenes tour to the sanctuary on me.
Well, that is definitely not necessary.
And--and another pavlova, tomorrow and the next day.
A free pavlova every day until then.
That's like, what?
That's, like, 7 pavlovas, 6 more than you have.
I mean, that's a good deal, right?
It's a very good deal.
You really want to buy this pav?
- What's a pav? - The--the pavlova, the cake.
Oh. Yes. Yes.
It's just, it's my first day,
and I--I want them to like me, so...
[Chuckling]
You know what? It's all yours.
- Are you serious? - No daily pavlovas required.
- Thank you so much! Thank you! - Enjoy. It's all good.
Uh, so, what's your name, to put on the VIP tour?
- It's Fletcher Grant. - I won't forget, Fletcher.
Thanks for the pav!
No worries.
- Is that it? Pav. - Close.
- Pav. - He's cute.
I got a pav!
- Are you sweating? - I ran.
- Why are you sweating? - 'Cause I ran very fast.
- Why--why... What's that? - It's a pavlova.
- Oh! Pavlova! - Yes!
- Why didn't you say that? - I did.
OK, now I'm nervous.
Really? No! You're OK. You got this.
Gemma, I've never worked in a sanctuary before.
I mean, I volunteered with squirrels,
but they're pretty independent.
- I don't think it counts. - Bah, bah, bah, Tilly, Tilly.
You have a degree in biology.
You spent the last 5 years working in the Institute.
And now, you're finally here, in this place that really...
that really needs your help.
You were born for this.
Writing compliance reports for discovery centers
isn't the same thing, Gemma.
- It's not! - Imagine it's 1997.
[Chuckling]
Be your 14-years-old self,
you know, dreaming of working with animals.
OK, I know.
- What? - I know.
- What? - Let's do the thing.
- What thing? - The thing.
The thing we always did whenever we started at a new school.
I barely remember the thing.
[Clears throat]
[Laughing]: Ah!
Ah! Come on.
[Smacking lips]
[Exhaling slowly]
- OK, OK. - OK.
- OK. OK! - Let's do it!
Oh, hi! You're standing right there. Wow!
[Chuckling]
I--I mean, good morning.
You must be Kyle, the general manager.
- You look just like your photo. - Thank you so much.
I'm Tilly Monterey from head office.
Welcome, Tilly.
Uh, this is my husband, Parker.
And the resident handyman.
Hi, Parker. This is Gemma.
Hi! Nice to meet you. Nice to meet you.
- Nice to meet you. - I'm her assistant.
She's my sister.
She decided to join me on a last-minute break.
She doesn't get out very much, so...
- No. Not at all. - No.
[All chuckling]
I just want to say, I am so glad to be here.
[Chuckling]
Oh! And before I forget, a gift.
We heard that Fiona's pavlovas was something special,
so I just had to bring one.
I thought we could, you know, celebrate.
Celebrate what?
All the exciting times ahead, right?
Oh, and before I forget,
I wanted to organize a VIP tour
for someone who helped me earlier today.
Oh, what a thoughtful gesture. And who's the lucky local?
His name is, um, oh, Fletcher Grant.
Ah! This place is so... quaint.
[Chuckling]
Who's that?
Oh, um, that's my grandfather.
Ah.
One of the sanctuary's founders.
A family business, I like that.
[Chuckling]
A member of the Price family has overseen the sanctuary
since it was founded.
Well, why don't we keep it that way?
The head zoologist is just about to start a tour.
You're welcome to join us.
Oh, little blue penguins are very special creatures.
Well, only if I'm not gonna be in the way.
I'm in the way all the time. They're used to it.
And I can take you to the inn after the tour.
Which begins this way.
Wow!
Yeah. And this is our learning center.
Oh my God, the kids would love this!
Amazing! Look at these little blue penguins right here.
Ah! Fletcher, there you are.
Tilly Monterey, please meet Dr. Fletcher Grant.
- Hi! - Hi.
Perhaps you meant that Fletcher owed you a VIP tour.
Fletcher is our head zoologist.
And, uh, you two will be working closely together.
Tilly here got us a pavlova.
[Both]: From Fiona's.
Kyle, you're not gonna believe this, but Fletcher...
OK, can you not right now, please?
Should have gotten to Fiona's bakery earlier
and loves giving VIP tours.
Welcome to the Crystal Bay Penguin Sanctuary.
Welcome to our little home.
The pleasure is all mine.
I would love to meet the residents.
Sure thing. Right this way.
- After you. - I got it.
Here they are!
[Tilly laughing]
Oh, you're so adorable!
You're so cute! Yes, you are!
So, little blue penguins
are the smallest breed of penguin in the world
with a height of around 30 centimeters
and weighing just 1.71 kilos.
So they stick together when they're hunting
or making their way back to their burrows.
I thought birds made nests.
Uh, they do.
The burrows are small enclosed tunnels.
They make nests inside the burrow.
Oh! A good master bedroom is so important.
[Laughing]
Introduce me.
I'm sorry?
Introduce me. What are their names?
Ah. Well, this is Bailey.
He's 4 years old and has a terrible sense of direction.
Oh, I understand, Bailey.
I have been in San Diego for years,
and I still get lost on my way home.
[Laughing]
And this is Victor.
He's our lone ranger.
And he just cannot seem to find a mate!
Me too, Victor, so, um, I can relate.
And who's that?
That's, um, that's Jules.
- Jules is Fletcher's favorite. - I don't have favorites, Kyle.
Ha! All parents say that, but they so do.
- Who's your favorite? - Pickles.
You have 3 kids, and the dog is your favorite?
Yeah. I stand by my choice!
And what is Jules' story?
Well, Jules was quite small when we found her.
She had just begun her first molt.
They can't swim when molting, so they're vulnerable.
Do they return to the wild?
Most will, but some like Jules here are long-term residents.
We provide the sanctuary, somewhere they can be safe,
but they're a highly community minded species.
So this isn't just a colony, this is a...
Family.
Yeah, that's right. A family.
I think I've seen everything I need to see here.
[Gemma]: They're so cute.
- Here you go, buddy. - Thanks, man.
- Here, honey. - Thank you, darling.
Listen, I know the signs are a little faded,
and no doubt you've noticed the cracks along the pool edging,
but I believe, we believe...
You have a lovely facility here.
Oh.
Yes.
Look, let me start by saying that I know you're all nervous,
but I'm really good at identifying the issues
that hold a sanctuary back
and leveraging opportunities
to bring wonderful places like this back to life.
OK, so... What does that mean exactly?
I'm glad you asked, because I have a plan.
Tilly always has a plan.
She packed pajamas for me. Didn't even know I was coming.
[Gemma laughing]
Listen, you have a lovely local community here, you do.
And you have an amazing facility with adorable penguins.
We just need to bring those two things together.
And if we do, I think we can convince head office
to keep this place open.
- I do. - Hang on.
What do you mean, convince head office?
They want to shut us down?
They don't want to close this place any more than you do, OK?
But most sanctuaries are financially supported
with local funding as well as the Institute.
Your community funding is sitting at, what, 20%?
At this rate, the Institute can't afford
to keep this place open for much longer.
- They just can't. - It's true.
We also used to receive a government stipend,
but the mayor reduced it.
We're barely scraping by.
So, what happens if you can't help us find our feet?
They'll close the center,
and they'll relocate the penguins to...
- New Zealand. - Yes.
There's a new facility there.
- Yeah, but it's not their home. - No, it's not.
And home is everything.
Look, you have just fallen off the map,
but I can help you get back on it.
And I know that a week isn't a lot of time, but...
- A week? - Hey, hang on.
You're telling me we have one week to fix this place,
or head office will shut us down?
- But that isn't enough time. - It could be.
I've seen sanctuaries thrive with community support.
[Scoffing]
The locals don't care about the penguins.
They care about their ocean views and the town gossip.
They used to care.
Then we will remind them how to care.
What do you say?
Give me a chance.
I'm in.
Me too.
Now, I know nothing about penguins,
but I have two hands, and they're all yours.
What do you say, Fletcher?
[Whispering]: Come on!
Fine.
OK, should we do a, "Whoo!" or something like that?
Oh, oh, what sound do penguins make?
- Oh yeah! - Oh, it's not like...
- It's not? - "For the penguins."
- Hmm? - "For the penguins."
OK. One, two, three...
[All]: For the penguins!
Welcome to the Sea Spray Inn!
- Oh, wow! - Yes.
This is like the place I go to in my head
when I'm hiding out in the car--
when I'm meditating in the car.
- There's a pool. - There is.
Oh!
- This is incredible, thank you. - You're welcome.
- Tilly, there's a hot tub! - OK.
[Laughing]
She's just tired. She's tired.
So what's this?
Uh, mostly just some old records, really,
and some keepsakes from the sanctuary's heyday.
We thought maybe you could find some inspiration here.
Well, this is so helpful, thank you.
Oh, it's the very least I can do.
Kyle and I are really glad you're here.
Well, that makes two of you.
[Both chuckling]
Yes, well, Fletcher finds it hard to trust new people,
but he'll come around.
OK.
Ah, guys.
Do you hear that?
Hear what?
Silence.
There's no kids, there's no dogs,
just silence.
Ah!
- Can you breathe under there? - Shhh! I'm in my happy place.
Oh, I love these pillows.
Ah, me too.
Kyle doesn't like pillows at all,
which I cannot understand.
Who doesn't want to dive into a sea of pillows?
Oh! Exactly. You are either a pillow person or you're not.
- Mm-hmm. - Period.
My husband, Bruce,
his whole bedtime routine is brush his teeth, have a shower
and de-pillow the bed.
Kyle is exactly the same!
Just tosses them on the floor,
as if they're not more expensive than his phone.
Which they must never know.
Oh, they must never know.
[Both laughing]
All right, well, look, I'll let you two get settled in.
Thank you, Parker.
Oh, and by the way,
I'm playing down at the Compass tonight.
It's nothing fancy, but you should come along.
- We would love to. - Awesome. I'll see you there!
Bye!
[Snoring]
I am so well rested.
There is something about Crystal Bay
that really agrees with me.
Yes, I can tell. You slept for hours.
Yes!
I hope Fletcher's there.
I really want a second chance at a first impression.
You know, he's not a bad-looking man.
I hadn't noticed.
He has this charming kind of outdoorsy thing going on.
And that was a nice smile he gave you at the bakery.
That's before he knew who I was.
Yeah, I'm just saying. What is that you're hiding?
You will--you will see. You'll see.
If we don't want the penguins to go to New Zealand,
she's our only option.
I did the hands in the middle thing. I'm trying.
It's just that people from head office,
they're from a whole different world.
They're all about the bottom line and ticking boxes.
Which I know is important, but they just...
They don't know anything about working in the field.
We could lose everything, Fletcher.
We don't have a lot of options left.
And besides, I have a suspicion that Tilly
is exactly what this place needs.
- Ah! You made it. - We sure did.
I thought you guys would be holed up at the inn
sleeping off the jet lag.
And miss the opportunity to see Parker play?
Absolutely not.
- What can we get you? It's on me. - No, please.
You're our guests. Allow me.
Oh, great! I'll keep you company.
Fantastic.
[Sighing]
Can we start again?
Sure. We could give it a go.
OK. I'm gonna give it a go.
[Chuckling]
Look, I know how much the sanctuary means to you,
and I--I promise you I'm gonna do everything I can
to help save it.
I'm sure you think you mean that.
What does that mean?
I'm sure you have good intentions, but you're a...
Pencil pusher from head office?
[Chuckling]
Working with animals is a whole different...
- Kettle of fish. - Could you stop that?
Salmon had to say it.
Ah. Finished?
You don't trust me.
It's not personal.
Well, I look forward to changing your mind.
[Gemma and Kyle laughing]
And hot chocolate with extra marshmallows.
- Here you are, sir. - Thanks.
- You're the best! - I know.
OK, so I know that we're off the clock,
but I have done a little bit of research.
The Crystal Bay Penguin Sanctuary
actually had its heyday in the 1950s
after a wild colony was discovered.
Exactly, when little blue penguins
were found on the mainland.
And the birds needing help
were taken in by a local ornithologist,
Kyle's grandfather.
He started the sanctuary with a group of local scientists.
It's a pretty well-known story.
Right. The penguins became international news.
People came from all over the world to research them,
articles were written about them,
and the town even created a penguin day
to raise money for the sanctuary.
[Chuckling]
That's my grandfather. He'd do anything for a laugh.
The kids loved him.
Did you know that for 20 years,
80% of the sanctuary's budget came from the community?
Really? How did you find out about that?
I'm good at numbers
and digging through 50-year-old papers.
[Whispering]: It's true.
- How did they get the funding? - Simple. Community outreach.
OK, but that was in the 1950s
when penguins made international headlines.
We're a sanctuary, not a theme park.
We can't just put on a show for them.
We don't have to.
What's this?
An invitation to the first annual Penguin Sanctuary Gala,
and we're going to re-launch it this Friday night.
This is how we save the sanctuary, guys.
We're gonna invite everyone
from the mayor to the scientific community.
We have to bring people together.
We just have to remind everyone that we're still here!
That's a great idea!
But how are we gonna manage to pull this off?
We start tomorrow.
Then we better enjoy tonight. It's going to be a busy week.
- Yes. - [All]: Cheers!
[Audience cheering and applauding]
Good evening, ladies and gents.
I'm Parker Price. Sit back, relax and enjoy the music.
[♪ Parker playing soft melody ]
♪ We've been on our way
♪ We arrive today
♪ In the blink of an eye...
- He's great! - He is. I'm a very lucky man.
Aw.
♪ And we never have to run away... ♪
The sanctuary requires urgent repairs.
How are you going to find the money to fund this gala?
I think you mean "we".
♪ In a blink of an eye, we built ourselves a home ♪
♪ Now we never have to be alone ♪
Good morning, everyone!
So first thing's first:
I'm gonna do an audit of all the repairs we need.
- Parker, you're with me. - Yes, ma'am.
We'll be having daily team meetings
starting at 12:00 p.m. sharp.
Don't be late.
What just happened?
Come on. Come on!
♪ ♪
OK! So I think I got most of the pilchards out.
And you were right, the thermostat needs replacing.
It was frozen over. Here you go.
You got the fish out?
Yes. I used an ice pick. I almost got frostbite.
But I think there's enough fish in there for a nice dinner.
What do you say, Bailey?
You have made their day.
I mean, they love sardines,
but these guys are their favorite.
Pilchards are all the way from Western Australia.
You want to try feeding them?
- Sure! - There you go.
- OK. - Oh.
Wait. How do I do it?
- Like this. - OK, head first.
And then put your hand down. Now we bend down.
And...
OK, guys!
[Tilly clicking tongue]
Oh, here we go! We have a taker!
[Laughing]
- Now... - Oh!
If you throw one in the water, Cherry will dive for it.
OK. Ready?
She prefers to hunt for her food.
There you go, Cherry!
Good job!
You really know these little guys well.
Yeah. Yeah, they got a lot of personality.
It's, um...
It's gonna be hard to say goodbye.
You don't have much faith, do you?
I want to, believe me, I do,
but I just don't see us raising the money in time.
The people here will come through. I can feel it.
Guys!
[Clicks tongue]
Guys! Oh, there you go!
[Laughing]
You really care about this place, don't you?
I do.
You're, um... You're sparkling.
I'm just a little idealistic.
No, you're-- you are actually sparkling.
- Fish scale. - Occupational hazard, I guess.
You should see me at the end of the day.
I look like a disco ball.
- Oh, you do. - Yep.
OK, who wants another one? Here we go.
Who's hungry?
There you go, cutie. Oh my gosh!
[Squealing]
[Laughing]
[Sighing]
Five days left.
[Computer ringing]
Oh.
Tilly! My favorite compliance manager.
How's it going down under?
Good. Everything is under control.
[Chuckling]
Yeah? So you think you're gonna turn things around?
Oh, yes, yes.
The issues are mainly superficial, nothing major.
Um, we're gonna do a few fundraising events
to up the sanctuary's profile
and a grand gala on Friday night.
You're gonna do all that in 5 days?
Yes. And I got to feed the penguins.
It was amazing.
[Laughing]
That's really impressive.
I mean, maybe I was wrong about you.
You seem to be thriving in the field.
Maybe you are ready for a new position.
You know what? I'm gonna come to this gala.
- So-sorry? - Yeah, yeah.
I'm gonna come down,
show my support for what you've done.
You know what the last time I was in Australia was?
Bluesfest '99.
Yeah, that was it. That was the festival.
Hey, you know what, Tilly?
There are new sanctuaries opening up all the time.
And they're all in need of qualified, enthusiastic staff.
Do you mean that, Mac?
Yeah. Yeah, I do.
OK, you send the invite.
I'm gonna get the flights booked and...
[Exhaling]
Namaste.
[Laughing]
Bye-bye, now.
[Whispering]: I can do this. I can do this.
It's no big deal. It's no big deal!
In 5 days, I can save a colony full of penguins
while maintaining the extremely fragile trust
with a very nice group of people
and land a new job.
It's no problemo. No problemo. It's no problemo.
I'm gonna... I'm gonna die.
I knew it.
What?
That you also love expensive pillows.
Shhh! They must never know!
No, that you're an artist!
I can tell a fellow creative when I see one.
Gemma, this is beautiful.
Oh, thank you. Well, I am an artist.
Well, I was an artist in another life.
Before my beautiful children
and a dog we named after a hot dog condiment.
- Hmm? - Pickles.
- Cute. - Here.
- It's my family. - Aw. Gorgeous tribe.
I miss them.
But you keep them close to your heart.
Yeah. I do.
But I've gotta say, it's really nice to be painting again.
- Yeah. - Yeah.
You know, you played really beautifully last night.
- You did. - Oh, thanks.
It's just a bit of fun.
No, no, you were really good.
Seriously.
Well, I made an album back in the day.
On vinyl, no less.
Vinyl? On Vinyl. How old are you?
- I was trying to be edgy. - Ah!
It didn't even have a cover.
Hmm.
[Chuckling]
I think it's important to have a creative outlet.
It's so easy to lose your identity
when there's so many people that need you.
It's so true.
I just wish that Bruce and I had more time together, just us.
We couldn't afford a honeymoon when we were married.
We've been meaning to have one since, but...
Time slips away.
Yeah. Yeah, it does.
Have you talked to him about it?
No.
Well, relationships go through all different chapters.
Maybe you're due for a romantic one.
[Scoffing]
Parker.
- What was it called? - Hmm?
Your album.
Deep Blue Dreams.
Nice.
[Chuckling]
[Whispering]: Deep Blue Dreams. Hmm.
Deep Blue Dreams.
OK, people, listen up.
Right here, we have a strategic plan of attack!
[Chuckling]
I mean, success, right?
Step one: bake sale.
I know it's old fashioned,
but a good cookie will endear us to the community,
and I make a mean ginger snap.
Step two: bring back penguin day.
I'm thinking a behind-the-scenes type thing.
Kyle, Parker, that's you.
Step three: talk to the mayor.
We are bringing our local funding back, OK?
Can you come up with a presentation, Fletcher?
You be the brains, I can be the...
Beauty.
What?
I was thinking brawn, but...
That's the same. Brains and...
OK. Yeah, I hear it. Carry on. Sure, yep.
OK. Step four: the grand gala on Friday night.
- Got it. - Fletcher!
We'll make the guest list.
We need the scientific community to know that we're here.
- OK! So what can I do? - You. Um...
You painted a perfect sign, so I'm thinking...
We still need banners.
We still need posters for all the events,
including the gala and invites!
I'm thinking old school.
I'm thinking fancy. Oh, and a theme.
Well, it's a re-launch, so why don't we go vintage?
Like, uh, honor the original gala.
- 1950s glamour! - [Squealing]: Yes!
OK! So, we have our marching orders, people.
We have a week to get moving. Let's go!
- Yes! - For the penguins!
Nope.
- But I thought we were all... - Nope!
Never mind.
[Sighing]
No problemo.
So, should we call them "penguin ginger bread men,"
"ginger penguins" or "ginger bread penguins"?
Uh... That one, "ginger bread penguins."
I think "ginger penguins" has a ring to it.
OK.
Hey! Stop sampling the merchandise!
How am I supposed to sell something I haven't even tried?
Fine, I'm calling them "ginger penguins."
OK.
Looking good!
I have a great feeling about today.
We've been out spreading the word about penguin day tomorrow.
I love it when a good plan comes together.
Me too.
Ah, ah, ah! No sampling the merchandise.
That's my job.
Feels good getting out into the community,
like my grandfather.
He used to dress up in a penguin costume
just to get a laugh.
We've never done anything like that before.
- Well, now's your chance. - Yeah, sounds good.
Look, I'm sure the people of Crystal Bay will step up.
That's what neighbors are for, right?
[All]: Right.
[Insects chirring]
[Chatting, indistinct]
Don't forget to join us tomorrow here for penguin day!
[Sighing]
This isn't good. I thought it would be busier.
It will be.
We just have to wait for the rush hour foot traffic.
If you say so.
Hey, can you hold the fort for a minute?
I'm just gonna go get something.
I'll do my best.
[Whispering]: Hey. I'll be right back.
OK.
- Tilly! - Fiona!
You seem to be settling right in.
I am!
Oh, and you can be the first to try our "ginger penguins."
Oh! A good old-fashioned bake sale, my favorite. Here.
- Thank you. - Oh. Ooh!
That is for you.
Thank you!
Oh!
It's too much ginger?
It's unusual.
- It's good, though. - [Whispering]: OK.
I'm gonna save the rest for later, hey? So...
[Coughs]
What's all this in aid of?
Oh, the sanctuary needs some repairs.
Oh, nothing too serious, I hope.
We may have to close our doors if additional funding...
What Fletcher is trying to say
is we just want to be in the larger community and spread joy,
just like you do with your bakery.
- Mm-hmm. - Oh, that's a lovely idea.
Here, let me buy another cookie, hey?
Oh, Fi. Here we go.
Oh, that's not necessary.
[Chuckling]
Don't forget to join us Friday, penguin day.
Ah!
How many have we sold?
Twelve.
So that's $12?
Or 24 anchovies.
[Chuckling]
Look, maybe we should just call it a day.
We tried our best.
- Hi! - Fiona! What is this?
I'm sorry, I cannot stand by
while you try to sell those awful biscuits.
Here are some pavlovas, and there's more on the way.
Guys, do you wanna go and grab the rest?
Fiona, you didn't have to do this.
It's my pleasure! I had the oven on anyway.
Consider it a donation. My accountant will.
Well, it's very thoughtful of you, so thank you.
You're welcome. That's what community's all about.
Let's have a look, eh?
[Tilly]: Oh!
Is that pavlova from Fiona's bakery?
Yes, it is. It's a penguin pavlova.
Mm-hmm.
In honor of tomorrow's penguin day,
right here at the sanctuary.
Well, I'll take one. How much?
- $10... - Like, $10?
- $20. - [Both]: $20.
- $20. - $20.
Sold.
Thank you.
There you go.
- Well, thank you. - You're so welcome.
- See you tomorrow. - See you.
[Chuckling]
- Thank you so much. - Here you go. Amazing!
Yep, one for you. Enjoy.
- Yep. OK, thank you. - Whoa, here you go.
Also, we're doing our presales
of our fundraising gala on Friday night.
Everyone?
Has anyone seen Parker? We're gonna need more hands.
Thank you so much.
All right! Who wants to hear a song about Paisley the penguin?
[All cheering]
Just like Grandfather.
♪ Paisley the penguin was small as can be ♪
♪ She lived in a wee house sat by the sea ♪
♪ She asked her two friends to come over for tea ♪
♪ And they dove in the ocean and swam happily ♪
Now take it swimming!
That's it! Awesome job, everybody! Hurray!
OK. There's a second verse. Should we do that?
- Yeah. - See you!
- Bye! - Thanks for coming!
Bye-bye! Hi! See you later.
Hey, splendid afternoon, Tilly.
Oh, thanks.
I'm really looking forward to the gala
and checking out the penguin day tomorrow.
I haven't been inside this place since I was a kid.
Amazing! We can't wait to see you tomorrow.
- See you then. - Thanks, Derek. Bye!
[Coins clinking]
Derek? I thought his name was Kevin.
No, his name is Derek,
and he is the president of the small business association,
and he just bought 12 tickets to the gala.
You're incredible.
Hey, boys. Could you, uh, finish up here?
- You got it. - No problem.
- Come for a walk? - Uh, yeah.
Bye.
- Bye! - Bye!
I always feel so calm around water.
This place is so beautiful. It's like...
It's rugged, you know, but it still feels...
- Safe? - Yeah.
Yeah. The penguins think so too.
You see that cute little cottage?
I bet the people that live there are deliriously happy,
and they have hot chocolate every night before bed.
I bet it has a leaky faucet that drips all night.
You're so cynical!
Hey, we can't all turn a bake sale
into a impromptu street party.
You're a real natural with people, you know that?
I just think people are inherently good,
and they want to be part of something bigger.
Forever the optimist.
So, tell me, what makes you you?
Growing up, my dad was part of the military,
so we used to move around a lot.
Right.
And as a result, everything felt temporary, you know?
Like, I never felt like I belonged and...
I mean, I went to 6 different high schools.
Wow. Must have been tough on you.
It made me good at getting to know people quickly.
- I've moved... twice. - Twice.
In my whole life, yeah.
That sounds like paradise.
[Chuckling]
I don't know. I just...
I crave this sense of...
feeling grounded in one place, you know?
And I just... I love being part of a community.
[Laughing]
Community.
Yeah, I've lived here for 6 years,
and I thought Derek's name was Kevin.
- Oh. - So I'm not so good with that.
Well, luckily, I'm good at bringing people together.
Hey, you see that island out there?
Right on the other side is a wild penguin colony.
Hmm.
That island is a natural sanctuary.
When our penguins are ready, that's where we'll take them.
They'll spend the day in the water fishing,
but at night,
they swim to shore as a group to make their way home,
waiting if one of them lags behind,
watching out for each other, step by step.
Penguins are amazing.
[Chuckling]
The penguins, sure. But the people? Meh.
They don't really know how to stick together, not like that.
They just don't seem to know how to care.
Well, maybe we need to give them a reason to care.
[Chuckling]
Forever the optimist, huh? Come on.
Hey, baby! How did you sleep?
Harper tried to eat my crayons.
Where are the penguins?
They're asleep right now. They're in bed.
Do penguins have a bath time too?
Yeah, they sure do.
And guess what they have for dinner? Fish.
Can we have fish fingers? Daddy?
Not for breakfast. All right, time for school, girls.
Say, "Bye, Mommy".
- Bye, Mommy! Love you. - Love you. Bye-bye.
Bye! Bye, baby! I love you.
[Line cuts]
Oh.
[Chuckling]
Oh, Gemma! These are beautiful.
You should get back to painting.
You know, I've been thinking about that
ever since we got here.
When I'm not missing the kids.
How are they?
[Inhaling]
Well, Harper tried to eat some crayons.
[Both laughing]
And Mason won his first soccer game.
And Harriet came third in the art fair.
- Mmm. - Yeah.
They're my own little flock of penguins.
Well, actually, when they're a group of penguins,
they're called a colony.
But when they're swimming, they're called a raft.
- Wow! - Mmm.
Sounds to me like someone's been spending quality time
with a certain zoologist.
Well, we did...
Yeah?
...go for a walk down by the bay.
Oh, Tilly, that sounds romantic.
I remember when Bruce and I started dating.
We used to go for these walks,
and we'd just talk about everything and nothing.
We're not dating. I go back in 4 days, Gemma.
I miss romance, Tilly. I do.
There's nothing romantic about it.
Would it be so bad if there was?
All right!
One side's higher than the other.
- You sure? - I think so.
- Which side? - The left.
All right.
[Grunting]
No. I mean the right.
Really?
- Maybe it's the left. - Ugh!
Kyle...
- Yeah? - I love you.
[Whispering]: Me too.
But please leave it alone. It's perfect!
Good morning!
Oh, I got everyone's favorite coffee orders.
Thank you!
Absolutely no more caffeine for Kyle. No, sir.
- Thank you. - OK! That's two for me.
Wow!
- What if it rains? - It won't rain.
What if there are no donations or nobody comes?
Kyle, everything's gonna be fine.
You'll see.
- Hi! - See?
I thought you might need breakfast.
Thank you! Oh. Oh my God!
Good?
Oh, I wanted to ask you:
The pavlova, what do you put in it?
OK, the freshest eggs...
- You've done it again. - Thank you.
♪♪ Oh, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa ♪
♪ When you're smiling
♪ Smiling
♪ You make the whole world happy ♪
♪ When you're laughing
OK, yeah. Together! That's right.
Now make like a penguin.
- Pavlova! - Pavlova!
Hey. Yeah, yeah. Great turnout.
[Talking, indistinct]
[Squawking]
- Say "penguin day"! - Penguin day!
Whoo!
♪ Whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa ♪
A few more people than I expected. It's great.
Yeah. It's good. It's good.
It's good. It's good for the Bay.
Go on.
- Go on what? - Tell them about the penguins.
Why don't you talk to them?
You're a professional and a published author on the topic.
I'm about as published as you are, Kyle.
Give it a try! Start now!
- And what do I talk about? - Oh, I don't know.
Things the public are interested in. Cute facts.
Cute facts... Cute facts, cute facts.
Like that their droppings sparkle
because they're full of fish scales,
and when the light hits it, it sparkles.
It's kind of pretty, actually.
No, Fletcher, not facts about droppings.
No?
Tell them about, well, Bailey and Victor and Jules.
Talk about their behavioral habits
and raising their chicks.
You know how I feel about public speaking.
I know.
But if we want them to care about us...
We have to give them a reason to care.
Exactly.
[Mouthing]
- Wish me luck. - Good luck. You got this!
Hello, everyone,
and welcome to the Crystal Bay Penguin Sanctuary!
[All cheering]
Where are you all running off to?
Uh, little blue penguins are a lot like you and me.
And just like at your house,
they like to spread out the chores.
Like Bailey here,
who is currently making a new nest for his partner, Lemondrop.
Lemondrop.
Which means that Lemondrop
is in charge of finding dinner.
Now show of hands, kids, who likes anchovies on their pizzas?
Ew!
Ew?
OK! There you go. Thank you so much for coming.
See you next time. Oh, there's for you.
Oh, wow!
Oh, you're gonna love this!
I'm running off, but come back anytime.
There you go. We hope you enjoyed it.
[Sighing]
Ah!
Thank you! Have a wonderful day!
Thank you! Come again.
Thank you so much. Had the photo taken.
- Brilliant. - Bye for now.
So, as president of the small business association,
I'm sure you appreciate the importance
of community engagement.
Um, you work closely with the mayor, right?
I do. I'd be more than happy to put in a good word.
I'd like to talk about reinstating our funding.
We've been left out in the cold, and I'd like to fix that.
Understood. If you can't rely on your neighbor,
who can you rely on?
- I'll set up a meeting. - Thank you.
That one's my favorite.
Ah, that one's Jules.
Now, she's my favorite too,
but don't tell the others or they'll get jealous.
[Both chuckling]
I see you've met Chloe, my little trooper.
Yeah, it's great to see young people
interested in the little blue penguins.
Do you know, if you study biology,
you could work in a place...
[Whispering]: ...just like this.
- Wow, really? - You bet!
It's so good you guys could make it.
I hope you had a great time.
Oh, absolutely!
Tilly here was saying you need some pool repairs.
We'd be happy to help.
- Uh, you'd--you'd fix the pool? - I'm a small business owner.
My side business is pool repairs and maintenance.
That would be an amazing help.
I can send the guys around in the morning.
Really? I...
I can't stress how much of a big deal this is.
Thank you so much. Yeah, OK, so it's not too big. It's...
Shall we get some pavlova?
- Thank you, sir. - Thank you so much.
- Oh! Thank you. See you! - Thank you!
[♪ Soft melody playing on stereo ♪]
Well? Come on.
We've raised so much money
that we can now pay for the cost of the urgent repairs,
plus the cost of the gala!
That's... I'm blown away. That's amazing.
And, Gemma, taking photos of the guests
in exchange for donations?
That was genius.
Oh, it's my pleasure.
It's really hard to get a nice family photo these days.
They're all either, you know, awful selfies
or someone's not in it, usually me.
But it was nice to give people a souvenir of the happy day.
Oh, and I... I got one of you two.
- Oh. - Oh!
And...
- You look nice. - Thanks.
...we've sold almost all of the tickets to the gala!
- Go team! - Hear, hear!
- Seconded! - Thirded!
I third. I--I agree.
Anyway, I know that we've made progress,
but we still need to plan the meeting with the mayor
and get more scientists on the guest list.
So who's with me?
I have to monitor the penguins tonight anyway.
Do you want to join me?
OK. As long as I'm not a distraction.
No. You'd be a welcome distraction.
- Uh, uh... The work. - The work would be...
The work would be a welcome distraction.
- ...a welcome distraction. - Yes. Yeah.
- OK. - Yeah, the work.
Yeah.
You know, I...
I might leave you to it. I'm beat.
- Right? - Are you exhausted?
- I am... - [Both]: Tired.
Come on, sleepyhead.
Home time for us. All right. All right, goodnight.
Goodnight!
I will go get my laptop and see you at the sanctuary.
- Sure, great. Yep. - OK. OK!
[Insects chirring]
Aptenodytes Forsteri.
You think you own the Antarctic.
You're not the only penguins!
Knock, knock.
I didn't mean to interrupt your criticism of emperor penguins.
Ah, it's not personal, it's...
- You know their scientific name? - Of course.
But, I mean, they had it coming, walking around on the tundra,
thinking they're better than everyone else.
- Right? - Yeah.
Don't even get me started on king penguins.
Oh, you mean joker penguins.
[Both chuckling]
I love that journal.
The editor used to come in to head office all the time.
Yeah, it's a good resource, but there's only so many pages
they're willing to dedicate to penguins.
Little blue penguins rarely get a mention.
You should publish something.
No. I mean, I enjoy writing, but my work really isn't...
Fletcher, there are two facilities in the entire world
that handle little blue penguins,
and you're the head zoologist of one of them.
I mean, you're likely the leading expert on the subject.
I'm not that kind of scientist.
It could raise the profile of the sanctuary,
not to mention the rest of the scientific community.
We could put this place back on the map!
Fletcher, look at me.
You are an incredible intellectual
and a talented zoologist.
I mean, you should give yourself more credit.
I would read anything you wrote.
Really?
[Chuckling]
For educational purposes, I mean.
[Chuckling]
Anyway, what are your thoughts on adding to this guest list?
Because I...
- Ah, Dr. Ken Nakamura. - Yep.
He's the lead ornithologist at the Sydney University.
Got it.
Uh, Dr. Philomena Hoofstedder. Two "Ds".
She is head zoologist at the Queensland Zoo.
I know Jeff Gallow.
He is the lead researcher on the Royal Penguin Project.
- Yeah, he's great. - Yep.
Uh, Gregory Brewer, head of the bird watching association.
It's always nice when professionals
acknowledge hobbyists, isn't it?
Yeah, my thoughts exactly.
You know, for someone from head office,
you're doing a pretty good job on the field.
Aw. Thanks.
[Chuckling]
You know, before I left San Diego,
I applied for the general manager position
at the Polar Bear Center in Alaska.
I was eyeing the position for a while,
but my boss turned me down.
[Inhaling through teeth]
I'm just ready for this, you know?
I love being hands on.
[Sighing]
So what does this place have to offer
in the way of midnight snacks?
I may have a marshmallow stash for emergency hot chocolate.
Question is, one or two?
Four, please.
- Four? - Yes.
All right.
[Penguins squawking]
As you can see,
they're mostly bunkered down at night in their burrows.
Sounds cozy.
You know, you never told me why you came to Crystal Bay.
Was it for a job or...
No?
I mean, yes. Sort of.
There was someone.
Mmm.
And she traveled a lot for work,
but we agreed that we'd both meet here
and make this our home.
But...
she had a change of heart.
Never showed up at the airport.
I'm sorry.
It was the only time I've ever been in love.
That must have been tough.
I don't think I've ever felt that before.
Come with me.
Where are we going?
Shhh.
- This way. - OK.
- Tilly... - Yes?
I'd like you to meet...
Digby and Delilah.
Wow! They are so cute.
We found them together last year,
and they are inseparable.
These two are currently sitting on their first egg.
They take turns incubating.
One will sit on the nest while the other one hunts.
Do you release them?
Absolutely. That's why they're away from the others.
We don't hand-feed Digby and Delilah,
otherwise they'll lose their hunting instincts.
- So special. - Mm-hmm.
Penguins really have the right idea, don't they?
About what?
Relationships.
I mean, they communicate.
Mmm.
Build a home.
[Both chuckling]
Uh, share chores.
Look out for each other.
They do.
They're made for each other,
from the sea to the shore.
Step by step.
I hope to have that one day.
An egg?
No.
A home.
[Birds chirping]
Hey, looking good!
Gosh. You know, you could be a professional.
Yeah? Well, actually, I've decided to return to painting.
- That's wonderful! - Yeah.
Did you speak to Bruce yet about...
Well, we have 3 children and work and a dog and...
And Kyle and I have 36 penguins.
You need to make the time.
Go and call him.
You'll thank me!
[Scoffing]
Fletcher has been in there for a very long time.
I'm not sure we should have split up our presentations.
If anyone can convince the mayor to care about penguins,
it's Fletcher, OK?
The mayor needs to care before he can allocate funding.
What I'm worried about is time is slipping away,
and we only have one evening left to raise $50,000!
I mean, if the mayor fails to reinstate our funding
or the Institute stops paying our bills,
then it's off to New Zealand for our penguins,
probably in economy.
[Sighing]
I've failed! I'm sorry, Grandfather.
Don't you talk like that. It ain't over till it's over.
It's over.
Uh, what? I mean, he hasn't even seen my mood boards yet.
I was just about to go in there!
He said he's heard enough,
and now he's got another meeting with that guy.
What is there to talk about, Fletcher?
This is a no-brainer.
Well, look, Hail Mary,
I invited him to the gala tomorrow night.
But it's a 50/50 chance whether he turns up or not.
He was very moody.
Well, it's a start, right?
You know what?
We have come this far. So there's only one thing to do.
- What's that? - Keep going!
[Grunting]
[Inhaling nervously]
[Line ringing]
Kids, can you take care of Pickles
while I take care of this?
Hang on. Mom's on the phone.
- Hi! - Hey. Hey, honey?
What's that noise?
How are you? Sorry, the fire alarm is going off.
The kids made pancakes. It's a war zone.
Hang on. It's just gone off.
You go down there. That's good.
How are you? How's Australia? We all miss you so much.
Oh, I miss you!
It's beautiful here. You'd love it.
I would love to be there, honey.
I'd love to be there.
We're having a fancy fundraising gala on Friday,
and I wish you were coming.
You know you always look so great in a suit.
In my younger days, maybe.
Hey, hon, we'll--we'll have that honeymoon one day.
Maybe when the kids are in college.
Actually, that's what I wanted to talk to you about, Bruce,
about making time for ourselves, you know,
for reconnecting.
Yeah. Listen, hon...
[Child shouting]
Harriet! You stop squirting that toothpaste on the floor.
It's really important.
[Child screaming]
No, no, don't eat it!
I'm sorry, honey, I'll have to call you later.
Love you.
I love you too.
[Sighing]
Moving in?
I'm trying to find a backup generator for the gala lighting.
I don't want an overloaded circuit to trip the breaker.
OK. Good thinking.
I really thought the mayor would be on board with this.
[Chuckling]
We only had a week.
[Scoffing]
It's not a lot of time to raise $50,000,
but, Tilly, if anybody can pull this off, it's you.
So let's be like the little blue penguins about this
and just take it step by step, yeah?
Yeah.
And I thought we already had a generator.
We do. I just wanted a backup in case.
OK. Well, I know where there's one.
Come on. Come on.
OK.
[Chuckling]
You're weird.
This way.
[Talking, indistinct]
Wait...
Told you. Leaky faucet.
You live here?
Uh, yes and no.
[Chuckling]
[Sighing]
Because of the hours I do at the sanctuary,
I sort of spend my time between the two.
Wait, why don't you live in this place?
It's so cute!
[Fletcher grunting]
Well, that's complicated.
Now, do we need a backup to the backup,
or will this backup do?
No, that's perfect. What's complicated?
Um...
Well, when my ex didn't show up at the airport,
I sort of dove straight into work at the sanctuary.
Didn't really want to look at this place as being a home.
But I can see what you're saying.
With a bit of work, it could actually be something.
It really could.
Hey! How's it going?
Good. We're almost ready for the gala.
Actually, I meant you.
How are you doing?
You really seem to like it here.
I haven't seen you this happy in a long time.
I do love it here.
There's no reason why you can't stay a bit longer.
I can't turn my back on everything I've worked for.
Yeah, yeah. Just tell me you heard me.
I heard you.
Good. Grab your coat.
- Where are we going? - You'll see!
[Gasping]
[Laughing]
Guys! What is this?
The guest of honor!
Come on in.
- And this is for you. - Oh, thank you.
- This is for you. - Well, thank you.
[Kyle clears throat]
Hi, everybody.
Tilly, I've been the general manager
of our beloved penguin sanctuary
for a long time.
We've seen some people come and go,
and we've seen some people come and stay,
and some people I wished would go.
[All laughing]
What I'm trying to say
is that I've never wished for anybody to stay
quite as much as you.
And if the sanctuary remains open...
we'd love for you to stay.
But whatever you decide,
please know that you'll always have a home here.
- [Gemma]: Oh! Yeah. - Thank you.
That's enough of that. Have some more hot chocolate.
[All talking, laughing]
[♪ Playing lively melody ]
Who ate all the marshmallows?
[Talking, indistinct]
So I took your advice.
"The Unique Behavioral Traits of Little Blue Penguins
by Dr. Fletcher Grant."
While you were gone,
the editor of the International Wildlife Journal called to RSVP.
We exchanged some strong opinions on emperor penguins,
but he was very interested in our little blue penguins.
And you were right.
People do want to hear about the sanctuary.
And it seems that my writing is good enough to be published.
That's gonna be in the next issue.
That is so amazing.
I am so proud of you.
Tilly, I...
[Song ends]
[Kyle and Gemma cheering]
Thank you.
- Would you care to dance? - I would.
If I wasn't in heels on grass, I certainly would.
- Just step there. - Thank you.
May I just say, you are looking divine this evening.
Oh, well, thank you. I try.
You see, the cottage is empty.
Yeah.
Perhaps they're out somewhere
being deliriously happy drinking hot chocolate.
[Laughing]
Perhaps.
Come on, you two. Come on!
♪ Long ago, when I was young ♪
♪ I thought that I was having so much fun ♪
♪ How could I know any better?
♪ I was so young
♪ And my eyes, they could not see ♪
[Birds chirping]
Wonderful! We can't wait to see you tonight, Dr. Nakamura.
OK, bye-bye.
- OK. - Yes!
Did you check his dietaries?
- Uh, no fish. - No fish.
[Chuckling]
[Talking, indistinct]
[Phone ringing]
Oh.
Tilly! I'm here, in Crystal Bay!
Mac, you made it!
I did.
I'm just taking a bike ride,
hitting these killer bike tracks before sunset,
see if it can help me shake off this jet lag
before your big event.
Now, how's it going?
Good! Good.
I am confident that we will secure our funding tonight.
The community is really engaging with the sanctuary now,
and I have to admit, I really like this place.
Outstanding!
So, I have some really great news.
Oh!
The general manager position
of the Polar Bear Discovery Center,
it's yours.
I know you want it.
We're gonna take a leap of faith.
I'm--I'm sorry?
Well, the new guy,
he's allegedly allergic to bear fur,
so he's been popping antihistamines
like they're breath mints.
So I put you forward.
And you're just gonna have to forgive me
for not seeing your potential sooner.
But you do need to leave ASAP.
So I'm thinking, like, tonight, after the gala, maybe.
How does that sound?
T-tonight? Um...
I--I... That's just so soon. I, uh...
Well, you've earned it.
Now, listen, I'm gonna get going
so I can do these tracks before dark.
And, hey, destiny waits for no one.
OK! Bye-bye.
Tilly...
Yeah.
I've been working on something at the cottage.
Could I show you?
- Yeah. - Yeah?
What do you think?
[Chuckling]
Oh my goodness!
There are new blinds.
There are fancy pillows,
which I'm not too fast on myself,
but Gemma and Parker had really strong opinions on the subject.
You made a home.
Oh, and you're missing the best part.
We have hot chocolate mugs and marshmallows,
as many as you want.
What's going on?
I know that you want a job in the field,
but what I know that you want more than anything else
is a place to call home, a place...
to belong.
I love it. It's perfect.
It's just, um...
I got offered the job in Alaska.
Uh, right. Uh, when?
[Crying]: Now.
My boss is here for the gala,
and he just told me.
Right.
The, um, the polar bears.
I...
I shouldn't have done this. Um...
I just thought that maybe you'd found something here.
I'm so sorry.
[Door opening, closing]
♪ ♪
[Cameras clicking]
♪ You're looking good in all your getup ♪
♪ The limo is heading for a joint uptown ♪
Dr. Nakamura, so glad you could make it!
Welcome.
[Clears throat]
How's my tie?
Perfect. How's my teeth?
White as marble.
[Laughing]
All right.
Mayor Finch is here. He's actually here!
[♪ Music continues on PA, lyrics indistinct ♪]
[Sighing]
Well, I can't believe we only arrived 5 days ago.
Things have changed a lot, right?
You need to do the handshake thing.
What thing?
Our handshake thing, you know.
Come on. It helps.
[Inhaling, exhaling sharply]
Come on.
[Camera clicking]
- Ladies... - Gentlemen.
Don't we all clean up nicely?
Great turnout so far, guys!
Because of you. Thank you, Tilly.
You made all of this come true.
Do you know where, uh, Fletcher is?
Oh! Look at you, Dr. Grant! Don't you look sharp?
Good evening. Have all the scientists arrived?
Has anybody seen the mayor?
I better mingle and try to get as many donations as I can.
Excuse me.
Hi!
Has anyone seen Fletcher, 'cause that wasn't him.
We can promise you that the sanctuary
will use the council's funding to run research projects
and educational programs
that will support and enrich the community
and raise the profile of Crystal Bay itself.
Interesting.
You see, Mr. Mayor,
the sanctuary used to be a vital part of the community,
and we want to restore it to its former glory.
I like the sound of that.
Well, why don't I take you on a tour of the facility,
and you can see what we're talking about?
- Great! Lead the way. - Right this way.
Hey! Oh...
How did that go?
Ah, getting there. Kyle's off working his magic.
Fingers crossed.
Hey, I, uh... I got you a parting gift.
- Gemma, you shouldn't have. - Just open it!
- Really? - Yeah.
[Laughing]
It's your very own record.
[Laughing]
It's beautiful!
Gemma, I love it. Thank you.
Well, you helped me find a bit of myself here,
and I--I wanted to thank you.
From one artist to another.
I guess now's a good time for me to give you your gift.
Hello, beautiful. It's me.
Oh! Oh!
I missed you.
How did you get...
I can't take the credit for it.
I just picked him up from the airport.
I heard what you were trying to say,
so I booked a vacation in Crystal Bay for two weeks,
and I ordered extra pillows, just for you.
I mean, we deserve a honeymoon now.
- And the kids? - Don't worry.
They're with my Mom. It's all under control.
Hey, hey, hey...
This is our time now.
I love you.
Let me show you around.
I am so glad you came.
I gotta tell you, it's pretty impressive.
Well, I'm just happy to help.
It got off to a pretty strong start,
but, uh, you still have a long way to go.
Oh.
Kyle, Parker, this is my boss,
Mackenzie Waterhouse from head office.
Oh. Yes, of course.
It's good to have you here in person to see what we do.
Oh, thank you.
Can I just say, Mr. Waterhouse,
that Tilly has done an outstanding job.
She's worked tirelessly
and shown us all the spirit of community.
Well, I agree.
She is incredible, which is why she's off to Alaska
to look after the Polar Bear Center.
I'm sure you've told them the good news.
Uh...
It's the kind of position I've been wanting
for a really long time, and, um...
It doesn't mean that this place isn't very special to me.
Of course not, Tilly. Congratulations.
When do you leave?
Uh... Tonight, after the party?
She needs to leave ASAP.
It's a two-day journey just to get there.
- Sounds remote. - Exactly.
Check your phone. I sent 3 playlists.
It's a 4-hour journey to the closest community, so...
- OK. - Yeah. Oh! Crab cakes.
You'll excuse me. Sir!
Why aren't the donations increasing?
We've only hit the halfway mark.
I've spoken to the mayor and given him the grand tour,
but he was tight-lipped about restoring our funding.
I just don't know which way he'll go.
I'll ask Fletcher to do one of his penguin talks.
That might get people excited.
It's worth a shot. I'll help you find him.
[Sighing]
What are you doing?
I don't have a choice.
No. You want to know who didn't have a choice? Us.
[Sniffling]
You remember when we were little?
Being pulled out of school every 5 minutes
so we could move again.
Ah, Tilly, I...
I watched you trying so hard to fit in.
And every time you made a new friend,
you had to say goodbye again.
I'm not watching you
push away these people you really care about.
I'm never doing it again.
Hey, I'm your sister.
We're family.
Family look out for each other.
Like your little penguins.
[Laughing]
Hey.
Right now, you are about to make a big mistake.
[Fletcher clears throat]
Hello? Uh...
Is this thing working? Uh, hello?
Uh, is this thing working?
Uh, OK! Good evening, everyone.
My name is Dr. Fletcher Grant,
and I am the head zoologist
at the Crystal Bay Penguin Sanctuary.
[Crowd applauding]
Thank you.
Uh, the work we do is important here,
um, looking after our colony of little blue penguins.
And, um...
I really thought that we were going to
save our sanctuary tonight.
Um, but it appears that fate has ruled against us.
And that's OK,
because sometimes we have to
accept what we've lost, because...
losing is part of life.
Um, please enjoy your evening
and, uh, make sure you eat the crab cakes.
Thank you.
Uh, wait, everyone! I just... One moment.
Ladies and gentlemen, sorry!
One moment. Um... Hi!
[Chuckling]
My name is Tilly Monterey.
And up until about a week ago,
I knew about as much as you do
about the Crystal Bay Penguin Sanctuary.
In fact, I didn't even know where Crystal Bay was.
[Crowd chuckling]
Um...
But in that time,
I've learned a lot about little blue penguins.
I've learned that they are the smallest penguins in the world!
I've learned how well they take care of each other.
They really look out for their neighbors.
Life isn't easy for these little guys.
Sometimes, they will come home with a belly full of food
or come home hungry
or find someone they like and convince them to sit on an egg.
[Crowd chuckling]
We all need a little help sometimes
to help fix things,
to help give us advice,
to make the best pavlovas in the world.
[Tilly chuckling]
Crystal Bay is...
[Whispering]: Pavlova makes everything better.
... an amazing place.
And the little blue penguins are our neighbors.
And I think it's time...
to be good neighbors to them.
Because they're not that different from us, right?
I mean, don't we all feel a little small, sometimes?
Don't we all feel afraid
when we don't know what's gonna happen next?
You know, for the longest time,
all I ever wanted to do was good work
and travel to extraordinary places
and to make a difference.
And I think I can do that here.
Because this is where I'm needed most and, um...
this is where I belong, so...
thank you.
[Crowd applauding]
Let's ensure that the Crystal Bay Penguin Sanctuary
is here to stay for years to come.
[Crowd cheering and applauding]
[Sighing]
Your grandfather would be so proud.
Hey. Tilly's gonna be great here.
So proud of her.
- Thank you. - Yeah.
Thank you.
This is where I belong. With you.
We can take it step by step.
Just like the penguins.
Yeah.
[Crowd members]: Aw!
Closed Captions: MELS