Tenko: Series 2
Season two of Tenko, set between 1942 and 1943, follows the experiences of a group of women prisoners of war following their capture by the Japanese. The narrative arc begins with the women undergoing a long march to a new internment camp. Upon their arrival, the prisoners initially perceive the new location as more luxurious than their previous surroundings. However, this sense of relief is short-lived as the women
Season 2 Lore Primer
Key plot threads, lore context, and character stakes you need to remember before diving into this season.
- The series depicts the experiences of British, Australian, and Dutch women captured by the Japanese after the fall of Singapore in February 1942.
- The central characters were formerly well-off expatriates living in Singapore before their lives were upended by the outbreak of World War II.
- The narrative is based on real-life experiences of women who were held as prisoners of war during the conflict.
- The women face the ongoing, high-stakes challenge of surviving internment and adapting to the conditions imposed by their captors.
Season overview
Season two of Tenko, set between 1942 and 1943, follows the experiences of a group of women prisoners of war following their capture by the Japanese. The narrative arc begins with the women undergoing a long march to a new internment camp. Upon their arrival, the prisoners initially perceive the new location as more luxurious than their previous surroundings. However, this sense of relief is short-lived as the women encounter significant difficulties adjusting to the strange and demanding regime enforced at their new home. As they navigate this unfamiliar environment, the group must grapple with the ongoing challenges of captivity and the pressures of life under Japanese control. The season focuses on their collective struggle to maintain their resilience and adapt to the evolving conditions of their imprisonment. This drama, based on real-life experiences, continues to explore the lives of British, Australian, and Dutch women who were taken captive following the fall of Singapore in February 1942. The season captures the tension and uncertainty inherent in their situation as they attempt to survive and endure the hardships of the war while confined within the camp system.
Episode Guide
Season 2 Progress Shield
The March
Oct 21, 1982
DECEMBER 1942: The women have been split up as they march to their new camp and Marion's group later learns that the second group, including Blanche, Nellie and Sylvia, are being s
The Price
Oct 28, 1982
1 JANUARY 1943: The internees adjust to life in their new camp, where things are radically different and seemingly much more luxurious than the last one, but soon realise that luxu
Suicide
Nov 4, 1982
2 JANUARY 1943: The ridiculous restrictions of the new camp, such as no swearing, leave the women restless, especially Dorothy and Joss. Dorothy agrees to teach Shinya how to speak
Penance
Nov 11, 1982
15 JANUARY 1943: Punishment continues to be severe following Sally's death. Rations are cut and workloads increased. Mrs Van Meyer finds out that Joss is in fact a lady, and starts
Breaking Vows
Nov 18, 1982
Sister Ulrica tries to talk Dorothy out of aborting the baby: she says that its either that or she will kill herself. Verna and Miss Hasan arrange for her to have an abortion next
New Arrivals
Nov 25, 1982
31 MARCH 1943: Marion asks Yamauchi about Christina and the other women from the first camp; next day, Christina and Blanche are returned to join their friends. Bea is crestfallen
Rendezvous
Dec 2, 1982
22 APRIL 1943: With Christina's help, Rose and Bernard arrange to sneak out of their camps and meet up in the jungle on the night of the Emperor's Birthday, when the guards will be
...for Food
Dec 9, 1982
30 APRIL 1943: The internees suffer severe punishments following Rose's escape. She is brought back to the camp alive, but shot in the back; Bernard was killed at the scene. Bea an
Peacefully in the Night
Dec 16, 1982
12 MAY 1943: Lillian and Bobby are transferred to another camp by Yamauchi following Marion's request, when the other women and children bully them both and refuse to have anything
Comeuppance
Dec 23, 1982
3 SEPTEMBER 1943: Conditions continue to worsen inside the camp, not helped any by a drought and an increased work load. Marion's diary is burned by the guards. The prisoners disco