A NETFLIX ORIGINAL SERIES
[thunder rumbling]
[suspenseful music playing]
[engine starts]
THE ELEPHANT IN THE ROOM
[suspenseful music intensifies]
[dog whimpering]
[music fades into silence]
[woman] A costume party at the office?
Isn't that a bit... weird?
After what happened?
We can't stop living just because things happen, right?
-But, hey, can you take it easy tonight? -I always take it easy.
-With alcohol, I mean. -Oh, will you relax?
You have to chill.
If everyone were like me when drunk, how awesome would the world be?
We should get you a Valium.
Then you wouldn't worry so much about it.
Perhaps.
[smooches]
[women laughing]
[dance music playing over speakers]
[crowd chattering]
This is just so wrong. I'm in charge of our fairs,
so I should be the one to...
Of course, Arthur. But I think you're being a little inflexible.
She's struggling a bit...
But you didn't hear it from me. This is privileged information.
-[Paul] Cheddar? -Sorry?
No, I just... Someone said something about cheddar.
Yes, help yourself.
Thank you.
-[dance music continues] -[laughter]
-You're Pål, right? -Paul. Nice to meet you.
And you're the new receptionist, right? Kristina?
-Kristin. -Sorry.
Yes, I'm Paul from...
[both] Layout.
On my first day, I memorized the names of all the employees.
Oh.
-Do you know everybody here? -No, I've hardly talked to half of them.
[Kristin] Oh.
-I've only been here since January, so... -Okay.
We should probably stick together.
-Since we're mice, you mean? -No, since we're the new guys.
Oh, right. [chuckling]
-[microphone squeaks] -[Steinar] One, two, one, two.
Once again, we're back for the summer party. [chuckles]
You must be excited to hear the spring numbers.
As you all remember, our goal was 17.
We ended up at 22.
[crowd cheers]
[Steinar] So, that's great!
But...
we've had some reactions to the costumes.
But I have to remind you the theme was decided in February, so... [clears throat]
Mm-hm.
But, of course, what happened last May...
-Well, it's very sad... -[whispers] What happened in May?
...when things like that happen.
She's still in a coma, poor thing.
William, Helene, maybe you have something you want to share?
Since you were the ones who worked most closely with Martha.
Just say a few words.
[William, in muffled voice] Um...
First of all, I'll start by saying...
-[elephant trumpeting on cell phone] -[Helene chuckles]
[audio feedback]
[William] No, I... okay.
[in normal voice] I imagined it would be a bit funnier than it turned out--
-Uh, yes. -Oh, dear, that wasn't...
Of course, both William and I were sad about what happened to Martha.
-It was a big... A big shock for us. -Yes.
[Helene] Um...
It's not right for anybody to experience that.
To get their face mashed into a meatball.
[Steinar clears throat]
Yes, but... But now, people, now it's time to party!
[crowd cheering]
[disco music playing over speakers]
[Kristin laughs]
Hi!
-Hi. -Hi.
-You got your drink coupons, right? -Um...
-[both] No. -You didn't? Then come with me.
-Okay? Okay. -Good.
[slices]
Whew.
You can't be sober for your first summer party. Right?
This is where you get to know people.
[groans] This thing is so creepy. Ugh.
Oh.
Okay, it's totally crooked. But a coupon's a coupon.
Let's see... I have four for you.
And then there are four for you. There you go.
You know what? Since you're so new, I'll give you two extra.
[both] Thanks.
[chuckling] Oh!
You're so adorable. You said it at the exact same time.
[Helene chuckles]
You know what? The two of you?
[Helene chuckles]
[cell phone chimes]
Was that me?
[laughs]
Oh, my God, William. I just have to...
-[cell phone chimes] -Mine's going off, too.
-[Kristin] Seriously? -What is it?
It's William in R&D. He's sent me a photo of his trunk.
Really? Do you know William?
Hmm? No, just enough for a hello in the morning
and a goodbye in the afternoon.
I just happened to see that you have his number saved.
Oh, yeah. I saved everybody's number when I started here.
-Right... -Yeah.
But I don't know him.
No...
Do you?
No, we shared a table at lunch once. He seemed nice.
[Kristin] Hmm.
[crowd cheering]
[Kristin] What really happened to Martha?
-It was the week before you started. -Was she alone up here?
No, she was working with William and Helene.
The elephant and the hare, that is.
They took a break up here, and she just fell.
Her face was so smashed, her parents didn't recognize her.
[Kristin] But...
[eerie music playing]
But...
-Doesn't that seem strange? -What?
That she just accidentally fell off? There are railings all the way around.
William and Helene said it was just a bizarre accident.
But don't you think that something doesn't seem quite right?
If they were up here with her, couldn't they have...
[door closes]
[Kristin chuckles nervously]
[Paul] William.
We were just talking about the dreadful thing that happened.
Yeah. We wondered if maybe you could...
[chuckles nervously]
Okay... What's happening? I don't--
-William. -Ouch.
William. Stop it!
What was that?
[band playing rock music]
♪ I hear the ringing of my telephone I stumble over the rug as I run to... ♪
-[Kristin] Ugh. -Hmm?
What a creepy guy.
What's his deal? That's not okay behavior at a work party.
Ingelin? Could we have a word with you?
[laughs]
Yikes! [laughs] There are mice in here!
[laughing]
Just kidding.
We were just talking about Martha. Do you know what happened?
[whispers] Ingelin knows everything. [chuckles]
[in normal voice] But Ingelin can't say anything, because she's bound by...
an NDA when it comes to... internal conflicts.
Mm.
-Conflicts? -[Ingelin] Mm.
So, there was a conflict?
[chuckles] You're smart, you little tease.
[laughs]
Do you get it? Teasing little mouse.
[Ingelin laughs]
No. You'll get nada from me.
Mm. [in English] Nothing.
[in French] Not a thing.
[in Norwegian] It's you. [clicking tongue]
Tease. [laughs]
Shall we...
-Yes, I'd love to. -[chuckles]
-Wine? -Yes.
Two glasses of wine, please.
White.
Thanks.
-Thanks. Well, cheers. -Cheers.
-So, I was thinking about Martha. -[Paul] Yes?
-What was she like? -I never talked to her.
I saw her in the cafeteria sometimes. She was always by herself.
And then one day she falls off the roof, while two coworkers just watch it happen?
[eerie music playing]
Don't you get the feeling they're hiding something?
-It is a bit strange. -I find it a bit... exciting.
It's like we're detectives trying to solve a mystery.
-You know? -Yeah.
-[Kristin] No one is telling us-- [grunts] -There's the new girl. [chuckles]
-Do you want to see my trunk, too? -Ronny, seriously.
[sighs]
-It's hard being an old pig these days. -[Paul] Yeah, okay.
Oh, well.
So, anything exciting going on here?
No. We were just talking about Martha.
Mm-hm.
Martha? What... What about Martha?
Well, we're new. Nobody tells us anything. Do you know what happened?
Well, I don't know much about it...
Except that she was bullied.
-What? -Here, at work.
She was bullied?
-[Ronny] It could just be rumors. -Who bullied her?
-[Ronny] Well, I... -Was it William and Helene?
William and Hele--? You think?
William is so much fun at parties.
[goose] That's not funny. Steinar, is this acceptable?
[Steinar] No, no, of course not. William, go grab a glass of water.
-No, no. William, William. -[goose] That... That... Stop it!
[goose sighs]
[Kristin] Jesus Christ.
The only reason I know about it is because someone told me about that picture.
What? What picture?
Nasty stuff. Horrible.
Just a couple of days before she fell.
-It was Hilda who found it. -And who's Hilda?
Uh... the squirrel.
[Hilda] Yes. Yes, I'm the one who found it.
Let's see.
It's not here. Let's see.
Here it is. This one.
I found it on the shared printer.
Oh, my God, how incredibly mean.
Yes, and it's even worse because she did look like him.
But who sent it to the shared printer?
Nobody knows.
Nobody. But...
But I got the feeling that management tried to shut the whole thing down.
Like they were, well, protecting someone.
-Really? -[Hilda] Yes.
Keep this between us,
but there are some here who are
not very well behaved, if you ask me.
[Paul clears throat]
[tense music playing]
[dance music playing]
[both laugh]
Stop it.
Stop! Are you going to stop him, Steinar? Look! Now I'm soaking wet, too.
-Okay, so, hypothetically speaking... -Yes?
If William did make the Gollum image...
He might still have the image saved.
-[whispering] You know which desk is his? -[whispering] No.
-[glass shatters] -[Paul] Shit, what was that?
What was that?
[glass tinkles]
-Something broke, that's all. -[both laugh quietly]
Is that William's desk?
It's Helene's, too.
-They always work as a team. -Maybe she was in on it.
Maybe.
Okay. Um...
[suspenseful music playing]
"Gollum-Martha."
Jesus Christ.
[Kristin] That is so mean.
Helene was in on it.
Yeah.
This is evidence.
Ingelin mentioned some conflict.
And Hilda said management tried to cover it up.
Mm.
Poor thing.
[door opens]
What are you doing?
-[Kristin] We... -We, um...
Um, we...
[Paul] Uh...
[Kristin] We just, uh...
We found your images. "Gollum-Martha."
Uh... those aren't mine.
They're on your computer.
-William made them. He sent them to me. -So, you did this together?
[scoffs] Oh, my God. It was just for laughs.
Nobody was meant to see them.
Why did you send it to the shared printer?
I went to get it. But all of a sudden Hilda--
Be honest now. What happened on the roof that day?
-What are you saying? -We're not buying it.
-We don't believe Martha just fell. -We think she jumped.
Huh?
-[Kristin] Yeah. -[Paul] Yeah.
She tried to commit suicide because you bullied her.
Yeah.
[scoffs]
-She attacked us. -[scoffs]
What? Martha attacked you?
Yeah, well, she...
She was in love with William.
When he rejected her, she got all weird.
She was convinced something was going on between William and me.
-And that day on the roof-- -Yes, what happened?
Well, she just came at us.
I don't know what she wanted, but she just charged ahead. And we jumped to the side.
But she just continued on, and then she just plunged over the edge.
That's what happened.
We didn't try to kill her.
Besides, you can't prove anything. I'll delete the pictures.
And then you'll have nothing. So, watch out, okay?
-[door slams] -Yeah.
[nervous laugh]
I have this.
[laughs]
[dance music playing over speakers]
[speaking indistinctly]
-Ingelin? -We need to talk about the May incident.
-No comment. -What if we talk to Steinar?
Steinar...
Pfft.
Steinar stuck his head in the sand, as usual,
and shoved the whole case over to me.
-But I'm not allowed to say anything. -Okay. But, Ingelin, can you just listen?
-Shh. -Take a look at what's on here.
-[Ingelin] Oh. -Ingelin...
-Can you take a look at this thumb drive? -Shh. Hush.
[mysterious music playing]
[Helene] Finally, we can talk in peace.
At least I deleted those pictures.
It was really creepy.
Creepy little mice. Or, they're not mice. They're more like rats.
And to think I gave them extra coupons.
[buttons beeping]
William? What are you doing?
What?
"Finally we're alone."
[scoffs] But, William... [chuckles nervously]
Quit it.
[dance music playing over speakers]
[goose] Are they making out?
Is that William? Isn't he married?
Look at that. They're planning how to get away with it.
Do you know the best part about being a receptionist?
You have the key to every room.
-We can lock them in. -And then we show everyone the images.
[kisses]
"I just want to say..." What?
[lock clicks]
[paper rustles]
"Since it's almost summer..."
[printer hums]
[paper rustles]
"And in summer, you're meant to be honest..."
Oh! Is this like in Love Actually? That scene with...
With those notes.
William?
[rock music playing over speakers]
Hey! No, no.
The projector is my domain.
Yes, I know, but we have something to show you.
Then you should have brought your own projector.
-But everybody has to see this. -We don't think Martha had an accident.
We believe she tried to kill herself because she was bullied.
By Helene and William.
[Ingelin] What?
Yes. Take a look. We found these on Helene's computer.
[crowd gasps and murmurs]
Okay, what in God's name are you rambling about?
[Kristin] You said it yourself, Ingelin.
There was an in-house conflict that management tried to cover up.
Are you out of your minds?
-[suspenseful music playing] -[clears throat nervously]
"You are a... filthy whore."
[scoffs] Do you think this is funny?
Because I don't think it's funny at all. Filthy whore? You're the filthy whore.
[groans]
[muttering]
[tense music playing]
Oh, Jesus Christ.
[breathes shakily]
So, she wasn't bullied?
No. I can guarantee you she wasn't. It was the other way around.
Helene and William were terrified of her.
Martha was a psychopath.
Just look at her.
AND NOW I'M GOING TO BREAK YOUR FACE
This is uncomfortable.
Just quit it. This isn't funny anymore.
[Ronny] There's blood. There is blood everywhere.
In the bathroom.
What are you saying?
William is dead.
But then who's the elephant in the copy room?
Martha...
[Helene grunting]
No!
[screaming]
[panting]
Fucking psycho bitch!
[doorknob rattling]
[Helene] Help!
-[pounding on door] -[Helene] No! No!
No, no! Help! Help!
[suspenseful music playing]
[Helene whimpers]
[screaming]
Help!
[snarling]
Subtitle translation by Joseph Chavez