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EPISODE 23

Barbara causes chaos.

First broadcast (estimate) 9th May 1979 (Melbourne);
ITV broadcasts: Yorkshire Mon 10 Jun 1985 23:00 ; TVS/Channel Fri 2 May 1986 22:30 ; Central Sun 14 Jun 1987 1:10 (Mon) ; other regions
Broadcast on Channel 5 (UK) 23 April 1997 Wed 4:40 a.m.
DVD release: volume 2 disc 2 (AUS) volume 1 disc 6 [UK]
Duration: 00:46:23



Jean ~ Christine Amor
Lynn ~ Kerry Armstrong
Meg ~ Elspeth Ballantyne
Lizzie ~ Sheila Florance
Erica ~ Patsy King
Bea ~ Val Lehman
Doreen ~ Colette Mann
Greg ~ Barry Quin
Steve ~ Jim Smillie
Vera ~ Fiona Spence
Karen ~ Peita Toppano
Sarah ~ Andrea Butcher
Barbara ~ Sally Cahill
Ken Roberts ~ Tim Elliott
Ted Warner ~ Ben Gabriel
Catherine ~ Margo McLennan
Syd ~ Alan Rowe
Mary Healy ~ Carmel Millhouse
Michael Davidson ~ Michael Cole
Officer 1 ~ Jean Cain
Officer 2 ~ Ann Sutherland
Head Waiter ~ Peter Ashby

  • Written by Maree Teychenne
  • Directed by Julian Pringle
  • Another nonspeaking cameo from Kate Jason , joining Doreen in jostling Catherine in the corridor.

    Fashion disasters in Wentworth (part of a long series): what is this supposed to be?

    Steve asks Jean for help in finding Karen's mother, as her appeal looks a little shaky. Lynn accuses Jean of messing up her life. Meanwhile, Lynn's father is arranging a work release job for Lynn with his old Army mate Syd. Michael Davidson visits Barbara and despite Erica's plea to Meg to say she isn't here, he insists on seeing her to plead Barbara's case to Erica, but she is not impressed. Bea and Catherine talk (as if they didn't talk in the last episode...) and Bea tells her they are inside for much the same reason. Erica asks Meg again who told the VJ she was related to Barbara, but she doesn't really need to be told the answer. Bea defends Catherine against Lizzie and Doreen's accusation that she's a snob because she didn't laugh at a dirty joke at breakfast. Lynn and her father make up their differences on their own without Jean or Steve's help. Erica confronts Vera about her suspicions that she was responsible for getting her into trouble with the VJ, but Vera is able to claim she acted correctly. Doreen drenches Barbara while she's on cleaning duty and they fight. Vera orders Barbara to clean it up, but Catherine protests that it was Doreen who started the fight. Catherine tells Barbara she ought to tell the Governor that she's being mistreated. Bea and Catherine talk about their daughters, and Catherine asks who is looking after her daughter, as Bea hasn't told she is dead. As Bea tells Catherine that Vera wouldn't let her go to Debbie's funeral, Vera turns up on cue to tell Catherine that Sarah has come to visit her. She is apalled to find that Sarah is off school and has hitch-hiked to the prison but Sarah accuses her of caring for her no more than her father who is trying to send her to Ballarat. Steve tells Karen that Lynn's trial went better than he expected and she got a 12 month sentence with remission. She reluctantly agrees to help him find her mother, who has sold her business and moved: she suggests she contacts Madge Whitton. When Steve goes talk to her, it is Karen's mother he actually meets, but she refuses to help Karen by giving evidence at her appeal, though she does pause when he mentions that Karen's husband forced her to have an abortion. Erica accepts Michael's invitation to dinner, though she thinks he is just buttering her up to get better treatment for Barbara. Karen's mother visits her, but Karen tells her she doesn't need her help. Steve manages to catch Mrs Healey as she is leaving and invites her out to dinner to try to get her to change her mind by letting her know that she is the only one who knows what Karen's marriage was really like. Sarah can't persuade her father that it's better if she stays with him rather than being sent away to live with her aunt. Lynn can't get into her cell as Barbara has barricaded herself in: when Vera arrives on the scene, Barbara threatens to set fire to herself and the whole prison. Erica is called away from her dinner date with her ex-husband to deal with Barbara, but she decides to do nothing but to leave her and see if Barbara's convictions are stronger than her stomach.

    ***


    ITV regional broadcast dates:-
    YTV Mon 10 Jun 1985 23.00; TVS ... ; Channel ... ; TSW Thu 19 Nov 1987 22.32; Central Mon 15 Jun 1987 01.10; Thames Thu 26 Nov 1987 23.30; STV Fri 29 Apr 1988 23.10; Anglia Wed 23 Mar 1988 00.30; Granada Tue 03 May 1988 00.35; Tyne Tees Thu 22 Sep 88 23.05; Border Thu 20 Oct 1988 23.05; HTV ... ; Grampian ... ; Ulster ...


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