EPISODE 121 The strike begins, followed by a demonstration which has disastrous consequences. First broadcast ... 1980 (Melbourne) Broadcast on Channel 5 (UK) 18 August 1997 Mon 11:40 p.m. DVD release: volume 8 disc 3 (AUS) Duration: 00:47:43

Meg ~ Elspeth Ballantyne Judy ~ Betty Bobbitt Lizzie ~ Sheila Florance Erica ~ Patsy King Bea ~ Val Lehman Jim ~ Gerard Maguire Paul ~ George Mallaby Doreen ~ Colette Mann Vera ~ Fiona Spence Noeline ~ Jude Kuring Leanne ~ Tracey-Jo Riley Marcia ~ Judith Dick Lorna ~ Barbara Jungwirth Margo ~ Jane Clifton Phyllis ~ Reylene Pearce Mouse ~ Jentah Sobott UNCREDITED Officer Barry ~ Joy Westmore Officer Powell ~ Judith McGrath Sally ~ Nanette Wallace Written by Denise Morgan Directed by Leigh Spence Thanks to Matt for opening credits.

The women are locked in the rec room and Erica tries to reason with them . Judy wants to know why she or Doreen weren't called as witnesses at the inquest. Erica assures the protesters that Jock will never work in prisons again, but the women decide to continue the sit-in overnight. Despite Erica's instruction to ignore the protest, Vera finds the fuse box and plunges the rec room into darkness. Bea says it will give her all night to think up another strategy. Doreen tells Bea of Kevin's doubts about Marcia, but Bea suggests she shouldn't share that with Lizzie until Kevin is sure. Lorna has to go the toilet and is dragged off to be locked in her cell as soon as she leaves the rec room. Bea and Judy request permission to see Erica to find out how to have an inquest re-opened. Erica informs them they need new evidence and Judy will just have to get used to the verdict as it is. Bea apparently gives in and calls the strike off, though Vera believes it must be part of some cunning plan. At breakfast, Judy and Bea pass on the message that there will be a demonstration in the garden during the afternoon exercise period. Leanne suggests that as Noeline is visiting in the morning, she could be used to get a message to the press in advance of the demonstration. Meanwhile, Noeline is shown at her new job, wheeling a tea trolley along while wearing a vile combination of lime green and purple , and along the way helping herself from the office workers' purses and wallets. Bea objects when the women are locked in the laundry. Leanne takes the head off a garden fork to use as "protection". Vera tries to stop Noeline's visit to Leanne, but Erica allows it to go ahead. Under Bea's instruction, Lizzie fakes another attack to get out of the laundry and see what's going on. As she is leaving after her visit, Noeline gets her own back on Bea and Judy by lagging to Vera and passes on what Leanne has told her about the plans for the outside demonstration. Erica announces the women will be confined to the prison for the next few days and will not be allowed out for exercise. Bea cooks up plans for another demonstration, and tells Judy to invade the Governor's office and take Margo and Lizzie to help her. Lizzie begs to be allowed to work in the kitchen so she can serve tea to Erica. Judy is sent outside to empty the bins and Vera tells her she may as well work outside in the garden, so Judy has to convince Vera she's ready to tell Erica about the plans for another demonstration so she can get to Erica's office. Paul asks Erica if what he has found out about Marcia's brother makes sense. He leaves just as Lizzie knocks on Erica's door with her tea tray. Lizzie meets up with Judy and Margo outside the office and Judy takes Meg and Erica hostage and uses the phone to call the press. Bea sends Leanne to get a set of keys and bring them back to the laundry. The women grab Vera in the laundry and threaten to rough her up or even kill her . Bea forces her to say out loud "You are human beings" (not animals) and "Sharon was murdered". Vera is stripped of her uniform and tied up. Erica pulls the phone cord out of the wall to stop the press phoning back to check that Judy's call was really from Wentworth. Margo and Lizzie are left to guard Meg and Erica and help themselves to a drink from Erica's decanter . Bea and Judy lead a group of women up onto the roof. Jim finds Vera tied up in the laundry and learns that Erica is being held hostage. Marcia arrives to see Lizzie claiming that Josie is very sick and needs an operation, but is sent away. Paul phones Erica using the internal phone to get an idea of who is inside her office, then tricks Lizzie into opening the door by saying that Marcia is there to visit her, and Jim and other officers rush in and overpower Margo. The women on the roof see the press arrive and unfurl banners made from sheets which read WE WANT JUSTICE and GILMOUR WAS MURDERED. Leanne grabs a banner and is climbing some steps near the edge of the roof when she overbalances and falls to her death . ***

ITV regional broadcast dates:-
YTV Tue 30 Aug 1988 00.00; TVS Thu 27 Apr 1989 23.05; Channel Thu 27 Apr 1989 23.05; TSW ... ; Central Sun 07 Feb 1988 01.10; Thames Fri 12 Jan 90 00.30; STV Mon 28 Aug 1989 23.35; Anglia ... ; Granada Sun 05 Mar 1989 23.30; Tyne Tees ... ; Border ... ; HTV ... ; Grampian ... ; Ulster ...

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