EPISODE 464 Meg is freed from her captors, Marlene is beaten up under Joan's orders and Kay suffers withdrawal symptoms. First broadcast ... 1984 (Melbourne) Broadcast on Channel 5 Tuesday 09 February 1999 04:40 DVD release: volume 29 disc 4 (AUS) duration: 0:42:34 (cut version) Uncut version released on "The Edna Pearson story" duration 0:44:33

Meg ~ Elspeth Ballantyne Judy ~ Betty Bobbitt Joan ~ Maggie Kirkpatrick Ann ~ Gerda Nicholson Myra ~ Anne Phelan Reb ~ Janet Andrewartha Dennis ~ Nigel Bradshaw Leigh ~ Virginia Hey Edna ~ Vivean Gray Bobbie ~ Maxine Klibingaitis Marlene ~ Genevieve Lemon Dot ~ Alethea McGrath Marie ~ Maggie Millar Heather ~ Victoria Nicolls Rachel ~ Kim Trengove Lou ~ Louise Siversen Frances ~ Wanda Davidson Wally ~ Alan Hopgood Kay Desmond ~ SallyAnn Bourne Shane Munroe ~ Robert Summers Tracey Morris ~ Michelle Thomas Mark Sanders ~ William Upjohn Harry Pearson ~ Denzil Howson Diedre Kean ~ Anne Charleston Roland van Dyke ~ Barry Michael Desk Clerk ~ David Bergin Policeman No 1 ~ Stephen Hutchinson Policeman No 2 ~ Steve Ahearn Nicky (Dog) ~ Himself Written by Marcus Cole & Ian Coughlan Directed by Mandy Smith

Tracey tends to Meg who sarcastically apologises for trying to escape. While searching Meg's handbag for her keys to stop her leaving, Tracey finds Meg's building society book and suggests to Mark that they withdraw all the money to supplement the takings from the robbery. Joan tries to discuss with Shane what he wants to do, but he refuses either to go back to his father or into a home. Marlene tries to get the women enthused with her idea for a fashion parade. Marie announces that her "pharmacy" is open for business with a special offer on cocaine. Joan tries to get Shane to go to school by suggesting he starts at a new one near her. Meg overhears Tracey talking to Mark and imply that she is willing to kill Meg if she has to (or more likely get Mark to do it for her).Shane tries to butter Joan up by making her breakfast in bed, but she says he still has to go to school. Judy and most of the other women believe Edna is innocent, but Reb tells them they are gullible: Judy retaliates by teasing Reb for teaming up with Marie after the last time she was involved in drugs. Tracey practices Meg's signature and Meg is forced to phone in sick to work and tell the building society she's coming in to close her account. Wally gets rid of the police who visit his house to investigate a complaint of noise made by a neighbour. Kay attempts to make an escape but Wally has the car keys. Meg smashes Mark's insulin bottle after Tracey leaves for the building society. Heather clumsily asks for Dennis's advice about being blackmailed by pretending to discuss a newspaper article about the hazards of being a prison officer. Joan turns a blind eye to Marie's deals in the laundry. Harry comes to visit Edna: he assures her the appeal will be successful and she will be out soon. Tracey buys a plane ticket. Meg tries to make Mark mistrust Tracey. Marie pins a caricature of Joan on Marlene's board , and waits cackling for Joan to find it. Reb is visited by her mother Diedre: she wants Reb to be reconciled with her father, who is seriously ill with multiple sclerosis. Reb refuses to see him. Ann tries to phone Meg at home, but Mark tells her not to answer. Ann cancels Marlene's visiting privileges for two weeks, even though she denies any knowledge of the caricature. Leigh's agent is so enthusiastic about the publicity arising from her interview: he offers to testify on her behalf to get her out of prison if she will co-operate with follow-up publicity. Mark is about to shoot himself when he realises Tracey is not coming back, but Meg nudges his arm. Reb finds Bobbie sniffling in her cell and offers a half-apology for the incident that led to her miscarriage, but Bobbie furiously rejects it. Marie puts more pressure on Heather to bring in drugs for her. Ann tells Joan and Dennis about Meg's ordeal, and that the police are still looking for Tracey. Rachel takes the aerobics class in place of Marlene, who is sulking in her cell. Joan sends Marie, Frances and Reb out of the rec room for their cynical comments then stands by while they bash Marlene at her instigation. ***

This episode lasts 42 minutes in the version previously seen in all ITV regions. However the credits were not adjusted in this case to reflect the fact that the only scene involving Harry Pearson had been removed. The original version was shown on Channel One in Malta.

Channel 5's version made an additional cut of approximately 50 seconds at the start of the scene indicated in bold above.

Joan: What are you doing up so early?
Shane: Aw, it was going to be a surprise.
Joan: What was?
Shane: Breakfast in bed.
Joan: Yeah, well it's still a surprise. You know, I can't remember when that last happened. Thank you, Shane. Well, I might as well just sit here and have it now that I'm up, eh?
Shane: Toast got a bit burnt.
Joan: Oh that's all right. I don't mind it a bit crisp.
Shane: I used to make breakfast for Mum in bed and give it to her on a tray. After Dad hit her and stuff.
Joan: Did you?
Shane: Yeah.
Joan: Well, where's yours?
Shane: Already had some. Reckon there was in it for more, though. (??) Y'know, I've been thinking. [Channel 5 version started here] That school, we don't want to rush things.

It is very difficult to see any reason why this had to be cut, and although it possibly came imediately after a natural ad break in the original (a reaction shot of Meg's horrified face), it is too long a cut to be explained away as a clumsily edited ad break on Channel 5's part.

ITV regional broadcast dates:-
Broadcast on Meridian Tuesday 06 August 1996

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