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EPISODE 523

Dennis receives a letter which incriminates Joan. Ettie asks for money from the Department. Marl wants to marry Matt. And Mervin seems uneasy after getting the cook's job.

First broadcast ... 1985 (Melbourne)
Broadcast on Channel 5 Sunday 27 June 1999 04:40
DVD release: volume 33 disc 3 (AUS)
Duration: 0:44:46



Meg ~ Elspeth Ballantyne
Judy ~ Betty Bobbitt
Ann ~ Gerda Nicolson
Myra ~ Anne Phelan
Dennis ~ Nigel Bradshaw
Marlene ~ Genevieve Lemon
Lexie ~ Pepe Trevor
Joyce ~ Joy Westmore
Sheila ~ Colleen Hewett
Janice ~ Jenny Ludlam
Ettie ~ Lois Ramsay
Mervin ~ Ernie Bourne
Matt ~ Peter Bensley
Geoff ~ Les Dayman
Frank ~ Trevor Kent
Det. Insp. Thorne ~ Peter Aanenson
Andrew Fry ~ Howard Bell

  • Written by Ian Coughlan
  • Directed by Kendal Flanagan
  • Lexie returns to Wentworth on a six month sentence, protesting her innocence to Officer Slattery. Frank holds the broken plate to Dennis' eye and threatens to blind him. Joyce reports the incident to Ann. Ettie is just entertaining the women with some wartime songs as the women are locked in the dining room while Ann goes to talk to Frank. He demands the use of a car to escape and when she asks for half an hour to set it up he demands the use of hers. Inspector Thorne advises Ann to go along with Frank's demands and they will catch him on the outside. Ann agrees to unlock the solitary door to let Frank out, with Dennis as hostage. To prevent a riot, Joyce tells Myra why they have been confined. Myra silences the women with difficulty and tells them what is going on. Frank only gets as far as reception, where he is stopped by Joyce and Dennis (who finds Frank so easy to beat, he can do so with both hands tied behind his back). Dennis comments that it was fortunate that Joan wasn't on duty. Meg contemplates decorating her new flat. Matt and Marlene squabble about where they will live after they are married. Dennis gets a letter from Ray about Joan. Lexie and Judy upset Marlene by pretending to read joke telegrams congratulating her and Matt on their engagement from Joan and "Chuckles" Murphy. Myra tries to get Marlene to see sense and Geoff does the same with Matt. This seems to work as they kiss and make up. Lexie tries to get Marlene to be realistic about the prospects of her relationship with Matt lasting. Dennis passes Ray's letter on to Ann and Ann asks Dennis to try to get him to come to talk to her. Jan threatens Alice with exposure of her involvement in Sam's murder to make her get her some drink. Mervin comes for interview for the cook's job and Joyce helps him fill in his application forms (how did he get an interview without filling in a form earlier?). Andrew Fry arrives as the new Head of Corrective Services and wants to settle Ettie's case. Mr Fry offers Ettie fifty thousand dollars compensation if she will sign a waiver guaranteeing she won't speak the media: Jan turns the offer down and insists on holding on for the half a million dollars. Ann shows Mervin "his" new kitchen and he starts to cook his first lunch. Ettie is convinced she has lost her chance of release forever by refusing to sign the letter. Alice steals some alcohol based floor polish when Mervin asks her to throw it away, and also takes some rum and brandy flavourings which happen to be handy. Ann and Meg are both repelled by Mr Fry's unsubtle attempts to flatter and flirt with them. Marlene suggests to Matt that they should marry in Wentworth. Jan drinks the polish in her cell and collapses in pain.

    From Matt's comment, it seems that the Australian equivalent of Skid Row seems to be "St Kilda tram station"?

    Andrew Fry sarcastically wishes Mervin "the best of British" - perhaps a reference to his accent.

    ***


    ITV regional broadcast dates:-
    Broadcast on Meridian Tuesday 7th October 1997 23:40


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