EPISODE 631 First broadcast ... 1986 (Melbourne) Broadcast on Channel 5 Saturday 15 July 2000 04:40 DVD release: volume 38 disc 2 (AUS) Duration: 0:45:58

Ann ~ Gerda Nicolson Joan ~ Maggie Kirkpatrick Meg ~ Elspeth Ballantyne Rita ~ Glenda Linscott Lexie ~ Pepe Trevor Alice ~ Lois Collinder Nancy ~ Julia Blake Kath ~ Kate Hood Lorelei ~ Paula Duncan Janet ~ Christine Earle Roach Waters ~ Linda Hartley Marty Jackson ~ Michael Winchester Merle ~ Rosanne Hull-Brown Andrew Hinton ~ Fredric Abbott Delia Stout ~ Desiree Smith Rodney Adams ~ Philip Hyde Harry Parker ~ Howard Priddle Margie Fleming ~ Helen Milte Pat Slattery ~ Dorothy Cutts Chikka ~ Ingle Knight Morgan McDermott ~ Maurice Marion Written by Ian Coughlan Directed by Alister Smart

Joan tells Andrew she's not right for him, but does not correct his assumption that Terri was a man (perhaps because of the powerful visual metaphor that their relationship is a game of chess ). Lorelei plays Joan in the video wearing Rodney's uniform: her interpretation is a little eccentric, suggesting she sees Joan as a cross between a meerkat and the vampire in "Nosferatu" . Merle finds Rodney hiding behind the door in his undies, and assumes he' s playing the same game as Julie was when she caught her with no clothes on. Meg and Delia are heard approaching the rec room as teh women are shooting a scene from the video in there. Lorelei has to hide in the rec room cupboard, and Meg discovers her when she sneezes, although Lorelei has somehow has had time to remove the uniform in the time it takes Meg to cross the room. Nancy's suggestion that they were rehearsing for "The Diary of Anne Frank" does not convince Meg (for some reason). Rita returns the uniform to Rodney and warns him they have a copy of it in use on videotape if he's thinking of reporting them. Mr Parker's associate Morgan pays a visit to the Conquerors. When Andrew sees Joan scanning the property pages, he tells her she doesn't have to rush into buying a house. Mr Parker phones Joan at Andrew's to tell her the Conquerors are fixed and he's sending a visitor to Rita to tell her that Bongo and Grub will be killed in Woodridge if she causes any more problems for Joan. Joan asks if she could deliver the message to Rita in person. Meg goes out drinking with the new trainees. In contrast to the other two, who both have prison officers in the family (even drippy Delia whose father was supposedly at Pentridge), Rodney reveals that his childhood ambition was to be a ballet dancer. Meg advises him not to let the women know about that, as they will use it against him. Nancy tries to persuade Rita to behave more compassionately towards Roach. Alice and Delia realise they are rivals for Marty's affections. Joan tips a plate in Rita's lap and puts her on a charge, telling Janet she's in charge of the press for the day. Rodney offers to take an aerobics class in a transparent attempt to impress Ann. Nancy moves the video tape to another hiding place (a few feet from its old one, but apparently much harder to find). Joan tells Rita that the Conquerors know that if she stirs up trouble, Bongo will suffer and reinforces the message with a punch to the stomach. Marty backs off from contradicting Joan's account of the incident with Rita in the dining room. Rodney gets pulled over the counter by Rita's visitor Margie: Pat deals with the situation. Nancy begs Roach to make it up with Rita. Janet decides not to use the press after threats of an accident. Margie tells Rita about their visit from Morgan: Rita works out that Joan must be dealing with Parker. Joan tells Kath to fix Rita immediately by arranging a fight: Kath refuses even when Joan promises to prevent Merle being sent to an asylum. Rodney tells Merle to take off her fancy dress and she attacks him. Kath calms her down, and Joan demonstrates that she can protect Merle by refusing to let Rodney put her on a charge. Rita tells the others to lay off Joan until the Conquerors can spring Bongo and Grub. Joan makes sure that Rodeny doesn't put in a report about Merle. Rita agrees that it might be possible to expose Joan's drug dealing. Meg finds Rodney and Marty about to fight and takes them to Ann. Kath calms Merle down after Rita laughs at the silly hat she's wearing, but tells Merle she will be able to get her own back in exercise period. ***

Story Editor: Bevan Lee (631)-(634); Gwenda Marsh (635)
Script Editor: Neil Luxmoore (631); Alister Webb (632)-(633); Neil Luxmoore (634); Ian Smith (635)
Storyliners: Tony McDonald, John Coulter, Bob Greenberg

ITV regional broadcast dates:-
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(632)