EPISODE 40Broadcast on Channel 5 (UK) 13 May 1997 Tues 4:40 a.m. Wentworth has a new Deputy Governor. Lynn ~ Kerry Armstrong Monica ~ Lesley Baker Meg ~ Elspeth Ballantyne Jim ~ Gerard Maguire Lizzie ~ Sheila Florance Erica ~ Patsy King Bea ~ Val Lehman Doreen ~ Colette Mann Greg ~ Barry Quin Steve ~ Jim Smillie Vera ~ Fiona Spence Karen ~ Peita Toppano Immigration Officer ~ Roy Edmunds  Alex ~ Lakis Kanzipas Irene ~ Maria Mercedes Joyce ~ Judy Nunn Officer Williams ~ Anne Sutherland Tessa ~ Nadia Tass Receptionist ~ Nannette Wallace Janice ~ Noanie Wood  | Vera is in spiteful form in the dining room at breakfast: Bea hits it on the nose by joking that she obviously wasn't given the Governorship after the VJ's report. Jim Fletcher from Pentridge arrives to take up the post of Deputy Governor. Erica tells Meg and Vera he was at Pentridge for 10 years, and before that was a Sergeant in the Army, serving three years in Vietnam. When Jim is brought to Erica's office  , Vera avoids shaking hands with him. The women work themselves into a major argument just before Jim is brought into the dining room to be introduced to them. Jim annoys Meg with his assumption that work release will be for unmarried women only, and says that married women would be better off learning how to look after their husbands and children. Jim cuts Greg short when he tries to give him some helpful advice, and points out he knows what it's like in prison. Lizzie bursts into the surgery, and Jim suprisingly doesn't seem annoyed. Meg and Vera swap impressions of the new officer: neither of them are particularly impressed, and Vera is downright bitter. Bea introduces herself to Jim as "sort of the Union boss", but he tells her she won't be in any doubt who's in charge while she's around. Irini's fine is paid and she is released, only to be arrested outside the gates as an illegal immigrant, and ends up back inside. Bea is put out when Jim insists on standing right beside them when they are playing cards and christens him "Fletch the Letch". Meg tries to tell him he doesn't need to watch them all the time, but he is rude to her and doesn't want her advice. Erica clashes with Jim over the amount of freedom the women can be given: she points out the Governor is the one who decides policy and sends him home early. Greg tells Jim about Meg's husband when he asks about other male staff. Jim finds letters in Lynn's bag when he searches her and Karen as they are about to leave for work and study release. The person who wrote the letters can't be indentified (surely the people they were addressed to might have been a bit of a clue?), even though Erica is inclined to believe that Lynn didn't know about them. Lizzie bursts in on Meg and Greg as they are talking intimately in the surgery and promptly goes back to the laundry to tell everyone. Monica does not get her parole and wrecks the laundry: Jim subdues her easily with a judo throw when she rushes at him. Lynn still balmes Jim for planting the letters on her and Doreen backs her up. Erica is angry with Jim for hitting Monnie, but she won't lay charges as he has already apologised to her. Jim is taken to see how a new prisoner is inducted when Joyce Martin  brought in for receiving stolen goods and accessory to armed robbery: she recognizes Jim from visiting her husband Harry in Pentridge. Doreen gets in bed with Lynn and they are found together next morning by Meg and Jim. Jim is appalled and calls them "disgusting". Joyce reveals that she doesn't mind serving six months because she is the only one who knows where the $150,000 from her husband's last robbery is hidden. Vera comes to tell Lynn the news about her work release: it's been stopped. |
EPISODE 41Broadcast on Channel 5 (UK) 14 May 1997 Wed 4:40 a.m. Doreen steals drugs.Lynn ~ Kerry Armstrong Monica ~ Lesley Baker Meg ~ Elspeth Ballantyne Jim ~ Gerard Maguire Lizzie ~ Sheila Florance Erica ~ Patsy King Bea ~ Val Lehman Doreen ~ Colette Mann Greg ~ Barry Quin Steve ~ Jim Smillie Vera ~ Fiona Spence Karen ~ Peita Toppano Sister ~ Wendy Damien Vince ~ Terry Emery  Mac ~ Peter Finlay Harry ~ Rob Harrison  Male Guard ~ Brad Lindsay  Joyce ~ Judy Nunn Officer ~ Anne Sutherland Wendy ~ Helen Noonan Fred ~ Terry Tulk Sally ~ Nanette Wallace Male Guard ~ Richard White  Julie ~ Judith Woodroffe  Anne Sutherland is referred to as Officer Williams. | Meg and Vera argue opposing sides to Erica about whether Lynn deliberately tried to smuggle out letters, or whether she was framed (guess which takes which side...) Doreen is worried that Lynn has taken the loss of her work release so hard. Bea and Monica discuss the new Deputy Governor: Bea suspects that Monica fancies him a bit. Looking forward to getting out, Monica thinks about selling the shop, and Bea suggests she sells it to Marilyn and Eddie as they are doing such a good job of running it. Erica asks Meg about the gossip concerning her relationship with Greg which makes Meg snap at her that her private life is her own concern and nothing to do with work. Meg tries to get Lynn not to give up on getting her parole and says the Governor will tell the parole board that she thinks she was set up. Doreen looks only half pleased with Lynn's delighted response. Joyce brags about how well her husband organised the robbery and says the other two men involved were useless, referring to them as "Laurel and Hardy". Karen is all set to expose the injustice of prison life, even when Bea tries to inject a bit of reality. Meg asks Greg to give his job up for the sake of their relationship, but he says he is the junior partner and has to do the job at Wentworth. Doreen makes an excuse to see Greg and steals some pills from the surgery. Joyce gets a visit from her friend Julie, who seems mainly concerned to try to find out where the money is. Greg tells Jim in Erica's absence that some valium is missing, and Jim orders an immediate cell search. Pills are found under Lyn's pillow, so Jim puts her in solitary, despite Meg's protests that she may have been framed again. Lizzie works out who's really responsible when she becomes suspicious about how loudly Doreen is protesting Lynn's innocence. Monnie takes Steve on to arrange the sale of her shop to Eddie and Marilyn. Harry visits Joyce: he says he's no longer on the run as he's got a solid alibi, but she won't tell him where the money is, obviously not trusting him to wait for her release. Doreen sneaks into solitary to have a word with Lynn. Harry returns to see Joyce for a second time in one day and Jim lets him see her when Harry hints that he needs a favour as a "friend". The men in the grocery truck grab Joyce but fail to get her. Jim is injured trying to stop them  . |
EPISODE 42Broadcast on Channel 5 (UK) 15 May 1997 Thurs 4:40 a.m. Joyce is shaken after the kidnap attempt.Lynn ~ Kerry Armstrong Monica ~ Lesley Baker Meg ~ Elspeth Ballantyne Jim ~ Gerard Maguire Lizzie ~ Sheila Florance Erica ~ Patsy King Bea ~ Val Lehman Doreen ~ Colette Mann Greg ~ Barry Quin Steve ~ Jim Smillie Vera ~ Fiona Spence Karen ~ Peita Toppano Jennifer ~ Lauren Burton Charles ~ Michael Duffield Joyce ~ Judy Nunn Leila ~ Penny Ramsay Officer ~ Sue Silver Suzanne ~ Joanna Weir Joyce's statement that "there was a lot of blood" suggests that the writers hadn't yet thought up Jim's phobia. Is this non-speaking extra in a bar scene Isn't it strange that the reproductions of Leonardo and Vermeer on the wall in Steve's office | Jim insists he isn't seriously hurt and with an absurd show of heroism from someone who'd been knocked unconscious, he claims he wants to return to work after Greg has patched him up. Meg is forced to tell Erica that it was Jim who allowed Harry Martin's second visit, though her impression was that Joyce was being abducted rather than attempting to escape. Erica phones Jim's wife but finds out to her surprise that they are separated. Greg warns Jim that if he doesn't have X-rays, he will declare him unfit for duty. Jim is offended that Erica had contacted his wife without his knowledge (though presumably the information was in his personal file?). Lizzie asks to see Erica with "secret information". As it's late, Erica sees her in her cell and Lizzie confesses to taking the valium from the surgery in front of Doreen. Erica orders Lynn should be released from solitary immediately and all Lizzie's privileges suspended until further notice. After taking Jim to the hospital, where he gets the all clear, Jim and Greg go for a drink and JIm tells Greg about his service in Vietnam, in a particularly horrific incident where he survived a assault where many of his comrades were killed. Lynn asks who framed her when she is released from solitary, but Meg says she can't be sure. Lizzie tells Doreen that she knows it was her who framed Lynn to keep her inside, so in retaliation Doreen tells Lynn it was Lizzie who got her into trouble. Lizzie says nothing when Lynn turns on her and calls her a "mean despicable old woman". Jim gets very drunk so Greg drives him to a "friend"'s house, which turns out to be his old home: he wakes his wife up  with his drunken demands to see their children. Monica works out that Lizzie has taken the blame for Doreen and tells Lynn it was Doreen. Meg overhears the end of the conversation. Lynn makes Doreen admit she framed her, and smears mud from the garden over her face  to show Doreen that she is a "worm". Monica arranges a collection of fags for Lizzie as she can't buy her own. The solicitor acting for Eddie and Marilyn in the sale of Monica's shop is Jennifer Collins  . She is an old flame of Steve's, so he invites her to lunch. Erica stops Jim from questioning Joyce too harshly over her husband's abduction attempt, saying "this is a women's prison, not a concentration camp". Outside, Erica's office, Jim has a sequence of voiceover flashbacks to remind us of what the writers have revealed of his character so far. Steve's partner tells him he wants to dissolve their partnership as his taste for Legal Aid work is affecting their income. Jim brushes off Vera's attempt to flatter him by telling him she admires his methods. Karen has to make an excuse when a student friend invites her to an evening lecture on prison life. Jennifer tells Steve her father is prepared to finance them going into partnership together. Joyce doesn't remember what it was her husband knew about Jim. Joyce asks Monica to help her by moving the money somewhere safer when she is released. |
EPISODE 43Broadcast on Channel 5 (UK) 16 May 1997 Fri 4:40 a.m. Lynn is furious with Doreen. Bea warns Moni.Lynn ~ Kerry Armstrong Monica ~ Lesley Baker Meg ~ Elspeth Ballantyne Jim ~ Gerard Maguire Lizzie ~ Sheila Florance Erica ~ Patsy King Bea ~ Val Lehman Doreen ~ Colette Mann Greg ~ Barry Quin Vera ~ Fiona Spence Karen ~ Peita Toppano Vince ~ Terry Emery Mac ~ Peter Finlay Fred ~ Gary Files Joyce ~ Judy Nunn Julie ~ Judith Woodroffe Martha ~ Kate Jason Blossom ~ Linda Keane Leila ~ Penny Ramsay Officer Barry ~ Joy Westmore Blossom is misspelt "Blosson" in the credits - in later episodes the same character is credited under her real name Denise | Lynn is unable to forgive Doreen for her betrayal. Joyce once again tries to persuade Monnie to move the money, but she refuses. Martha Eaves is listening in to their conversations. Doreen is disciplined for planting items on Lynn and separates them by moving Doreen back to the laundry. Jim isn't happy that Erica won't agree to move Doreen out of Lynn's dormitory to put an end to their "sick behaviour". Erica also refuses to let Jim question Joyce further about her knowledge of her husband's robbery. Monnie is told she has got her parole and will be released the following afternoon. Lynn also gets her parole and is to be released at the same time. Jim gets the women to go back to work by threatening to stop them celebrating Monica and Lynn's release. Vera tries to find out from Meg what she knows about Jim, as Erica has indicated she isn't happy with his attitudes. Fred Ferguson  comes to visit Monnie (for the first time ever on her last day inside?): he tells her he has run up huge gambling debts. Monica won't get enough from the sale of the shop to pay Fred's debts, so she has to agree to help Joyce move the money. Fred meets his girlfriend Blossom outside Wentworth: it appears he isn't in debt after all and the money is to be lavished on his demanding girl friend. Monica demands a payment of $20,000 to move Joyce's money: Joyce tells Monica it is hidden with her Aunt Madge. Jim is suspicious of what Joyce and Monnie are plotting, but Vera sees him trying to pressurise Joyce so he has to drop it. Vera's snide comments about Jim's "friendship" with Joyce's husband infuriates him so much he storms out of the staff room. Martha asks permission to sends a telegram to Joy, who is supposed to be a sick friend. Karen talks to Doreen about Franky to get her to see that she shouldn't be sad about Lynn leaving. The women hold a party for Lynn and Monica, complete with tacky disco music. Doreen turns up with a red ribbon in her hair and tries to be friendly to Lynn as Karen advised her. Martha pushes Doreen over and she runs back to her cell in tears. Lynn follows her, and they say goodbye when Lynn refuses Doreen's request that they should spend their last night together. Jim takes the women in a compulsory half hour exercise period each morning, but several of the women pretend to be sick, much to Vera's delight. Lynn and Karen reminisce about their first day in Wentworth. Joyce asks Monica to open a deposit account for her and arrange to have the key smuggled back to her. Martha's friend visits her to talk about "Joy", but she is really Julie, the contact for Vinnie's gang and she meets them outside and tells them Joyce has contacted Monica Ferguson and when she will be released. Leila comes to see Jim  but he refuses to see her: Meg gets involved and finds out about Jim's marital problems. Bea makes a speech to say goodbye to Monica and Lynn and warns them not to come back. Monnie argues about the deductions from her wages on release: the delay causes Vinnie's gang to kidnap Lynn by mistake. |
EPISODE 44Broadcast on Channel 5 (UK) 17 May 1997 Sat 4:40 a.m. Monica is free.Lynn ~ Kerry Armstrong Monica ~ Lesley Baker Meg ~ Elspeth Ballantyne Jim ~ Gerard Maguire Lizzie ~ Sheila Florance Erica ~ Patsy King Bea ~ Val Lehman Doreen ~ Colette Mann Greg ~ Barry Quin Vera ~ Fiona Spence Karen ~ Peita Toppano Vince ~ Terry Emery Mac ~ Peter Finlay Fred ~ Gary Files Joyce ~ Judy Nunn Julie ~ Judith Woodroffe Aunt Madge ~ Paddy Burnet  Jennifer ~ Laurel Burton Edith ~ Colleen Clifford Horrie ~ Michael Gamble Peter ~ Carrillo Gantner  Sam ~ Alex Porteous  Alf ~ Frank Raggart Suzanne ~ Joanna Weir Doreen is not in this episode The set for Monica Ferguson's kitchen Is it a deliberate irony that Greg holds forth about research into the causes of cancer while waving a cigarette around? He never seems to smoke at other times. | Monnie is eventually released, little suspecting what a narrow escape she had. Lynn tells the kidnappers she isn't called Monica: they believe her but say they will keep her as a hostage to put pressure on Joyce. Karen hears from her student friend about the lecture she missed from the sociology lecturer Peter Clements, and lends her a tape she made. Monica looks up Joyce's aunt Madge, who knows about the money but is glad to let Monnie take it. Karen meets Jennifer, Steve's legal partner and - it appears - now his lover. Madge's neighbours Edie pops over to borrow a jug of milk: Madge tells Monica that Edie and Horace are due to be evicted. Edie returns home and ignores another reminder that her house is to be demolished. Karen is introduced to Peter Clements: he says he will be taking some time off to do research. He asks to speak to Karen: he evidently knows she is in Wentworth and asks if he can give her a few pointers for his research. Joy visits Joyce and is told they have kidnapped Monica. Joyce instantly realises from the threat to ruin the hostage's "pretty face" that she cannot be talking about Monica, and laughs when she hears the description of the blonde 20 year old who is the hostage. Bea doesn't find this quite as funny when she realises Lynn is in danger. Julie returns to the gang with the news that they have the wrong woman  , but she says they have to hang onto Lynn until they get the money. The man who has bought the house comes round in person to tell Edie and Horace to get out. Peter Clements gives Karen a lift back to Wentworth: he tells her that he actually wants to study the staff rather than the prisoners and asks her for background information on the officers. Joyce informs on Vince and his mates to Jim: he passes on the information to the police (apparently Julie was foolish enough to put her real address in the visitor's book) and they are arrested. Monnie arrives home as Fred is on the phone to the his girlfriend Blossom. She sends him off to the pub so she can unpack the cash and divide it up. Edith and Horace look for other accommodation with the Salvation Army but they decide to sleep rough rather than be split up because they aren't married. The next morning Edith finds Horrie has died in the night  . Vera and Jim are both contemptuous about the news that a psychologist will be working at the prison. Monica won't let Fred take the money to the bookie but insists on taking it herself: unfortunately he sees where she has hidden the rest of the money. Peter Clements is introduced to the women and gets a promise of co-operation from Bea if in return he will bring some contraband into the prison. Monica goes to pay off Fred's debts, but the bookie tells her he didn't owe as much as Fred had claimed. Peter Clements persuades Erica to let him have access to the prisoners' personal files and Greg also expresses interest in his project. Edie finds a bottle of whisky in Horrie's overcoat and drinks a toast to him as she wanders through the park. Monica returns home to find that Fred has run off with her share of the money. |
EPISODE 45Broadcast on Channel 5 (UK) 18 May 1997 Sun 4:40 a.m. Doreen is upsetMonica ~ Lesley Baker Meg ~ Elspeth Ballantyne Jim ~ Gerard Maguire Lizzie ~ Sheila Florance Erica ~ Patsy King Bea ~ Val Lehman Doreen ~ Colette Mann Greg ~ Barry Quin Vera ~ Fiona Spence Karen ~ Peita Toppano Edith ~ Colleen Clifford Joyce ~ Judy Nunn Sgt Malley ~ Peter Aanensen  Supermarket Manager ~ Rob Constable  Checkout Girl ~ Yvonne Drake Fred ~ Gary Files Peter ~ Carrillo Gantner Det Sgt Grace ~ Terry Gill  Woman Shopper ~ Jennifer Hearne  Mrs Bessie ~ Val Jellay  Denise ~ Linda Keane Bruce ~ Nick Kislinski  Dosshouse Keeper ~ David Murray  Sol Davis ~ Jack Perry  Channel 5's broadcast of this episode was disfigured by many digital dropouts, some lasting a minute or more, so I may have missed something. | Fred meets Blossom and wants to get away in her car as soon as possible in case Monica comes after him. She wants to stay in Melbourne for a while to spend some of the money having a good time. Monica calls round a few places where she thinks Fred might be, like a bar where he does in fact turn up just after the barman puts the phone down. Dr Clements eavesdrops outside Erica's office and overhears her and Jim discussing Doreen and Lynn's brief lesbian fling. Meg catches Dr Clements talking to the women in the laundry, and points out he needs permission. Monica visits Joyce and hands over the safety deposit key by hiding it in the matchbox Joyce gives her to get a light. Blossom goes to a motel with Fred and phones her friend Bruce, suggesting they do the "usual routine". After getting drunk and talking to a woman on a park bench, Edith returns to the doss-house and chucks a brick through a window. Bruce bursts in on Blossom and Fred in their motel room claiming to be Blossom's husband, and threatens to beat Fred up so he is offered the money to stop. Meg gets emotional and self-pitying (again) about the age difference between Greg and her. Fred returns home to find Monnie waiting to give him a bashing. A kindly police sergeant gives Edie the money for her bail just as Fred turns up at the same police station saying he wants to lay charges. Monnie ends up back inside, where Joyce warns her she'd better get her story straight as Fred's flashing money around will lead the police back to her. Inspector Grace arrests Bruce and Blossom in the same motel room. Edie tries shop-lifting and is bound over: the police sergeant gives her an umbrella to keep her dry on her walk back to the boarding house. Dr Clements interviews Doreen and probes her lesbianism (this seems to be the only reference to Doreen's longterm female lover before she was in prison) and family history. She becomes so distressed that she refuses to talk to him any more and runs out of his office. Mrs Bessie tries to throw Edith out of the boarding house without giving her a refund, but Edie assaults her with the umbrella. Blossom and Edie arrive together at Wentworth. Jim is appalled by Vera's heartless attitude to Edie. The police catch up with Fred and tell him the money he's been spending so freely came from a payroll job, so he promptly informs on Monnie. Monnie is interviewed by the police and she tries to claim it's Fred who got hold of the money. Greg and Meg have a huge argument and he storms out of the flat. Blossom is quite happy to explain to Bea why she is inside as Monnie and Joyce look daggers at her. |
Storyliner: Dave Worthington
Script Editor: Anne Lucas
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