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EPISODES ON CHANNEL 5 (UK) - WEEK 13

76 * 77 * 78 * 79 * 80


EPISODE 76

Broadcast on Channel 5 (UK) 24 June 1997 Tues 4:40 a.m. Pat has a visit.

Lizzie ~ Sheila Florance
Erica ~ Patsy King
Bea ~ Val Lehman
Doreen ~ Colette Mann
Greg ~ Barry Quin
Vera ~ Fiona Spence
Karen ~ Peita Toppano
Pat ~ Monica Maughan
Roslyn ~ Sigrid Thornton
Chrissie ~ Amanda Muggleton
David ~ David Letch
Alex ~ Geoff Collins
Mrs Devlin ~ Rosie Sturgess
Shayne Berkley ~ Stephan Dennis
Herbie ~ George Spartels
UNCREDITED
Officer Powell ~ Judith McGrath
Desk Sergeant ~ Telford Jackson
Connie ~ Deborra-Lee Furness
OTHER CHARACTERS
John Mooney (Doreen's admirer)
First reporter
Newsreader (V/O)
Sister at Wentworth

  • Written by John Wood
  • Directed by Kendal Flanagan
  • Bea and the women listen to the news of David's escape on the radio. At the halfway house, Karen is reading about the same thing in the newspaper . Pat is harrassed by reporters, but a friend of David's arrives with a message - he will take Pat away to where David is hiding out with his friend Shayne Berkley. Mrs Devlin turns the hose on the reporters to get them to leave. Pat tries to get David to give himself up, and he says he will think about it. Ros tears up the script and costumes in disappointment that the show failed to change conditions: Bea warns her sternly not to be so childish. Vera offers a Christmas cake around the staff room: Lizzie bursts in and accuses her of stealing her present from Doreen, but it not the same cake. Karen helps Alex to get an interview with Pat, but she refuses to say anything until after David gives himself up. Chrissie gives Ros some advice about surviving on the run: the advice seems to boil down to "find yourself a sailor" (this is advice that Ros seems to remember, as we will see). Bea overhears and tells Ros not to trust Chrissie or get too friendly with her. David breaks into a toyshop and leaves presents for the kids on the back step at Pat's. Bea is disgusted to find that Ros has given away Doreen's present of perfume to Chrissie. Doreen is visited at the halfway house by a young man who worked with the builder and seems to have a crush on her: she is confused and asks Karen what and Lizzie sneaks a sly sideways glance at the contents of Erica's decanter. Shayne and David steal a car to go interstate, and the ubiquitous reporter overhears when it is reported to the desk sergeant at the police station. Lizzie picks the lock of Erica's office with a coat hanger and steals her sherry. Doreen goes for a picnic with her admirer, but isn't prepared when he tries to kiss her and runs off in a panic. Vera catches Lizzie with the sherry in a screwtop jar, but despite the ominous colour, Lizzie persuades her it is a urine sample and Vera takes it to the infirmary. Alex tips Karen off that David may be on his way to see his mother. Lizzie gets another prisoner in the queue for surgery to arrange a diversion so she can nip into the surgery and steal the "sample" back. Greg is only able to prevent Karen going to warn Pat by going in her place. Greg arrives in time to stop Pat getting caught up in the police trap for David outside Pat's mother's house , but when the police arrive, there is a gunfight . Doreen arrives back at the halfway house in tears, just as Karen hears on the radio that one police officer and "an innocent bystander" have been killed.

    EPISODE 77

    Broadcast on Channel 5 (UK) 25 June 1997 Wed 4:40 a.m. Karen rushes to the scene of the shoot-out.

    Meg ~ Elspeth Ballantyne
    Lizzie ~ Sheila Florance
    Erica ~ Patsy King
    Bea ~ Val Lehman
    Jim ~ Gerard Maguire
    Greg ~ Barry Quin
    Vera ~ Fiona Spence
    Karen ~ Peita Toppano
    Pat ~ Monica Maughan
    Roslyn ~ Sigrid Thornton
    Chrissie ~ Amanda Muggleton
    David ~ David Letch
    Mrs Devlin ~ Rosie Sturgess
    Alex Fraser ~ Geoff Collins
    Herbie ~ George Spartels
    Det Sgt Allen ~ Kenneth Goodlet
    UNCREDITED
    Officer Phillip ~ Lise Rodgers
    Officer Powell ~ Judith McGrath
    Sister ~ Wendy Damien (note the wig)
    OTHER CHARACTERS
    Jack Simington (the other reporter with Alex) ; Policeman at the shootout ; Policeman bringing Pat back to Wentworth ; Newsreader with the very bad cold; Andrew and Emma O'Connell

  • Written by John Wregg & Ian Bradley
  • Directed by Marcus Cole
  • Karen takes a taxi to the scene of the shootout and is relieved to see Greg is still alive. He tells her to get away from the scene as quickly as possible as Pat has already been arrested. Vera catches Lizzie in her cell getting merry by drinking the "urine sample". Greg pleads Karen not to have anything more to do with Pat and her family, but she refuses. Vera is appalled when Jim treats Lizzie's drunkenness as a joke. Pat is brought back to Wentworth. Ros asks Chrissie to get her the key to the surgery so that Ros can steal drugs, but Chrissie demands extra payment on top of the perfume Ros gave her in the form of clothes from maternity. Ros helps herself to some Tuinal and other capsules, but nearly gets caught by Jim when the surgery phone starts to ring. Vera stops Jim from going to answer the phone by saying that Greg is off work for the rest of the day. In her shock, Ros drops all the pills on the floor, but misses one when she picks them up again. Det Sgt Allen interviews Pat in Wentworth, but she says she doesn't know where David is. David returns to herbie's place to be told the news that Shayne is dead and David tries to piece together what happened during the shootout and in particular who alerted the police. Pat's statement to the police doesn't mention Greg's presence at the shootout. Lizzie comes to the surgery for a hangover cure, but drops the pills Greg gives her. Helping her to pick them up he notices the extra capsule and realises other drugs have been stolen, so he immediately phones Jim to report it, in front of Lizzie. Ros gives a handful of pills to Chrissie, but tapes the rest under a washbasin in the shower block. Davdi hears a message from his mother on the radio asking him to give himself up. A cell search fails to turn up the drugs, but Lizzie tips off Bea about Ros's possible involvement after seeing her talking to Chrissie in the showers. Chrissie catches Ros getting a pill out her stash for Pat, then Bea catches Chrissie then Vera catches Bea and confiscates the drugs. Chrissie immediately lags on Ros in front of Bea and Lizzie. Meg finds the rest of the pills in a locker in maternity. Chrissie is confined to the maternity wing as a punishment and Ros is sent to solitary for 48 hours. Alex takes another reporter to talk to Mrs Devlin - the other reporter makes a connection between the children's toys and the toyshop breakin. Greg at last tells Karen he loves her when she challenges his right to tell her what to do. Pat is brought back from court with an extra year's sentence for breach of parole and receiving stolen goods (the toys). Alex tells the other reporter about Karen's relationship with Greg - and he says he'll use it in his story. Pat's mother tells her she has to go for an operation and the children will have to go into a home. Greg and Karen are photographed kissing and the picture appears in the newspaper under the headline about Pat's imprisonment (though oddly there seems to be no story to go along with it...) David recognises Greg from the shootout and vows to kill him as he holds Greg responsible for his mother's imprisonment.

    EPISODE 78

    Broadcast on Channel 5 (UK) 26 June 1997 Thurs 4:40 a.m. Greg and Karen's engagement worries Doreen.

    Meg ~ Elspeth Ballantyne
    Lizzie ~ Sheila Florance
    Erica ~ Patsy King
    Bea ~ Val Lehman
    Jim ~ Gerard Maguire
    Doreen ~ Colette Mann
    Greg ~ Barry Quin
    Vera ~ Fiona Spence
    Karen ~ Peita Toppano
    Pat ~ Monica Maughan
    Roslyn ~ Sigrid Thornton
    David ~ David Letch
    Geoff Butler ~ Ray Meagher
    Herbie ~ George Spartels
    UNCREDITED
    Sally ~ Nanette Wallace
    Wendy ~ Helen Noonan
    OTHER CHARACTERS
    Greg's nurse
    Tracy and Betty (at the halfway house)

  • Written by Margaret McClusky
  • Directed by Marcus Cole
  • Is that the Bee Gees on the noticeboard behind Ros?

    Doreen reacts peevishly to the news of Karen and Greg's engagement and is suspicious when Karen tells her she has already lined up another two women to move into the halfway house. Lizzie and Pat beg Bea not to bash Ros when she gets out of solitary. Herbie gives David the address of Greg's surgery, but tries to argue against killing Greg (so in that case it would have been simpler not to give him the address surely?). Erica follows Jim's recommendation for tightening security: the corridor gates are to be kept locked during the day to prevent the women getting to the administration areas. The women have a collection for a wedding present for Karen and Greg and Lizzie suggests they ask Doreen to visit to collect it to make sure it is delivered on time. Bea lays the blame for the increased security squarely on Ros. Doreen eavesdrops on Greg and Karen discussing how to make her feel less left out. David is waiting opposite the surgery as Greg arrives, but the arrival of Greg's nurse makes him go back to Herbie's. He tells Herbie to visit the surgery as a patient to find out when Greg will be alone. Vera takes away privileges for the whole block when the women don't have their beds made by the required second ("rule 29 subsection 3"). The women complain to Jim, but he says the punishment will stand. Herbie visits the surgery, notices the big window at the back and finds out that Greg lives on the premises. Bea realises that the loss of privileges means that Doreen won't be allowed to visit to collect the wedding present. The two new residents arrive at the halfway house and Doreen is more welcoming than anyone expects. Bea announces that she will bash Ros when she gets out of solitary and this time Pat doesn't protest. Jim gets a phone call from an old Army mate, Geoff Butler: Jim agreesto meet him after work to go for a drink. Ros is released from solitary and shrugs off Erica's warnings. Ros also ignores Pat's attempt to help, and goes straight to the rec room, where Bea is waiting for her. Ros and Bea square up for a fight and Bea gets in the first good slap , but by the time the officers arrive, all they can see is Ros throwing books at the other women to keep them back. Jim takes Ros back to solitary. Karen goes to see Greg at the surgery. Vera and Meg go for a drink after work in the same pub where Jim is meeting Geoff. Geoff is not put off by the uniform and invites Meg to dinner, but she turns him down. After aiming inffectually at the back window of the surgery, David tells Herbie to ring Greg to get him to come to the phone and into range of the gun. David sees a shape at the window and fires...

    EPISODE 79

    Broadcast on Channel 5 (UK) 27 June 1997 Fri 4:40 a.m. Greg finds Karen lying in a pool of blood.

    Meg ~ Elspeth Ballantyne
    Erica ~ Patsy King
    Bea ~ Val Lehman
    Jim ~ Gerard Maguire
    Doreen ~ Colette Mann
    Greg ~ Barry Quin
    Vera ~ Fiona Spence
    Karen ~ Peita Toppano
    Pat ~ Monica Maughan
    Roslyn ~ Sigrid Thornton
    David ~ David Letch
    Kathleen ~ Penelope Stewart
    Herbie ~ George Spartels
    Geoff Butler ~ Ray Meagher
    Janet Dominguez ~ Diedre Rubenstein
    Leila Fletcher ~ Penny Ramsay
    Mary McCauley ~ Carmel Millhouse
    UNCREDITED
    Mr Goodwin ~ Lloyd Cunnington
    Wendy ~ Helen Noonan
    OTHER CHARACTERS
    Betty (the halfway house resident first seen in the previous episode)
    Detective escorting Janet Dominguez
    Doctor Hilton (who operates on Karen)
    Radio newsreader

  • Written by Michael Harvey
  • Directed by Leigh Spence
  • In the pre-credit sequence, the last scene of the previous episode continues. Karen is shot in the side and lies covered in blood . At the hospital, Greg waits for news of Karen's condition: the doctor tells him she took the full force of the blast on her right side (though it looks more as if someone threw a pot of paint at her right armpit). Herbie is not convinced that David has done the right thing and tries to persuade him to make run for it. Greg is interviewed by Det Sgt Allen and remembers about Herbie's visit to his surgery. Det Sgt Allen suggests there may be a link with David shooting the police officer and that the shot may have been aimed at Greg not Karen. The doctor tells Greg he is unable to remove all the fragments of shotgun pellet as some are lodged close to Karen's heart. Doreen hears about Karen from one of the new residents of the halfway house, who heard it on the radio. The women at Wentworth also listen to the news which covers not just the shooting but also the arrest of political activist Janet Dominguez. Erica rings the hospital to find out how Karen is. Herbie shows David the paper and tells him he shot the wrong person. David just says he will have to try again, but Herbie says no - until David turns the gun on him. Ros sees the VJ and answers the charge of destroying prison property by saying she was defending herself against Bea. When Bea is called to see the VJ, she forces Pat to come along too to substantiate her side of the story. The VJ accepts the evidence against Ros and she is sent back to solitary for another three days. Herbie takes the ammunition out of the gun while David is out of the room. Janet Dominguez is brought to Wentworth and confounds the officers' assumption that she is unable to speak English by delivering a long and eloquent list of her grievances. Karen's mother arrives at the hospital. Ros hears Janet protesting at her treatment as she is put in solitary: she evidently doesn't realise she is being given favourable treatment by being allowed to take her suitcase into solitary. Meg agrees to go to dinner at Jim's where Geoff Butler is also a guest. Herbie brings the police back to his place, and David is arrested. Ros talks to Janet through the wall: Janet tells her that she is English and met her husband when they were both at University. After they went back to his (unspecified) home country, there was a military coup and her husband Jose was arrested and "disappeared". Years after, she found he had been tortured and shot for giving medical treatment to opponents of the regime. Leila makes no effort to hide her dislike of Geoff and she is appalled when Jim invites him to stay with them. The doctor asks Karen's mother for permission to operate again as the fragments are moving closer to Karen's heart. Greg looks dreamily at a bowl of red roses , as a vocal/solo guitar accompanied version of the theme starts early over a brief montage of Karen stills.

    EPISODE 80

    Broadcast on Channel 5 (UK) 28 June 1997 Sat 4:40 a.m. Greg turns to Meg.

    Meg ~ Elspeth Ballantyne
    Erica ~ Patsy King
    Bea ~ Val Lehman
    Jim ~ Gerard Maguire
    Greg ~ Barry Quin
    Vera ~ Fiona Spence
    Karen ~ Peita Toppano
    Pat ~ Monica Maughan
    Roslyn ~ Sigrid Thornton
    Janet ~ Diedre Rubenstein
    Kathleen ~ Penelope Stewart
    Leila Fletcher ~ Penny Ramsay
    Geoff Butler ~ Ray Meagher
    Angela Jeffries ~ Jeanie Drynan
    Mary McCauley ~ Carmel Millhouse
    UNCREDITED
    John Pendleton ~ John Proper
    Officer Powell ~ Judith McGrath
    Officer Phillip ~ Lise Rodgers
    Wendy ~ Helen Noonan
    OTHER CHARACTERS
    Radio newsreader
    "Sandra Thompson" (the alias used by Ros' visitor)
    Nurse at the hospital

  • Written by John Upton
  • Directed by Leigh Spence
  • Ros asks Janet to join forces and help her with another escape, but Janet is content to rely on her supporters and her lawyer. Meg unwisely invites Geoff in for a coffee when he gives her a lift home: she feels unable to put Geoff off and agrees to go out with him. Pat hears on the radio that David has been captured and charged with the attempted murder of Karen. Greg visits Meg in a break from waiting for Karen to come round. Erica tells Jim that Janet's group has threatened reprisals for her arrest. Greg comes to the prison saying he wants to work, and Jim suggests he could examine Janet. Greg is annoyed by Janet's comparison of him to the prison doctors who watched her husband being tortured. Much to Leila's disgust, Geoff moves his belongings into the Fletchers'. Janet asks if Ros is still willing to help her, and says she will arrange for Ros to have a visitor who will use the name of one of her school friends. Bea gives the money to Erica that the women collected for an engagement present and asks if she could flowers for Karen instead. She also asks about what will happen to the halfway house and is told that Angela Jeffries has taken it over the halfway house temporarily. Janet's solicitor advises her that it is very likely she will be extradited and is told to make the arrangements for the visitor for Ros. Angela sees Pat about her appeal, and tells Pat that she's defending David. Leila phones Meg without Jim's knowledge to warn her not to get involved with Geoff. Karen's mother looks to the future and offers to help Greg and Karen relocate to Queensland aafter their wedding. Geoff makes an unexpected visit to Meg. Greg is offended when Angela asks him to give evidence at Pat O'Connell's appeal. Karen recovers consciousness. Ros is let out of solitary and put to share a cell with Kathleen Leach. Bea is annoyed when Ros starts to spout about class war in the laundry. "Sandra Thompson" visits Ros and carries on a coded conversation in front of Jim, passing a pen to Ros which contains a phial of powder and instructions to put it in the staff room tea urn when Ros sees the signal of flashing headlights at night. Kath realises something is going on, so Ros tells her about the escape but warns her to keep quiet. When Angela apologises for her lack of tact, Greg agrees he was unreasonable and agrees to give evidence for Pat. Angela tells Pat that David will have to plead insanity to avoid a murder charge, but at the cost of being sent to a mental institution. When Kath points out that the white powder could be poison, Ros immediately takes a little of it to prove that it isn't. She collapses almost immediately.

    Storyliners: Dave Worthington, Margaret McClusky
    Script Editor: Anne Lucas


    To mark Prisoner's move to a more reasonable time in the schedules, Channel 5 showed episodes (81) to (85) together on one night. Follow the link below for Week 13 all-nighter...


    (70) to (75)
    (81) to (85)

    Updated ~ 30 March 2001