EPISODE 166Broadcast on Channel 5 Wednesday 26th November 1997 23:35 The women are confined to their cells after the extent of the escape becomes known. Meanwhile, Bea, Lizzie and Doreen are trapped in the tunnel.CREDITSJudy ~ Betty BobbittLizzie ~ Sheila Florance Erica ~ Patsy King Bea ~ Val Lehman Jim ~ Gerard Maguire Doreen ~ Colette Mann Vera ~ Fiona Spence Anne ~ Rowena Wallace Gillespie ~ Wynn Roberts Mouse ~ Jentah Sobott Margo ~ Jane Clifton Phyllis ~ Reylene Pearce Hazel ~ Belinda Davey Mr Douglas ~ Ian Smith Off. Powell ~ Judith McGrath Youth ~ Nick Holland  UNCREDITEDVan Driver ~ Terry Trimble OTHER CHARACTERSDetective Inspector Bridges Petrol Station Attendant  Traffic Policeman  When Gillepsie looks at Doreen's file, we can see her mugshot pictures | Judy and Mouse dig in the rubble with their bare hands, but they only turn up Irene's dead body  . They shout for help and hear Bea's voice on the other side of the cave-in: Bea tells them that Doreen and Lizzie are still alive. Meanwhile, Anne is making a rockery on top of the tunnel, but Gillespie sees her  and sends her back inside the marquee. Bea has to help Doreen free her leg  , but she still isn't able to walk, so Bea goes back alone to try to get help. Margo and Hazel are worried that Bea and Lizzie haven't come back  , especially when Vera notices that Bea isn't around, but Margo manages to cover for her. Bea reaches the entrance to the tunnel but can't get the lid up. Gillespie notices the ladder and raises the alarm: all the kids are sent home. Bea finds her way back to Doreen and Lizzie and suggests they all sit down and wait for help to arrive: Lizzie points out that they've made sure that no-one knows they are down the tunnel and if they are relying on Anne for help, they may be in for a long wait. Judy and Mouse find the other end of the tunnel and try to clean themselves up before coming out into the daylight. The women are sent back to their cells and it's only when the costumes come off that the officers realise there are six prisoners missing. Gillespie blames the officers' incompetence for the escape, especially Vera when she admits she suspected Bea was missing but didn't report it straight away. Judy's letter to Erica is found in a cell search and handed over to Gillespie, but he shrugs off its claim that his repressive security measures caused the escape. Judy and Mouse find the van, but a youth has just broken into it and is going through the glovebox. Judy ties him up and shoves him in the back of the van. Mouse and Judy check the driving licences for their new identities. The inspector investigating the escape points out there are no tracks around the base of the ladder and asks iof there is any other way they could ahve escaped. Gillespie wants to take away all the women's remission and offer to give it back in return for information. Erica is unhappy with this, but goes along with it and makes an announcement to the women, who are still in their cells. Judy sets the thief free and drives off, leaving him in the middle of nowhere. Judy reluctantly agrees to stay with Mouse rather than splitting up immediately. Bea is beginning to lose her cool and turns on Lizzie, blaming her for getting them all in this mess by following Doreen. Judy stops at a filling station and makes the excuse of going to the toilet to leave Mouse on her own with the van. Mouse only realises when she finds a farewell note wrapped around the money  and searches the toilet block without success. Ted Douglas arrives to investigate and Erica immediately hands him Judy's note as soon as Gillespie starts to try to put the blame on the officers. When Erica thanks him privately for his support, he points out he can only support her so far. Jim has to recall the officers to serve meals when he has already told them they can go home. Colleen has had enough and threatens to bring in the Union. Mouse is asleep in the van when a lorry driver stops to offer her a mug of tea: something he says makes her rush back to the van and drive off at top speed. Gillespie is angry when four officers fail to turn up for the early shift next day, but he still refuses to let the trustees serve breakfast and Jim and Vera are told to do it on their own. Mouse  is stopped by a police car after going through a speed trap, and is recognised by the traffic cop. Erica decides to overrule Gillespie and allow the prisoners to help serve meals. Mouse is returned to Wentworth and taken to solitary. Erica stands up to Gillespie's bluster when he complains to her about his orders being ignored. Doreen muses on the irony of her making an unsuccessful suicide attempt when she is now quite happy to lie down and let death come. This talk of death makes Bea completely crack up and she cries out that she won't let any of them die. |
EPISODE 167Broadcast on Channel 5 Monday 1st December 1997 23:45 The escapees are rescued from the collapsed tunnel. Chrissie arranges a birthday party for Elizabeth, and Anne's behaviour gives cause for concern.CREDITSMeg ~ Elspeth BallantyneJudy ~ Betty Bobbitt Lizzie ~ Sheila Florance Erica ~ Patsy King Bea ~ Val Lehman Jim ~ Gerard Maguire Doreen ~ Colette Mann Vera ~ Fiona Spence Chrissie ~ Amanda Muggleton Gillespie ~ Wynn Roberts Anne ~ Rowena Wallace Margo ~ Jane Clifton Wally ~ Alan Hopgood  Dr Weissman ~ Bryon Williams Mouse ~ Jentah Sobott Grace Banner ~ Berrie Cameron-Allen  UNCREDITEDWendy ~ Helen NoonanLizzie tells Doreen she remembers her coming to Wentworth from the children's home before she was seventeen. | Jim overhears Mouse and Margo discussing the escape and what might have happened to Doreen and Bea, and Irene's death in the cave-in. Anne is also listening as they pass her cell and she assumes that it's Bea who is dead. Mouse agrees to show the officers where the tunnel is, but Gillespie nevertheless orders that she loses remission. Lizzie uses a piece of her costume tied round a stick as a torch, but Bea grabs hold of it and rushes off down the tunnel. Chrissie asks Gillespie for permission to hold a first birthday party for Elizabeth: he refuses and says he will make sure that child welfare are informed and come to collect Elizabeth promptly when she is one year old. Mouse leads the officers to where Lizzie and Doreen are. Anne is told that Dr Weissman may want to see her again after he's interviewed her family. Bea is eventually found banging her hands on a security grille trying to get through. Erica tells Gillespie he had no business interfering over Chrissie, and as a gesture she countermands his order and says the women may be let out of their cells, though the garden must remain out of bounds until the tunnel is sealed off. Bea is worried that her loss of control will diminish her in the eyes of the other women. Erica tries to get the women to tell her about Judy's plans, but no-one will lag. Mouse passes Chrissie a note to deliver with the meals to sickbay: when Bea reads it she knows for sure that it was Anne who buried them alive. Meg returns to work. Judy hitches a lift with an old hippy type. Bea's angry glare in the laundry is enough to unsettle Anne and ask to go back to her cell. Margo tries to persuade Bea not to go ahead with her threat to kill Anne. Judy's saviour introduces himself as Wally and invites her to come back to his cabin for something to eat. Anne asks to nurse Elizabeth, and Chrissie hardly has time to blow out the candle on the birthday cake  and for Meg to take a couple of pictures with a Polaroid camera when the woman from child welfare takes Elizabeth away. Dr Weissman tells Erica that Anne's family hired a tutor to keep her away from other children and to try to hide her mental instability from an early age. Anne won't hand over the photos of Elizabeth to Chrissie claiming that they are of Megan. Bea arrives to carry out her threat just as Chrissie attacks Anne herself  . Gillespie has Chrissie moved to A block, remarking that the incident will not look good to the parole board. Dr Weissman's further interview with Anne reveals that her tutor would lock her in a cupboard, which is when she came up with her "friend" and alternative personality who she named Megan, the name she later gave to her dead child. Judy tries to make a run for it in Wally's truck but she finds he has taken his keys out of the ignition. He lets Judy know he's not fooled by her and knows her real identity. |
EPISODE 168Broadcast on Channel 5 Tuesday 2nd December 1997 23:45 Gillespie attempts to introduce blanket censorship as unrest mounts within the prison; and both Judy and Lizzie write letters to the Ombudsman.CREDITSMeg ~ Elspeth BallantyneJudy ~ Betty Bobbitt Lizzie ~ Sheila Florance Erica ~ Patsy King Bea ~ Val Lehman Jim ~ Gerard Maguire Doreen ~ Colette Mann Vera ~ Fiona Spence Gillespie ~ Wynn Roberts Bob Morris ~ Anthony Hawkins Margo ~ Jane Clifton Wally ~ Alan Hopgood Off. Powell ~ Judith McGrath Mr Douglas ~ Ian Smith Sgt Parker ~ John Murphy  Hazel Kent ~ Belinda Davey | Wally tells Judy he saw her photo in the newspaper, but tells her he has no intention of telling the police where she is, inviting her to stay as long as he likes. He is surprised when she turns down the offer of "a smoke", so Judy offers to explain why she is so opposed to drugs by telling him her story. Lizzie and Doreen are allowed out of sickbay. The women are delighted by the TV news that Judy is still on the run: Gillespie is annoyed and wants to have TV and radio privileges taken away. Erica tells him she will only agree to have the newspapers censored. Bea regrets that Anne has been transferred to a psychiatric hospital before she had the chance to fix her. Gillespie tells Vera to censor the papers but cuts her down to size when she suggests his own idea about TV and radio. Judy is disappointed that the letter she left in her cell hasn't been mentioned in the newspapers and is inspired by Wally's' suggestion that she writes to the Ombudsman. Doreen is told she'll be facing an additional charge for the escape at her trial for kidnapping. When Erica suggests that she hires some legal representation, Doreen is forced to admit that she has no money left in her account. Wally tries to persuade Judy not to send her letters, but ends up agreeing to post them for her. Lizzie takes an old packet of yeast from the kitchen to make grog and sets to work in the rec room store cupboard using two cleaning buckets. The TV and radio in the rec room mysteriously stop working. Next day a diversion is arranged as Vera is carrying the papers inside, so that Lizzie can get hold of an uncensored paper. Bea is pleased that Judy's letter has made the press after all. Gillespie tells the officers that they must work in pairs from now on: Erica is forced to agree with him. Lizzie hands Vera a letter she's written to the Ombudsman, but is told it has to be posted in a special envelope. Erica goes to see Ted Douglas to ask him again to do something about Gillespie, and he agrees to put her case to the Minister. Colleen sarcastically offers to act as escort for Gillespie when she finds him walking the corridors alone: she tells him the security arrangements have been raised with the Union. Gillespie and Colleen overhear Bea dictating a letter to the Ombudsman full of untrue accusations: he tells Bea not to waste her time sending it. Jim phones Meg to ask her to cover for an officer on sick leave, but she refuses. Bea's cunning plan is to provoke Gillespie to substitute another letter for the one he overheard her dictating, as even opening a letter to the Ombudsman is a criminal offence and would get him sacked: she knows that Colleen overheard and would be a witness to what was in the original letter. A detective interviews Doreen about her bank account, but she refuses to say who drew the money out. Vera is appalled to see Gillespie opening Lizzie's letter to the Ombudsman (with Wentworth crest visible  ), and Ted Douglas turns up right on cue to witness it. Gillespie is told he will be reported to the Minister and to take leave of absence immediately: his parting shot is to threaten to make Erica look bad if there is ever a Royal Commission. Vera investigates an unpleasant smell in the rec room. Lizzie arrives at top speed, but too late to stop Vera finding the home brew. When Lizzie collapses  , Vera is convinced she's faking but Bea tells her it's a real heart attack and Lizzie needs medical help. |
EPISODE 169Broadcast on Channel 5 Thursday 4th December 00:10 Vera performs external heart massage on Lizzie until an ambulance arrives and she is taken to hospital; Judy meets Wally's daughter; and Lizzie receives a letter from Ellen in America.CREDITSMeg ~ Elspeth BallantyneJudy ~ Betty Bobbitt Lizzie ~ Sheila Florance Erica ~ Patsy King Bea ~ Val Lehman Jim ~ Gerard Maguire Doreen ~ Colette Mann Vera ~ Fiona Spence Micki ~ Deborah Coulls Wally ~ Alan Hopgood Off. Powell ~ Judith McGrath Hazel ~ Belinda Davey Sid ~ Edward Hepple  Nurse ~ Linden Wilkinson Dr Marsden ~ Gary Gray  Mr Douglas ~ Ian Smith UNCREDITEDMartin Handley ~ David HursthouseGraeme Hopkins ~ Peter Flett Wendy ~ Helen Noonan The non-speaking nurse tending Lizzie OTHER CHARACTERSDoreen's solicitorAll the other characters call Sid "Mr Humphries" though when he introduces himself to Bea, he definitely says "Humphrey" - as in the credits in (211) I suspect the credit for "Gary Gray" is wrong - I am sure this actor appears again under a different name. | Vera gives Lizzie mouth-to-mouth resuscitation while the women wait for the ambulance to arrive. Meanwhile, Hazel removes the bucket of booze from the store room behind Vera's back. Ted Douglas tells Erica a teacher will be appointed to a new education facility in the prison. Vera feels guilty that she didn't believe Lizzie at first, but she recovers her usual character in time and remembers about the grog manufacture, which she rushes off to investigate. When she gets to the rec room, the buckets have vanished but Vera tells Bea she must have known what was going on and must see the Governor. In hospital, Lizzie describes her near-death experience to a doctor in the usual cliched terms involving bright lights at the end of a tunnel. Vera takes Bea to the Governor to explain what she knows about the home brew, and Bea is honest for once: she tells Erica the home brew has been flushed down the toilet. Erica decides not to punish anyone for the incident, and tells Bea officially that Gillespie has gone. Erica asks Colleen if her husband could fix the rec room TV: she says her husband is hopeless as a handyman [odd, then, that he should later run his own garage?] but says a retired neighbour, Sid Humphrey would be perfect for the job. Lizzie's doctor alerts a friend in the media to her story as a way of putting pressure on the authorities to have her freed. Sid visits the prison and agrees to fix the TV for the cost of parts only. Vera is puzzled and disconcerted when the women are friendly to her, as Bea agreed to Erica that they would be. Erica reverses all of Gillespie's extra security measures. Sid fixes the TV and tells Bea that one of the valves had been deliberately removed, and as he leaves he offers his services to Erica as a general handyman in future. Judy hides when a visitor for Wally drives up on a motorbike, but it is only his daughter Micki. Bea plots to get Sid back to do some more repair jobs to help him out. Micki offers to deliver a letter from Judy to the PRG. Doreen sees her solicitor, who tells her she has a good chance of getting off lightly on the kidnapping charge, but that she will be treated more harshly for the escape. Wally shows Judy the paper where she has been described as a violent criminal, on account of her previous escape where she knocked out a policewoman. Meg defends the education programme against Vera's criticisms. One of the nurses gives Lizzie the remote control to her TV and she only has to change channels once to come across a program where someone is arguing for her release. The women in Wentworth are also watching, and Doreen hopes Lizzie hasn't seen it, as she may not be able to cope with the idea of being freed. Judy finds out about Lizzie's heart attack from Micki's description of the same programme, and realises that Micki is right when she says it would be a perfect opportunity to get more publicity for Judy's campaign to raise awareness about prison conditions. Erica tells Doreen to be positive about her forthcoming trial, despite what her solicitor told her. Micki tells Judy that she can borrow a video camera so Judy can make a statement that can be shown on TV without her having to contact a TV station in person. Meg visits Lizzie and gives her a letter from Ellen and Josie. It says that Ellen is getting married and that she and her husband want Lizzie to come over to America to live with them. |
EPISODE 170Broadcast on Channel 5 Monday 08 December 1997 23:45 Lizzie's condition improves, but Erica realises her prison record will preclude her from being allowed into America. Doreen goes to trial. And Micki and Judy see Wally being taken in by the police.CREDITSMeg ~ Elspeth BallantyneJudy ~ Betty Bobbitt Lizzie ~ Sheila Florance Erica ~ Patsy King Bea ~ Val Lehman Jim ~ Gerard Maguire Doreen ~ Colette Mann Vera ~ Fiona Spence Micki ~ Deborah Coulls  Wally ~ Alan Hopgood Graeme Hopkins ~ Peter Flett  Martin Handley ~ David Hursthouse  Dr Marsden ~ Gary Gray Sid ~ Edward Hepple Mouse ~ Jentah Sobott Thanks to Matt for opening credits. The non-speaking Ambulance Attendant Thanks to Andy Dolman for pointing out that Judy's folk embroidered smock | Wally tells Judy he's concerned that Micki is getting too involved in Judy's campaign to improve conditions, and Judy agrees to talk to Micki. Erica tells Meg that Lizzie won't be able to get a visa to enter the United States with a criminal record. Meg tells the women to humour Lizzie's plans to emigrate until she is fully recovered. Wally tries to warn Micki of the risks she's running, and when Judy sees she is not convinced, she tells Micki that she won't do the interview. Doreen gets two years for escaping and three months for the kidnapping. News of Lizzie being returned to Wentworth persuades Judy to do the interview after all, and Judy suggests that the tape could be posted to the TV station, but Micki wants to hand it to Graeme Hopkins in person. Erica visits Lizzie in hospital and asks the doctor the effect of telling her truth about America: he advises against it, and Erica thinks it best he just tells Lizzie she isn't strong enough to travel. Micki phones Graeme Hopkins and fixes a meeting in a car park near the TV station. Lizzie is returned to Wentworth in a wheelchair, though she insists on getting out as soon as she's inside reception. Micki delivers the tape by throwing it to Graeme Hopkins and driving off fast, but not before he's had time to write down part of the licence plate number. Judy, Micki and Wally wait impatiently for Judy's tape to be broadcast  , but at the end of the program there is only a brief report about Lizzie being returned to Wentworth. Micki thinks the tape wasn't shown because the reporter didn't get a personal interview with Judy. Bea dons a pair of Marigolds and fiddles with the light in the store room to fuse the lights in the whole prison as a way of giving Sid more work to do: the lights go out in the staff room just as Vera is telling Jim that Lizzie must be told the truth about the America trip. The women are locked in their cells and they realise the trick has backfired on them when Jim tells them that Sid has been appointed as Wentworth's regular handyman anyway. Lizzie meets Sid when he is fixing the lights next day: he recognises her from the news report, and inadvertently lets slip that she won't be able to go to the US as she plans. Graeme Hopkins' boss tells him to forget about Judy's story as he's already passed the tape on to the police, but this makes him even more determined and having got the number plate traced, he knows where to go to find Judy. The police are waiting outside and they follow him. Lizzie asks Erica to tell her the truth, and Erica has to apologise for keeping the information from her. Judy and Micki go for a walk away from the cottage and Judy tells her about the four deaths she feels responsible for: Barbara (her lover), Sharon, Leanne and Irene. Bea and Doreen try to comfort Lizzie. Judy and Micki arrive back to see Graeme Hopkins arrive followed by the police. They have to watch as Wally is arrested when he tries to make a run for it to distract their attention from Judy hiding (not very well) behind a bush. Lizzie rejects Vera's attempt to console her. Judy decides to leave Wally's place and go back on the run  . |
Script Editor: Patrick Amer (166)-(167); Ian Smith (168); Patrick Amer (170)
Storyliners: Dave Worthington, Alastair Sharp
| (161) to (165) |
