Prisoner: Cell Block H - episodes (201) to (205)

EPISODES (201) TO (205)

Thanks to Matt for all the episode summaries on this page.

201 * 202 * 203 * 204 * 205

EPISODE 201

Broadcast on Channel 5 Wednesday 04 February 1998 04:40 Terry finds Bea in a heap in the laundry. Jim is not convinced when it transpires she may be suffering from amnesia.

CREDITS

Meg ~ Elspeth Ballantyne
Judy ~ Betty Bobbitt
Lizzie ~ Sheila Florance
Erica ~ Patsy King
Bea ~ Val Lehman
Jim ~ Gerard Maguire
Doreen ~ Colette Mann
Vera ~ Fiona Spence
Mum ~ Mary Ward
Margo ~ Jane Clifton
Terry ~ Brian Hannan
Bob ~ Anthony Hawkins
Nick ~ Ned Manning

Dr Weissman ~ Bryon Williams
Dick West ~ Peter Drake

Ron Hardy ~ Rod Dunbar
Mr Clarke ~ John Proper

Mrs Clarke ~ Marisse Holgate
Gary Branch ~ Phil Thompson

Sergeant ~ Telford Jackson

Written by Peter Brennan

Directed by Geoffrey Nottage

Yet another outing for the Vermeer reproductions: this time "The Lacemaker" in Bob and Meg's hall

Terry finds Bea weeping hysterically in the corridor. She begs to see Meg. Bea tells Meg that she almost killed Margo, but doesn't understand where the violent urge came from. In the laundry, Lizzie and Doreen are now convinced Bea's faking. Judy asks Margo why Margo didn't tell the screws about Bea's attack on her. Margo replies - in a very hoarse voice - that she'll get even with Smith in her own way. Meg tells Bea some more about the last ten years. Bea once again becomes hysterical and tries to climb the fence

. After hauling her back inside, Jim feels Bea is a fraud - but Terry and Meg are convinced she's genuine. Terry asks the women if there was a fight between Bea and Margo. Everyone denies it, except for Mum. Margo has had just about enough of Mum. Lizzie tells Bea that she knows that she's putting on an act, but that she'll back her up. Bea tells Lizzie to go away. Lizzie looks indignant. Meg meets one of her new probation cases, a young man named Nick Clarke. He has a bad attitude. Margo visits Mum in her cell. Mum tells Margo she's not afraid of her. Margo says she'd better be. Bob meets Meg at her office and reminds her they're entertaining business collegues. Meg tells Bob about Nick and says he reminds her of Marty. Lizzie tells Judy and Doreen she has a plan to help Bea. Jim tells Mum he doesn't believe Bea and Mum gives him a good verbal thrashing. Since she is elderly and middle-class, Jim looks properly thrashed. Meg visits Nick's flat. His flatmates are running about in a state of undress and Nick is talking about picking goods up off the back of trucks. Meg is concerned about this enviroment. Out in the garden, Margo sees Jim bring Mum her pills. Lizzie pretends to be attacked by Bea. Bea tells Erica that Lizzie - "Or whatever her name is" - set her up. Terry is concerned and thinks Erica should bring in Dr. Weissman straight away. Meg visits Nick's parents. His father wants nothing to do with him. Erica does not believe Lizzie's story, but tells her that Dr. Weissman is being sent for. Terry and Vera have an argument over Bea. Terry tries to change the subject, but Vera just snorts and walks away. Bea visits Dr. Weissman. Meg is called away from her social gathering to bail Nick out of jail. Mum leaves the rec room to get her pills, Margo has Lil follow her. Nick tells Meg that if she's so worried about him she should let him live with her. Mum returns to the rec room followed by Lil, who gives the bottle of pills to Margo. Lizzie tells the women she's responsible for Dr. Weissman being brought in. Bea tells her to leave her alone. Lizzie looks indignant. Dr. Weissman tells Erica that Bea is an amnesiac. He says that in her present condition there is a very good chance Bea could be released. Bea has a nightmare, Mum comforts her. Mum then discovers that her pills have gone missing. The next morning, Mum is not feeling well and tells Bea to go on to the showers without her. As soon as Bea leaves, Mum tries to get up but collapses on to her bed.

EPISODE 202

Broadcast on Channel 5 Friday 06 February 1998 04:40 Nick's flatmate has been arrested on drug charges. And Bea is locked in the storeroom.

CREDITS

Samantha ~ Kirsty Grant

Det. Sgt. Rouse ~ Paul Karo
Officer Powell ~ Judith McGrath

Written by Bryon Williams

Directed by Geoffrey Nottage

This telephone box set looks familiar - was it used by Lyn Warner in an early episode?

Bea finds Mum unconscious and stays with her while Jim runs for help. Margo comes in tossing Mum's pills in her hand. Bea asks for them back but Margo refuses. When Jim and Erica come running back Bea tells them that Margo has the pills. A search of Margo's cell yields nothing, but when everyone leaves Margo retrieves the bottle from under her waste basket and goes to rinse them down the sink. Bea walks in. She demands the bottle be handed over. Margo knees her in the stomach. Bea grabs Margo by the hair, spins her around and flattens her with a punch to the jaw. Vera runs in and prevents Margo from being strangled (Again!). Margo hands over the pills saying she found them in the rec room. Doreen catches Terry and Vera flirting. Doreen visits Bea and says that after this second attack on Margo no one will believe her amnesia story. Bea becomes upset and tells Doreen that she doesn't know who she is or what she's talking about. Doreen reminds her of the time they were trapped in the tunnel. Bea doesn't understand. Doreen finally believes her. Margo is waiting for Doreen outside the cell. She tells Doreen that Bea is off her rocker and that something has to be done about her. Doreen says not to hurt Bea - that she's sick. Margo says she's gonna be a whole lot sicker. Lizzie catches Terry and Vera flirting. Jim visits Mum in the infirmary and tucks her in. Vera and Terry have another date and kiss on Vera's doorstep. Vera issues her standard invitation "for coffee", but Terry declines. The next morning, Terry tells Jim he's lost the bet and gives Jim the money. Meg tells Nick she's found him a job as a warehouse packer. Jim and Mum have another chat - Jim is worried that Mum may have a bad go of it at her trial for harbouring Bea. Nick finds out his flatmates have been arressted for possession. He phones Meg for help, but she's off trying to help Mum's case. Meg discovers that the prosecution is determined to come down hard on Mum. Vera confides her feelings for Terry to Meg. Terry confides his feelings for Vera to Meg. Before anyone else can confide in her, Meg gets a call from Nick. When she tells him she is powerless to help his friends, Nick hangs up on her. Terry tells Vera that the only reason he didn't come in "for coffee" was because he doesn't want their relationship to be a one-night-stand. This pleases Vera no end. Margo, Bev and Lil burst into Bea's cell and attack her. They then drag her away. At muster, Bea is found missing. Margo smiles at Mum. A bloodied Bea

regains consciousness locked in a storeroom. The cramped dark space causes her to recall the tunnel incident. Then, in a flood of mini flashbacks, her memory comes back to her. Bea is heard pounding on the storeroom door and let out. She tells Erica that she doesn't know who attacked her - it happened too fast. Erica has her locked in her cell for her own protection. Jim realizes that Terry is serious about Vera and insists on giving the bet money back. Vera catches the exchange but, fortunately, doesn't understand it. Margo peeks her head through the bars on Bea's door and taunts her. Bea walks over to her claiming not to understand why Margo hates her so. She then grabs Margo by the back of the head and presses her face into the bars

. "I'm back, Margo", she says, "And if you tell anyone - I'll kill you".

EPISODE 203

Broadcast on Channel 5 Saturday 07 February 1998 4:40 Vera is the only one who doesn't believe Bea has amnesia. Nick doesn't turn up for work. And Meg is delayed getting to court, where Mum is relying on her evidence.

CREDITS

Waller ~ Jonathan Hardy

Bailiff ~ Norman Hancock

Hartman ~ Peter Cummins

Det. Sgt. Rouse ~ Paul Karo
Dr Weissman ~ Bryon Williams
Mr Sutton ~ Alan Rowe

Samantha ~ Kirsty Grant

OTHER CHARACTERS

Policewoman (at court)

Written by Ian Bradley

Directed by Marcus Cole

The footage of Bea's flashback to Debbie is seen again as Bea reads the Coroner's report on her death.

At meal time, Margo acts terrified of Bea. Both Mum and Vera notice. Bea later tells Margo not to act frightened of her. Margo then bashes Doreen in front of Bea and the other women. She asks Bea what she intends to do about it. Bea asks why she should do anything about it. Doreen is more convinced than ever that Bea must have lost her memory. Erica speaks to Mum about her trial and is not pleased with Mum's defeatist attitude. Terry and Vera make plans for the evening. Terry asks if he should bring along his uniform so that "he won't have to go home for it in the morning". Erica interupts them and Terry excuses himself. Vera is left with a big smile on her face. Bea meets again with Dr. Weissman. He shows her the coroner's report on Debbie. Bea has a flashback of Debbie visiting her and begging for help. Bea breaks down. She is still crying when she returns to her cell. Mum asks if Dr. Weissman no longer believes her. Bea tells her the reason. Mum then asks if it bothered Bea to use Debbie's memory like that. Bea confesses to her that her memory has indeed returned, but she desperately wants to get out of Wentworth. She does promise Mum that she won't let Margo hurt Doreen again. The next morning Bea pays Margo a visit, tells her to watch herself, knocks her about a bit and pours scalding coffee on her hand. Margo runs to Vera and says she has proof Bea is faking, but she won't testify unless she's promised a transfer to Barnhurst. Much to Terry's shock, Vera quickly agrees. When Margo leaves he tells Vera that Barnhurst is a medium security prison and that all transfers must be cleared with the Governor. Vera doesn't care. Bea, Mum and Margo are all taken to court (Margo claims to be going to appeal her sentence). Bea's phase of the trial begins and Margo ("Margo Jane Gaffney") is brought out as the first witness for the prosecution. She tells the (usual six person

) jury that Bea's amnesia is a charade and that she's been forced to back her up. The defense puts Jim on the stand to testify that Margo took over as top dog in Bea's absense and that she is hardly a frightened prisoner. Dr. Weissman testifies that Bea's amnesia is genuine. Mum's phase of the trial begins. Her chief witness is Meg, who is not there because she running around after Nick who did not show up to work. The prosecution does a good job on Mum. Meg finds Nick sitting on the steps behind his house getting drunk (on what looks like Fosters from the blue cans). They have a leisurely stroll through the park and Nick apologizes. As an afterthought, Meg remembers she's due in court. Meg gets to the court just in the "nick" of time, but her testimony ends up doing more harm than good when the prosecution implies that Mum deliberately went to see her to buy time to let Bea get away. Things look pretty bleak for Mum. Back in the waiting cell, Bea feels badly that things are going so well for her and so bad for Mum. She bangs on the door and asks to speak to her counsel. Mum asks her what she's doing. Bea says that she's going to testify for her.

EPISODE 204

Broadcast on Channel 5 Sunday 08 February 1998 04:40 Margo confronts Bea. Nick is amazed at Bob's trust in him. And Vera makes a decision about Terry.

CREDITS

Judge ~ Leslie Wright
Waller ~ Jonathan Hardy
Hartman ~ Peter Cummins

Written by Margaret McClusky

Directed by Marcus Cole

Bea tells her counsel that she wishes to change her plea to guilty. On the stand, Bea testifies that she only had amnesia for a few hours immediately following the accident but that she knew who she was when she went to Mum and forced Mum to help her. Mum is asked if this is true. She looks at Bea and then agrees that it is. Margo tells the women in the laundry that she gave evidence against Bea. Judy says that Margo had better be prepared if Bea doesn't get off. Margo laughs and says that she's being transferred to Barnhurst. Vera, who is listening outside the laundry, has her own private laugh. Mum is acquitted and Bea is sentenced to an additional 18 months. Outside the court, Mum thanks Meg and then says good-bye to Bea (and a quiet thank you). Bea smiles at her as she is driven away. Margo asks Jim when she's being transfered to Barnhurst. Jim doesn't know anything about it. Bea is returned. Erica asks her, confidentially, when her memory really returned. Bea tells her it was when she was locked in the storeroom. Margo is in the rec room bullying Doreen when Bea enters. Vera enjoys the tension. Bea tells the women her story, Doreen is not too happy with her. Terry has a talk with Margo and offers to bring her in cigarettes. Meg asks Bob to give Nick a job. Bob refuses. Terry tells Vera that she must go to Erica and try to honor her deal with Margo. Vera tries to argue but her libido soon gets the better of her. Nick phones Meg threatening suicide. Bob refuses to let her run to him. They later find out it was a hoax. None of the women will even acknowledge Margo's presense, let alone speak to her. Nick throws a rock through Meg's window. Bob chases him and Nick (running pretty darn slowly) is caught. Bob says he'll give him a job and a room in the house (!) just to prove that Nick hasn't got what it takes. Terry and Vera talk to Erica. At first Terry takes the blame for making the promise to Margo, but Vera quickly owns up. Erica is disgusted with both of them and says there is no chance Margo going to Barnhurst. Terry gives Margo the bad news and also some cigarettes. The book is taken away from Margo and given to Lizzie. Margo asks Terry to place a bet for her and he agrees - Doreen overhears. Nick moves in with Bob and Meg. Terry tells Vera that he believes in cultivating "tame" prisoners and feels that Margo is a good person to start with. Vera doesn't agree. Terry then asks her if he can move in with her. Vera agrees. Meg is not feeling well so, without asking her, Nick takes some of her probation reports to deliver to her office. Margo gives Terry her betting ticket, a few minutes later she informs Vera that her boyfriend's a bent screw. At breakfast, Doreen tells the others that she thinks Terry and Margo are having it off. Nick brings the reports to Meg's office. Her boss walks in and asks Nick how he got hold of the files. Nick says he "brought them from home".

EPISODE 205

Broadcast on Channel 5 Tuesday 10 February 1998 04:40 Lizzie has taken over Margo's book with some success and, while Terry moves into Vera's flat, Margo determines to set him up.

CREDITS

Meg ~ Elspeth Ballantyne
Judy ~ Betty Bobbitt
Lizzie ~ Sheila Florance
Erica ~ Patsy King
Bea ~ Val Lehman
Jim ~ Gerard Maguire
Doreen ~ Colette Mann
Vera ~ Fiona Spence
Margo ~ Jane Clifton
Terry ~ Brian Hannan
Bob ~ Anthony Hawkins
Nick ~ Ned Manning
Phyllis ~ Reylene Pearce
Mr Muirhead ~ Denzil Howson
Mrs Russell ~ Maggie Maxwell

Race Caller ~ Clem Dimsey

Written by Barbara Ramsay

Directed by Juliana Focht

Erica does not appear in this episode.

A recent new background prisoner talking to "May Worth"

Lizzie's book is officially "opened". Mr. Muirhead visits Meg at home and tells her that Nick absolutely must move out. Lizzie does very well with her first race. Terry moves in. Vera finds the betting ticket in his jacket pocket. Bob refuses to throw Nick out saying that it is his house and he can have anyone he wants in it. Bev and Lil are assigned as Lizzie's bodyguards. Margo collects her race winnings from Terry then turns around and shows Vera the money. Vera says that Terry wouldn't do such a thing. Margo laughs and says Vera must have it bad. Margo tries to place a bet with Lizzie, but is physically thrown out of the laundry by Bev and Lil. Margo asks Terry to place another bet for her, he agrees. Nick is blamed for some missing petty cash. Bob defends him. Margo informs the women that she has her own ways of placing bets. Vera confronts Terry about placing bets for Margo. He gets angry with Vera, but when she starts to cry he apologizes and says he won't do anything more for Margo unless she provides useful information. He later tells Margo the same thing. Lizzie has problems picking a horse so she asks Bea to read tea leaves. A relunctant Bea does so and says she sees "a hammer". Lizzie takes this as a divine revelation since there is a horse called Hammerhead in the race. Margo tries to get Phyllis to place a bet for her. Phyllis refuses. Margo then sneaks into Judy's cell and takes her tape recorder. Phyllis sees this and reports to Bea. Hammerhead is picked to come in dead last, but Lizzie poo-poohs this and offers double odds on the favorite. Bea, Doreen and Judy tear up Margo's cell and assault her when she comes - but there is no sign of the recorder. Hammerhead comes in dead last. Margo sneaks into the empty rec room and removes Judy's recorder from behind some books on the shelf. Lizzie confesses to Bea that she took too many bets and now does not have enough money to pay the women. Margo asks Terry to come into her cell. She says that she's prepared to pass on information but she wants a bottle of scotch in return. Terry agrees to bring it in. When he leaves Margo listens to the recording she just made of the conversation.

Storyliners: Dave Worthington, Alastair Sharp, Peter Brennan
Script Editors: Ian Smith (201); Patrick Amer (202)-(203); Ian Smith (204)-(205)

(196) to (200)

(206) to (210)

Updated ~ 14 April 2002