Thanks to Matt for the episode summaries on this page, up to the first part of (258).
EPISODE 256Broadcast on Channel 5 Friday 24 April 1998 04:40 Erica announces to Jim his promotion and transfer to a youth remand centre. Jock Stewart finds out where Judy is and that her daughter has married into money.CREDITSMeg ~ Elspeth BallantyneJudy ~ Betty Bobbitt Lizzie ~ Sheila Florance Erica ~ Patsy King Bea ~ Val Lehman Jim ~ Gerard Maguire Doreen ~ Colette Mann Officer Powell ~ Judith McGrath Kate ~ Olivia Hamnett Steve ~ Wayne Jarratt Sandy ~ Louise Le Nay Marie ~ Maggie Millar Janet ~ Kate Sheil Geoff ~ Andrew Clarke Jock ~ Tommy Dysart Uncle Arch ~ Maurie Fields  Lori ~ Susannah Fowle Det. Insp. Grace ~ Terry Gill John Fitzwater ~ Paul Glen Frank (Strapper) ~ Chris Gray  Lil Stokes ~ Judith McLorinan Product placement corner - Geoff's dressing gown sports the Playboy logo | Judy is introduced to Geoff's Uncle Arch, but is obviously very upset about something. Lori takes her to the rest room, just as Jock notices her. Kate and Sandy discuss Doreen. Kate feels they should go easy on Doreen, Sandy says that lagging is the worst thing a prisoner can do. Doreen overhears all of this. Judy tells Lori why she is shaken. Erica informs Jim of his promotion. Jim was unaware of it, even though he is to begin his new post in two days time. Judy toasts a few drinks to Arch's winner, then is taken to see the horse. After they leave, Jock approaches the stable boy and inquires who Mr. Maynard's guests are. Doreen asks Colleen if she can be transferred to garden duty. Colleen says no. Lori is concerned about her mother's well-being and asks Geoff to have a word with her. Sandy lets Kate know that she is seeing Jack Fitzwater that day. Kate looks pretty stunned to hear it. Jim says good morning to Janet who slaps him across the face. When she tells him he lied about applying for governor of Beachmount he tries to defend himself but she dashes out. Colleen follows her out into the garden. First she yells at her, then tries to be nice. After a bit she just leaves Janet to cry. Erica makes a formal announcement to the staff regarding Jim's new job. There is to be a farewell party for him later.  Kate sighs to Sandy about how much she misses her little boy and how she needs to call her mother. When Colleen walks in, Kate asks if she may make a phone call. Colleen gives her a hard time, but consents. Out in the corridor, Colleen and Kate discuss mutual arrangements and vacant deputy governorships. Doreen is bashed around a bit by (who else?) Bev and Lil. Janet comes along and breaks it up, but Doreen refuses to make a complaint. Geoff speaks to Judy, but Judy insists that everything is all right and that she'll be fine. Meanwhile, Jock phones up Arch Maynard,  pretending to be a good friend of Geoff's, and asks where Geoff and Lori are staying in Melbourne. Arch gives him Judy's address. In the dining room, Bea finds out from Doreen that she is being given a bad time. Sandy sticks up for Doreen and Marie accuses her of going soft. Sandy assures her she hasn't gone soft. Bea asks Sandy to protect Doreen, but Sandy has other things on her mind. Bea gets annoyed and goes to sit with Doreen. Erica tells Janet and Meg that a printing press is being brought in along with an instructor. Janet asks to be rostered on duty during Jim's party. Jack Fitzwater, posing as Edwards' solicitor, arrives to see Sandy. Bea and Marie have a confrontation over Doreen in the hallway. Fitzwater lets Sandy know how unhappy they are with her. Sandy doesn't understand why. Jack reminds her of the "Too busy" message she sent him. Sandy knows nothing about it and agrees with Jack that there is a lagger inside. She also agrees to take care of the lagger and asks him if he brought in what she asked for. Jack nods and produces a rather large switchblade.  Inspector Grace arrives, having received a tip-off that Fitzwater is there to see Sandy. Jack expresses regret that he doesn't have more time to "enjoy" with Sandy. He also apologises about her husband but feels certain she understands. Sandy assures him that she does - and rams the switchblade deep in his gut.  Jim bursts in to find Fitzwater's hands about Sandy's throat before he falls to the floor. Grace is right behind him and is ready to charge the blood-soaked Sandy  with murder. But Jim is quick to say it appeared self-defense to him. Erica finds out Fitzwater is dead. Grace still thinks it was murder, but Jim is prepared to testify to Sandy's innocence. When all is said and done, Inspector Grace is pleased Jack Fitzwater has been "caught". Doreen is taken out in the garden by Janet, who leaves her to herself for a few minutes. Doreen goes over to the dogs and begins feeding them. Jim visits Sandy in her cell and asks for the truth. Sandy tells him. Jim is still behind her. Jim attends his farewell reception. He and Meg say good bye to one another. In the rec room, Doreen tells the others that Sandy is locked in her cell and that Jim visited with her. Marie wonders if Sandy gave him a "farewell present" and cackles. Kate is not laughing. Jim gives a speech, a grieving Janet  listens outside. Bea and Marie are on the brink of coming to blows, when Sandy enters. Marie wants to know about her private meeting with the deputy governor. Sandy says it was about her meeting with Jack Fitzwater. Marie wants to know what happened at that meeting. "Nothing much", Sandy says, "Just your little drug racket is finished". Marie is furious and demands to know what Sandy did. Sandy shrugs, "Nothing much...just killed him". |
EPISODE 257Broadcast on Channel 5 Saturday 25 April 1998 04:40 The dog handler is concerned when the dogs appear to have lost their appetite. On exercise period Marie causes considerable distress by throwing Doreen's teddy bear to the dogs.CREDITSMeg ~ Elspeth BallantyneJudy ~ Betty Bobbitt Lizzie ~ Sheila Florance Erica ~ Patsy King Bea ~ Val Lehman Doreen ~ Colette Mann Officer Powell ~ Judith McGrath Kate ~ Olivia Hamnett Steve ~ Wayne Jarratt Sandy ~ Louise Le Nay Marie ~ Maggie Millar Janet ~ Kate Sheil Geoff ~ Andrew Clarke Jock ~ Tommy Dysart Lori ~ Susannah Fowle Ian Mahoney ~ Peter Curtin  Margo ~ Jane Clifton Pete (Dog Handler) ~ Paul Rettke Dr. Braithwaite ~ Gordon McDougal  Det. Sgt. Ross ~ Bill Garner  | The stunned group in the rec room is interrupted by Margo, finally released from A block. Erica informs Meg that the printing press and instructor will be arriving the next day. She asks Meg to organize a cleaning crew to make space in the workshop. Over dinner, Sandy explains to Bea how she got Fitzwater and that Jim Fletcher is backing up her story. Bea realises it's probably as much to avenge Terry Harrison's murder as it is to help Sandy. Doreen feeds the dogs again, but this time makes them obey her commands first. Ian Mahoney, the printing press instructor, arrives and meets Colleen. Colleen is not impressed. Sandy comes into the laundry and tells Marie to get away from the press. Marie calls for backup - Margo tells her there's room by her folding sheets. Just then Colleen enters to organize the cleaning crew. Marie takes quick advantage of volunteering. Sandy takes the press. The dog trainer is worried about the dogs who are not finishing their food. He asks Colleen if a vet can be brought in to examine them. While the women clean the workshop, Ian flirts with Meg. Colleen asks Erica about the vet. Ian teaches his first lesson, continuing all the while to flirt with Meg. This does not go unnoticed by the women. Kate asks Marie what she intends to do about Sandy. Marie calls a meeting in her cell. Both Kate and Margo are pretty scared of Sandy, but Marie claims that once the drug racket is re-established there'll be no problems. She also has plans for Doreen. The vet decrees that the dogs are perfectly well and very good specimens for "rejects". Colleen jumps on the word and demands an explanation. It turns out the dogs were too savage for police work. Lizzie tells Bea about Ian's designs on Meg. Kate attempts to be the concerned friend with Sandy, but Sandy is quite brusque with her. Doreen discovers her teddy's gone missing. Bea promises to take care of the matter. Kate tells Colleen that she must have a visit from Inspector Grace. When Colleen finds out the women are on to Kate she promises to arrange it. Meg switches duties with Janet for the print shop supervision. Kate makes a deal with Marie: she'll smuggle a letter of Marie's out to the mob in exchange for protection from Sandy. Marie agrees. At recreation time, Marie and Margo start tossing Doreen's teddy around. Lizzie charges Marie, who knocks her to the ground. Bea goes for her, but Marie tosses the bear into the dog pen. As the women are called away, Doreen calls the dogs off her teddy. Bea observes this. Later on, Bea gets Doreen to confess she's trained the dogs. Bea is impressed, but Doreen insists she keep it to herself. Too late - Kate's been listening at the door.  Lori and Geoff have been invited to spend some time with Uncle Arch and Judy thinks they should go. Kate tells Doreen how impressed she is with her handling of the dogs. Doreen goes straight to Bea. In the middle of the night, Kate wakes up with Bea's hand over her mouth.  Bea says this demonstrates how easy it would be to cut her throat if she talks about Doreen. Judy leaves for work, followed by Jock.  Kate asks Steve to speak to Colleen, but Colleen is rostered off that day. Jock gets into Judy's taxi.  He demands 5000.00 or he'll tell Lori about her stint as a prostitute. Jock then goes to the flat, tells Geoff he's from the estate agents checking for leaks, and leaves a note for Judy in the bedroom.  Judy gets the note and excuses herself from Lori and Geoff. A Detective Ross arrives to see Kate. He tells Steve that Kate has been supplying the police with information and that she is not to be told he's a detective. Judy meets Jock in the park. She tells him his threats are useless as she's certain her daughter won't care about her massage parlour days. Jock then threatens to seriously harm Lori if the money isn't delivered. Judy threatens to kill him. Jock laughs and says that if anything at all happens to him a letter will go straight to Geoff holding her responsible. Kate meets "Mr." Ross, who claims to be her "witness". Kate is pleased and asks him to pass Marie's letter out for her. As soon as he leaves the visiting room, Ross reads the letter. He tells Steve that Grace is going to think he won the lottery. |
[*] The first half of episode (258) was the last the USA saw of Prisoner: it was shown in February 1982 in New Mexico. Most other regions had already stopped showing the show much earlier than this.
EPISODE 259Broadcast on Channel 5 Tuesday 28 April 1998 04:40 Doreen's escape is ruined. Ian and Meg have a drink and Meg makes it very clear to him that she is not interested in him at any level, except as a colleague.CREDITSMeg ~ Elspeth BallantyneJudy ~ Betty Bobbitt Lizzie ~ Sheila Florance Erica ~ Patsy King Bea ~ Val Lehman Doreen ~ Colette Mann Officer Powell ~ Judith McGrath Kate ~ Olivia Hamnett Steve ~ Wayne Jarratt Sandy ~ Louise Le Nay Marie ~ Maggie Millar Janet ~ Kate Sheil Ian ~ Peter Curtin Hazel ~ Belinda Davey Wally ~ Alan Hopgood Bob ~ Anthony Hawkins Policeman ~ David Swann  | Steve arrives on the scene and tells Janet to move slowly away from the dogs. Doreen sees an armed gate guard aiming his rifle and calls the dogs to her to save them from being shot. She comforts them and comes back through the fence, realising that she has thrown away her chance to escape. Janet refuses to go home but Erica insists. Finding that Doreen has been locked in her cell, Erica tells Steve to move her to solitary to await the VJ. Judy drives her taxi to Wally's cottage, finds the door open and sits down to wait for him. Sandy tells Bea she thinks they should move in on Marie, but they stop their conversation as Kate glides into the cell. She realises they have stopped because of her and is offended, insisting that she's not on Marie's side and just wants a quiet life until her appeal. After Kate leaves, Bea tells Sandy what the doctor in hospital told her about Kate and Conrad. Wally arrives home next morning (minus beard) and at first assumes that Judy has escaped again. Marie tells Kate the drugs will be "the real stuff" next time and that in return McNally has hinted that he wants Sandy killed. Kate mentions that she's already sneaked some barbiturates out of the infirmary. Doreen's absence is noticed at breakfast. Marie challenges Bea in the dining room, but as soon as Sandy stands by Bea, Lil and Bev suddenly melt away from Marie's side. Janet tells Bea that Doreen is in solitary but refuses to say why. Erica questions Doreen about the escape, but appears to reconsider sending her before the VJ when Doreen points out she saved Janet from being attacked by the dogs. Doreen is nevertheless taken back to solitary. Marie tries to heavy Hazel into buying some pills, but Sandy knocks her to the ground when she sees what's going on. Unbowed, Marie catches up with Hazel later and gives her some pills "on account". Judy agrees to come back to Wally's to stay after she has returned the taxi. Hazel tells Bea that something Marie said makes her suspect that Sandy's life might be in danger. Sandy and Bea go straight to Marie's cell and "add a few finishing touches" to the decor by trashing it: Marie watches in silent fury. Kate arrives just after they have finished the makeover job: Marie tells her that they must get rid of Sandy to pull Bea back in line and that she expects Kate to get something from the infirmary to "weaken" Sandy. Kate suggests a mixture of barbiturates and emetics (probably hoping that Marie will not understand what an "emetic" is!). Erica tells Janet she's decided not to proceed with the charges against Doreen. Colleen stops Kate in her tracks when she's about to ask a favour and points out that Kate has hardly kept her side of the deal. A policeman arrives at Wentworth trying to trace Judy after Jock is found in a coma: Erica suggests he goes to speak to Meg. Meg meanwhile is trying to fend off Ian in the pub where they are supposed to be discussing work. Lizzie persuades Janet to let her take Doreen's teddy bear to her in solitary. Meg leaves the pub in a hurry when Ian turns the conversation in a rather too personal direction, and arrives home to find that Bob has returned early from his business trip: he is keen for her to come back with him to Jakarta, but she refuses to agree until she's had time to consider. The arrival of the policeman looking for Judy does nothing to help Bob's mood. Kate asks Colleen to move her to the infirmary to get her away from the infighting: Colleen points out that this will mean she will be even less likely to get her any information but agrees to ask Erica. The police officer explains to Meg that they have a witness to Jock chasing Judy out of the flat, so they only want to see her to confirm her side of the story: Meg suggests he might try her friend Pauline. Meg wants dogs to be removed, but Erica tells her the Department have already agreed to this. Colleen sees Doreen has the teddy bear in solitary and tries to confiscate it, but Doreen insists Erica had given permission. After giving Janet a roasting for breaking the rules, Colleen returns to solitary and takes away the teddy bear. Erica tells Meg she is pleased to see she has applied for the Deputy Governor's post, but Meg says she isn't sure now if she will proceed with it. Doreen hears barking outside and climbs on her bed to see the dogs being loaded into a van. Colleen turns her back while Kate is putting some out-of-date drugs from the dispensary into the garbage bin and doesn't see her slipping them inside her jacket. |
EPISODE 260Broadcast on Channel 5 Wednesday 29 April 1998 04:40 Competition intensifies between Meg and Officer Powell. A 16-year-old is inducted into Wentworth, where she is bewildered by her new surroundings. A murder is being plotted.CREDITSMeg ~ Elspeth BallantyneJudy ~ Betty Bobbitt Lizzie ~ Sheila Florance Erica ~ Patsy King Bea ~ Val Lehman Doreen ~ Colette Mann Officer Powell ~ Judith McGrath Kate ~ Olivia Hamnett Steve ~ Wayne Jarratt Sandy ~ Louise Le Nay Marie ~ Maggie Millar Janet ~ Kate Sheil Lori ~ Susannah Fowle Ian ~ Peter Curtin Wally ~ Alan Hopgood Bob ~ Anthony Hawkins Susie ~ Jacqui Gordon  Officer Barry ~ Joy Westmore Mighty Mouse ~ Jentah Sobott Margo Gaffney ~ Jane Clifton Policewoman ~ Ginny Geraghty Meg seems not to have noticed that escaped prisoner Ronnie Kennedy is sitting behind her at the bar where she meets Bob | Ian tries to apologise to Meg, but it is really only an excuse to pressure her further: Meg repeats that she's a married woman, just as Bob arrives on cue to take her to lunch. Susie Driscoll is brought to Wentworth (along with another silent character called Mary Vaughan  ). Colleen is appalled when she sees from the charge sheet that Susie is only sixteen. From her file it appears that Susie has been escaping repeatedly from juvenile institutions since the age of eleven. Colleen reports to Erica that Susie doesn't look like a troublemaker, and in fact reminds her of her own daughter. Nevertheless, Erica puts on her sternest manner to warn Susie that attempting to escape is taken very seriously indeed. Bob asks Meg about Ian, and seems a little jealous. Susie meets the other women for the first time in the dining room, and Bea takes her under her wing when Marie seems about to blast Susie with the full force of her sarcasm. Meg tells Bob that her own career is as important as his, and tells him she has a good chance of being made Deputy Governor. Susie tells the women that her father is a "traveller" and her mother has been ill. Marie says she means that he's on the run and she's an alcoholic. Mouse recognises Susie and claims to have been her babysitter when Susie was about eight. Wally visits Wentworth to speak to Meg, who agrees to come with him and talk to Judy. Erica isn't happy about this and tells Meg she won't be able to carry acting like a parole officer if she is made Deputy Governor. Bea asks Mouse about Susie's parents, and it seems that Marie's cynical comments were all too accurate. Lori also arrives at Wentworth asking for Meg and agrees to go to Wally's cottage with her. Marie warns Susie to keep in line and not upset the boss - meaning herself. Meg tells Judy she's in the clear but the police still want to talk to her. Susie asks Bea if Marie is really top dog and Bea warns her to steer clear and stick by Sandy instead. Colleen and Meg are both called to Erica's office to hear the decision about the Deputy Governor post: Meg is told she is the Board's choice. Doreen thanks Sandy for sticking up for her and assures her the lagging at Barnhurst was only because of the pressure she was under. Marie asks Margo to get herself put on serving meals so she can add the powdered pills to Sandy's meal. Meg tells Joyce Barry she's decided to turn down the promotion and go to Jakarta with Bob. Meanwhile, Bob arrives to collect Meg in reception and Steve lets slip about Meg's promotion: Bob leaves in a huff, saying not to bother fetching Meg as she will no doubt be staying late to celebrate. Lori wants to know the whole story about Jock Stewart, so Judy tells her all about Sharon and the massage parlour episode. Margo makes a very clumsy job of spiking Sandy's food, but Sandy is too busy talking to the woman behind her in the queue to notice. Kate tells Marie to stay away from her, as they mustn't be seen together until it all over, but Marie insists that Kate's part isn't over yet: when the drugs start to take effect, Kate is to get Sandy to the shower block. Susie starts to plug Doreen for the details of her escape. Sandy starts to feel funny and leaves the rec room to go back to her cell: Marie nods to Kate that she should follow her. Meg arrives home to find that Bob has gone leaving a note saying only CONGRATULATIONS.  Kate finds Sandy in her cell complaining of stomach pains and nausea: she tells Sandy she should try to make herself vomit and pushes her off towards the shower block. As Sandy is heaving up her guts, Marie, Lil and Bev arrive. Marie carries a knotted sheet: she tells Sandy that after all she's been through recently no-one would be surprised if she killed herself. So Marie has decided to fake her suicide: she slips the noose over Sandy's neck and strings her up on the pipe over the toilet cubicle. |
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