EPISODE 306Broadcast on Channel 5 Friday 03 July 1998 04:40 Steve's romantic attachment for Barbara grows and Judy learns from Tony that Maxine has been dealing in stolen goods. Meg ~ Elspeth Ballantyne Judy ~ Betty Bobbitt Lizzie ~ Sheila Florance Erica ~ Patsy King Tony ~ Alan Lee  Bea ~ Val Lehman Faye ~ Anne Lucas Off. Powell ~ Judith McGrath Steve ~ Wayne Jarratt Joan ~ Maggie Kirkpatrick Chrissie ~ Amanda Muggleton Barbara ~ Susan Guerin Neil ~ Adrian Wright Paddy ~ Anna Hruby Maxine ~ Lisa Crittenden Ivy (Customer) ~ Judith Graeme Mr. Williamson ~ James Heyward  Betty ~ Norma Brown Julie ~ Christine Jack UNCREDITEDJudge ~ Alan Rowe Plainclothes Policeman ~ Thomas Coltrane George Logan also appears at Barbara's trial, but has no dialogue. | Chrissie checks the coast is clear then fakes a rash by rubbing a hairbrush over her forearms and cleavage so she can get Colleen to give her permission to see Neil. When Colleen expresses doubts about having a male nurse, Joan pointedly comments that you don't have to be a man to be accused of "interfering" with the prisoners. Neil instantly diagnoses Chrissie's condition as a "good rub with a hairbrush", adding that there's a lot of it about. [So who are these other women driven to hairbrush abuse in a frenzy of lust? Lorna? Lil? ... Tina?!] He sends Chrissie away, but doesn't report her to the officers. When Bea finds out where Chrissie has been, she comments that it's a plumber Chrissie needs, not a doctor, but Chrissie is still convinced that Neil is interested in her. Faye gets permission from Bea to start up the book again, though Bea insists that they aren't going to put money in Joan's pocket and if Joan finds out, Faye must stop the book straight away. Judy complains to Meg of the poor quality of applicants she's had for the halfway house job, when a young man arrives who's been referred by the CES. His name is Tony Berman and despite her initial mistrust, Judy is impressed by his qualifications in social administration and experience in counselling and voluntary work. Judy admits she hasn't actually got permission to employ anyone, but says she'll let him know. Maxine arrives back and gives Tony her vote before handing over a dinner service which is supposedly a present from "the boys". However, Maxine has lots of other goods in her haversack which she hides in the wardrobe in her room. Faye apologises to Paddy for making fun of her, and offers to let her be bookie's runner. When Paddy doesn't seem too keen, Faye implies she can get Joan to have Paddy sent to solitary if she doesn't agree. Bea notices that Joan does nothing when she walks into the rec room while Faye is taking bets and reminds Faye of their agreement. Paddy steps in and tells Bea to leave off, and Bea has to back down when Faye reminds her she's in danger of losing her parole. Judy phones Meg to tell her she's giving the job to Tony. Joan is not pleased when she has to chase up Faye to get her cut. Chrissie makes eyes at Neil, and gets the wrong idea when he gives her the pill as a treatment for a "hormonal problem". Bea tells Paddy that she's prepared to sacrifice her parole to teach her a lesson if Paddy doesn't get back in line. Maxine sells stolen goods to a couple of women who visit the halfway house shop  . Judy takes Tony to meet Erica and finds out that Bea will be considered for parole in a few months. Joan threatens to send Paddy to solitary if she doesn't try harder to drum up punters. Paddy tells Faye that if it comes to a showdown between Joan and Bea, she'll be on Bea's side. Maxine admits to selling a few toys before the shop officially has permission to open, but Tony is amazed by how much money she's managed to get. Barbara realises George's alibi is blown when Steve tells her about the Range Rover - just like the one she saw outside the factory on the night of the fire - but keeps quiet about it. Paddy continues as bookie's runner for Faye. Barbara sees her new solicitor and hints of her suspicions about George, but without giving him any concrete proof. Steve tells Barbara he knows she shouldn't be in prison, and suggests that they could see each other on the outside after she is acquitted. Tony tells Judy he suspects Maxine is shop-lifting. Judy finds the goods in Maxine's room and tells her to get rid of them, so Maxine dumps them in a charity collection skip. Lizzie depresses Barbara by talking about her time in the "old jail". Barbara goes to court: her solicitor puts forward evidence that she couldn't have lifted the containers of chemicals used to light the fire. The judge decides the murder and arson charges cannot be laid against her and says it is up to the Attorny General to proceed with the charges of breaking and entering and theft. Maxine is caught disposing of more stolen goods by a plain clothes detective. Lizzie finds Bea on the point of tears in her cell  : Bea admits that it is the hope of getting out that is torturing her, and the prospect of Joan taking it all away from her. |
EPISODE 307Broadcast on Channel 5 Saturday 04 July 1998 04:40 George Logan visits Barbara [not in this episode!], and Lizzie pretends to be a sick old woman at her parole hearing. Maxine is brought back to the Halfway House by police, and Penny Seymour is brought into Wentworth on a prostitution charge.Meg ~ Elspeth Ballantyne Judy ~ Betty Bobbitt Lizzie ~ Sheila Florance Erica ~ Patsy King Bea ~ Val Lehman Off. Powell ~ Judith McGrath Steve ~ Wayne Jarratt Joan ~ Maggie Kirkpatrick Chrissie ~ Amanda Muggleton Tony ~ Alan Lee Phillip ~ Kirk Alexander Margo ~ Jane Clifton Maxine ~ Lisa Crittenden Penny ~ Joy Dunstan Barbara ~ Susan Guerin Paddy ~ Anna Hruby Mr Horton ~ Selwyn Crockett  Neil ~ Adrian Wright Parole Board Chairman ~ Lawrence Held  Magistrate ~ Carl Bleazby  Senior Detective Herbert ~ Allan Stewart  The mugshots at the start of the episode change to include Judy for the first time, in place of Doreen. | Barbara is taken back to Wentworth: she is confident of getting a light sentence for the theft charges and also expects that George will be visiting her soon, especially as she saw how George reacted when he recognised Steve in court. Maxine is brought back to the halfway house by police wanting to search her room. Paddy tries to force Barbara to place a bet: Lizzie steps in when she see that Bea is about to blow her top. Tony is angry with the police's attitude when questioning him and Judy. Maxine is arrested and the detective refuses Judy's offer to stand bail for her. Lizzie goes before the parole board and asks to sit down, coughing delicately as she does so. The parole board chair is not swayed by the theatricals and turns down Lizzie's application for lack of concrete medical evidence that a longer stay in prison will put her health at greater risk. Erica mentions to Neil that she intends to contact the doctor who last examined Lizzie for parole on health grounds. She then pays a visit to the halfway house, and offers to get her brother to help speed up the application for council approval, but she is concerned to find out about the police investigation into Maxine's activities. Bea decides she had better at least try to be friendly to Paddy, but tells her she wants to know what hold Joan has over her. Maxine goes to court and refuses to plead guilty, because she wants to claim in mitigation that she was only trying to help out the charity whose bin she used to dump the stuff in. Neil examines Lizzie and advises her not to fake symptoms she hasn't really got or she'll risk being found out. Maxine's solicitor tells he he can't stay until her case is heard and tells her to request a postponement. Barbara tricks Steve into letting her phone Phillip: her real intention is to pressurize him to bring George Logan to Wentworth by hinting that otherwise she will tell the police about the money she gave him for the land deal. Maxine's case is postponed to let her find a solicitor and she is bailed at $300, which Judy has to stump up for her. Joan tells Paddy to try harder to stir Bea up. Penny Seymour is admitted to Wentworth for soliciting  and is examined by Neil: he ignores her offer of a cut price rate if he wants to do "business" with her. Paddy spills detergent over Bea to provoke her to a scuffle which Joan walks in on right on cue. Joan is about to send Bea to solitary but Colleen walks into the laundry through the other gate and says she clearly saw Paddy strike the first blow so it is Paddy who should be sent to solitary. Joan takes Paddy to be examined by Neil for a minor injury she suffered in the scuffle with Bea. Bea goes to Colleen to tell her that Paddy was set up: she refuses to say who was responsible but asks Colleen to think back who was there on the scene at the time. Penny meets her new cellmate: Chrissie warns her to keep her hands off Neil and takes Penny's report that he didn't seem very interested in her as further proof that he's keeping himself pure for her. Neil realises Paddy suffers from claustrophobia and tells Colleen to let her out of solitary. Judy gets back to the halfway house and finds the back door unlocked: Margo has broken in after escaping from Barnhurst  . Paddy is very unwilling to see a psychiatrist, until she finds that the alternative is to be sent back to solitary. Meg arrives at the halfway house just as Judy is about to send Margo on her way: Judy takes Meg upstairs to give Margo a chance to escape without being seen. Unfortunately, Meg leaves her car keys on the table and Margo sneaks out and steals Meg's car. Meg sees someone tampering with her her car from an upstairs window, and recognises Margo. Judy pleads with her not to report it to the police, but Meg will only agree not to mention the halfway house. Margo's reckless driving leads her to run over a pedestrian  . A witness  notes down the registration number as Margo drives off at high speed.Dave Worthington again manages to work in many little allusions to Prisoner "history" such as Lizzie's age (73 apparently, though shouldn't she be 74 by now?); to Dr Marsden, who had previously examined Lizzie; to Officer Roberts from Barnhurst; Margo's middle name ("Joyce"!); and allusions to real life prisoner Sandy Willson who was a consultant to the series; her halfway house Guthrie House in Sydney; and real life prison Mulawa, which was the one of the main models for the fictional Wentworth. Thanks to Karris Evans in Digest 1352 for drawing attention to a rare (perhaps unique?) use of split screen |
EPISODE 308Broadcast on Channel 5 Sunday 05 July 1998 04:40 Margo is eventually tracked down to one of her old haunts. Chrissie talks to Neil about her childhood, and Spud tries to blackmail Maxine into helping him pull a job before she goes to court.Meg ~ Elspeth Ballantyne Judy ~ Betty Bobbitt Lizzie ~ Sheila Florance Erica ~ Patsy King Bea ~ Val Lehman Off. Powell ~ Judith McGrath Steve ~ Wayne Jarratt Joan ~ Maggie Kirkpatrick Chrissie ~ Amanda Muggleton Barbara ~ Susan Guerin Margo ~ Jane Clifton Neil ~ Adrian Wright Paddy ~ Anna Hruby Maxine ~ Lisa Crittenden Phillip ~ Kirk Alexander Penny ~ Joy Dunstan George ~ David Nettheim Tony ~ Alan Lee Spud ~ Robert Forza Magistrate ~ Carl Bleazby Parole Board Chairman ~ Lawrence Held Sen. Det. Herbert ~ Allan Stewart Dr Marsden ~ Chris Sheil Prosecuting Counsel ~ Kristopher Steele  Police Officer No. 1 ~ Robert McClelland  Cleaner ~ Bill Bennett Det. Con. Swan ~ Bill McLorinan  | The police interview Meg and Judy, but Det. Herbert finds it difficult to believe that Margo would have come all the way from Barnhurst without coming inside the halfway house. Meg and Judy are shocked to hear that Margo has been involved in a hit and run accident. Margo abandons the car and continues on foot. Paddy tells Chrissie she isn't taking any more bets. Chrissie contrives an excuse to see Neil, despite Colleen's cynical remark that since the prison had a male nurse, she seems to have contracted everything except leprosy. Chrissie tells Neil that she just wants to talk to him as friend. He is appalled that Penny has been put in to share a cell with "someone like Chrissie": Chrissie acts the innocent and manages to keep a straight face as she agrees with Neil, saying she just doesn't understand how anyone could have sex for money. Margo looks up an old friend, but the police are waiting for her and she is arrested. The police produce clothes taken from the halfway house and trick Judy into providing a sample of her handwriting to compare against the price tickets. Judy is charged with assisting an escapee. Phillip brings George to Wentworth and pretends that he is an associate of the law firm to guarantee privacy for their chat with Barbara. Barbara demands a half share in George's hotel, or she will tell the police what she knows. Margo is brought back to Wentworth, and Colleen asks her what Meg's involvement is; Margo refuses to say anything beyond claiming that Meg is "hers". Joan is about to refuse to let Chrissie see Neil because she only has a headache, but Neil backs Chrissie up saying it could be a side effect of some medicine her gave her before and he needs to take her blood pressure. Margo tries to discredit Judy and the halfway house, but Bea is not impressed and tells her she's an ungrateful bitch. Chrissie tells Neil she was sexually abused by her father. Tony decides to take advantage of the current clamp-down on prostitutes as an easy way of filling the halfway house and making it impossible for the authorities to close it down. Judy warns Spud to keep Maxine out of trouble while she's away in Sydney. Margo attacks Meg with a broken chair when Meg tells her that the man she hit has died in hospital. Steve disarms Margo but Meg says she doesn't want to report the incident. Dr Marsden examines Lizzie and tells she's in remarkably good shape but he will do what he can to help her in his report to the parole board. Tony asks Erica if there are any prisoners being released soon who might be interested in coming to the halfway house: Erica suggests Penny. Penny agrees to put her name down as a potential resident, but tells Tony she has no intention of turning up. Spud makes Maxine agree to do a job with him. Lizzie sees the parole board again and wins her parole - on condition that she goes to live in a nursing home. Maxine asks for Tony's advice but he tells her he can't help her, so she decides to leave town, saying she'll pay back Judy's bail money when she can. At Judy's trial, Meg refuses to answer a question which would incriminate Judy and the magistrate imprisons her for contempt of court. The women see Meg brought to Wentworth under police guard  : Margo beams with pleasure when she realises Meg is inside as a prisoner. |
EPISODE 309Broadcast on Channel 5 Tuesday 07 July 1998 04:40 The women are suspicious when Meg is imprisoned, but she refuses Erica's offer of spending her three-day sentence in isolation. Margo plans to have her beaten up.Meg ~ Elspeth Ballantyne Erica ~ Patsy King Bea ~ Val Lehman Steve ~ Wayne Jarratt Joan ~ Maggie Kirkpatrick Off. Powell ~ Judith McGrath Chrissie ~ Amanda Muggleton Tony ~ Alan Lee Margo ~ Jane Clifton Maxine ~ Lisa Crittenden Penny ~ Joy Dunstan Barbara ~ Susan Guerin Paddy ~ Anna Hruby Neil ~ Adrian Wright Spud ~ Robert Forza Motorcycle Policeman ~ Ian Mumby  Motorcycle Stuntmen ~ Clive Carter, Murray Smith, Steve Roper, Robin Anson UNCREDITEDLizzie ~ Sheila Florance(thanks Mark C) | Erica apologies to Meg that she couldn't be sent to Barnhurst, but it wouldn't be practical for a 72 hour sentence. Meg refuses to go to isolation, and Erica is forced to agree, though she reminds Meg that there will have to be an enquiry to decide whether she can continue as an officer. Spud returns to the halfway house to collect Maxine, but is sent packing by Tony. The women are amazed to see Meg walk into the rec room in prisoner's uniform, but Meg refuses to say why she is inside. Margo tries to come the heavy with Meg  and Chrissie points out Meg could have been planted by the Department to spy on them. Lizzie is distraught that her plan has misfired and tells Bea she doesn't want to go into a home, as it would be just another version of prison. Penny taunts Joan for "perving" on her, and Joan grabs her by the throat  , but Chrissie walks into the cell and Joan leaves. Penny tells Chrissie she was afraid that Joan was about to break her neck. When Chrissie tells Bea that Margo is planning to bash Meg, Bea decrees that anyone who hurts Meg will have to answer to her. Maxine turns up for her court appearance, but is chased away by Spud's gang and gets booked for speeding. She is brought to Wentworth on a 30 day sentence for dangerous driving: Joan is in reception and warns her not to spread any more stories about her. Margo, Lil and Ronnie creep up on Meg and bash her, throwing a sheet over her head so she can't identify her attackers. For the second time in this episode, Chrissie comes to the rescue, scaring the attackers off. When Colleen finds Chrissie apparently standing over Meg after just having bashed her, she wants to send Chrissie to solitary until Meg defends her. However, Colleen sends Chrissie to solitary anyway when she refuses to lag on the real culprits. Even after the attack, Meg refuses to go to isolation. Penny visits Neil to try to get a free month's supply of the pill, but he tries to send her away with a lecture about how disgusting prostitution is. When Penny demands her rights, Neil gives her one pill to see her through until her release. Meg is surprised by Penny's automatic assumption on seeing Meg's bruises that it must have been Joan who beat her up. Neil finds out from Joan that Chrissie had been a prostitute. Meg cannot convince Bea not to take reprisals for the attack on her. Barbara goes to court. Joan refuses Tony permission to visit Meg, so he claims to want to see Bea instead to discuss the soft toy supply situation. During their conversation, he lets slip to Bea the reason why Meg is inside. Paddy refuses to see Dr Weissman, and Bea has to explain to Meg that Joan has some sort of hold over Paddy and tried to push Paddy to provoke Bea into a fight so she could put a stop to Bea' s parole. Bea and Meg decide to try to get Paddy to agree to see Dr Weissman: Paddy tells them about Trevor Parker, the man she attacked after being shut up in a storeroom with him at an office party. Colleen tells Paddy that Trevor is no longer in a coma and may recover. Penny is released. Barbara is brought back to Wentworth on a six month sentence for theft. Paddy warns Bea that some of the women aren't happy that she hasn't settled the score with Margo. Penny goes back on the streets, and has her neck snapped like a twig  by someone she recognizes: a killer wearing black leather gloves... |
EPISODE 310Broadcast on Channel 5 Thursday 09 July 1998 04:40 Chrissie is questioned about Penny's murder, and Meg is released. Bea and Chrissie give Margo a home- made tar and feathering.Meg ~ Elspeth Ballantyne Lizzie ~ Sheila Florance Erica ~ Patsy King Bea ~ Val Lehman Steve ~ Wayne Jarratt Joan ~ Maggie Kirkpatrick Off. Powell ~ Judith McGrath Chrissie ~ Amanda Muggleton Barbara ~ Susan Guerin Margo ~ Jane Clifton Neil ~ Adrian Wright Paddy ~ Anna Hruby Maxine ~ Lisa Crittenden Phillip ~ Kirk Alexander Helen ~ Caroline Gillmer Tina ~ Debbie Cumming  Detective ~ Ian Cuming  Mrs. Daniels ~ Jan Russ  Mr. Douglas ~ Ian Smith Doctor Weissman ~ Bryon Williams Enid Watson ~ Elizabeth Wing  Elderly Woman ~ Edna Bartlett Elderly Man ~ Arnold Riches Nurse ~ Julie Thompson Radio Announcer ~ Rob Maynard | While the women are working in the laundry, Margo hears on the radio that Penny has been murdered. Chrissie is taken from solitary to be questioned by the police to find out if Penny said anything before she was released. Barbara asks Steve to get Phillip to arrange her appeal: Steve reminds her she sacked Phillip as her laywer, but she says she wants to re-instate him. Steve agrees to make the phone call for her. Chrissie remembers Penny telling her about Joan nearly breaking her neck, and tells Bea of her suspicions. Helen Smart is brought back to Wentworth along with another prostitute, Tina Gibson, as part of the clean-up of the streets  . Phillip brings the papers for Barbara to sign giving her partnership in the hotel. After she has signed, Phillip tells her he doesn't intend to see her again, but Barbara tells him he will stay with her until she says otherwise. She tells him she will keep her own copy of the documents and look at them every day to remind herself why she's in prison. As he is leaving, Phillip warns Steve that Barbara's only concern is money, but Barbara manages to calm Steve's anxiety about helping her by letting him know about her affair with Phillip, and implies he is bitter about them breaking up. Joan harasses Tina when she comes across her on cleaning duty with Chrissie. Chrissie advises Tina to stay well out of Joan's way. Bea and Chrissie tar (or treacle) and feather Margo  in the shower block and put a sign round her neck reading "I BASHED A FELLOW PRISONER"  . Erica sends the women to their cells and puts pressure on Meg to identify the culprits, but she refuses to lag. Erica tells her she's to be released next day and the Department still haven't made a decision about whether she can return to work. Maxine is put in to share a cell with Helen, and they discuss Judy and the halfway house. When Helen finds out that Maxine hasn't been in contact with her parents for several years, she suggests that Maxine should use her phone call privelege to get in touch. Meg is released: Erica tells her to come into work next day as usual pending a decision from Ted Douglas. Maxine phones her mother, who agrees to visit her. Lizzie goes with Erica to visit an old people's home. Most of the residents seem suspiciously contented, but when Lizzie goes out into the garden she meets another woman who advises her to look elsewhere if she doesn't want to end up "cut off from the world". Maxine asks permission to wear a dress for her mother's visit. Doctor Weissman sees Paddy after Neil has filled in the background for him. He asks Paddy about her childhood and finds out that she lived with her grandmother from the age of seven. He suggests her may be able to help her with hypnosis, but she refuses point blank. Maxine upsets her mother when she lets slip that this isn't the first time she's been inside: almost as a rebuke, her mother tells her about her sister Pauline who is getting married soon and that her husband-to-be works in a bank. Lizzie collides with Ted Douglas while carrying Erica's tea tray and leaves him in no doubt that she won't go to the home. Ted tells Erica that Meg is to be reinstated and somewhat petulantly adds that Lizzie obviously doesn't need parole, so he is cancelling her application. Erica is furious with Lizzie and tells her she is being very silly: she would only have needed to stay in the home until her parole period was up and then she could have lived anywhere she liked. Lizzie protests that no-one told her that and wants to change her mind, but Erica sharply retorts that it's too late for that. Meg returns to work: she tells Erica that she is now certain that Joan is dealing with the women and knows how to get proof of it. |
Script Editor: Ian Smith (306)-(307); Ian Bradley (308); Barry Main (309); Ian Smith (310)
Storyliners: Dave Worthington, John Mortimore, Andrew Kennedy, Patrea Smallacombe
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