EPISODES (421) TO (425)

EPISODE 421 Broadcast on Channel 5 Friday 11 December 1998 04:40 Belinda prepares a nasty surprise for Sonia. Colleen risks her career by standing up to Joan. CREDITS Meg ~ Elspeth Ballantyne Judy ~ Betty Bobbitt Joan ~ Maggie Kirkpatrick Colleen ~ Judith McGrath Pixie ~ Judy McBurney Sonia ~ Tina Bursill Minnie ~ Wendy Playfair Cass ~ Babs McMillan Bobbie ~ Maxine Klibingaitis Phyllis ~ Reylene Pearce Helen ~ Caroline Gillmer Belinda ~ Jane Turner Rick Manning ~ Andy Anderson Charles Harnsworth ~ Tom Lake Off. Radcliffe ~ Marion Dimmick Sister Kelly ~ Liddy Holloway Terence Makin ~ John Shaw Bus Driver ~ Kevin Hobson Harry (cat) ~ Allistair Written by Andrew Kennedy & Fay Rousseaux Directed by Ross Jennings In an curious touch of continuity, Bobbie is shown slicing pineapples in an early scene: later for lunch the women are served gammon and pineapple.

Meg finds Sonia on the floor of her cell moaning pitifully "Help me, Mrs Morris". Colleen tells Meg that Minnie's report shows that Minnie was poisoned with valium acetate. Cass tells Bobbie she doesn't want to be the "bash artist" any more. To try to cheer her up over Snoopie's death, Bobbie suggests Cass adopts the kitchen cat Harry as a pet. Sonia is interviewed about the attack on her: she blames Cass for the attack on her. Joan pretends to be reading the paper when Colleen comes into the office and casually mentions the death of the drunk and wonders if it is the same one she saw Colleen run into. The women speculate about the attack on Sonia: Judy gets suspicious when Belinda seems to know too much about the implement used for the stabbing. Joan tells Colleen she wants the report on Minnie buried in return for not going to the police about Colleen's accident. Cass is questioned by Colleen about the attack on Sonia, but she vehemently denies any involvement. Meg is appalled by Colleen's stalling over the report on Minnie. Judy confronts Belinda about her absence from the rec room: Belinda points out that she was absent too. Helen thinks she recognizes Belinda as an ex-prostitute, and she and Judy find Belinda stealing Sonia's stash - which Meg confiscates. The Minister is displeased with Ann's decision to let Pixie's work release continue: as they leave the office, Joan sneaks in behind their backs. Terry visits Minnie and warns her case doesn't look strong and tells her is representing Reb Kean in an armed robbery case. When Minnie tells him about the poisoning he wants to use it in court. [*] Colleen cannot find the report on Minnie, and is embarrassed when Minnie asks her about it. Judy bows to Minnie's pressure and becomes top dog. Pixie meets Rick on the bus back from work. Belinda accuses Judy of molesting her in front of Meg. Pixie is just regaling the women with stories of the new man she met on the bus, when she is embarrassed into silence when he walks into the rec room as a new prison officer. Cass reacts badly when Rick is introduced to the women. Colleen moves Belinda in with Sonia. Joan tells Colleen she isn't going to the police on the grounds of promoting "officer solidarity". Belinda fakes an injury and while Meg has her back turned after bandaging Belinda's hand, she slips a pair of scissors from the infirmary into her pocket. Judy goes the Colleen to complain at the use of male officers after the recent events, but Colleen tries to convince her that Rick has been thoroughly vetted. Colleen tells Joan she has sent for a copy of Minnie's medical report and will forward it to the Department when it arrives. She adds that she is going to turn herself in to the police. Colleen cautions Rick about mentioning to the women that he used to be in the police force. Judy tells Meg she is worried about Sonia sharing with Belinda, but Meg questions her motives. The police arrive at Wentworth to question Colleen: she realises Joan has beaten her to it and phoned the police already.

The sequence of scenes above follows the order of the version shown on Granada. In the version shown on Channel 5, the scene in italics was moved to later in the episode, to the position indicated by [*]

EPISODE 422 Broadcast on Channel 5 Saturday 12 December 1998 04:40 Joan finally triumphs over Colleen. Someone wants Paul Reynolds out of the way, and Judy is accused of molesting Belinda. CREDITS Meg ~ Elspeth Ballantyne Judy ~ Betty Bobbitt Joan ~ Maggie Kirkpatrick Colleen ~ Judith McGrath Ann ~ Gerda Nicolson Pixie ~ Judy McBurney Sonia ~ Tina Bursill Cass ~ Babs McMillan Minnie ~ Wendy Playfair Bobbie ~ Maxine Klibingaitis Belinda ~ Jane Turner Helen ~ Caroline Gillmer Rick Manning ~ Andy Anderson Charles Harnsworth ~ Tom Lake Off. Radcliffe ~ Marion Dimmick Off. Barfield ~ Delva Hunter Reb ~ Janet Andrewartha Mike Slater ~ Ross Vernon Mr Schumann ~ Mark Zandle Miss Shrewsbury ~ Lorelei Tait Ralph Cranton ~ Mark Morrisey Miranda Denis ~ Christine Ashman Mrs Burton ~ Marcia McArthur Fred McDonald ~ Marcus Eyre Detective ~ Gus Cornelissen Policeman ~ Adrian Benson Policewoman ~ Fran Mannix Waiter ~ Andrew Blazsanyik Fred's Driver ~ Colin McDonald  Written by James Simmonds Directed by Ross Jennings Reb Kean is actually credited as "Rebbecca". I have assumed that Mike "Slator", Miss "Shrewbury" played by "Lorelie" Tait and Mrs "Button" are also misspellings.

Minnie reassures Cass when she panics at the sight of Rick. Inspector Thorne questions Colleen: when Joan finds out she stays on instead of going home. Sonia hints that Judy stabbed her in the hearing of the other women. Joan tells Inspector Thorne she didn't see the accident and that the man was already dead when she arrived on the scene. Colleen is taken to the station to make a statement . Judy suggests that Belinda is watched around the clock to prevent her having a chance to attack Sonia: Bobbie volunteers to follow Belinda. Inspector Thorne tells Colleen there are two witnesses to the accident including one who they haven't managed to trace. Ann gives Paul a book to return to Colleen as a pretext to find out what's going on at Wentworth. Sonia asks Belinda to spy on the women for her. Colleen recognizes Rod Lewis, the witness to the accident from photos. Sonia wakes up as Belinda is just about to stab her. Paul meets Meg outside Wentworth and tells her he has to attend a line-up to identify the man who broke into his shop. The Minister makes Colleen take leave of absence: Colleen gives him the reports on Joan and tells him to read them before making a decision on her replacement. Officer Barfield admits she left Cass unattended with Minnie's meal. The Minister is convinced that this lets Joan off the hook for poisoning Minnie and makes Joan Acting Governor . Joan takes the earliest opportunity to take a tour of inspection: she announces that security will have to be tightened and the prisoners will have to accompanied when they move around the prison. Joan tells Cass she's to evaluated for transfer to a psychiatric hospital. Reb Kean and Minnie are sentenced and brought back to Wentworth in the same van: Minnie had been sentenced to a year and Reb seven years. Mr Schumann takes Pixie for dinner, where she pockets some chocolates and cigarettes. Ann sends her male physiotherapist packing as she feels he is cold and unsympathetic. Pixie helps a couple in the shop and recognizes the man as Ralph, her fourth (?) husband: the woman overhears them discussing their marriage and storms out. Paul is told to attend an identification parade. Joan sends Pixie to solitary for smuggling goods into prison and stops her work release. Meg tells Ann about Joan's promotion. Judy follows Belinda and takes the scissors off her : Meg walks in and Belinda accuses Judy of molesting her. Paul is followed home and shot outside his front door by a man working for Lionel Fellowes.

EPISODE 423 Broadcast on Channel 5 Sunday 13 December 1998 04:40 Joan forces the women to take an all-night sauna. Judy is degraded, but cannot speak up for herself. Colleen's last hopes of being cleared are dashed. CREDITS Meg ~ Elspeth Ballantyne Judy ~ Betty Bobbitt Joan ~ Maggie Kirkpatrick Colleen ~ Judith McGrath Ann ~ Gerda Nicolson Sonia ~ Tina Bursill Minnie ~ Wendy Playfair Cass ~ Babs McMillan Bobbie ~ Maxine Klibingaitis Helen ~ Caroline Gillmer Belinda ~ Jane Turner Reb ~ Janet Andrewartha Rick ~ Andy Anderson Paul ~ Paul Newman Major Ferguson ~ Carl Bleazby Off. Radcliffe ~ Marion Dimmick Rod Lewis ~ Keir Saltmarsh Doctor Rice ~ Merfyn Owen Doctor Weissman ~ Bryon Williams Doctor Perry ~ Ian Clutterham Dr Bauscomb ~ Vic Gordon Nursing Sister ~ Robyn Grundy Wardsman ~ Jonas Leigh Ruth Shaw ~ Mary Murphy Detective ~ Greg Smith Young Male Passerby ~ Kevin Hopkins Written by Coral Drouyn Directed by Bill Templer Didn't take Joan long to get her personal effects stowed in the Governor's office - note the photo behind her .

Belinda asks Meg to keep Judy away from her and to lock her in her cell. Meg tells Judy she knows she is telling the truth, and that something funny is going on as Belinda could only have known it was a pair of scissors Judy was holding to her neck if she'd handled them. Judy doesn't lag, but admits Belinda has it in for someone else, not her. Paul is taken straight to the operating theatre. Meg takes a call at the prison about Paul and goes to the hospital to see Ann. Reb rebuffs an approach from Sonia, when she suggests that Reb isn't overkeen on Minnie and her friends. Judy decides it's time to take action against Joan and leads a sit-in protest in the rec room: Joan tells Officer Radcliffe that the officers on duty should leave them locked in all night and not open the gate under any circumstances. She then goes to turn up the heating , locks the boiler room and snaps the key off in the lock. The women refuse to go back to their cells, so they are left in the rec room overnight. Next morning the staff notice a list of new restrictions posted by Joan. The protest collapses when Joan threatens to turn the fire hoses on them when the women refuse to go for breakfast. Reb disobeys the order to wait to be seated in the dining room, and the protest continues with the women tipping over their plates. Sonia tries to claim she had nothing to do with the protest but Joan tells her their partnership is over. When the women are locked in the laundry to work, they fuse one of the washing machines. Joan orders the women to clean the prison as a punishment and strip their cells. Meg compiles a report for the Department. Joan tries to hint to Dr Weissman that Cass might be better off "somewhere else". After talking to Cass, he tells Joan he is prepared to recommend Cass's transfer to Ingleside. Joan's father is visiting her when she is called to the dining room when the women smash their plates after dinner. Joan agrees to discuss terms with Judy, but her terms are that she will act on Dr Weissman's report unless Judy makes the women fall in line. Judy tells the women the protest is over, but they are not happy with the minimal concessions she has gained. Colleen talks to Rod Lewis, who demands money to make the statement she wants. Ann is taken to see Paul. Colleen follows Rod Lewis home and reports his whereabouts to the police. Joan visits the rec room while the women are cleaning it to gloat and pointedly tells Cass that she can stay at Wentworth. To humiliate Judy, she kicks over a bucket onto her foot and makes Judy clean her shoe . Rod is furious to be reported to the police and tells the police Colleen deliberately ran the man over.

EPISODE 424 Broadcast on Channel 5 Tuesday 15 December 1998 04:40 When the women humiliate Joan, she intends to get her revenge. Colleen can't cope with blackmail, and there's a nasty blow in store for the Major. CREDITS Meg ~ Elspeth Ballantyne Judy ~ Betty Bobbitt Joan ~ Maggie Kirkpatrick Erica ~ Patsy King Colleen ~ Judith McGrath Ann ~ Gerda Nicolson Pixie ~ Judy McBurney Sonia ~ Tina Bursill Cass ~ Babs McMillan Minnie ~ Wendy Playfair Bobbie ~ Maxine Klibingaitis Belinda ~ Jane Turner Helen ~ Caroline Gillmer Phyllis ~ Reylene Pearce Rick ~ Andy Anderson Reb ~ Janet Andrewartha Off. Barfield ~ Delva Hunter Det. Insp. Thorn ~ Peter Aanensen Major Ferguson ~ Carl Bleazby Rod Lewis ~ Keir Saltmarsh Mr Schumann ~ Mark Zandle Gary Wilder ~ Nick Waters Detective ~ Greg Smith Nurse 1 ~ Patrice Millar Nurse 2 ~ Cindy Calvert Taxi Driver ~ Bernard Blestell Written by Ian Smith & Lex Van Os Directed by Bill Templer The cell numbering is rather different to the last time there was a cell shuffle. This time it there seems to be a 22, 23 and 24.

Sonia tries to increase the women's dissatisfaction with Judy. Pixie is released from solitary as promised by Joan: she instantly senses the tense atmosphere in the rec room. New cell allocations are given out:- Judy is to share with Sonia, Reb with Pixie and Belinda with Helen. Rod sticks to his story, and Colleen is charged with culpable driving. [*] Minnie is worried that Cass has been put in a single cell, as Joan visits Cass to remind her through the spyhole of her cell of some of her recent misfortunes. As Joan leaves work, she tells Rick to keep an eye on Judy. Colleen gets Meg to come to the police station to bail her out. Helen hears Belinda talking in her sleep and reliving the accident that blinded her: the mention of Jerry Turner reminds Helen where she has seen Belinda before. Helen finds out it was Belinda who informed on him. When she arrives home and meets her father there, we can see that Joan's house is being watched by a man hiding in the shrubbery. Judy is told to keep the women in line for Major Ferguson's visit with a hint that Joan could still have Cass put away if anything goes wrong. Rick tells Meg her report is out of date, as Joan has restored privileges. Mr Schumann visits Pixie: he wants an explanation why Pixie stopped coming in to work, and what he can do to help get her work release re-instated. Reb gets a visit from her partner-in-crime Gary: he hands her a cigarette with a message written on the inside of the paper "GET READY I'M GOING TO GET YOU OUT". Joan has a visitor from the Department responding to Meg's report: to her dismay, it is Erica Davidson . Erica takes a tour of the prison and stops to sympathise with Judy over her sentence. She then takes over Joan's office to interview people in connection with Meg's report, starting with Meg herself. Ann leaves hospital. Judy tells Minnie what Joan's terms were. As an attempt to humiliate Judy further, Joan puts her on tray duty, but this allows her find out why Erica is visiting when she takes a tray to the Governor's office and she decides to embarrass Joan. The Major gets an anonymous phone call at Joan's house. Meg finds Joan's instruction to implement full security for her father's visit rather amusing at first until she realises Joan is serious. Ann tells Colleen she's resigning to look after Paul as the doctor says he may never walk again. Gary breaks into Joan's house after the Major has left for Wentworth. Erica talks to Pixie (who initially mistakes her for a new inmate!) and promises to try to have her work release resumed. Joan takes the Major and Erica to inspect the laundry: the women refuse to move out on Joan's orders. When Joan tries to put Judy in solitary and the others in solitary, Erica intervenes and sends Joan to her office while she talks to Judy. Judy tells Erica the "facts". Rod returns to Wentworth to talk to Colleen, but runs into Rick who heavies him into telling the truth . Erica reminds Joan that her position is only temporary. The Major returns to Joan's house, where Gary is waiting behind a door for him.

Around a minute was cut from the Channel 5 broadcast of (424) at the point indicated by [*]

EPISODE 425 Broadcast on Channel 5 Wednesday 16 December 1998 04:40 Joan finds herself in a terrible dilemma. Belinda nearly achieves her sole ambition. Judy takes action to force Joan to clear Colleen. CREDITS Meg ~ Elspeth Ballantyne Judy ~ Betty Bobbitt Erica ~ Patsy King Joan ~ Maggie Kirkpatrick Colleen ~ Judith McGrath Ann ~ Gerda Nicolson Wally ~ Alan Hopgood Sonia ~ Tina Bursill Minnie ~ Wendy Playfair Cass ~ Babs McMillan Pixie ~ Judy McBurney Bobbie ~ Maxine Klibingaitis Belinda ~ Jane Turner Reb ~ Janet Andrewartha Phyllis ~ Reylene Pearce Frances ~ Wanda Davidson Rick ~ Andy Anderson Stanley ~ Brian James Off. Barfield ~ Delva Hunter Det. Insp. Thorn ~ Peter Aanensen Major Ferguson ~ Carl Bleazby Rod Lewis ~ Keir Saltmarsh Mr Schumann ~ Mark Zandle Gary Wilder ~ Nick Waters Kevin Stansfield ~ Tiriel Mora Hugh Bennett ~ Steve Cummins Ruth ~ Mary Murphy Written by Wendy Jackson & Lyn Ogilvy Directed by Steve Mann The library is said to be "on the first floor, second corridor on the right".

Joan is outraged that Erica is prepared to take Judy's word over hers but Erica points out that her own daily reports support all of Judy's complaints. Erica tells Joan she is dissatisfied with her performance as Acting Governor, and tells her work release must be resumed, and that Judy will be made a trustee. Helen follows Belinda when she leaves the rec room. Joan cannot get an answer when she phones home. Belinda thrashes Helen with her white stick to make her leave her alone, but she manages to get hold of a kettle flex. When Helen returns to the rec room alone and tells Judy what happened with Belinda, Judy goes to talk to her. When the women tell Pixie that Reb has $50,000 on the outside, Pixie replies innocently that must be why Reb is planning to escape. Belinda overhears Joan telling Sonia to get rid of Judy. Judy catches Belinda with the kettle flex. Erica tells Meg she is Acting Deputy Governor again. Sonia passes on the job of getting rid of Judy on to Phyllis. Joan arrives home to find the Major has gone and picks up a heavy candlestick that is lying on the floor by the door... Belinda offers to finish Judy off if Sonia will knock her out first. Joan gets a call from her father's kidnappers: Gary says he wants Reb out of Wentworth and in return he will return her father unharmed. Phyllis, Belinda and Judy leave the rec room one after the other. Phyllis knocks out Judy: Belinda sends her to fetch Sonia. Joan waits at home, unsure what to do: she phones the police but hangs up without saying anything. Minnie finds Phyllis in the shower block hiding a wrench . Belinda gets Sonia to bend over Judy, then attempts to strangle her with the cord : She is stopped by Minnie. Joan drops in at work to check checks the visitors' book to look up who's visited Reb. Belinda is hustled back to her cell: Minnie tells her she musn't ever try anything like that again. Judy tells Sonia to keep quiet about the attack on her, or she'll tell all the women she tried to have her killed. Joan sees Reb before lockup to suggest she informs on her accomplice "Alec Carter", but Reb just laughs in her face. The Major has a gun held to his head by Gary who pulls the trigger as a sadistic joke (.. he'll get his...) The Major recovers quickly and tries to make a deal with Gary's accomplice Kevin. Gary phones Joan to tell her to have Reb at Wentworth General Hospital by 2 that afternoon. The new officer Stan Dobson arrives and makes friends with Cass in the garden. Wally returns to visit Ann. Meg finds out that Stan has been sent as a new officer: she'd assumed he was the new gardener. Joan tells Reb she has to fake an attack of food poisoning as part of the escape plan . Judy overhears Meg telling Rick that Joan was a witness to Colleen's accident. Reb brags that she's getting Joan's help to get out and foolishly brags to the women about the whole plan. Wally takes Ann for a day in the country, but she isn't happy that he has planned for Paul to stay with him so that she could resume her career. Belinda's Braille teacher arrives. Reb starts to fake her attack, but the women grab her and hold her hostage.

(416) to (420)

(426) to (430)