EPISODE 636Broadcast on Channel 5 Sunday 30 July 2000 04:40. Nancy finally comes up against Rita and the knives are out. Ann ~ Gerda Nicolson Joan ~ Maggie Kirkpatrick Meg ~ Elspeth Ballantyne Joyce ~ Joy Westmore Mervin ~ Ernie Bourne Marty ~ Michael Winchester Rodney ~ Philip Hyde Rita ~ Glenda Linscott Lexie ~ Pepe Trevor Alice ~ Lois Collinder Nancy ~ Julia Blake Kath ~ Kate Hood Lorelei ~ Paula Duncan Roach ~ Linda Hartley Merle ~ Rosanne Hull-Brown Janet ~ Christine Earle Jenny Hinton ~ Kereen Ely-Harper Delia ~ Desiree Smith Newscaster ~ Jennifer Keyte Muster includes the expected names, but also "Thomas"? | Janet tells Merle that Rita has torn her comics. Marty catches Kath clearing up the comics and they both convince Merle that Rita wasn't to blame, though Marty is really pushing it to expect her to believe her comics were ripped up by Vandals from Outer Space. Jenny lets Joan know she blames her for her father's death  . Kath is forced to keep her part of the bargain and tell Marty it was Janet who ripped the comics. Lexie sees Roach taking the herbs from the drier and suggests another angle. Jenny asks Joan to move out of Andrew's house. Roach gets the money from Rodney and tells him the rest of the drugs are behind the drier, while Lexie tapes the transaction on video from behind a wardrobe. Marty catches Roach paying Janet and confiscates the money. Rodney hands the "dope" to Ann who goes to the laundry and confirms that they are only herbs. Ann warns Rodney of the dangers of using informants. Marty brings in a pile of comics for Merle bought with Rodney's money that he confiscated from Janet. Rodney goes to heavy Roach, but Lexie stops him in his tracks by telling him about the video. Delia promises to look into Rita's suggestion that they could be given the opportunity to do work experience, Lexie accurately remembering that the last person to do it was Bobbie Mitchell. Joan is told that Parker has been murdered while being held in police custody and switches on the TV just in time to catch a news bulletin. Rita and the women are also watching the same TV programme and Rita is even more determined to kill Joan now she has lost her protection: Nancy tries to dissuade her. Mervin returns from holiday (still in Tyrolean costume and such a state of confusion that he thinks "Buon giorno" is French) and gives Merle a snow globe. Delia offers to organise a work release program. Joan returns to work and is questioned by Ann about Kath's remarks in her sleep. Joyce entertains the women with tales of her honeymoon trip. Rita goes to the kitchen to get Mervin to come out and show his costume  , and uses it as an opportunity to get a knife from the kitchen. Joan takes the globe from Merle charging her with stealing it and goes later to Kath's cell to smash it as a warning of what she can do to Merle if Kath won't co-operate with her schemes. Delia asks the women what kind of work they would be interested in, and gets the usual predictably unrealistic suggestions. Lexie demands that Rodney smuggles goods inside in return for the tape. Joan tells Janet she isn't interested in dealing with her on her own. Rodney views the tape then destroys it, but Lexie tells him they've made a copy. Rita waits in the rec room for Joan: the plan is for her to be sent there by Alice by saying she's seen Merle ripping up books. Nancy tackles Alice over what's going on and the women break up a knife fight between Rita and Joan  : Nancy asks Rita to hand over the knife. |
EPISODE 637Broadcast on Channel 5 Saturday 05 August 2000 04:40. Janet tries to control Merle by withholding the gentle giant's medication.Ann ~ Gerda Nicolson Joan ~ Maggie Kirkpatrick Meg ~ Elspeth Ballantyne Joyce ~ Joy Westmore Mervin ~ Ernie Bourne Marty ~ Michael Winchester Delia ~ Desiree Smith  Rodney ~ Philip Hyde Rita ~ Glenda Linscott Lexie ~ Pepe Trevor Alice ~ Lois Collinder Nancy ~ Julia Blake Kath ~ Kate Hood Lorelei ~ Paula Duncan Roach ~ Linda Hartley Merle ~ Rosanne Hull-Brown Janet ~ Christine Earle Ida ~ Paddy Burnett Peter Bladen ~ Peter Harvey-Wright | Nancy persuades Rita to give her the knife, stops Joan doing anything about the incident by threatening to expose her dealing with Kath and sends Roach back to the kitchen to get rid of the evidence. Joan urges that Kath should be transferred to Barnhurst or failing that, kept in isolation or sickbay rather than be put back with the other women. She is obviously just trying to remove Kath as a source of embarassment to her - hence her delight when Ann says that Kath's solictor has arrived to prepare her case. Rita lets Nancy know that she hasn't changed her mind and still intends to kill Joan, without her knowledge or interference, as she regards Joan's behaviour after she hung her off the roof as betraying their agreement badly enough to justify further punishment. Joyce thinks Joan would be a good candidate to buy her flat when she moves out, and so persuades Mervin that they should offer to let Joan use the spare room. The women are told that the work program will go ahead in the afternoons. Joan offers to testify for Kath in return for her silence. Rodney gives Lexie bottles of rum in return for the tape. Merle spits out her tablet rather than taking them: Janet sees her and persuades her not to trust what Kath says about them being good for her. Kath's solicitor tells her that character witnesses are important: Bob Moran has agreed to testify, but he hasn't contacted her husband yet. Kath tells him she is unhappy about pleading temporary insanity and insists she knew what she was doing. Lorelei talks to Kath and starts to understand her better. Rodney plays the tape only to find that it only shows Roach and Lexie insulting him. Lorelei tells Ann that Kath has been upset by her solicitor. Nancy plots with Lorelei to keep Rita off the work experience programme. The women are set a practical test in factory work to decide who goes on the work experience  . Merle slips out of the rec room and finds the video tape she saw Lexie hiding in her locker earlier. She wanders back into the rec room and is about to put the tape in the video when Delia stops her. Ann urges Kath to tell the whole story at her trial, including the way she feels. Janet persuades Merle to give her the tablets she has been prescribed, pretending they are for Kath's headaches. Lorelei and Nancy start to monopolise the class when it's Rita's turn to have a go. Rodney realises the tape Merle has is the one he wants, but loses the tussle for it  . Merle escapes to the kitchen and hides the tape in one of the ovens, though Mervin immediately puts a tray of brownies in after it. Rodney brings the melted tape back into the rec room and gives it to Lexie: he tries to get Joan to search for the contraband he himself brought in, but she won't go along with him. Roach and Ida are optimistic about their chances in court. The women decide to get rid of the "evidence" immediately and drink the booze. |
EPISODE 638Broadcast on Channel 5 Sunday 06 August 2000 04:40. Kath goes on trial and the judge drops a bombshell.Ann ~ Gerda Nicolson Joan ~ Maggie Kirkpatrick Meg ~ Elspeth Ballantyne Joyce ~ Joy Westmore Mervin ~ Ernie Bourne Marty ~ Michael Winchester Delia ~ Desiree Smith Rodney ~ Philip Hyde Rita ~ Glenda Linscott Lexie ~ Pepe Trevor Alice ~ Lois Collinder Nancy ~ Julia Blake Kath ~ Kate Hood Lorelei ~ Paula Duncan Roach ~ Linda Hartley Merle ~ Rosanne Hull-Brown Janet ~ Christine Earle Ida ~ Paddy Burnett Judge Wallen ~ Arthur Barradell-Smith Judge Walker ~ Noel Mitchell Phil Taylor ~ James McRae Policeman ~ David Le Page Judge Associate ~ Kim Stephens Male Protester ~ Peter Eckersaal Female Protester ~ Ros Romney UNCREDITEDPeter Bladen ~ Peter Harvey-WrightRita claims Ida is 82. Brodie, Kennedy and Deakin's husbands are supposedly involved in the riot at Bob's prison. | Roach and Ida are the worse for wear after a night's drinking  and Rita has to wrestle Ida to the showers to get her ready for the court appearance. Merle realises that Kath is anxious about her court appearance and confesses she is worried that Kath will be released and leave her alone in Wentworth. Joan goes to stay with Joyce and Mervin, and Joyce does a bit of last minute tidying up. Alice reports that she, Lorelei, Roach and Rita are selected for work experience. Lexie is annoyed to be missed out. Janet talks to Kath before she goes to court and threatens to make use of Merle when Kath is gone. When Lexie goes to the Governor to protest about missing the work experience, she is told she will be transferred to maternity as soon as there is a vacancy. Kath asks Rita and the other women to be kind to Merle if she is released: Rita promises she'll be all right. Ida makes up excessively for her court appearance, ending up looking like a Restoration whore  , so Roach takes a wet flannel to her and wipes it off. Joan issues a warning to Rita and her friends not to get too complacent after they missed their chance. Janet taunts Merle that Kath has gone and says Kath wanted her not to take her medication. Kath is angered by pro-life protesters outside court  , which hardens her attitude. Delia and Marty are a bit disillusioned with their failure to interest employers in the work experience. Lorelei and Nancy plot to get Rita off work experience. Kath's solicitor claims she was driven beyond endurance and was not acting with premeditation. In another court, Ida plays up to the judge. Nancy asks Lorelei to steal something from the kitchen and plant it in Rita's cell. Kath's evidence is interrupted by a shout of "atheist" from the public gallery. Bob Moran phones Ann to say there is a riot in his prison and he can't attend Kath's trial: Kath is told her husband will not be appearing either, but her solicitor tells her they will win even without them. Nancy winds up Mervin by questioning his wisdom on what kind of sugar to use in souffles, so he will look iy up in a book and allow Lorelei to smuggle some chocolate out. Janet tells Merle that Kath has been released: Lorelei warns her to keep away from Merle, sends Janet packing and tries to comfort Merle. Nancy finds out from Delia and Marty that the work experience is likely to be cancelled and stops Lorelei planting the goods in Rita's cell as Meg is alreday searching Rita's cell. Ida is given a two year bond, but Roach is given six months. Kath gets a life sentence: her solicitor tells her that the Judge's wife is terminally ill and this probably prejudiced him against her. Kath refuses to talk to Roach as they are driven back to Wentworth. When the women round on her in the rec rooom, Janet runs away from Rita and Alice and immediately goes to wind up Merle, who is furious to hear Janet's claim that the women said Kath was a kid killer and deserved what she got... |
EPISODE 639Broadcast on Channel 5 Saturday 12 August 2000 04:40 Deprived of her medication, Merle nearly kills herself.Ann ~ Gerda Nicolson Joan ~ Maggie Kirkpatrick Meg ~ Elspeth Ballantyne Joyce ~ Joy Westmore Mervin ~ Ernie Bourne Marty ~ Michael Winchester Delia ~ Desiree Smith Rodney ~ Philip Hyde Rita ~ Glenda Linscott Lexie ~ Pepe Trevor Alice ~ Lois Collinder Nancy ~ Julia Blake Kath ~ Kate Hood Lorelei ~ Paula Duncan Roach ~ Linda Hartley Merle ~ Rosanne Hull-Brown Janet ~ Christine Earle Sister Hall ~ Gael Andrews Vicki ~ Rebecca Dines UNCREDITEDMicky ~ Nick CarrafaCaptain Muldern ~ Keith Eden | Janet pushes Merle along the corridor, but she is unwilling to fight until she is told that Kath is going to Blackmoor. Nancy tells Rita that the work experience scheme has been cancelled. When Merle confronts Rita in the rec room, Rita refuses to fight Merle, who becomes confused and runs away. Roach and Kath are returned to Wentworth: Roach hears Kath's sentence (life for manslaughter) for the first time and is stunned. Merle starts to bash her head against the wall of her cell and Nancy sends Lorelei to fetch Rita. Rita is just about to bash Janet in the laundry and has to break off when Lorelei arrives. Kath tells Ann she's not interested in an appeal and has no money left to pay for a solicitor. Ann receives a phone call about Merle and takes Kath with her to the infirmary to talk to her. Sister Hall tells Ann she thinks Merle hasn't been taking her medication. Nancy tries to convince Rita that with Kath back in Wentworth they will have a hold over Joan again. Janet asks Joan for help and tells her she's been keeping Merle's pills. Kath finds out from Merle's rambling that Janet has been keeping Merle's drugs and searches her cell. Joan catches Kath with the capsules and takes them from her: instead of taking Kath to the Governor to expose Janet's manipulation of Merle, Joan leads her to the cell where she has hidden Janet. Kath starts to beat Janet, but Janet runs to the rec room for protection, where the other women stand aside to let Kath finish her off  . Joan has told Ann of the disturbance, and she arrives to find Kath to take the blame alone. Kath is taken to solitary by Joan, who tells her that Janet has been taken to isolation. Janet is transferred to A block with Joan warning her that the next stop will be Blackmoor  . Joyce and Mervin give a slide show for the women in the rec room. Kath has to be taken out of solitary to calm Merle down so that she doesn't have to be sedated. The officers and trainees go for a drink in a bar, and Marty meets a man he knows from the Navy, along with his Uncle who owns his own boat. Rodney's sarcastic remark that the Captain should take the women on in his boat yard inspires him to issue a challenge to Marty: if he wins a drinking contest Captain Muldern will take some of the women on work release. Roach sounds out Vicki about the possibility of arranging an escape. Mervin and Joyce arrive at the bar to find the drinking contest in full swing and Mervin persuades Joyce to stay to avoid having to go back to their flat. Joyce gets home drunk and tells Joan the work experience is on after all. Delia has to help Marty home, but not before he's landed a drunken punch on Rodney's chin. |
The utterly incompetent second half of this episode - particularly the scenes in the bar - marks some sort of low point in Prisoner's history, and fittingly introduces the feeblest plot ever: the work release on the boat. Even the credits fail to notice any of the new characters introduced in the episode. Thanks to Mark Caffrey for the information that the pianist 
was really a woman (her name was Mary Anne Steele) despite her androgynous appearance and her obsession with playing "Fur Elise" (just like Visconti's film of "Death in Venice"). He also says the barman was Bill Manderson.
EPISODE 640Broadcast on Channel 5 Sunday 13 August 2000 04:40. Lexie's pregnancy makes her vulnerable to attack by prisoners. And Rita and the gang get out of Wentworth legally - on a work experience programme that promises to be full of surprises.Ann ~ Gerda Nicolson (misspelt as "Nicholson") Meg ~ Elspeth Ballantyne Joyce ~ Joy Westmore Marty ~ Michael Winchester Delia ~ Desiree Smith Rodney ~ Philip Hyde Rita ~ Glenda Linscott Alice ~ Lois Collinder Lorelei ~ Paula Duncan Roach ~ Linda Hartley Nancy ~ Julia Blake Vicki ~ Rebecca Dines Capt. Muldern ~ Keith Eden Micky ~ Nick Carrafa Driver ~ Alan Barrett Stunt Double (Rita) ~ Lana Williams Stunt Double (Roach) ~ Szumai Chong UNCREDITEDJoan ~ Maggie KirkpatrickLexie ~ Pepe Trevor Merle ~ Rosanne Hull-Brown Kath ~ Kate Hood Mervin ~ Ernie Bourne Thanks to Robert Shaw for correcting my mishearing of the viral complaint threatening Lexie as "Goulden's Death". The correct medical term for this, I think, is MRSA (Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus Aureus) and it's one of those things you mainly catch in hospital.
| Roach tells Vicki she's thought of an escape plan and wants her help. Lexie asks Rita to use her influence to prevent her being moved to maternity the following day. Joyce and Mervin feel the effects the morning after: part of the problem being that Joan saw them in a drunken state. Marty is also a little hung over at work, but explains to Meg that it was all in a good cause. Rodney tries to squash the work experience at the boat yard by telling Ann about the drinking contest, pretending he's concerned about the possibility of the Captain getting drunk. Rita is delighted to hear that the work release is going ahead. Roach tells Vicki she's going out on the top of the laundry truck and asks for her help keeping Rodney occupied in return for smuggling goods back in to Vicki when she's on the outside. Rodney sneers at Marty for his lack of professionalism. Lorelei brings Lexie gets a letter from Julie saying that she's thinking of becoming a vet. Joyce is told her application for a mortgage has been turned down, and that she and Mervin will have to stay in the flat as tenants of Joan, who has bought her flat. Vicki distracts the van driver while Roach gets on the roof, but Rita sees her and climbs on the roof to stop her  . They both roll off the roof before the outer gate. Alice gets Vicki to start a cover story for Rita and Roach Ann inspects Captain Muldern's boat - and its crew  . Vicki and Alice distract Joan and Rodney to prevent them noticing Roach and Rita's absence, but it doesn't work and Joan orders a search of the grounds. Rita and Roach are trapped outside the inner fence. Alice volunteers to take Rita's place as top dog, but Rita and Roach are found "asleep" behind the shed in the grounds: Rita claims she was dreaming about Harrison Ford and the Solomon Islands. Marty tells the women officially that the work release has been approved after Ann has seen where they will be working. Rita gets Marty to confirm that Joan will be on supervisory duty on the second day of the scheme. Kath is let out of solitary by Joan, who realises that she has undergone a change recently. Lexie is just taking down her Madonna poster  when the women surprise her with the gift of a giant panda. Kath catches Vicki and Roach squabbling and tells them that they are working for her from now on. The women's "uniforms" for work release are delivered which seem to be some sort of beach dresses, but Ann gives approval for them to be used provided the women are "suitably covered". The women are taken out for the first day on work experience by Delia, Marty and Joyce. Back at Wentworth, Kath has taken over the press temporarily. Roach gives Kath some loaded dice made by another woman on kitchen duty out of pastry. Meg tells Ann that the maternity wing will have to be quarantined because of an outbreak of Golden Staph and they rush off to prevent Lexie being taken there. |
Story Editor: Gwenda Marsh
Script Editor: Neil Luxmoore (636)-(639); Neil Luxmoore and Pauline Clayton (640)
Storyliners: Tony McDonald, John Coulter, Bob Greenberg
| (631) to (635) |
