EPISODES (681) TO (685)

EPISODE 681 Broadcast on Westcountry Monday 22nd September 1997 23:40; Channel 5 Sunday 07 January 2001 04:40. Kath and Merle are forced to swallow their pride as punishment for poisoning Rita. Spider finds the evidence she needs to halt Alice's budding romance with Harry. Meg ~ Elspeth Ballantyne Joan ~ Maggie Kirkpatrick Ann ~ Gerda Nicolson Joyce ~ Joy Westmore Alice ~ Lois Collinder Kath ~ Kate Hood Merle ~ Rosanne Hull-Brown Marty ~ Michael Winchester Spider ~ Taya Straton Spike ~ Victoria Rowland Vicki ~ Rebecca Dines Lisa ~ Terrie Waddell Harold Roper ~ Lindsay Edwards Debbie Barrett ~ Janice Cleland Phillip Braknell ~ Nicholas Trinder Esther Wilson ~ Lorraine Kindler Shamus Tyson ~ George Vidalis Slick Simpson ~ Rick Ireland Ron Willis ~ David Ravenswood Judd ~ Stuart Conran Harry Grosvenor ~ Mike Bishop Written by Andrew Kennedy & Ian Coughlan Directed by Kendal Flanagan Spider says "Don't give me any of that Dorothy Dicks crap", seemingly referring to some Australian agony aunt or problem page person. It's also a name that has considerable camp value, and neither of the writers of this episode are shy about employing that.

Ann tells Alice that Rita has been poisoned but no-one knows what with, so asks for help in finding out what it is so they can give her the correct treatement. Spider tells Alice about the poisoned chocolates and Kath's theft is found out. Kath is forced to hand her takings back to Spider. Joan goes for an interview as a restaurant functions manager. Lisa finds her assets have been frozen and is tempted to go back on the game: Marty slips some money in her handbag. Joan is a little cagey when the restaurant owner asks for references and offers instead to work a shift as a trial to show what she can do. Spider demands the shop is taken from Kath and given back to her. Debbie persuades Lisa to take one of her customers ("Whiskers") when she's double booked herself. Kath and Merle are forced to eat raw potatoes as a punishment. Joan seems to be doing well at her job until she has to deal with an obnoxious woman customer and gets so annoyed with her she throws her out of the restaurant. While expecting her customer, Lisa has another caller who demands that she and Marty stop looking for Christine Dutton or her face will be sliced. Spider tells Vicki she is working for her not with her and if she wants to continue, she will have to think up her own scheme on her own. Lisa warns Marty he has to stop investigating Spike's case, or they both could end up dead. Spider's brother visits to ask her to see their mother, who is dying of lung cancer, but she's only interested in using him to bring in goods, even looking forward to the funeral as a way of passing goods. Kath is so downcast, she suggests that Merle should think of getting herself a new friend. Meg hands out the telephone money. Spike phones Lisa, who tries to persuade her to get Marty to stop if she doesn't want to be responsible for his death. Mr Willis asks Judd to arrange Marty's death inside Wentworth and to find out likely candidates among the prisoners. Harry and Alice have a chat in the library: she tells him her mother was murdered but she still has a sister (only one?). Judd gets the names of likely candidates including Rita, Spider and Kath (who his source says would do anything for money). Vicki tells Spider she's worked out a deal to buy booze from the men and while she was setting it up she found out from the other men that Harry is in prison for rape and murder. Spider attempts to blackmail Harry by telling Alice what he's inside for. Mr Willis visits Kath in Wentworth pretending to be a divorce lawyer but offers $20,000 if she will kill Marty and frame Spike for it. Harry agrees to pay up whatever Spider's demands. Kath refuses to kill anyone but proposes instead that she frame Marty for supplying heroin to Spike and demands $50,000 with passports and overseas tickets for two people.

EPISODE 682 Broadcast on Westcountry Thursday 25th September 1997 23:50; Channel 5 Saturday 13 January 2001 04:45. Kath contemplates Ron Willis' deal to get Marty and Spike. Rita arranges a meeting for Alice and Harry to discuss his past. Meg ~ Elspeth Ballantyne Joan ~ Maggie Kirkpatrick Ann ~ Gerda Nicolson Rita ~ Glenda Linscott Alice ~ Lois Collinder Kath ~ Kate Hood Merle ~ Rosanne Hull-Brown Rodney ~ Philip Hyde Marty ~ Michael Winchester Spider ~ Taya Straton Spike ~ Victoria Rowland Brumby ~ Sheryl Munks Vicki ~ Rebecca Dines Harry Grosvenor ~ Mike Bishop Judd ~ Stuart Conran Ron Willis ~ David Ravenswood Willie Beecham ~ Kirsty Child Susan Lewis ~ Rosie Tonkin Mrs Simpson ~ Judith Roberts Office Manager ~ Steve Payne Written by Gail Meillon & Gwenda Marsh Directed by Kendal Flanagan When Joan storms out of the "Family Court" building, the logo on the door reveals it to be a Grundy production office. The Grundy logo from the final credits has been inset in this image to aid comparison. Both Rodney and Merle have new haircuts, perhaps indicating a break in filming?

Brumby is amazed that Spike is so indifferent about Marty giving up on helping her and works out that it's because she has started to feel something for him. Harry pays up to Spider and asks her to arrange a meeting with Alice alone. Rita comes out of hospital and immediately goes over to Kath's table to warn her she has broken the rules by stealing and lying to her mates, pointing out that it is Merle who has suffered the most. Joan fails at another job interview (at the Family Court? ) and blames prejudice against ex-prison officers. Rodney again refuses to help Kath bring goods into the prison. Spider tells Alice that Harry wants to talk to her and demands payment to arrange a meeting with him. Rita deliberately drops some sheets in the laundry then stamps on Kath's hand when she picks them up. Spider uses her key to let Alice and Harry into the library. Spike asks Meg to try to persuade Marty to drop her case, as she can't seem to get through to him on her own. Vicki is disgusted with Spider for taking money to set Alice up with a convicted rapist. Harry tries to confess to Alice, but she is so besotted she won't let him finish what he wants to say. Kath phones Mr Willis and they agree a deal on $35,000, but the tickets will have to be bought out of it. Vicki is conscience stricken and bursts into the library to tell Alice the truth about Harry. Brumby was hovering by the phone during Kath's call and works out what part of the conversation was about: she goes to Kath's cell to demand to be let in on the escape. Joan applies for a job with Centaur Security : the boss tells her secretary she wants to know more about her, such as the reason for her leaving her old job. Marty agrees to Meg's plea to stop investigating, but only until things cool down. Rita agrees to go with Alice to find out Harry's side of the story. The unseen boss of Centaur Security tells her secretary to offer Joan the job, even after she hears that Joan is still officially working for the Department. Joan phones Ann in the staff room to offer her resignation: Spider overhears and passes the news around. The women celebrate noisily. Marty finds Spike in the library sneaking a look at an old Penguin edition of D. H. Lawrence . Joan starts work at Centaur Security and is surprised to be told to make morning tea. Judd brings Kath some stationery and a pen, which conceals a hypodermic to plant on Spike. Spider sees her mother and tells her not visit again. Joan is told to type and retype the same work. Eventually aggravated beyond endurance by all the phones ringing at once, she confronts her new boss , who is revealed as Willie Beecham . Willie tells Joan she shouldn't waste time trying to expose her as everyone knows she has been in prison. In fact, it is part of her sales pitch: "It takes a thief to catch a thief". Willie also warns Joan that she can prevent her getting another job with another firm. Joan replies that "no-one takes the word of a crim", but Willie bids her goodbye with "Have fun finding out!" and a sarcastic offer to give her a reference.

EPISODE 683 Broadcast on Westcountry Monday 29th September 1997 23:45; Channel 5 Sunday 14 January 2001 04:40. Joan gets a nasty shock when she goes for her final job interview. Alice tries to discover the truth about Harry. Meg ~ Elspeth Ballantyne Joan ~ Maggie Kirkpatrick Ann ~ Gerda Nicolson Joyce ~ Joy Westmore Rita ~ Glenda Linscott Alice ~ Lois Collinder Kath ~ Kate Hood Merle ~ Rosanne Hull-Brown Rodney ~ Philip Hyde Marty ~ Michael Winchester Spider ~ Taya Straton Spike ~ Victoria Rowland Brumby ~ Sheryl Munks Vicki ~ Rebecca Dines Harry Grosvenor ~ Mike Bishop Stud ~ Peter Lindsay Billy ~ Glennan Fahey Mary Simms ~ Susan Fraser Sinister Man ~ Peter Gray UNCREDITED Pat Slattery ~ Dorothy Cutts OTHER CHARACTERS Damien Mortimer Written by Quincey McQuade Directed by Sean Nash

Vicki notices Spider is irritable since her mother visited, but Spider refuses to talk about it. Rodney catches Rita talking to Harry trying to arrange another meeting with Alice. Stud and Billy decide to use Harry's meeting with Alice to get access to the women. Joan is offered another job by Hampton Security: she makes sure the firm is in no way connected with Centaur Security. Ann announces that a reward flat will be made available to those coming top in a new points system for good behaviour. After a tipoff from someone else working in his office, Joan's new employer takes a phone call from Willie and he tells Joan she can't have the job after all as she was sacked from Centaur. Spike helps Merle to phone Tommy and she tells him that she and Kath will be escaping. Stud and Billy knock out Harry and tie up Spider and take her to the library where Alice and Rita are waiting. Rita and Alice overpower Stud and Billy and tie them up. Joan gives up hope of finding a job and phones the Minister, but has to leave a message when he isn't available. Rita and Alice free Harry: he tells them that it was Stud and Billy who raped Lorelei, and Rita and Alice take them to a storeroom. Rita asks the other women to think of a punishment for the men, and they all draw lots for the privelege of "cutting" them. Kath breaks into Marty's locker and plants the drugs. Rita leaves a razor near the storeroom door, and tells Stud and Billy the women will visit one by one, and the winner of the draw will be able to do whatever she likes with the razor. Kath makes Rodney suspicious of Marty and then doses a sweet with the heroin to give to Spike. A passer-by bumps into Marty in the street and slips something into his bag. Kath gets Merle to give Spike the sweet: she eats it and is taken ill. Kath persuades Merle that Spike will be all right, when she panics that the sweet was poisoned. Rodney searches Marty's bag when he arrives at work and finds drugs in it, and passes on the information Kath gave him about Marty and Spike to the Governor. Marty is suspended. Spike is found unconscious and Rita confronts Kath. Stud frees himself and Billy. Kath phones Mr Willis to say the job is done and she wants the escape arranged for the following day. Stud knocks out Rita and Alice when they come to carry out the "cutting". Marty realises how he was set up when he accuses Rodney and he doesn't know what he's talking about. Merle rescues Rita and Alice and knocks out Stud and Billy, but becomes hysterical when she thinks she's killed them.

Thanks to Anthony for pointing out the enigmatic message written in felt tip on the cardboard box on the storeroom shelf behind Billy's head . It could almost be read as an in-joke about Cas(s) Parker (who, like Merle, was initially "beef" but later "vegetable"). Sadly, I suspect it only means that the box contained 14 tins of vegetable and beef cas(serole). If the 14X1980 is supposed to be a date, let us hope the box now contains something else, as six years seems a long time to keep even tinned food. And that the box of "fruit yoghurts" on the top shelf doesn't still have its original contents either...

EPISODE 684 Broadcast on Westcountry Thursday 2nd October 1997 23:45; Channel 5 Saturday 20 January 2001 04:40. Rita and Alice are cleared of trouble over the men, and Kath Maxwell makes her escape, leaving Merle behind. Joan threatens Dwyer unless he helps her. Meg ~ Elspeth Ballantyne Joan ~ Maggie Kirkpatrick Ann ~ Gerda Nicolson Joyce ~ Joy Westmore Rita ~ Glenda Linscott Alice ~ Lois Collinder Kath ~ Kate Hood Merle ~ Rosanne Hull-Brown Rodney ~ Philip Hyde Marty ~ Michael Winchester Spider ~ Taya Straton Spike ~ Victoria Rowland Brumby ~ Sheryl Munks Stud ~ Peter Lindsay Billy ~ Glennan Fahey James Dwyer ~ James Condon Det Waters ~ Stephen Hutchinson Alison Mills ~ Fiona Corke Miss Towne ~ Effie James UNCREDITED Officer Hagen ~ Christine Andrew The (non-speaking) Van Driver is the ubiquitous Glen Ruehland Written by Michael Joshua & Gwenda Marsh Directed by Sean Nash Another interior decor disaster . As Rodney says: "Alison... it's so ... you".

Kath calms Merle down by talking to her about the "holiday" they are taking soon when she comes back to their cell in a state of agitation. Rita and Alice are trapped in the storeroom by a cell search and have to pretend to be tying the men up in self defence, but they refuse to say what happened. Marty protests his innocence to Meg and says he doesn't believe that Spike went back on drugs voluntarily: he tells her about the woman who bumped into him and planted the drugs in his bag. Rodney thanks Kath for her information. As Ann is questioning Alice and Rita in the storeroom, Merle bursts in and admits responsibility. Even though Merle's story doesn't make much sense, Ann thinks there must be some link with Lorelei's rape and decides the Blackmoor men must go. No drugs are found in the cell search, but traces of heroin are found in Marty's locker. Brumby presses Kath about the timing of the escape, but Kath claims her contact has told her to tell no-one. Meg asks Rita for help in clearing Marty. Rita phones Lisa and passes on information she has overheard when another officer told Rodney about a drama rehearsal at the Ivydale Temperance Hall. Marty is arrested for possession of drugs. Lisa follows Rodney and tapes his awful acting in a rehearsal for an amateur production of "The Importance of Being Earnest". Rita questions Kath over the incident with Spike. After she leaves, Merle asks questions which show she has worked out the heroin must have been in the chocolate but Kath tells her to keep quiet as "Spike's a bad girl who takes drugs". Lisa gets Alison's address from her copy of the script which she happens to put down just in front of where Lisa is hiding. Brumby works out Kath's involvement in framing Marty and drugging Spike, but Kath warns her to say nothing if she really wants to get out. Kath catches Rita questioning Merle about Spike and stops her. Joyce warns Meg she is antagonising the other officers by her obsession over Marty. Lisa tapes Rodney's seduction of Alison: audio only, fortunately, but embarassing enough as she makes him read his lines out to her (and he still can't pronounce "incomparable" properly!). Brumby isn't happy that Merle is coming on the escape too, but Kath denies that is part of the plan. Meg talks to Spike when she is let out of the infirmary, but she won't help. Joan phones the Minister again and having had enough of being fobbed off, she demands to speak to him: he agrees to meet her at her home. Brumby tries to dissuade Spike from confronting Kath, as she fears it will undermine the escape plan. Joan demands that the Minister checks out Willie Beecham, as she doesn't believe her business can be legitimate. Kath and Merle prepare for the escape, but Merle is extremely anxious. Kath sends Merle to the loading bay and knocks Brumby out to stop her interfering. Rita gets Spike to confirm her suspicion that Kath drugged her and goes looking for Kath but only finds Brumby unconscious behind a door. Brumby pretends she wasn't in on the escape and tells Rita Kath knocked her out when she found out her plan. Kath and Merle wait in the loading bay. Rodney alerts the other officers to the extra laundry truck. Merle twists her ankle in the loading bay and Kath leaves her behind . The alarm is sounded but the van driver breaks through the barrier and Kath gets away.

EPISODE 685 Broadcast on Westcountry Monday 6th October 1997 23:45; Channel 5 Sunday 21 January 2001 04:40. Dwyer advises Joan to return to Wentworth. Merle is sent to a mental institution. The women arrange a cruel humiliation for Rodney. Meg ~ Elspeth Ballantyne Joan ~ Maggie Kirkpatrick Ann ~ Gerda Nicolson Joyce ~ Joy Westmore Rita ~ Glenda Linscott Alice ~ Lois Collinder Kath ~ Kate Hood Merle ~ Rosanne Hull-Brown Rodney ~ Philip Hyde Marty ~ Michael Winchester Spider ~ Taya Straton Spike ~ Victoria Rowland Lisa ~ Terrie Waddell Brumby ~ Sheryl Munks Pat Slattery ~ Dorothy Cutts Sister Hall ~ Gael Andrews Matt Denson ~ Ross Thompson Harry Grosvenor ~ Mike Bishop Terry ~ Robert Ratti James Dwyer ~ James Condon Norm Worthington ~ Robert Morgan Margie ~ Samantha Carter UNCREDITED Ambulance worker Written by Terry Finch Directed by Tony Osicka

Merle is taken to the infirmary. Brumby pretends to know nothing about the escape, but worries when she hears that Merle didn't get away. Ann questions Merle but cannot get any sense out of her. Lisa comes to visit Rita in "disguise" and hands over the tape and photos. Kath is transferred to a car and taken to a hiding place in the country. Lisa is recognized when signing out, and is suspected of involvement in Kath's escape. Rita claims that Lisa only came in to tell her that she'd run into Lexie Patterson. Brumby fakes an injury to get to the infirmary to talk to Merle. Kath's guard is a blind man, Matt Denson . Spider tells Alice that the men, including Harry, are to be sent back to the partially rebuilt Blackmoor, and it's all Rita's fault. Spike refuses Spider's offer to get her some more heroin. Marty's solicitor warns him to stay off the case and leave it to the police. Matt tells Kath how he lost his sight when he was injured on a robbery as a way of getting her to stop worrying about leaving Merle behind. Marty shows Lisa the newspaper report of Kath's escape: she agrees it is likely it was her reward for framing him and Spike, but says her parole officer has given her a warning so she can't get involved. Alice collects Spider's key to go and see Harry before he goes. Brumby takes the restraints off Merle and she attacks Sister Hall when she tries to stop her going to find Kath. Merle is transferred to Ingleside. Ann questions Brumby about her reasons for getting into the infirmary, and she becomes the first to spend time in the new punishment cell. The Minister tells Joan to go back to Wentworth, as she won't get a job anywhere else after crossing Willie and her very rich and powerful boyfriend. Ann is very unwilling to take Joan back and warns the Minister she will report all of Joan's infractions of the rules. Rita brings Harry to talk to Alice: he explains that he was charged for a gang rape in which he didn't take part. Alice asks Harry to write to her from Blackmoor. The punishment cell is directly opposite a flat which the women are allowed to use as a reward. Ann is given a list of prisoners to be transferred, dictated by Joan to the Minister as her final favour from him, with Rita's name at the head of the list. Alice is to get first use of the reward flat with a woman from C block. Spike fixes the PA system to broadcast the tape of Rodney, just as he is about to slap a charge on Spider. Ann walks in on Rodney as he is about to strike Rita. Joan returns to work .

Story Editor: Bevan Lee
Script Editor: Morgan Smith (681); Neil Luxmoore (682); Morgan Smith (683)-(684); Neil Luxmoore (685)
Storyliners: Tony McDonald, John Coulter, Bob Greenberg

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(686) to (690)