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EPISODE 686

Broadcast on Westcountry Thursday 9th October 1997 23:45; Channel 5 Saturday 27 January 2001 04:40. Spider pushes Rita too far. Rodney is out to get Lisa, and Kath's escape might be in a pine box.

Meg ~ Elspeth Ballantyne
Joan ~ Maggie Kirkpatrick
Ann ~ Gerda Nicholson
Joyce ~ Joy Westmore
Rita ~ Glenda Linscott
Alice ~ Lois Collinder
Kath ~ Kath Hood
Rodney ~ Philip Hyde
Marty ~ Michael Winchester
Spider ~ Taya Straton
Spike ~ Victoria Rowland
Vicki ~ Rebecca Dines
Brumby ~ Sheryl Munks
Pat Slattery ~ Dorothy Cutts
Martha Dimmock ~ Annie Ryall
Matt Denson ~ Ross Thompson
Dr Lunn ~ Denzil Howson
Sister Morgan ~ Mary-Rose Casey
Bob Burton ~ Jeff Kovski
Bartender ~ Hardy Stow
Newscaster ~ Jennifer Keyte

  • Written by John Coulter & Marie Trevor
  • Directed by Tony Osicka
  • Rodney recovers Lisa's file from the drawer marked A-K. Sloppy filing... Thanks to Dave Siddons for pointing out that it has been subtly amended. It would look odd if we saw Nikki Paull's photo, but even so Lisa's hair wasn't "BROWN" when she was inducted.

    Thanks to Vicky for transcribing these credits from the Westcountry broadcast in 1997.

    Joyce searches Joan, telling her that she won't let her intimidate her again. Ann orders Rodney to replace Brumby's tape recorder which he broke in a rage and warns him not to return to work until he calms down. Vicki runs to the rec room saying she's seen the Freak in uniform but no-one believes her. Ann makes it plain she doesn't want Joan back and will put in a report on her every mistake. Joan taunts the women, asking them if they missed her. Rita stands up to her, but starts to feel ill again. Kath hears on the radio that Merle is in Ingleside but Matt won't let her phone to check. Rodney studies Lisa's file. Kath tries to phone while Matt is outside, but he returns with an axe to warn her not to be so foolish. Spike decides to phone Marty to ask him to go and see Merle to get information on the escape, but Meg answers and tells her Marty has gone away on holiday. Rita collapses: the doctor asks for a blood sample to be taken and for Rita to be transferred to hospital for tests. Spider and Vicki trash Rita's cell to find her key, but when they find nothing Spider takes some family photos instead. Joan catches Spike and Alice talking to Brumby in the punishment cell and orders them back to their cells. Joan suggests a way Rodney can get back at Lisa. Rita doesn't want to be held in the infirmary overnight after her tests and persuades the sister to ask for permission for her to be sent back to her cell. Spider asks Joan for protection from Rita if she uses what she has over Rita. Spike phones Marty and this time manages to speak to him to suggest he goes to see Merle. Rita comes out of the infirmary and Alice tells her that Spider has her photos. Joan overhears about the key and puts Rita on a charge. Rita hands the key over to Joan, Spider rips up Rita's photos anyway and Rita collapses again. Joan calls Ann back to Wentworth and gives her the key. Matt puts a key-ring on the door-handle outside the room where Kath is sleeping so he can hear her if she tries to get out during the night, and phones his brother for instructions what to do next. Kath overhears and realises they intend to kill her. He hears the keys drop and knows that Kath has been listening. As Joan locks her in for the night, Spider shouts to the other women that she has been told she is to be transferred to Barnhurst. Ann asks for Rita's help in improving conditions, but she says she is very weak. Rodney looks for Bob, a contact given him by Joan to do the job on Lisa. Vicki is upset that Spider is leaving, but Spider is unable to be acknowledge they are even friends. Ann is goaded by Joan's insults including a snide implication that she is showing favouritism to Rita because of her "bikie boyfriend". Ann lands a resounding slap on Joan's cheek , but Joan is not cowed and takes the remark back - of course, she really meant Ann's "ex bikie boyfriend".

    EPISODE 687

    Broadcast on Westcountry Monday 13th October 1997 23:45; Channel 5 Sunday 28 January 2001 04:40. Kath escapes from her minders. Rita receives some shattering news.

    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
    Lisa ~ Terrie Waddell
    Spike ~ Victoria Rowland
    Brumby ~ Sheryl Munks
    Vicki ~ Rebecca Dines
    Off. Slattery ~ Dorothy Cutts
    Tom Lucas ~ John McTernan
    Terry Denson ~ Robert Ratti
    Matt Denson ~ Ross Thompson
    Doctor Lunn ~ Denzil Howson
    Policewoman ~ Patricia Anthony
    Orderly ~ Peter Boland
    UNCREDITED
    Ingleside Gate Guard , Female Ingleside Worker

  • Written by Ian Smith & Alison Nisselle
  • Directed by Chris Sheil
  • The attempts to disguise Terrie Waddell's pregnancy are pretty pointless at this late stage.

    Meg warns Ann that Joan may try to goad her into hitting her in front of witnesses. Ann tells Meg the next two for the reward flat are Brumby and Vicki: she explains it would be a good opportunity for them to make up now that Spider has left. Ann orders Rodney to publicly hand over the new tape recorder to Brumby, but Ann makes sure the women accept that he is being generous. Rodney finds out too late that it was the Department who were reponsible for paying for a replacement tape recorder. Kath tries to sneak out while Matt is on the phone to Terry, and makes a run for it after she is shot in the arm (or pretends to be). Ann announces she will be making tours of the work areas unescorted. Terry goes after Kath with a gun, and he manages to spot her running through the trees. Marty visits Merle in Ingleside, and finds her heavily sedated. Through her rambling, he manges to work out that Kath drugged Spike with a chocolate. Kath is cornered and held at gunpoint: she tells Terry that Merle knows everything and will reveal it if anything happens to her. Marty has brought Merle a comic, which seems to pacify a little. Matt and Terry confer about the threat represented by Merle and decide ring Mr Willis for advice. Despite both doing lots of kitchen duty, Vicki and Brumby are unable to work out what to cook for themselves. Lisa is returned to Wentworth on assault and theft charges: Joan lets Rodney do the induction. Tom Lucas arrives a new teacher for the women: his informal attitudes alarm even Ann and of course Joan takes an instant dislike to him. Lisa tells Ann that she was framed by Rodney, but her charges are unsupported so Ann cannot follow it up. Mr Willis phones back to tell Matt that Merle is certainly no threat to them. Realising she is in danger, Kath turns Matt's gun on Terry and shoots him in panic, then makes Matt hand over her getaway disguise. Tom is introduced to the women and immediately challenges Rita to a bench press contest. Joan calls in her favour with Rodney and demands his help to fix the women who stopped her getting a job. As Alice feared, Rita is too weak to continue with the bench presses. Spike apologises to Lisa for getting her into trouble, though Lisa doesn't bear her any grudges. Kath poses as Meg (not in that wig , which might just pass as Joyce) and gains access to Merle at Ingleside. Merle rejects Kath and her shouting draws the attention of the hospital staff who catch Kath. Dr Lunn tells Ann that Rita has non-Hodgkins lymphoma, a form of cancer.

    EPISODE 688

    Broadcast on Westcountry Thursday 16th October 1997 23:45; Channel 5 Saturday 03 February 2001 04:40. Rita struggles to come to terms with her inevitable death. Kath has nothing left to live for and attempts suicide.

    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
    Lisa ~ Terrie Waddell
    Spike ~ Victoria Rowland
    Brumby ~ Sheryl Munks
    Vicki ~ Rebecca Dines
    Off. Radcliffe ~ Marion Dimmick
    Tom Lucas ~ John McTernan
    Doctor Lunn ~ Denzil Howson
    Harry Grosvenor ~ Mike Bishop
    Detective ~ Peter Sinclair
    Male Attendant ~ Peter J Murphy
    Gate Guard ~ David Le Page
    UNCREDITED
    Matt Denson ~ Ross Thompson

  • Written by Neil Luxmoore
  • Directed by Chris Sheil
  • Marty refers to "Christine Dunn". Erm, wasn't it Ditton?

    Tom is irritating enough without such failed bad taste humour as "I've been through more doctors than the Nuremberg Trials".

    Rita is brought to the Governor's office to be told her diagnosis, but she refuses both medication and even the offer of an arranged pardon. Spike is delighted with the news of Kath's recapture as it may help her case, but Brumby looks a little nervous. Rita pushes Joan out of her cell when she tells her to return to work. Joan storms in to see Ann and demand that she is punished, so Ann has to tell her of Rita's illness. This stops even Joan in her tracks, for a moment, but she argues back that it would be bad for discipline to keep someone inside who has nothing to lose. Marty comes to Wentworth to see Meg: she orders him to leave and threatens to have him arrested for trespassing. Alice is worried about Rita, especially when she wrecks her cell and dashes away into the garden. Meg allows Alice to go and talk to her in the grounds : Rita tells Alice that she's going to die, but that she musn't let the other women know. Tom creates a stir by confronting a prison official (one who is supposedly called Pringle) outside his home to try to get Merle transferred back to Wentworth. Marty waits to talk to Kath as she is brought back to Wentworth, but is prevented by the escorting officer. Kath offers her story but only if Ann promises that Merle is got out of Ingleside. As a result, Marty is reinstated and Spike's case is re-opened. Rita disappoints the women by failing to express enough interest in getting back at Kath. Rodney gets the brush-off from Alison by phone while he is at work: she's got her eye on an advertising executive who could get her work in a commercial. Marty sarcastically pretends to Rodney that he got his job back through his mother's influence and offers to work together with him to fill the women with drugs. Rodney realises a little too late that it's a joke. Kath is put in the punishment cell and Vicki and the other women taunt her: she retaliates by revealing Brumby's part in the escape. Joan comes to talk to Rita to warn her that she shouldn't cause trouble, but concentrate her energies on her illness. Spike refuses Brumby's attempts at reconciliation. Tom arranges Merle's transfer and offers to get Rita information on her disease if she has the courage to face up to her situation. Vicki and Brumby go back to the reward flat and threaten to cut off Kath's pigtail , but they drop the scissors when caught by Rodney and Kath kicks them under her bed. Merle is brought back to Wentworth and Tom annoys Joan by taking over the induction and deciding which cell she should go in. Rita and Alice are next in the reward flat: Merle visits them but she refuses to acknowledge Kath. Ann urges Rita to have chemotherapy and draws on her own experience with cancer to convince Rita it is worthwhile putting up a fight. Rita sees Kath with the scissors and realises she is considering suicide.

    EPISODE 689

    Broadcast on Westcountry Monday 20th October 1997 23:40; Channel 5 Sunday 04 February 2001 04:40. The women find a weapon to defeat Rodney. Rita tells Alice she has big plans that nothing can interfere with.

    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
    Lisa ~ Terrie Waddell
    Spike ~ Victoria Rowland
    Brumby ~ Sheryl Munks
    Vicki ~ Rebecca Dines
    Tom Lucas ~ John McTernan
    James Dwyer ~ James Condon
    Harry Grosvenor ~ Mike Bishop
    Off. Radcliffe ~ Marion Dimmick
    UNCREDITED
    Doctor, Nurse

  • Written by Gwenda Marsh & Sean Nash
  • Directed by Kendal Flanagan
  • The brief shot of Rita's scan in the "Somaton" at "Heidelberg Repat. Hospital" clearly shows her name and the date 19-AUG-86, which was probably the date the scene was shot.

    Rita makes Kath reconsider by sarcastically urging her to get on with it, as she now has an audience or someone to call for help in time. When Kath attacks her, Rita takes the scissors from her and agrees to help her if she needs it. To Kath's puzzled enquiry why she replies "You're dead a long time, Maxwell. Why rush it, eh?" Tom tricks Merle into reading by writing on the blackboard instead of talking to her. Kath realises there is something wrong when Rita argues her case when Kath is sent to the laundry to work. While on skip duty Kath seeks out Rita to find out what's going on. Rita tells Kath she is suffering from anaemia: Kath looks as if she doesn't quite believe it. The women stick together as Rita advised and make Rodney back off from harassing Lisa. Spike advises them not to get too cocky with this limited success as this would not work on Joan. Tom sees Merle pointedly ignoring Kath as she passes with the laundry skip and tries to get her to talk about it. Joyce catches Harry comforting Alice which she mistakes for "canoodling". Lisa is told by Joan that Kath is moving in with her, and objects leading the women in a chorus of "Get stuffed, Freak". Joan goes to Ann to demand punishment for the women, but is reminded that she was not accompanied by another officer who could corroborate her story. Ann is "invited" to talk to the Minister after she sends her report directly to the Premier's Office: she tells him she will not let him suppress her reform report. Joan loses her only (potential) support when Rodney realises that the women are out to get her. Rita asks to be accompanied for her next treatment by Joan, as at least she won't have to put up with well meaning pity. Tom tells Kath he wants her as a teacher's aide, but only for Merle's sake. Rodney finds Rita throwing up in the shower block (to the accompaniment of some wildly inappropriate spaghetti Western Spanish guitar). Lisa and Kath don't get on very well when they eventually do have to share a cell. Ann allows Tom to give Rita the books on cancer (one of them is "On Death and Dying" by Elizabeth Kubler-Ross). Rodney torments Merle and threatens to have her sent back to the "loony bin": Kath threatens to take two bottles of contraband with his fingerprints on to Ann if he tries it again. Joan feels as if she's been sent to Coventry when no-one talks to her as she leaves work. Rita's treatment continues , and while they are the hospital, Rita tells Joan about the opportunities she regrets missing, like a job she could have done worth $250,000.

    EPISODE 690

    Broadcast on Westcountry Thursday 23rd October 1997 23:45; Channel 5 Saturday 10 February 2001 04:40. Harry surprises everyone with an announcement. Joan volunteers to be Rita's constant help.

    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
    Lisa ~ Terrie Waddell
    Spike ~ Victoria Rowland
    Brumby ~ Sheryl Munks
    Vicki ~ Rebecca Dines
    Mervin ~ Ernie Bourne
    Tom Lucas ~ John McTernan
    Harry Grosvenor ~ Mike Bishop
    Off. Slattery ~ Dorothy Cutts

  • Written by John Coulter & Gail Meillon
  • Directed by Kendal Flanagan
  • Alice sneaks out for a snog with Harry : Joan tries to put them on a charge, but Joyce claims they had her permission to be together. Harry tells Ann he wants to marry Alice. Tom needs typewriters for his class, so he gets the women to "borrow" some from reception: Rodney reports him to Ann. Kath admits to Lisa that she doesn't have any evidence to incriminate Rodney, but Rita tells her to milk it anyway, so she insinuates blackmail. Joan volunteers to take Rita for her last chemotherapy session. Rita tells Joan more about the finance company job: she can get the money but would be unable to get out of the building, and suggests it would be possible if she hid the money and someone else collected it after she was arrested. Joan asks how she could trust the other person to hand over half to Ida, and Rita tells her Ida would have a letter naming Joan which she would hand over to the police. Joan overhears Lisa threatening Rodney, and gives her the black glove treatment . Spike is told she could be released if she will go to a stable home environment. Joan taunts Merle . Alice is puzzled by Rita's apathy, but Rita tells her privately there are three things she wants to do before she dies. Marty tells Meg he has contacted Spike's mother. Lisa tricks Rodney into leaving Joan alone at muster for a final confrontation with the women . Joan goes to Rita and says she will help her with the job for $100,000.

    Alice's mind is obviously on other things during typing class .


    Story Editor: Bevan Lee (686); Alison Nisselle (687)-(689)
    Script Editor: Morgan Smith (686); Morgan Smith & Neil Luxmoore (687); Morgan Smith (688); Morgan Smith & Neil Luxmoore (689)
    Storyliners: Tony McDonald, John Coulter, Bob Greenberg


    ITV regional broadcast dates:-
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