Season
Prisoner: Season 3
Overview
The third season of Australian drama television series Prisoner (commonly known as Prisoner: Cell Block H) premiered on Network Ten on 4 February 1981. It consists of 81 episodes and concluded on 11 November 1981. The season is notable for the conclusion to the tunnel escape storyline which ended the previous season; the departure of Vera Bennett ("Vinegar Tits") when she accepts the position of governor of Barnhurst; the kidnapping of Erica Davidson; the arrival of new prisoners Sandy Edwards, Kate Peterson and former inmate and top dog of H Block – Marie Winter; Bea Smith's amnesia, and later, her mysterious illness which sees her step down as top dog, only to be replaced by Sandy Edwards.
Details
- Series
- Prisoner
- Season
- Season 3
- Air date
- 1981-02-04
- Episodes
- 81 episodes
Episodes
Episode 1: Episode 166
Judy and Mouse dig in the rubble with their bare hands, but they only turn up Irene's dead body . They shout for help and hear Bea's voice on the other side of the cave-in: Bea tells them that Doreen and Lizzie are still alive. Meanwhile, Anne is making a rockery on top of the tunnel, but Gillespie sees her and sends her back inside the marquee. Bea has to help Doreen free her leg , but she still isn't able to walk, so Bea goes back alone to try to get help. Margo and Hazel are worried that Bea and Lizzie haven't come back , especially when Vera notices that Bea isn't around, but Margo manages to cover for her. Bea reaches the entrance to the tunnel but can't get the lid up. Gillespie notices the ladder and raises the alarm: all the kids are sent home.
Episode 2: Episode 167
Jim overhears Mouse and Margo discussing the escape and what might have happened to Doreen and Bea, and Irene's death in the cave-in. Anne is also listening as they pass her cell and she assumes that it's Bea who is dead. Mouse agrees to show the officers where the tunnel is, but Gillespie nevertheless orders that she loses remission. Lizzie uses a piece of her costume tied round a stick as a torch, but Bea grabs hold of it and rushes off down the tunnel. Chrissie asks Gillespie for permission to hold a first birthday party for Elizabeth: he refuses and says he will make sure that child welfare are informed and come to collect Elizabeth promptly when she is one year old. Mouse leads the officers to where Lizzie and Doreen are. Anne is told that Dr Weissman may want to see her again after he's interviewed her family. Bea is eventually found banging her hands on a security grille trying to get through.
Episode 3: Episode 168
Wally tells Judy he saw her photo in the newspaper, but tells her he has no intention of telling the police where she is, inviting her to stay as long as he likes. He is surprised when she turns down the offer of "a smoke", so Judy offers to explain why she is so opposed to drugs by telling him her story. Lizzie and Doreen are allowed out of sickbay. The women are delighted by the TV news that Judy is still on the run: Gillespie is annoyed and wants to have TV and radio privileges taken away. Erica tells him she will only agree to have the newspapers censored. Bea regrets that Anne has been transferred to a psychiatric hospital before she had the chance to fix her. Gillespie tells Vera to censor the papers but cuts her down to size when she suggests his own idea about TV and radio. Judy is disappointed that the letter she left in her cell hasn't been mentioned in the newspapers and is inspired by Wally's' suggestion that she writes to the Ombudsman.
Episode 4: Episode 169
Vera gives Lizzie mouth-to-mouth resuscitation while the women wait for the ambulance to arrive. Meanwhile, Hazel removes the bucket of booze from the store room behind Vera's back. Ted Douglas tells Erica a teacher will be appointed to a new education facility in the prison. Vera feels guilty that she didn't believe Lizzie at first, but she recovers her usual character in time and remembers about the grog manufacture, which she rushes off to investigate. When she gets to the rec room, the buckets have vanished but Vera tells Bea she must have known what was going on and must see the Governor. In hospital, Lizzie describes her near-death experience to a doctor in the usual cliched terms involving bright lights at the end of a tunnel. Vera takes Bea to the Governor to explain what she knows about the home brew, and Bea is honest for once: she tells Erica the home brew has been flushed down the toilet.
Episode 5: Episode 170
Wally tells Judy he's concerned that Micki is getting too involved in Judy's campaign to improve conditions, and Judy agrees to talk to Micki. Erica tells Meg that Lizzie won't be able to get a visa to enter the United States with a criminal record. Meg tells the women to humour Lizzie's plans to emigrate until she is fully recovered. Wally tries to warn Micki of the risks she's running, and when Judy sees she is not convinced, she tells Micki that she won't do the interview. Doreen gets two years for escaping and three months for the kidnapping. News of Lizzie being returned to Wentworth persuades Judy to do the interview after all, and Judy suggests that the tape could be posted to the TV station, but Micki wants to hand it to Graeme Hopkins in person. Erica visits Lizzie in hospital and asks the doctor the effect of telling her truth about America: he advises against it, and Erica thinks it best he just tells Lizzie she isn't strong enough to travel.
Episode 6: Episode 171
Graeme Hopkins arrives at Wentworth threatening to expose the contents of Judy's tape if Erica won't agree to grant him an interview. Helen Smart comes home to find Judy waiting for her: after a bit of persuasion (and a wad of banknotes to cover her lost "business") she agrees to let Judy stay for a while, but she is slightly worried when Judy vows that she intends to avenge herself on Gillespie and Jock Stewart. Erica warns Graeme Hopkins that his campaign to free Lizzie could kill her, but she agrees to let him talk to her so she can hear it in Lizzie's own words. At first, Lizzie says she does want to get out of prison, but when Hopkins tells her he can't help her get a visa, she turns on him and says she doesn't want his help. Helen is sceptical about Judy's enthusiasm when she finds out her tape is to be shown on TV after all, saying the police won't act on the word of a criminal alone.
Episode 7: Episode 172
Jock tells Judy she's now going to work for him: he wants $300 every time he visits - if not, he'll bash her and turn both Judy and Helen over to the police. Doreen is noticeably more enthusiastic about the classes than the other women. After leaving the massage parlour after a hard night's work, Judy has to fend off a kerb crawler and ends up being chased by two patrolcar policemen. Helen suggests that Judy should go away somewhere quiet, but Judy says she wants to get Jock in her own way, no matter how many men she has to go with. Only Doreen turns up for David's classes. Jim tells Sid he ought to make a list of his tools so he knows if any of them go missing. Judy goes back to work at the massage parlour , and when Jock comes to collect his money he hits her across the face when she says she hasn't got it yet. He suggests that if business is slow she ought to offer something more than "a gentle rub-down".
Episode 8: Episode 173
Doreen tries to take the blame as Jim returns her to her cell, but he obviously doesn't believe her. Bea and Lizzie are both in favour of letting David take the blame. Next morning, Jim reports what he saw to Erica, and says he doesn't think Doreen should be held entirely responsible. Erica orders David that he can no longer speak to Doreen if she's on her own, and suggests that he tries to interest more women in his classes. Bea tells Doreen not to waste time mooning over David, as she'll never get anywhere. Sid asks to drive Meg and Lizzie to hospital, but Meg agrees only if he will keep it quiet. Vera accuses David of seducing Doreen, and her tone carries more than a hint of the spite she feels because it wasn't her. Bea snaps and tells Doreen she's had enough of her always going on about David. David starts to approach the women individually about his classes, but Hazel tells him she isn't much interested after her bad experiences at school.
Episode 9: Episode 174
Bea orders the women to send Sandra to Coventry so she can't get any more information. Judy overhears Sandra ask Jim to be allowed to make a phone call and using considerable knowledge of regulations to get her own way. Doreen borrows Bea's torch so she can finish knitting the socks after light out. Doreen breaks the no talking to Sandra ban to ask her if she'll agree to go top classes with her, and she manages to give David his present. However, Erica comes in to the library to see how classes are going and David hides the socks on the bookshelves. Bea and Doreen try to cheer Judy up by saying she did the right thing for all of them while she was on the outside. David shows Vera the socks and she comments acidly that he ought to start knitting classes. When she next sees Doreen she can't resist making a snide comment which makes Doreen run back to her cell. Bea and Lizzie find her in tears and decide to attend the classes to settle the score.
Episode 10: Episode 175
Bea tells the women they can use Sandra to feed her information which supports their cause. Meg gives Lizzie the news that Sid has had a stroke, and promises to ask permission for her to visit him in hospital. Sandra says she's willing to pay the women for information, but only if it's what she thinks her editor will want. Three new prisoners are brought to Wentworth: when the van door is opened, one of them, Jenny Armstrong, has been given a bloody nose by one of the others, Georgie Baxter. Jenny is in prison for not paying a parking fine. Georgie is manhandled shrieking into reception and after wiping the fingerprint ink all over Jim's face , she is sent straight to solitary . When she is left alone there, she tears up the uniform she is supposed to put on. Meg introduces the third new inmate, Evelyn Randall, to the women in the rec room. Sandra complains the stuff the women are telling her is too boring to print.
Episode 11: Episode 176
Bea dashes off to make Evelyn reveal what was in the the mixture she gave Doreen. When Evelyn finds out that Doreen heated up the mixture, making it toxic, she says she can take no responsibility if people ignore her instructions - just as her unfortunate patient who died had done, by eating the preparation for skin cancer that was supposed to be an ointment. David offers to talk to Georgie when she is released from solitary later that day. Doreen is soon back to normal and both she and Lizzie apologise to Evelyn, much to Bea's disgust. Evelyn is worried when she finds out that Sandra is in isolation, and won't be able to write the article to help her case, but Judy suggests it would be just as good if she could cure some illness while inside prison, such as the rare tropical illness they've just heard about: Evelyn points out that none of them seem to be suffering from it.
Episode 12: Episode 177
A doctor arrives to carry out tests for tropical diseases: Evelyn scoffs at him from her bed in the infirmary. Dr Granger warns Erica that if Sally was the contact there could be an epidemic. No-one can explain how Lizzie became infected until Jim remembers that she'd brought Sally a meal when she was in sickbay. Georgie is forcibly removed from solitary for an examination and an injection of antibiotics. Dr Granger suspects typhoid and orders all food in the kitchen to be destroyed and that block H should be isolated from the rest of the prison. He also tells the officers they won't be allowed to go home. Judy reports back to Bea that she wasn't allowed to get out of the block to go to the library. Evelyn challenges the nurse, claiming that she could cure herself and refusing the injection. Sandra is moved out of isolation to make room for the female officers: when she finds out about the quarantine she begs Vera not to put her back with the other women. Georgie is put in Judy's cell.
Episode 13: Episode 178
Sandra is persuaded to come back inside. Evelyn seems worried that her medicine isn't working on Meg. Sandra is told she could be charged with attempting to escape: Erica tells her she will he sent to solitary (with an aside to Jim that the male officers will now have to bed down in the interview room) and warns her against an escalating cycle of ever more serious charges that could make her stay in Wentworth permanent. Doreen overhears that Meg is getting worse and recovers what's left of the medicine from Evelyn's cell and flushes it away in the shower block. Georgie checks up on Judy, but is told to look after Bea, who seems to be in a much worse condition. Erica suggests to Dr Granger that the epidemic may be non-bacterial as the antibiotics seem to be having little effect. Evelyn points out to Lizzie that Meg seems much better, and indeed she comes out of her coma.
Episode 14: Episode 179
Dr Granger says he wants to carry out further tests on the women to confirm his suspicions. Jim reports Georgie's attack on Judy, but Erica tells him to put Georgie in solitary for now and bring Evelyn to her office immediately. Erica tries to get an admission of guilt from Evelyn but she brazens it out, knowing that Erica has no proof. Sensing that she isn't going to get anywhere, Erica visits Georgie in solitary to ask her about the incident with Judy, and seems very unsympathetic to Georgie's side of the story. When Judy is questioned, she tries to put Georgie's case, but admits she told Georgie she was lesbian and thought she felt the same way. Dr Granger gets the test results: the women were poisoned by pollen from the pandanus candelabrum plant, but he tells Erica he can't see any way Evelyn could have got hold of it, as there was none in her cell or in the prison garden. Jim is relieved that the quarantine can be lifted.
Episode 15: Episode 180
Sandra protests to Meg when her breakfast is brought to solitary that she didn't cause the fire. In the dining room, the other women are speculating about where Evelyn is, and what is likely to happen to Sandra. Margo phones Wayne but finds that the line has been cut off: Meg offers to pass a message to him that Margo wants to be collected on her release next day. Jim deals with Sandra in Erica's absence, and agrees to allow her out of solitary for half a day if she will use her journalistic skills to try to find out who really caused the fire. Lizzie passes on to the others that Evelyn is in hospital. Vera drops a heavy hint when she brings Sandra back to the laundry and Bea has no trouble picking it up, realising that Jim has put her back among them deliberately to act as a stool pigeon. Meg visits Wayne and is appalled by the squalid living conditions.
Episode 16: Episode 181
Vera wants to censor a letter from Ken Pearce to Bea when she sees it contains praise for Bea for setting his daughter straight, but Meg persuades Vera to let Bea have the letter uncut. Meg also passes on to Bea the message from Margo, so Bea realises that Margo had come to get her money. After hearing about the latest scene with Georgie, Bea advises Judy to stick to her own age group in future. Judy asks Bea what she would do if her own daughter had been lesbian, and Bea answers honestly that she'd prefer any of her kids not to be gay, if only because of the unhappiness it seems to have brought Judy. Erica agrees to David's suggestion to encourage Bea to look after Georgie by putting Georgie in to share a cell. To make room, Doreen has to be moved out to share with Judy. Vera can't help herself and makes the obvious remark: that Judy might have more luck with Doreen in view of her past experience of "warped" relationships.
Episode 17: Episode 182
Hazel comes to Judy's cell to see if she's all right, and has to listen to a tirade against Georgie for her trouble. Bea cuts Georgie short for crowing over Judy's humiliation, but when Hazel stops by Bea's cell in an attempt to act as peacemaker, Bea is equally unrepentant and unwilling to apologise or stand down. The atmosphere in the laundry is fraught with tension and Judy asks to work in the garden to get away from the conflict. Mouse is given permission to go with her. Erica calls Doreen childish for bearing a grudge and takes away her privileges for a week. Mouse tells Judy that most of the women are on her side, but Judy doesn't want to be pushed forward to take over Bea's place as top dog. Doreen is refused permission to join Judy in the garden and has to work in the laundry: several times violence seems about to break out. Hazel warns Doreen that stirring up trouble will only backfire on her. Judy fills Doreen in about what happened while she's been away in solitary.
Episode 18: Episode 183
Meg is also injured and the women are locked in the dining room: Judy asks for the gate to be opened so that Bea can get medical attention. Erica wants Bea taken to hospital for X-rays. The women are locked in their cells, and Judy says she won't take any blame for the incident. Bea now has a nasty abrasion on her left temple and Sister Johnston wants her transferred to hospital, but the Department won't give permission for Bea to be moved in view of her past record of escapes. Bea comes round and refuses to go to hospital anyway, so Erica insists that she signs a statement that she has refused medical treatment. Meg finds out that the cleaner's job is still available. Jim suggests that Bea doesn't want to leave Wentworth in case anyone takes over while she's away. Wayne tells Margo the details of the payroll job. Erica addresses the women in the rec room and tells them they have all lost buyup for two weeks and a fine will be deducted from all their wages.
Episode 19: Episode 184
Det. Insp. Thorne arrives to control the handling of the siege, and snipers and gunmen take up position all around the building. Margo tells Wayne she's worried that Bazza will snap and open fire at the slightest provocation. Bea is returned to Wentworth, and Vera asks her if she isn't worried that someone might have taken over while she's away. Georgie is persuaded to carry on with David's classes. The two women react differently to being taken hostage: Mrs Dyson whimpers in a corner while Mrs Mitchell is excited that her shop will get free publicity by appearing on TV, and happily sets about making cups of tea for everyone. The women at Wentworth see the TV report on the siege, but Margo is not identified by name. The police phone the shop and Wayne demands a getaway car. Erica tells Meg that Margo has specifically asked for her as a go-between, and orders her not to take part - in vain. Meg goes into the shop to talk to Margo.
Episode 20: Episode 185
Georgie interrupts the TV news about the siege to tell the women her own news about David's decision on her parole. Bea won't accept Judy's defeatist attitude that there's nothing they can do about it. Margo is brought back to Wentworth. Vera's isn't very sympathetic to Sally's complaints about finding it hard to handle Bea. Vera confirms the story about Georgie's parole. Bea says they won't go to any more classes and leads the women in preparation for other protests. Jim is surprised by Bea's request for an extra exercise period for all the women. Meg objects to David's insistence on blocking Georgie's parole. Vera passes on a message to Meg to give to Margo, which she says she will want to pass on personally. The message turns out to be that Wayne is dead. Bea warns Margo not to do anything silly during the protest. The women stay in the grounds after their exercise period and refuse to go inside until David comes out to talk to them.
Episode 21: Episode 186
Erica tells Sally she's fallen for the oldest trick in the book and warns her that her work must improve. Vera sympathises with Sally, but only as a means of impressing on her once again the need to imitate her own methods. David tells Erica he will try talking to Bea directly. Lizzie asks permission to have a day on the outside to recover from her recent sickness. Erica refuses, but after Lizzie has left the office she tells David that she intends to find a prison visitor for Lizzie - someone of her own age. Meg has found Georgie a job in a supermarket, and Mike visits Georgie to tell her they could share a room when she's paroled. Bea reiterates that David must withdraw his objection to Georgie's parole if he wants the women to come back to his classes, so he is forced to agree. The parole board chairman allows David to change his recommendation, but points out that Georgie's record in prison will also have to be taken into account. Ivy Butcher arrives as Lizzie's prison visitor.
Episode 22: Episode 187
Vera thinks that Lizzie hasn't escaped at all and that the women are hiding her to play a joke on the officers. Jim says the same thing to Erica, and Erica throws a fit of pique and has the women confined to their cells until Lizzie turns up - or the women admit what they are doing. Lizzie selects some clothes and a hat from a charity shop then pretends to have left her bag on the bus: the woman running the shop not only says she can take the clothes and pay for them later, but also give Lizzie two dollars from her own purse. Lizzie makes the money go further by buying something in a chemist's and conning the assistant into giving her change from ten dollars instead of the two she really gives him. Doreen predicts Lizzie will be back by the next day at the latest. David goes to Bea's cell to find out what's going on, as he suspects it's another trick to have his classes cancelled. Vera finds him and tells him off for straying outside his allotted area.
Episode 23: Episode 188
Bob tries to apologise to Meg, but he still wants her to change her job. Lizzie is interviewed by the police about her escape and is warned she may face some serious charges. Meg tells Erica she wants to look for another job, but one where her existing qualifications will be sufficient. Erica agrees to make enquiries for her. Vera and Jim oppose the conjugal visits scheme, so Meg is given the job of organising the women to get the garden tool shed screened off and cleaned up for use as a visiting suite. Jim tells Vera it's pointless objecting to the scheme, and they can just rely on the women to ruin it without any help from them. Bea won't let anyone help clean out the shed, even though Hazel and Chrissie are keen. Chrissie's accuses Bea of being selfish and blocking the scheme just because she can't see Ken. David reports back to Erica and recommends that the visiting ban on Ken should be lifted.
Episode 24: Episode 189
Chrissie returns to the laundry sobbing and Bea makes veiled remarks to Vera to indicate that she holds her responsible. Doreen predicts Meg will be back soon as an officer, just like the last time she resigned. Meg finds Chrissie in her cell in tears, but can't do anything more for her than promise to speak to Erica about arranging another visit from Mick. Bea writes a letter to Ken to tell him he can visit again and seals it with sealing wax. Erica hopes the issue of the paternity of Chrissie's child won't be brought up again as she's due for parole in a few weeks. Meg convinces Erica that supervised visits from Mick can't do any harm. A reporter arrives to interview Erica about the visiting scheme: her optimistic description is heard over the reality - Vera inspecting a child's rag doll to check it for contraband. Ted Douglas phones Meg to make an appointment to discuss her application.
Episode 25: Episode 190
No-one will talk to Bea in the rec room, though Hazel and Chrissie pointedly talk about her as if she wasn't there, provoking Bea to speak up in her own defence, but this only leads to a shouting match. When Vera breaks it up, Chrissie demands to see the Governor immediately to ask for another unsupervised visit from Mick to make up for the one she lost. Erica refuses and points out she is being very short-sighted to create so much trouble with her parole coming up. After a promise of a visit the following week if she is still inside, Chrissie calms down, but while Vera is showing her back to her cell, she manages to turn her against Bea again by pointing out that Chrissie is very unlikely to get her parole, so why should she worry about jeopardising it? The argument between Chrissie and Bea duly resumes, this time developing into a real fight: Vera takes Chrissie off to solitary gloating that now she will certainly lose her parole.
Episode 26: Episode 191
Bea refuses to talk to Ken on try to persuade him to give up his work for the PRG, but Debbie says she won't allow Bea to stand in the way of her parents getting back together. Lizzie interrupts Bea in the middle of an extended flashback to her scene in the storeroom cupboard with Ken: Bea is obviously still in her daydream when she asks Lizzie if Ken would ever say something he didn't mean. Lizzie agrees that he wouldn't which confirms Bea in her opinion that she ought to try to fight for whatever relationship she can have with Ken. Vera tries to bring Bea down to earth by telling her that she's been talking to Debbie, and that she vowed never to let Ken see Bea ever again: Meg overhears and tells Vera she should know better than to bait a prisoner. Debbie gets Ken to agree to have her mother come to stay - ostensibly to help her shop for the wedding. Bea gets Erica to agree to an unsupervised visit by pretending that she only wants to do what Debbie asked.
Episode 27: Episode 192
Chrissie lays into Mick as soon as she's through the front door of the new flat , accusing him of only being nice to her as a way of getting her to have sex with him. She changes her tune immediately she hears that he's arranged a visit to Elizabeth. Vera finds herself outnumbered in a discussion of how to handle Bea after her break-up with Ken - oddly she seems to be the only one to favour sending Bea to solitary. Chrissie tells Mick she doesn't want anything from him. Doreen tells Judy she's done something stupid: not only has she got herself a pen friend through a lonely hearts' club but she's painted a very flattering picture of herself and can't work out how to satisfy her pen friend's request for her photo without revealing the truth. Judy asks Meg for help and she agrees to bring in a Polaroid camera from home. Mick and Chrissie visit the children's home: the wire fence around it appals Chrissie and she says it looks just like a prison.
Episode 28: Episode 193
Bea and the others are keen to know how Doreen's day out went. She tells them Peter wasn't what she expected, and that Erica had taken away her phone privileges, but not the rest of it. Judy suggests Doreen carries on writing to Peter, just as a friend. Meg's boss Mr Muirhead asks for a report for Child Welfare on Chrissie and Mick as parents, and she says she can give them a positive recommendation. Vera sets to with a will censoring the mail and finds a "pornographic" magazine addressed to Angie Dobbs . She hands over the letters to the women with a thumbnail sketch of the contents of each one. When they protest and ask why the mail has been censored, she suggests they ask Doreen. Doreen has to explain the bit she left out before. Erica explains to David the reason for her apparently harsh decision to make an example of Doreen.
Episode 29: Episode 194
Judy urges the women to stick together and support the strike: only Doreen mutters grumpily that she can't why they should put themselves out when it seems to be largely for one person's benefit. Jim finds out about the strike when he finds the laundry at a standstill and the women refuse to obey his direct order to return to work. Chrissie starts packing and tells Mick not to answer the phone when it rings. But he does and it's Meg, who tells him there's only an hour to go before the police are called in. The women amuse themselves by chucking wet sheets around in the laundry. Meg calls round at the flat and manages to persuade Chrissie to take Elizabeth back. Erica refuses to give in to the strikers and tells Jim to have the women locked in their cells. The police are already waiting when Meg, Chrissie and Mick arrive outside the home, but the matron decides not to take the matter any further. However, one of the detectives thinks he's seen Mick somewhere before.
Episode 30: Episode 195
Chrissie phones Meg at work to tell her about Mick's arrest and that she is in danger herself of being charged with harbouring a fugitive. Colleen tells the women that none of the officers are opposed to projects for the women in principle - only if they are going to cause more work. Erica accuses Vera of hypocrisy for spouting the Union line, but has it thrown back at her when she isn't willing to promote Colleen on the grounds that she isn't ready for the responsibility: Vera accuses her of really being worried by Colleen's Union position. Phyllis brings some dirty washing from the workshop, and is sent off to get some tools for Bea, who reckons the best way to undermine the officers is to create a lot more unnecessary work for them. Meg manages to convince the detective that Chrissie didn't know Mick was an escapee, so she is allowed to go without being charged.
Episode 31: Episode 196
The corridors are silent when Jim and Colleen check up later, though the din resumes after their dialogue. The women are taken for their showers a few at a time next morning and are then locked back in their cells. Chrissie tells Meg that the only way she can get Elizabeth back now is to earn a little money on her own account: she goes for a job in a restaurant, but the owner sees through her claim to have references from New Zealand. Lizzie tells Bea she's too old to get involved in any protests. Meanwhile, Doreen is trying to calm down Judy by telling her that Bea has everything under control. After seeing an article in the paper, Chrissie's brother Derek calls on Meg to ask if he can help Chrissie, as he feels he let her down when they were kids: he offers to have Chrissie and Elizabeth live with him and his wife. Erica proposes to the officers that a round table discussion with the inmates might help, but Colleen demands that the officers are armed.
Episode 32: Episode 197
Chrissie tries to convince Meg that the half-naked man fleeing her flat is an old friend, but Meg suspects she is back on the game and threatens to report it if Chrissie doesn't agree to visit Derek . Vera thinks the barricaded women should be forcibly removed, but Jim thinks they should just be allowed to get hungry enough to come out in their own time. He also suggests that Lizzie is left to wander around the building, as he hopes she will convince some of the women to change their minds. Sure enough, she goes to talk to Doreen and Lizzie and tells them about the Pentridge guards who have been brought in. Bea wakes up at Barnhurst and is greeted by Officer Roberts , who gives Bea a match for her cigarette by throwing across the cell and when Bea picks it up she sees that it's already been lit. Chrissie goes to visit Derek to find he is at the hospital: his wife receives a call from Derek to sya that their father has died.
Episode 33: Episode 198
At breakfast Judy, Hazel and Phyllis all "vie" for top dog, but it is only a ploy to make the staff feel that there will be too much unrest if Bea is not returned. Margo, who is going in for sentencing that day, doesn't want to be a part of it. She expects to get 4 to 5 years. Another "brawl" is staged in the laundry. Colleen reports it to Erica, but Erica merely says that fighting for Bea's place is to be expected. Margo gets 10 years and tells Judy she'll take part in anything. Jim broods to Meg about how badly he was treated as acting Governor. Meg tells him to do something about it. At a staff meeting, Erica says she wishes to form a Prisoner's Needs Committee. Vera, Jim, and Colleen exchange irritated glances. Back in the laundry the women continue to call each other fat and stupid until Margo snaps and genuinely bashes Judy. Judy is blamed and sent to solitary. Jim tells Vera he is looking for another job. Vera is delighted and wishes him luck.
Episode 34: Episode 199
The driver of the police van is dead and the officer unconscious. A very disoriented Bea stumbles out of the van and walks away. Lizzie brings Judy breakfast in solitary and tells her Margo has taken over. A friendly driver discovers Bea by the side of the road. Bea can't remember where she is or how she got there but she must get home to her daughter, Debbie. The lady gives her a lift. Erica releases Judy from solitary and asks her to head the Prisoner's Needs Committee. When Judy learns that Bea is coming back she agrees to help all she can. Bev and Lil tear up Doreen's cell. Doreen agrees to give Margo her buy-up and place bets with her. Bea arrives at her house but finds it occupied by strangers. Judy comes into the rec room and announces Bea's imminent return. Margo tells everyone not to get too happy - the Big Red's not back on top yet. While wandering about the streets, Bea remembers an apartment number - #5.
Episode 35: Episode 200
Meg goes to phone the police but Mum tells her Bea needs medical attention. Meg agrees to go see Bea before alerting the authorities. In Erica's office, Judy and Doreen explain that they planted buy-up goods on Margo but that someone must have double-crossed them. Erica lets them off but wants no more in-fighting. Vera rebuffs Terry's advances, Jim then bets Terry that he can't get Vera to agree to a date. Mum and Meg arrive at the house to find Bea has left - with Mum's house keeping money. Meg calls the police. The police report that the van officer has come out of their coma and cleared Bea of causing the accident. Mum says that she went to Meg just after Bea arrived, but they are sceptical. Bea goes to school to pick up Debbie. No one knows who Debbie is. While pretending to side with Margo, Lizzie discovers that it was Phyllis who alerted Margo to the set up. Lizzie lures Phyllis to the laundry, where Judy and Doreen attack her.
Episode 36: Episode 201
Terry finds Bea weeping hysterically in the corridor. She begs to see Meg. Bea tells Meg that she almost killed Margo, but doesn't understand where the violent urge came from. In the laundry, Lizzie and Doreen are now convinced Bea's faking. Judy asks Margo why Margo didn't tell the screws about Bea's attack on her. Margo replies - in a very hoarse voice - that she'll get even with Smith in her own way. Meg tells Bea some more about the last ten years. Bea once again becomes hysterical and tries to climb the fence . After hauling her back inside, Jim feels Bea is a fraud - but Terry and Meg are convinced she's genuine. Terry asks the women if there was a fight between Bea and Margo. Everyone denies it, except for Mum. Margo has had just about enough of Mum. Lizzie tells Bea that she knows that she's putting on an act, but that she'll back her up. Bea tells Lizzie to go away. Lizzie looks indignant. Meg meets one of her new probation cases, a young man named Nick Clarke.
Episode 37: Episode 202
Bea finds Mum unconscious and stays with her while Jim runs for help. Margo comes in tossing Mum's pills in her hand. Bea asks for them back but Margo refuses. When Jim and Erica come running back Bea tells them that Margo has the pills. A search of Margo's cell yields nothing, but when everyone leaves Margo retrieves the bottle from under her waste basket and goes to rinse them down the sink. Bea walks in. She demands the bottle be handed over. Margo knees her in the stomach. Bea grabs Margo by the hair, spins her around and flattens her with a punch to the jaw. Vera runs in and prevents Margo from being strangled. Margo hands over the pills saying she found them in the rec room. Doreen catches Terry and Vera flirting. Doreen visits Bea and says that after this second attack on Margo no one will believe her amnesia story. Bea becomes upset and tells Doreen that she doesn't know who she is or what she's talking about. Doreen reminds her of the time they were trapped in the tunnel.
Episode 38: Episode 203
At meal time, Margo acts terrified of Bea. Both Mum and Vera notice. Bea later tells Margo not to act frightened of her. Margo then bashes Doreen in front of Bea and the other women. She asks Bea what she intends to do about it. Bea asks why she should do anything about it. Doreen is more convinced than ever that Bea must have lost her memory. Erica speaks to Mum about her trial and is not pleased with Mum's defeatist attitude. Terry and Vera make plans for the evening. Terry asks if he should bring along his uniform so that "he won't have to go home for it in the morning". Erica interupts them and Terry excuses himself. Vera is left with a big smile on her face. Bea meets again with Dr. Weissman. He shows her the coroner's report on Debbie. Bea has a flashback of Debbie visiting her and begging for help. Bea breaks down. She is still crying when she returns to her cell. Mum asks if Dr. Weissman no longer believes her. Bea tells her the reason.
Episode 39: Episode 204
Bea tells her counsel that she wishes to change her plea to guilty. On the stand, Bea testifies that she only had amnesia for a few hours immediately following the accident but that she knew who she was when she went to Mum and forced Mum to help her. Mum is asked if this is true. She looks at Bea and then agrees that it is. Margo tells the women in the laundry that she gave evidence against Bea. Judy says that Margo had better be prepared if Bea doesn't get off. Margo laughs and says that she's being transferred to Barnhurst. Vera, who is listening outside the laundry, has her own private laugh. Mum is acquitted and Bea is sentenced to an additional 18 months. Outside the court, Mum thanks Meg and then says good-bye to Bea (and a quiet thank you). Bea smiles at her as she is driven away. Margo asks Jim when she's being transfered to Barnhurst. Jim doesn't know anything about it. Bea is returned. Erica asks her, confidentially, when her memory really returned.
Episode 40: Episode 205
Lizzie's book is officially "opened". Mr. Muirhead visits Meg at home and tells her that Nick absolutely must move out. Lizzie does very well with her first race. Terry moves in. Vera finds the betting ticket in his jacket pocket. Bob refuses to throw Nick out saying that it is his house and he can have anyone he wants in it. Bev and Lil are assigned as Lizzie's bodyguards. Margo collects her race winnings from Terry then turns around and shows Vera the money. Vera says that Terry wouldn't do such a thing. Margo laughs and says Vera must have it bad. Margo tries to place a bet with Lizzie, but is physically thrown out of the laundry by Bev and Lil. Margo asks Terry to place another bet for her, he agrees. Nick is blamed for some missing petty cash. Bob defends him. Margo informs the women that she has her own ways of placing bets. Vera confronts Terry about placing bets for Margo.
Episode 41: Episode 206
Bea bails Lizzie out of trouble by having her give the women back their original bets and IOUs for the rest. Terry brings in a bottle of scotch for Margo. Her information - that Lizzie is running the book - doesn't impress Terry much, but Margo says if he doesn't give her the booze she'll never tell him anything else. He gives it to her. Meg and Nick have a cosy chat about his family. Although Meg doesn't notice, Nick is beginning to look at her with dewy eyes. Terry tells Vera that he got info from Margo, but doesn't tell her about the scotch. Vera is determined to put an end to Lizzie's book. Lizzie comes up with a plan for her IOUs. She'll bet the women she owes double or nothing that she can pick 6 out of 8 races. Judy has her tape recorder returned, but a cassette is missing. Margo tells Hazel that she has a bottle of scotch and she'll share if Hazel will side with her. Hazel tells Margo to go drink her scotch.
Episode 42: Episode 207
Jim runs for help. Margo comes to in the infirmary, but has no idea who hit her. Bob tells Meg that he has no interest in Arna and invites Meg to have lunch with them that afternoon before he takes Arna to the airport. Vera questions Margo about the attack. Margo decides it was Terry who did it and tells Vera about the tape and the scotch. Margo repeats the story to Erica, but Vera returns from a cell search claiming to have found nothing. Margo is not very surprised at this. Bea is off the hook, as she was in the rec room the entire time, but both Terry and Doreen walk in afterwards. Bea is pretty sure Terry is the basher. Jim comes right out and asks Terry. Terry is shocked that Jim would even ask. Meg has lunch with Bob and Arna. When Arna finds out that Meg is a parole officer she is very interested as many of her family are involved in Swedish prison reform. She asks to see Wentworth. Bob says it will be no problem.
Episode 43: Episode 208
Judy asks Bea what she intends to do with the cassette, but Bea is not yet sure. Meg gets to Nick as he is being escorted to prison. She says how sorry she is for the misunderstanding. A very bitter Nick tells her he could care less. Erica visits her mother in the country. Jim, as Acting Governor, has all of the women's' recorders and tapes confiscated and says that since they have proven to be a security risk they will no longer be allowed. He also orders a cell search for the incriminating tape. They do not find it - Bea has it taped behind the glass of her over-sink cabinet. Erica and her mother argue. Florence has a bad spell. As Erica runs out of the room to get help, Florence peeks after her. Erica is outraged when Gwen, her mother's companion, tells her the "fainting spell" was just Florence's way of ending an unpleasant conversation.
Episode 44: Episode 209
Jim finds Vera sobbing in the rec room. She asks to be excused for the afternoon and Jim agrees. The family doctor phones Erica and informs her that her mother has collapsed and is in hospital awaiting an operation. She has had a cerebral thrombosis and Erica must come immediately. Vera catches Terry at home and persuades him not to move out just yet - that they must have one last attempt to get the tape. Jim confronts Bea and says that Terry is about to resign and reminds her that a decent officer is very likely to be replaced by a Jock Stewart. Bea feigns ignorance. Erica and James arrive at the hospital. They visit their mother before she goes into surgery. Florence keeps repeating that she's sorry. "Sorry for what", Erica asks? Florence says to ask the doctor... and with those enigmatic words she is wheeled away. Erica does ask the doctor, and he tells them that Florence had a boy before either of them and that this child died as the result of an accidental fall.
Episode 45: Episode 210
Judy is stunned at meeting Lori and asks how she found her. Lori explains that her adoptive parents, the Youngs,were afraid that Judy was going to try and contact her during her escape so they told Lori everything. Judy asks her to return the next day after she's had a chance to compose herself. Michelle is entertaining the women with her story of leaving Jim in her dust, when Judy walks in. Bea and Doreen want to know all about her visitor (assuming it was a professional do-gooder) but the Jude is evasive. Judy then runs into Erica in the hall and asks her if she may have a special visit the next day. Erica wants to know specfically why and Judy refuses to be specific so Erica just walks away. Discovering that Terry was the supervising officer at the meeting, Erica asks him why Judy should need another visit. Terry informs her that the visitor was Judy's daughter. Jim asks Meg if she can recommend anyone from Legal Aid to help Michelle.
Episode 46: Episode 211
The Keep-Fit class ends with Jim about as winded as the women. Meg visits with Erica, who thanks her for the dinner. Erica then tell Meg that she must go to the country to sort through her mother's things. "Going through Mother's dresses", seems to especially upset her. Both Michelle and Henry meet with Tony Morton. The police have now established Michelle's fingerprints at the crime scene and, without the "mysterious old lady", things look worse than ever. Michelle shoots Henry a look. As he leaves, Henry assures Michelle that he'll do what he can. In the laundry, Doreen blows kisses and makes cooing noises at Lori. Vera enters and, sensing a good opportunity, tells Lori to help Doreen at the washer. Erica and James drive down to the country. James wants to sell the family home, Erica does not. Doreen purposely has Lori pour dye into the washer. Gwen brings Erica and James their mother's personal letters. Erica trembles before them, but James insists that she start reading them.
Episode 47: Episode 212
Bea and Judy search for Doreen. Bea tells Lizzie to keep an eye on Lori. Lori claims she isn't at all frightened and that Doreen is too stupid to know what to do with a knife. Lizzie sits her down and tells her to shut up. Doreen saunters into the rec room. When Bea and Judy ask her about the knife, Doreen says she moved it. As Lori goes back to her cell Doreen has a naughty smirk that convinces Bea and Judy that she's up to something. When Bea forces Judy to tell the women about Lori's true identity, a shocked Doreen quickly confesses that she has set up a little "surprise"...Meanwhile, Lori is at the door of her cell having spotted a rope tied to something above the door. Vera catches her creeping into the cell and decides to investigate. Vera pushes the cell door open and a bucket of soap powder dumps on her head. In a rage, she hauls Lori off to solitary. Doreen tries to explain, but the powder-drenched Vera is in no mood to listen.
Episode 48: Episode 213
While running in the park, Jim comes across Amelia and speaks with her. He shows her a photograph of Michelle and she recognizes her. Amelia says she hasn't seen Michelle in a couple of weeks and, when Jim asks her about the night in question, Amelia says she remembers see her that night because it was the night of her deceased friend's birthday and she was depressed. She also recalls the time - between 6 and 7 - because she always walks at that time. An ecstatic Jim whisks her off to court. Michelle's judge is winding down his gloomy summation when Jim and Amelia come in. Because the defense has vital new information, court is adjourned until the next morning. Lizzie returns to the rec room after visiting Sid and is told of the planned birthday celebration. Lizzie asks the women if they will all join together and knit things for Sid. They all agree. A chirpy Jim returns to work, followed closely by Michelle. She bats her eyes and thanks him.
Episode 49: Episode 214
Terry is not happy to see Kathy. He advises her to keep quiet about their marriage as it might put her in danger from other prisoners. Since she has already received a threat, Kathy agrees. Bea is upset with Lizzie and Doreen about ruining Lori's party. Jim runs in and tells them to get a stretcher for Sid who has collapsed. Sid doesn't want to be carried by women, but Bea tells him to get on the stretcher for Lizzie's sake. In the infirmary, Sister says that Sid is fine - he merely overexerted himself. Lizzie speaks to Meg and Erica about an early parole so that she can take care of Sid. They agree to do what they can. In the laundry, Bea warns Kathy again about working out any "arrangements" with Terry. Vera walks in and Doreen tells Kathy that Vera likes to be chummy with the prisoners and to be called by her first name. Kathy calls her Vera and is immediately shot down. Kathy laughs at the joke and is surprised to find out Vera is involved with Terry.
Episode 50: Episode 215
Bea and Judy give Kathy's cell a thorough check for any more booby-traps. Inspector Grace arrives to see Kathy. Vera is most unpleasant to him and explains to Terry that she's had dealings with him in the past. Dinah eavesdrops on this conversation. Bea and Judy are concerned about Lizzie, who is moping about and won't reveal why. Terry arrives to take Kathy to Grace. Kathy doesn't want to go and Bea tells her she doesn't have to. Terry then points out that if she doesn't go the police will certainly suspect she knows more than she does. Bea concedes to this point and Kathy goes with Terry. While in the corridor, the riot alarm is sounded. Terry leaves Kathy behind a locked gate while he goes to investigate. Dinah sneaks up behind Kathy and smashes her head into the gate twice. Terry finds her a minute later unconscious. Jim tells the women in the laundry that Kathy has been bashed. Bea is getting pretty irritated with the unknown assailant.
Episode 51: Episode 216
Episode 52: Episode 217
Episode 53: Episode 218
Episode 54: Episode 219
Episode 55: Episode 220
Episode 56: Episode 221
Episode 57: Episode 222
Episode 58: Episode 223
Episode 59: Episode 224
Episode 60: Episode 225
Episode 61: Episode 226
Episode 62: Episode 227
Episode 63: Episode 228
Episode 64: Episode 229
Episode 65: Episode 230
Episode 66: Episode 231
Episode 67: Episode 232
Episode 68: Episode 233
Episode 69: Episode 234
Episode 70: Episode 235
Episode 71: Episode 236
Episode 72: Episode 237
Episode 73: Episode 238
Episode 74: Episode 239
Episode 75: Episode 240
Episode 76: Episode 241
Episode 77: Episode 242
Episode 78: Episode 243
Episode 79: Episode 244
Episode 80: Episode 245
Episode 81: Episode 246