Prisoner Cell Block H - Volume 40

EPISODE 673

Joan consolidates her hold on Wentworth but is forced to sacrifice Lorelei to protect her job. Meg and Joyce are in big trouble for disobeying orders.

First broadcast ... 1986 (Melbourne)

Broadcast on Channel 5 Sunday 10 December 2000 04:40.

DVD release: volume 40 disc 1 (AUS)

Duration: 0:44:49



Meg ~ Elspeth Ballantyne

Joan ~ Maggie Kirkpatrick

Joyce ~ Joy Westmore

Rita ~ Glenda Linscott

Alice ~ Lois Collinder

Kath ~ Kate Hood

Lorelei ~ Paula Duncan

Merle ~ Rosanne Hull-Brown

Rodney ~ Philip Hyde

Marty ~ Michael Winchester

Delia ~ Desiree Smith

Spider ~ Taya Stratton

Lisa ~ Terrie Waddell

Spike ~ Victoria Rowland

Brumby ~ Sheryl Munks

James Dwyer ~ James Condon

Dept. Officer 1 ~ Peter Heath

Dept. Officer 2 ~ Bob Halsall

Ivan Hosking ~ Cliff Wood

Margie Anson ~ Samantha Carter

UNCREDITED

Gate guard, Female reporter and Male reporter

•Written by Terry Finch & Andrew Kennedy

•Directed by Kendal Flanagan



The "comic" music used for the scene where Merle notices Muscles is missing is from "Carnaval of the animals" by Saint-Saens, but the animals represented are donkeys, not mice.

Kath pours cold water on the women's celebrations after Craven's death and points out that Lorelei will spend the rest of her life in prison. Lorelei is in a state of shock: Meg tells Joan it is not an act and the doctor says if she is not handled carefully it may be permanent. Merle is brought back to Wentworth and smuggles the pet mouse past Delia and Joyce. Kath and Joyce try to reassure Merle over her fears that she will be sent to an institution. Kath demands to see the Governor, but Joyce warns her that now is not a good time to be asking for concessions. The Minister talks to the press about Craven's death and makes sympathetic noises about Lorelei, but when he sees Lorelei, he demands that she is sent to a mental institution as it's the only way that he and Joan will keep their jobs. Brumby tells Rita she's escaping (revealing that her nickname comes from escaping from youth custody on a horse) and asks if she wants to go with her. Joan tells Meg she won't recommend her as deputy and Meg retorts that she doesn't want the job while she is Governor. Kath demands that Merle is let out of solitary and has to lag on Spider's contraband and how the goods are coming in to get Joan to agree. Meanwhile, Spider is trying to rustle up some customers. Joan calls a staff meeting to announce new rules, and tells the officers that Lorelei is being transferred to Ingleside. As part of the new regime, the women are woken up at 6 a.m. to be read the new rule book. Joan tells them they will have to be issued with a pass to move around the prison and there will be absolute silence after lights out and 90 second showers. Joan tells Joyce she's recommended her as Deputy Governor, but she refuses to accept the post and tells her she thinks she's only done it because she thinks she's a soft touch. Rita explains to Alice that she is keeping a low profile so she can escape with Brumby and pay her respects to Bongo and perhaps see Lorelei. Rita and Alice are refused permission to see Lorelei, but Joyce and Meg decide to go against Joan's orders and let Rita talk to her. Unfortunately the car is already on its way to pick Lorelei up. Joan takes personal charge of the transfer, and so catches Rita talking to Lorelei. When Joan attempts to discipline Meg and Joyce, Meg tells Joan about Craven's threats against Zoe. Rodney overhears Meg telling Joyce of her intention to contact Zoe's foster parents so that Lorelei could see Zoe. Rodney passes the information on to Joan as part of his (absurdly ambitious) bid to be considered for the position of Deputy. Joan immediately phones Mr Hosking, and when Meg calls on him later, he refuses to take Zoe to see Lorelei. Rodney confiscates Merle's mouse and hides it for Delia to find. Joan gives Rodney the task of searching the delivery truck. Rita is not impressed when she hears the details of Brumby's escape plan, as it involves Rita replacing Kath as trusty in the shop and digging out under the floor. Joyce and Meg meet outside work: they agree that the other officers are too frightened of Joan to support them. Joan tells Rodney he has less local competition for Deputy as Meg, Joyce and Marty are to be replaced with Blackmoor officers and transferred out of Wentworth.