ACTORSCHARACTERSSTARTEPISODES

EPISODE 81

Bea Smith tries to intimidate Ros.

First broadcast ... 1979 (Melbourne)
ITV broadcasts: Yorkshire Mon 30 Mar 1987 23:00 ; Central Mon 26 Oct 1987 23:30 ; other regions
Broadcast on Channel 5 (UK) 29 June 1997 Sun 12:40 a.m. as part of an allnighter
DVD release: volume 6 disc 1 Duration 44:08



Meg ~ Elspeth Ballantyne
Lizzie ~ Sheila Florance
Erica ~ Patsy King
Bea ~ Val Lehman
Jim ~ Gerard Maguire
Greg ~ Barry Quin
Vera ~ Fiona Spence
Pat ~ Monica Maughan
Roslyn ~ Sigrid Thornton
Kathleen ~ Penelope Stewart
Leila ~ Penny Ramsay
Geoff Butler ~ Ray Meagher
Janet ~ Diedre Rubenstein
UNCREDITED
John Pendleton ~ John Proper
Gate Guard ~ Brad Lindsay
OTHER CHARACTERS
Although he has only one line, the man Geoff beats up deserved a credit, if only for preserving a perfect early Seventies idea of what a "flamin' pouffe" was supposed to look like.

  • Written by Ray Kolle
  • Directed by Philip East
  • Erica mentions her niece Barbara and says she is due to be released soon for good behaviour.

    Kath hides the pen and puts Ros to bed, but cannot wake her next morning. Neither can Vera, so Greg is called and he tells Vera he suspects Ros has been drugged. He takes Ros to the infirmary: Kath is locked in her cell and the other women are body searched in the shower block. Vera finds the pen in Kath's dressing gown pocket but fails to realise what it is and tosses it to one side where it falls under the cabinet near the bed. Ros wakes up so Greg takes a blood sample for analysis. After speaking with Kath, Erica questions Ros but she refuses to talk. Janet's solicitor returns and is told that after today no further visits to her will be allowed by anyone. Janet treats Vera haughtily when she comes to collect her, pretending to forget her name and calling her "Miss Bent". Kath sneaks a visit to Ros in the infirmary, and Ros asks her to watch out for the signal. Janet is told her appeal has failed, so she tells her solicitor the escape plan is to go ahead. Geoff asks Jim to consider becoming a mercenary with him overseas. Ros's tests show no evidence of drugs in her system so Greg suggests she is kept under observation a little longer. Meg lets slip to Jim that Leila has warned her to be wary about Geoff. Erica tells Jim the details of the Departmental directive on added security during Janet's stay. Bea drags Kath to the laundry to get her to tell her what Ros is planning, but Vera sends Kath back to her cleaning duties. Lizzie volunteers to ask to share a cell with Ros and Kath to spy on them. Meg meets Geoff for a drink and explains to him that she doesn't want to get too involved with him - even though she has apparently bought a blue trouser suit specially for the occasion (as with many of Meg's ill considered outfits we never see it again). He replies that suits him fine. Ros returns to her cell and has just recovered the pen when Bea and Lizzie come to her cell, so she drops it on the floor again. Leila sends Jim and Geoff out to the pub while she gets dinner ready. Lizzie offers to fake an attack to be moved to share Ros and Kath's cell. A man at the bar cruises Geoff , who follows the man into the toilets. Jim notices Geoff is taking his time and goes in search of him, and bumps into him coming out of the toilet slightly flustered and out of breath. The stranger has come out of the experience a little worse for wear, however . When Ros and Kath are locked in for the night, Ros cannot find the pen and making matters worse, she also sees the signal for the escape to go ahead the following day. Kath tells her there are more serious matters to worry about than failing to escape, and points out that if the officers are not knocked out by the time the terrorists arrive, they would be prepared to kill anyone - officers or prisoners - to free Janet.

    ***


    Storyliners: Dave Worthington, Margaret McClusky
    Script Editor: Anne Lucas, Ian Smith


    ITV regional broadcast dates:-
    YTV Mon 30 Mar 1987 23.00; TVS ... ; Channel ... ; TSW ... ; Central Mon 26 Oct 1987 23.30; Thames Thu 23 Mar 1989 23.35; STV Mon 03 Apr 1989 23.05; Anglia ... ; Granada Mon 17 Oct 1988 23.05; Tyne Tees Thu 15 Mar 90 23.05; Border ... ; HTV ... ; Grampian ... ; Ulster ...


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