I know I just dropped a Wentworth not that long ago, but I’m going to try a binge recap of the series, since it’s just concluded a very exciting season 4. Rolling S1:E6 Captive after the break!
Yay we get more on Vera Bennett this episode! Poor woman has no clue on how to put on makeup, but that goes back to being a chubby teenager discouraged cruelly by her mother. I also was a chubby (okay fat) teenager who had no clue how to wear makeup; I find I do all right without it, although I did go through a terrifying pancake makeup phase.
Vera’s well, good lord, she tried. She curled her hair and she did something with cosmetics; I just love her actual face, leave it off, Vera! But this is an In for the reporter lurking in the parking lot, who offers some suggestions?
Is she trying to catch the eye of Fletcher (whom I’ve been calling Matt most of the time and who had some kind of personal connection to the murdered Meg Jackson, wife of his best friend Will, whom I also call Mr. Jackson)?
He DOES notice, right away! Vera has NO POKER face, it’s ugly and awks and Fletch totally knows she’s into him. There’s a new volleyball activity up on the board, Vera notes out loud.
Bea can’t get hold of anyone at her family, but we just see her for a second so we can watch Vera cringingly ask Fletch out by mentioning volleyball one thousand times. She’s got this totally real pretend boyfriend that she’s been using as cover forever, though, so he says he’s not cool with being a side piece.
HAHAHHA he totally knows that’s a Fake Canadian Boyfriend and that she is crushing on him like a water cooler, she’s gonna have to do more than curl her hair!
We flash back to a date Vera had when she was a teen; her mom stops her makeout session with an admonishment to get back inside and stop making a fool of herself. Now I feel bad for laughing, because Vera looks so mortified in the present, I thought Fletch was just pushing her to come clean! I didn’t know there was baggage! Vera’s mom sounds like a piece of work.
Mr. Jackson brings Bea a bag full of goodies from Debbie; she must be one of the good ones, yeah? Some chit chat and we’re off!
Toni’s being brought back in the yard but she isn’t talking to the women who are calling to her. One of Jacs henchwomen brings her to see the Queen Bee, Franky is concerned. “Remember who your friends are, mate.”
Jacs is all nice and that worries all of us, and with good cause. She wants to know who gave Toni the drugs, and then pours boiling hot water all over Toni’s wobbly bits. JEEBUS, JACS! Why the fun factory? I saw the preview and I thought that was Bea getting attacked and I was furious: she JUST found the On switch!
In the lunch room Boomer notices Miss Bennett’s hair too! It does look nice. Dory finally gets a chance to talk to Toni, who isn’t having it. She knows Dory set her up and we watch as she chooses Jacs instead of Franky’s table and is THIS what it looks like when Dory likes someone? She feeds you bleach or gets your bagina burned?
Vera’s breaking all kinds of new territory tonight; she asks Miles if she can go out to the club with her tonight? Girls Night!
Franky and Erica are reviewing Franky’s homework; she’s been studying! And wants to talk about Toni, while Vera watches. Vera approaches after the session, she’s worried about Toni’s move to H3 as well but nobody knows that Toni herself requested that move, so hmm. Vera questions the lack of respect shown by Franky to Erica, she can totally handle Franky, Vera, move along! Oh she’d like to handle Franky all right. It’s just a matter of time.
In the laundry room, Toni is helping Jacs on the steamer, but ends up taking a swing at Franky, whut?? Back into the slot, which was maybe the point of alla that.
The reporter who fixed Vera’s hair is on TV with an axe job on Erica; erp. Erica calls Vera in; who points at Franky. Franky denies it and oh man, she cries. I can take almost anything from Franky but crying. She looks so forlorn, I think she might be in love with Erica, I mean Miss Davidson. She shoots back at Franky; does she really think she’d deliberately stir things up for Franky with Jacs? Why DIDN’T Erica focus more on Fletch, he’s questioned her from the jump, and loudly.
Vera is getting ready to leave work, checking with Erica about the reporter (Erica doesn’t care, it wasn’t Franky), Fletch about the misunderstanding (totally wasn’t and he calls her on it) and confirming the club meet with Miles. It’s probably not going to happen, however; she’s got six missed calls from her nightmare of a mother. I laughed again when Fletch did that, but then I saw his smug smile. Come on Fletch.
It’s as bad as it sounded at home, her mum doesn’t want her going outside or doing anything away from her at all, loosen up, Mrs. Bennett! She’s been doing this to Vera every day since she was a teenager and Vera STILL takes all the blame for her life, even while her mother continues to manipulate her through guilt. Vera will not be going out tonight, or probably any night while that hypochondriac holds sway over her. This could be one of those situations where the daughter snaps and Lizzie Bordens, you know.
There is a special place in hell for parents who use their children’s lives for their own.
Bea stops Mr. Jackson; she begs for a phone call after hours with Debbie and he takes pity on her. She spends the whole time yelling at Harry instead, she’s certainly found her voice, even if it doesn’t seem to be getting her anywhere.
Vera sits and drinks alone, then goes into her mother’s room: “I’m going out.”
The next morning, Miles and Vera are hung absolutely to the nuts and sucking on the water cooler like it’s they collective mama’s teat; let’s do that again sometime! Vera even spent the night at Miles’s place, I bet Mrs. Bennett didn’t like that. Fletch smirks in the corner when Adam comes up. I’ve decided to give him the benefit of the doubt, maybe he’s not the arrogant ahole he’s coming across, and maybe it was a smile and not a smirk earlier.
Jacs taunts Dory in the lunch room, it’s hard when your friends move on, yeah? And then blames Toni getting the drugs on Franky, which is a good cover, since nobody but Erica knows it was the teacher. Dory approaches the Toni who confirms that it was Franky who gave her the drugs and now we have the beginning of the erosion of Franky’s family.
Toni is in Jacs room now, being sent to tell the same story to the Guvnor, who is the only one who knows that ACTUALLY isn’t true. Her hands are all blistered and bubbled; they will definitely scar without medical treatment. Toni begs, she can’t be alone again, she can’t, but Jacs threatens her again.
Guvnor Erica and Vera hear Toni’s story; Erica can’t believe her ears. She had Toni say she found them, now how will she prove Toni is lying now, not then?
Channing brings Franky in, yelling at her in front of Erica and there goes Erica’s program, as well as their budding romance. Erica stands up for Franky, which doesn’t go unnoticed by Channing, who reminds her after to remember where her loyalties lie.
Franky’s brought to the slot, as is Toni and who will make it out? Jacs has free run of the place now.
Debbie and Harry are in to see Bea; it’s not going very well. Debbie’s being, well, she’s being a teenager without a lot of parental supervision, smoking dope and being obnoxious. Harry’s got a new job that involves a lot of travel , so she’s not being parented hardly at all, which she blames on Bea for being in jail. Debbie stomps off to the bathroom while it gets tenser with Harry and Bea. It ends when Harry threatens Debbie and Bea literally goes for this throat. She will not be getting any visits with Debbie for a long time.
Debbie comes back in just then, with her mum at father’s throat and she and Harry are dragged off. Debbie’s anger prevents Harry from making a formal complaint, but Fletch, who pulled Bea off Harry, wants to charge her. Will argues on Bea’s behalf, it’s so easy to get riled up in here; Fletch finally concedes.
I’m concerned with how much Mr. Will Jackson is doing for Bea; you step out for people who are in extremis and you will be hurt. They don’t mean to, but you will get bitten.
Oh nooooo, Mrs. Bennett (Lynn Curran) is in to see Vera, bringing her some things since she didn’t come home last night. Oh no and Adam comes up, as he would, and Mrs. Bennett sets Miles AND Fletch (who wandered up just then) straight, Vera’s never had a boyfriend, ever. She’s too shy (and has a gargoyle for a mother). Oh Vera’s face, but also Fletch’s: he seems shocked so maybe now he understands that she wasn’t trying to mess him about, she just has an incredibly small life. Miles looks smug but Fletch looks a little bit ashamed. I may be projecting.
Mr. Jackson walks Bea back to her cell; Liz overhearing while she thanks him profusely. She warns Bea, don’t trust Mr. Jackson or anyone else, really. It’s never just being nice, there’s always something. He probably wants her to do some investigating about his wife’s murder; now that he’s gotten over thinking she did it.
Vera’s hiding in the stairwell when Fletch finds her, rumour has it she’s a bit of a bullshitter? Hahaha oh and it’s so nice, she kind of explains but when she stops, they kiss and it.is.everything. FINALLY some love for Vera!
She gets home to find her mum cooking while Fletch locks up the prison; more manipulative language like “I don’t know what I’d do without you” and “you’re all I have.” Vera tries to keep her dinner down and wonders if her mum can smell the boy on her and we are oot.
A couple of notes about Bea: she’s getting stronger, finding her anger and channeling it in the right direction, although not necessarily in a productive way. That’s a very important switch, to go from being a victim to an empowered person who knows her own strength. She was also cunning enough to bait Harry, knowing that he couldn’t deal with her in his usual way in front of the guards, so she’s learning all around. She just needs to control that temper and direct it properly, but that will come. Hopefully. I hope you’re enjoying the binge recaps as much as I am! Cheers
