I’m still binge recapping Wentworth, all the thanks to readers AK and AT that suggested the show AND the binging. It’s been a rush so far, although brutal as well. Rolling S1:E8 Mind Games after the break
It’s later now, Bea’s face has healed and she’s able to run a bit, although her ribs are paining her. Jacs’ hand is still bandaged but it’s her knees that are troubling her mostly. Does she have the arthritis?
Vera takes Jacs through the halls to the Guvnor’s office while Franky joins Bea in the gym. It’s only been 3 weeks, great job on the face healing, Bea! Just the one crescent over her eye.
Jacs knows she was kept in Medical too long; it’s not going to change what happens when she gets out. Erica warns her; nobody who’s been at the top this long hasn’t made enemies and Jacs points out how they’re alike that way. Almost a threat, that’s Jacs modus operandi. Jacs doesn’t care, let her back in the yard and let her ‘at ‘em, everything will sort itself out. Erica wants to put her in protective custody for the remainder of Jacs’ time in Wentworth, but she needs Jacs consent to do so.
See, protective custody sounds great to me, but I hear that the loneliness is worse than the fear. Do we get to read, though?
Jacs doesn’t answer, but stares at Erica’s engagement ring; flashing back to threatening a man’s life in front of her son Braden. Such a great mum. She’s enjoyed the chat, but will not be dignifying that shite with a response.
Erica’s informing the staff of the new security measures; there were be two spot checks daily, and extra monitoring: will there be more guards then?
Bea and Franky do their Victory walk through the prison while everyone nods at them, even Simmo, who beat the everluvin’ shite out of Bea 3 weeks ago. They’re back in their compound when Jacs walks by, limping for effect or from the kick Franky gave her to the back of her knee. Bea and Dory stare hard at her as she goes by. Jacs looks beaten, but hmm, now Bea is considered to be a boss too.
Jacs makes it back to her cell carefully, collapsing after the door is closed and limping to her bed. It must have cost her greatly to try and appear normal.
Meanwhile, Franky’s trying to rile up Bea, who wants no part of it. It will just start all over again if they strike first and then what happens? Someone dies? Why get it going again? Franky doesn’t see herself dying, fank you very much, and doesn’t Bea want to be the head as opposed to a “weak piece of shite everyone walks all over?” Maybe
Ooh and we’re back in the laundry room; everyone’s ears are up as Jacs and her loyal henchwoman walk in. Mr. Jackson comes out of his office as Liz tries to stop Bea from talking to Jacs, but Franky wants her to go. Bea asks how Jacs hand is and is sorry she got hurt. Bea didn’t want anyone to get hurt; she just wanted to go home to her daughter. We get a flash of Jacs killing someone in front of her son; two completely different parenting styles. Jacs thanks Bea, but as we know, “we all do what we have to do in here.” *meaningful steam pressing*
Liz grabs Franky; why did she let Bea go? She’s a smart woman and she must know she’s stronger with Bea than without. I’m having that surreal feeling again; how can an absolute newb like Bea, still wet behind the ears and thinking she can reason with a lifelong psycho, be a player for real?
Fletch is wondering what I was thinking; how can they do all these extra checks and security measures without extra guards or more shifts? He thinks the women should be locked up longer and stuck in the slot and everything the Guvnor does is to make her look good and is shite for the guards. Will doesn’t share Fletch’s concerns; he’s all for playing nice, though, he’s willing to do whatever, no worries, mate.
Will’s running a spotcheck on Jacs’ cell, she knows all about his drug usage, thanks to Braden, who takes photos apparently. He threatens to tell Bea about Braden and Debbie, Jacs is incensed. SHE makes the threats in this prison. That’s pretty bold for a prisoner to say to a guard.
Debbie and Braden are trashing Debbie’s house, Braden explaining that he’ll be taking over the family business while tying off for H. I doubt very much an addict could run the complex criminal empire Jacs and Vinnie have built, good luck with that, love. He questions whether Bea still cares about her.
Fletch and Vera are flirting; she’s never been camping? Pfft, he wants to take her and I’d say a night away in a tent with Mr. Giant Hands is just what she needs.
Debbie’s too busy watching young Braden shoot up, so she misses her mum’s phone call from prison. Bea tries to make another, but is called out by Fletch
Oh for the love of… now DEBBIE wants to shoot heroin. Pick up the phone, young lady! And put that needle down!
Kim gives up her phone call to Bea, who calls just as Debbie is tying off. She chooses the heroin over her mum and Braden loves her reaction. Right until she looks dead.
Fletch has brought in lunch for the two of them; he was a cook with the Army! Mediterranean Couscous Salad sounds fantastic! He invites her for a Bond movie marathon, yay! I’m so glad they’re finally moving forward.
TV watching time! All the ladies are gathered and Boomer is very attached to one of the main stars, awww.
Jacs is really having a lot of trouble with her legs, good thing she has one good connected henchwoman left in Simmo. Spits is going to do something, I’m sure it’s not good for our gang. Jacs needs to go purty herself, Vinnie’s coming. Simmo offers to off Cass when she gets out, but nah, “Vinnie’s tarts don’t last for long.”
The man that Jacs killed with a crowbar in front of Braden was Max, and it was because he was behind a hit attempt on Vinnie. He also calls himself family, but I don’t know if he means that literally. We get all that in flashbacks while Jacs does her makeup and readies herself for her loving husband. Erica’s there with Will to escort her to her visitor, she’s worried about the quietness of the unit. It’s like the calm before a storm. Jacs will go to Medical the following day and reassess her situation then.
Vinnie opens his and Jacs visit with “you look like hell.” But she doesn’t care; she wants arthritis drugs and figures she has a screw she can use to get them. That must be our erstwhile Mr. Jackson with the drug problem. They have regular banter and then she asks about Her. Oh it’s worse than thought, he wants to marry Cass. He doesn’t want to wait 7 more years for Jacs and he pffts her assertion that she could have Cass taken out. She doesn’t have any reach on the outside any more, and not much in, although he doesn’t know that. He says time hasn’t been kind to them both and I’d say it’s always easier for men, unless you’ve adopted my attitude of being amazed I made it past 30. I had a very exciting 20s and I take every year as a surprise, I wouldn’t lie about any of it. I’ll be 44 in December and I wouldn’t be 24 for all the tea in Newfoundland.
She hisses at him and leaves; have Braden come see her.
The TV show just got really exciting when Jacs walks in; she just wanted to join in the fun! Franky warns her off and her teeth! DJ on Twitter mentioned and it’s all I can see when Franky talks. Jacs directs Mr. Jackson to take her back to her unit, his jaw works but he does what she asks.
A cell phone starts vibrating in Bea’s bunk; it’s some guy who wants her to know how much fun everyone is having with her UNDERAGE DAUGHTER. Of course Bea bites, she gets frantic and she’s just so emotional. I get it, I do, but she needs to start thinking smart really soon.
Liz calms her down, this is more of Jacs fun and if Bea pushes the DURESS button, Jacs wins. Jacs only repeats her methods, I see. Bea goes at Franky, who is thinking the same as me. Bea has GOT to stop reacting like that, it’s exactly what Jacs wants and she knows exactly how to push that button over and over. Bea wants to know what Franky’s going to do about it, but Debbie doesn’t fall under the Franky Family Protection Plan; Bea will have to take care of it.
Vera and Fletch flirt some more as he swipes her in; then Will tries but he can’t find his card. Wherever could that be? Vera sets off the metal detector with her underwire, or was it something else? Will also sets them off, but wait, it’s VERA who Jacs has turned, not Will and how?? What could she have on Vera??
Jacs injects the meds into her knees while Vera protests that she won’t do this again. Of course she will; she asked Jacs for a favour and now she has to repay it. Vera did something against the governor?
Ohhh, Vera asked one of Jacs crew to start a small fight so Vera could save the day and Meg would see how good she was at her job. It turned into a riot and Meg was murdered, so that’s what Jacs has over her. She begs Jacs to not make her do this, but Jacs is not interested in her pleas, Vera will do whatever Jacs wants.
Vera gets back to the office; Fletch finds her in the throes of a full blown panic attack and gets her calmed down. He counsels her to stop being so nice to people; they take advantage of her because she’s a good person and knows right from wrong. I don’t imagine that particular speech doing Vera any good mentally right now.
More spot checks, then Bea is able to get to a phone to call Debbie, who finally picks up. She accuses her mom of shutting her out, classic teenager maneuver: attack first. She calms down when Bea tells her why she couldn’t visit with Debbie, she was beaten up and that scares Debbie. They have a good talk and it’s lovely until Braden comes in at the end to comfort a crying Debbie.
Bea marches into Jacs’ room; if Jacs wants to have a go at her, have a go, but leave her family out of it. Jacs knows nothing of a phone, she reminds Bea that it’s dangerous to jump to conclusions in there and throws Franky’s name into the mix. I mean. Bea’s not that stupid.
Will asks Fletch to go out for a drink, sure, but then he has a date after, so it will be a quick one, yeah?
Vera comes to collect Franky to see Erica, she demurs but a somewhat scandalized Vera drags her off anyway. Erica wants to know about Jacs’ visit; as usual Franky just presses for personal details, this time about Erica’s engagement.
Bea asks Franky in the gym; does she ever think Jacs will give up? What will happen when someone else comes up against Franky? Franky won’t forget all that Bea has done for her, it’s been a LOT.
A sullen Braden is in to see his mama, she looks like shite, but so does he. Max did something on Braden’s birthday, or she killed him on Braden’s birthday? One of the two. She flashes back to running after a terrified Braden; sorry you had to see that, it’s what we do to protect ourselves.
Back in the present, she tells him that it’s time, he’s all she has and she needs him to step up for the business. He needs to “break up with Debbie.” He says he’ll do it, but that when he does, it will be the last thing he’ll do for her. He won’t see her again. She argues that he’ll be back, but no, he won’t.
Bea is watching the TV show with the girls, braiding Liz’s hair and having so much fun, as Braden injects Debbie with what must be a lethal dose. He looks sad, but resolute and that’s it, it’s done. She falls back on the pillow, can she know? She breathes in slow motion as he gathers his things and clears out.
Debbie vomits and dies as Braden takes his leave and Bea carries on with her friends.
Cry break
I’m sorry, I had to take a moment. I always knew Debbie was marked and I knew she probably wouldn’t last very long, but that was heartbreaking. So slow, so gentle and why did Braden do that if he didn’t intend to see his mum again? Maybe don’t kill your girlfriend for your mum if you are planning to disown her anyway. And how can Jacs think this gives her any leverage inside? She’s just removed what she was holding over Bea and now what will stop Bea now? She’s been reasonable so far, too much even, but once she has nothing to lose, she’s already shown what she would do to her first abuser. Cheers, y’all, until next recap.
