Welcome back to Wentworth where we’re past the halfway mark for season 2. Rolling S2:E7 Metamorphosis after the break.

Governor Ferguson is MAD; she’s bulldozing the entire garden project and making everyone watch. Vera reminds her that she’s punishing everyone for the actions of one of two but that is exactly Ferguson’s point. She wants to point out Franky’s weakness to the herd.

In the Slot, Franky’s not LOOKING all that weak

But Dory’s not impressed. She’s furious that she won’t be able to bounce on Nash again work in the garden again and they almost get into it physically. Mr. Jackson breaks it up.

Oooh, Maxine has a boyfriend visiting, and she’s getting her hair did for the occasion. I had those bendy curlers, you might as well pull out ALL THE HAIR now, Maxine. I can’t think what she’s missing about her fella?

Franky pulls Bea aside; they sweet? Bea rails about finding Simmo and that “pink shit” in her arm, which sends Franky running back to Boomer. Did she sell the Pink Dragon to Simmo? She didn’t and Liz confirms that, so we’re at the point I got to, was it even Pink Dragon that killed Simmo or was it one of Vera’s mother’s pills, which were also pink?

Fletcher’s looking like shite, and his attitude is even worse. He doesn’t want to clean up vomit, so he taps pretty as a picture Maxine to do it. She’s on her way to the Visitor’s Lounge and doesn’t want to smell like spew, so she tries to decline, so he hits her with the mop handle. Vera’s been watching everything and jumps in at that point. Did I mention how bad he looks? Spottily shaven, sweaty and red faced. Maxine’s got a black eye to go with her lovely new hairstyle to see her boyfriend, come on Fletch!

Franky’s meeting with her lawyer, who isn’t impressed with her plea of self-defense. Ugly’s saying she came on to him, which is ridiculous because

It’s not Maxine’s Gary that’s come to visit, it’s Martin (Syd Brisbane), Syd’s brother, because they won’t let Gary visit. Gary’s going off to work on a project in New Zealand right away anyway, so Maxine won’t be able to see him until the trial.

Tony (Jada Alberts) is in to see Dory, she looks good! She must be off the drugs. She’s brought something for Dory, though, is that drugs?

Franky’s had enough of verbally sparring with her lawyer (he has no sense of humour), so she fires him on the spot. She watches Tony’s handover to Dory with a shark’s eyes.

Dory’s managed to get through strip search, I hope she’s able to retrieve her present without any serious chafing! She barely makes it back to her room before Franky’s knocking on her door, what’s up? Like, literally, what’s up there? She scares Dory into pulling it out. Ohhhhhhh. It’s a pregnancy test. This is very Orange is the New Black right now without the hilarious yet immoral Pornstache overtones. It’s very difficult to explain a pregnancy while you aren’t legally allowed to be having sex. “Better hope the Grim Reaper doesn’t find out” is all Franky says.

Ferguson is fencing again, but this time she loses, not pressing her advantage when her opponent slips. That means she should keep the heat on Franky?

Back in her office, the Governor assigns the Garden investigation to Vera, who rushes home to tell her nightmare of a mother. Was that fencing commentary meant as a lesson for “Stinky Pants” Vera? There her mother is, on her deathbed, but now she’s shrieking and scratching Vera and hurting her and she’s in terrible pain, wouldn’t it be better to just… put her out of her misery…? Says the Canadian whose country just legalized assisted suicide.

Vera’s investigating in the laundry, which means staring around and listening intently. Maxine isn’t talking and Dory is puking, so she is pregnant for sure. That’s what that ALWAYS means when you see a woman puking on TV, even though I don’t know anyone who actually threw up during their pregnancy. And I know a lot of breeders. Lots of nausea, no vomiting, but on TV blowing chunks always means a bun in the oven.

Vera sends everyone else to lunch and tries to grill Franky about the shed; come on, now! I know she’s a drug dealer, but she WAS almost raped, she gets no help for that? Just more suspicion? Vera’s no match for Franky anyway, her head is turned almost immediately by Franky’s assertion that it must have been an officer and in specific… Fletcher. Does he look like he’s been using lately? He has been looking like hammered shite and just before in the staffroom Vera saw him pick up a small plastic envelope of white powder, so… Vera searches Fletcher’s locker to find a whole plastic container full of drugs.

My money is still on Ferguson killing Simmo. I just don’t quite know why yet

Maxine’s talking to Bea again. It seems Gary was more attached to gay-male-Max than he was to butterfly Maxine. I’ve heard the transition can be tricky for all involved, there’s a great article about Laura Grace from Against Me! in Rolling Stone that I recommend.

The reason Maxine stabbed Gary was that she awoke in the middle of the night to find him hacking off her hair and THAT is why that bad wig. Maxine thinks if she could just talk to Gary for a minute. Gary sounds like a WINNAH. Run the other way Maxine.

Just then the lunch lady starts screaming; there’s blood everywhere. Will asks if she’s got Hep-C as she and Maxine tend to her, that’s just bizarre. I didn’t see anything sticking out or anything!

In Medical, we’re all pretending we’re not watching Will change clothes (but we totally are) while Rose checks Maxine’s hands for open cuts. I’m guessing Marge wasn’t as Hep-C free as she said. Marge’s issue was two-fold: varicose veins plus hemophiliac means a very messy lunch room floor.

I have varicose veins as well and that EXACT same thing happened to me in the hospital last year while I was having surgery on one leg. Picture, if you will, me lurching around, covered in blood and unable to speak due to the anesthetic from surgery. That’s when my husband arrived. Fun!

Will and Rose flirt while Maxine stares at his bloody pants. What’s she up to? I think she’s using Bea’s hair dye to make her shirt pink?

Ferguson does NOT want to take Vera’s suggestion to search the staff lockers; she was really hoping to pin all this on Franky. All right fine, go ahead, Vera. Humph. They find the packets of powder that Fletcher had in a container in his locker. He says they’re amino acids, packaged for daily use. I would say it’s been quite some time since he took care of himself at all, so that seems incongruous. Vera sends him home.

Ah, and Dory is pregnant. She shows Bea and Liz the proof while Bea’s reaction is everything

Dory is very excited, but they can’t say anything. Nash is out in two months but his parole could be affected if anyone finds out.

Vera’s dealing with her NIGHTMARE of a mother again. Will she give in to temptation and silence the old hag once and for all? It’s not like her mum just turned up trumps like that, she’s been cockblocking Vera’s entire life. She stares at the syringes in the fridge.

Ferguson calls then; turns out Fletcher was telling the truth that time. Looks like she owes someone an apology. And one to herself for believing Franky Bloody Doyle of all people. That’s like asking the fox if he knows who’s been making all the chickens disappear.

Vera runs straight to Fletcher’s house, where he’s having a bevvie with Linda, er-ooh. I guess that’s how it works in a work environment like that; you just date everyone until you know what everyone’s wobblies look like then you start back at the beginning.

Marge is still in bed in Medical when Bea comes in to collect the laundry. Marge’s tired but happy, they’ve given her a new drug that slows her bleeding, makes it thicker. Bea listens very intently and I’m sorry, I got distracted by her gorgeous hair in the light. I’d gif it, but that would be weird, right? Like, probably? Bea takes a second to note down the name of the drug on her arm.

Linda’s suspension has been lifted, are she and Vera okay? Sure, but Fletcher still isn’t accepting Vera’s apology so she goes into the bathroom to deal with a panic attack. A hungover Fletcher goes straight to Franky’s cell to throw her up against a wall. It’s easy to forget how physically imposing he is until you see him slam Franky around like she’s nothing. Dory breaks it up as a visibly shaken Franky vows to get revenge. I hate it when Franky cries, I really do, that looked like it HURT.

She doesn’t take long to put her plan in motion, holy shite. Within minutes, a whole line of inmates are at checkpoints keeping an eye out for Fletcher. Franky’s in the lunch room, as soon as she gets the signal that Fletcher’s almost there, she gives the go ahead and the plan moves into action. The DURESS button is pushed and two of the inmates overpower (HOW did Sky overpower anyone? Girl is 70 pounds soaking wet) the guards and Boomer wets the floor as a trap. Just before Fletch gets there, Vera pops in from the bathroom, where she was hiding during her panic attack. Franky and me think the same thing

Vera wipes right the eff oot, landing on one arm then falling over on her front in the vinegar. Boomer laughs and a new nickname is born: Vinegar Tits. I really hate Boomer sometimes. Watching poor tiny Vera flop around in pain while everyone laughed at her, that was not cool man. Not cool at all.

How much longer until Vera snaps?

The rest of the day is a haze to Vera, all she can hear is her mother shouting “Stinky Pants” until Ferguson snaps her out of it. She’s sending Vera home to take care of her mother, Linda will take over her duties. The Governor knows how to twist the knife

Vera stares at her dumbly; how much longer until she loses it?

Maxine’s meeting with Martin again while Linda tries to pretend she and Vera are friends. Vera’s had a long day

But Maxine’s having a hard time adjusting to a life without the possibility of arsehole Gary. Why does she take Martin’s Visitor’s Pass and hoodie? I’m worried, that metal part can be very sharp. I’m completely on the wrong track, though, Maxine took that pass and hoodie so she could sneak out! Vera catches her walking out without her wig and raises the alarm. RUN MAXINE!! Ah feck, Will gets her.

Now Maxine is stuck in the slot without her wig, I hope she has time to grow it out before she has to go back into general population.

Bea’s looking up Marge’s new coagulant and Franky’s looking to stop up something of her own. She asks Miles for information on Fletcher, and oooh. Miles saw Fletcher hand the whole packet of Pink Dragon to Ferguson so now Franky knows what I totally already figured; the Governor did it, but why? Why kill Simmo? To protect Bea? And if Ferguson did do it to protect Bea, WHY?

Franky’s takes her theories straight to the Governor; I don’t think she’s thought things through. She offers to forget about “knowing” that Fergsuon sold Simmo the gear if Ferguson just gives her all the Pink Dragon back. Ferguson is delighted by Franky’s confidence, but calls her bluff immediately.

Franky isn’t done, though, she works through the stages of figuring out that Simmo couldn’t have injected herself (no blood in the needle), but I don’t think she’s able to process the conclusion she’s coming to: Ferguson injected Simmo to kill her, she didn’t sell her the drugs. Ferguson suggests she concentrate on finding out who told the guards where to find the gear instead. This smile

The music takes us out as Vera feeds her NIGHTMARE of a mother all the pain meds her mum has been asking for, one right after the other. Ferguson fences and this time she doesn’t hesitate to vanquish a fallen foe and there we have it: both of our strong (if morally ambiguous) women have taken care of their business to the best of their abilities.

I may not be the best person to advocate against euthanasia. As above, Canada has legalized assisted suicide, sort of, but Rita’s death felt as though it was a long time coming. It’s unusual to use murder as an empowerment device, however, so we’ll see how Vera shakes out after. In this episode of change, we’ve also got Maxine using a reverse chrysalis and Dory baking her very own beautiful butterfly in her belly. Everything is moving along, but of course I’m worried about Liz now. Cheers you lot, until next time!