Things took a concerning turn last time on Wentworth, do y’all think there’s something seriously wrong with the Governor? I’m wondering. Rolling S3:E9 after the break

We have a trippy opening, with Vera Bennett (Kate Atkinson) checking her eyes for jaundice (I assume) while we get a flashback to Governor Ferguson (Pamela Rabe) torturing Jodie (Pia Miranda) in the basement.

Not that it matters, really, but can we safely assume that the Governor was raised with that same kind of reinforcement?

Ferguson is still working Jodie, how does she still have access to a prisoner who filed a complaint against her? This time Ferguson’s doing it in daylight with a smile on her face but the message is the same nonetheless; you’re weak and worthless and I am SO thinking of Animal House. She’s essentially gaslighting Jodie, telling her the same lies over and over until Jodie accepts this revisionist history.

She’s got Jodie pulling at the corner of her eyes now, jaysus. The nurse notices Jodie’s diminishing affect after Ferguson’s visit, I hope that goes on record.

Bea (Danielle Cormack) is all over Matt Fletcher (Aaron Jeffrey) as he enters the yard: he recognised the thug from her sketch, didn’t he? Fletcher is remembering EVERYTHING at this point, it’s just a matter of time until he gets to the part about the Governor’s vendetta against Will Jackson.

He does share information with her about Ferguson’s thug trying to kill him and being there the day she was drugged, but her lying about how she got his swipe card tells him he can’t trust her and he walks away.

Dory (Shareena Clanton) is coming back to prison with her bebeh!

This really is NOT a place for a little one, izzit? Dory sprays milk all over the place when she is being strip searched, oh boy. I hadn’t even THOUGHT about that. She even has to show off the wee bebeh’s bum to make sure she hasn’t done anything untoward and at least she has the wee wonder? I will do my best to not gif every minute he’s on he screen BUT IT’S VERY DIFFICULT.

She goes back to her block to hear Boomer screaming away. Now, I like Boomer (Katrina Milosevic), but I wouldn’t want to raise a baby within shouting distance of her loud racist, transphobic slurring arse. How can I say I like someone like her? She seems like a child, striking out but capable of change, I guess?

They got her a crib!

Liz (Celia Ireland) is all over this baby, even Boomer can’t resist

Bridget (Libby Tanner) finds Jodie in Psych and calls for a Code Black: I AM NOT LOOKING. Aggh, Jodie’s clawed her eye out, repeating “I have the courage” over and over. AGHAGHGH

AGHAGHAVGH

I looked too soon

Ah feck, Spiteri, honestly. Vera find a pencil under Jodie’s bed and COME ON!! There might be fingerprints or DNA from Ferguson?

Bridget is in Ferguson’s office, it was she who had recommended that Jodie be placed back in General; that must be the reason for the Governor’s attack. Ferguson places the blame squarely on Bridget based on that decision; Bridget asks about her visit to Psych that morning. Ferguson’s head wobble is a thing of glory

Bridget can’t believe that Ferguson has been visiting Jodie in Psych, her concern could easily be intimidation and I was surprised too, Gidget! The gauntlet is thrown and Bridget leaves.

Vera lingers behind; she thinks she should exclude herself from doing Level 3 procedures from here on out due to her Hep-C positive status. Fergsuon agrees but dissuades Vera from disclosing her status to the staff. If she ever wants a Governorship, she better shush.

I’ll need some help her from my Aussie friends. If anyone could see there way clear to commenting below or emailing me at [email protected] or DMing me on Twitter @gingesbecray or Facebook, what have you. In Canada, Vera’s condition would be covered by Worker’s Compensation, since she was at work when she was infected. She could also sue the prison (however successfully) for exposing her to the risk and most likely would no longer be employed. Now. I know I’m too focused on the details, but I don’t see why Vera OR Ferguson are trying to hide this condition that was a direct result of her job. If she was hit on the head during the riot, she’d be in rehabilitation for that and I’m afraid I don’t see the difference.

Franky (Nicole da Silva) is furious with Bea; she’s heard about Jodie’s meltdown that morning and places that blame squarely on Bea’s plan to pressure Jodie into testifying against the Governor. They promised they’d protect her.

Liz’s holding the baby again, she’s worried about Sophie, who seems to only be getting closer to Franky and further away from her. Jess (Georgia Chara) is back from the slot and DEMANDS to see the wee fella. She snatches him and seriously, guys: watch her. He’s JOSHUA! We have a name!

Bea asks Maxine (Socratis Otto) to watch out for Joshua at all times, she’s worried about Ferguson, but I’m more worried about Jess. Her affect isn’t normal. You know, for an incarcerated person.

Bridget finds Franky in the library, for once she’s taking the lead. Franky calls her on it; you know when someone who’s a crush had shut you down and then they’re all limpet eyes and longish smiles and want to “talk”

But Bridget does really want to talk; about Jodie. They need to prove Ferguson provoked that attack. It gets cuddly, as it does, and when I saw Franky’s thumb drag down Bridget’s lip, I was not responsible for my reaction.

Cuppa break!

Vera catches the tailend of the conversation, and leads Bridget off to the cafeteria while Franky internally fist-pumps

Vera comes in close: it’s true about Bridget and Franky, yes? She pushes for Bridget’s resignation, but Bridget turns it back on her. She must know Ferguson is driving Spiteri’s self-harm; how much would Vera do to protect her job?

Now, I get where Vera is coming from, it must be very exciting to finally be on what looks like the winning team, she has a strong ally whom she can shadow right to the top. That plan is flawed for two reasons: Vera places too much faith in other people and not herself and also: Ferguson cares ONLY about her own advancement, she’ll drop Vera as soon as she doesn’t need her. Vera is also far too easily swayed one way or the other.

I think Bridget is the best bet for getting rid of Ferguson, I’ve given up on Vera seeing the light.

Bridget cuts through all that: she thinks Vera is another of Ferguson’s victims; she enables Ferguson because she doesn’t think she deserves more. Which is what I said, but better, because it also references Vera’s history of abuse from her mother.

Vera can’t get that out of her head; she spaces out during the staff meeting while Bridget stares at her in concern. Jodie’s eye is permanently damaged, she might lose it. The pencil falls within the guidelines as to what’s allowed in her cell, Bridget suggest they find out who left it there. Vera stares.

Boomer is having a tough time with knitting; Liz offers to help while Maxine smirks in the corner. She’s SO the House Mum now.

Nash (Luke McKenzie) finally gets to see his bebeh! Joshua is asleep (BECAUSE IT’S DAYLIGHT, OF COURSE), it’s a lovely moment watched over by Ferguson and her glare.

Boomer’s a great bodyguard, she tells Maxine she always wanted a baby but now she thinks she’ll be too old when she gets out. She’ll be as old as me, 43! Although I’ll be 44 in a month and a bit, so we’ll round up. I know you mean well, Maxine, but I had my last baby at 39 and while some parts of it were awesome (THE BABY PART), the rest of it was on the harrowing side. I wouldn’t dissuade anyone, just. It’s not always a walk in the park, Booms. Oh but Maxine has some of her spoof frozen so maybe Booms could too! OR! Maybe Boomer and Maxine…? Maxine and Gary had a girlfriend, but she took Gary’s side after Maxine stabbed him.

Sophie’s hearing is over, her sentencing is in two weeks. The victim’s wife wants to meet her, which makes Sophie nervous but it might give both of them closure. Liz thanks her and ohhhhhhhh. Should Franky apologize to Will Jackson for accidentally murdering his wife during the riot in S1:E1?

Oh and Ferguson is DASTARDLY; she’s planted drugs in toys brought it by Nash, after letting him have an extra visit. You shouldn’t have called her a freak within hearing, Dor!

Ferguson rubs it in to Dory, throwing blame and mud at Franky and Bea and making Dory understand just how under Ferguson’s control she is. Jess comes to get the baby.

Jess makes another move on Fletcher in the yard, she must have picked up on his confusion re: her, and decided to see how far she can push it. She misses their sex (that one time), his smell (oh sure, that I buy, he looked like he REEKED at the end) and he loved her! He pushes back, but he’s clearly afraid of her.

Bea and Maxine watch across the yard, confused. Why is Fletcher scared off by Jess and why does Jess have Joshua? Bea asks, but Jess is keeping that pretty close to her chest.

Vera tries to intervene on Dory’s behalf, there’s no record of Dory being involved with drugs or testing positive herself. Ferguson counters, but Vera thinks Dory’s perhaps only guilty of aligning herself with the wrong people. Oooooh BURN

Ferguson places a freshly sharpened pencil on the desk next to the others and suggests that perhaps Dory should have thought of that before, since she has so much to lose. The implication is clear and Vera leaves.

See? This is what I mean! Bridget brought up some valid possibilities re: Ferguson using Vera, but surely Vera must have been aware of those things before? She’s sat on the knowledge that Ferguson was indirectly responsible for her becoming infected with Hep-C, why does she always need outside impetus to get her moving? And in any direction, I might add. Too easily swayed. I hope she finds her center.

Dory’s devastated back in HBlock, the only ray of light so far is that Franky can tell the guards aren’t telling the truth about charging Dory with drug trafficking, since she never saw or touched the drugs. Dory eventually works out that this is in retaliation for her loose lips in Medical, it’s all Bea’s fault! Well, not really, but okay, yeah. Franky’s face says “AGAIN.”

What can they do to protect the woman? They’re just playing catch up.

Bea’s decided, she asks Fletcher into the showers for a private talk. She explains about stealing his swipe card by way of Jess’s vagina and he flips out. He runs straight to Bridget’s office, where Vera sees him breathing through a panic attack.

Vera stops Fletcher in the staff room, what’s he doing with Bridget? She’s a bit jealous I think, that he’s gone to see someone else for help, but she asks about everything. Ehhh, what Bridget and he are doing is a standard practice (because I’m a doctor and I know such things (I’m not a doctor)) but SOUNDS like suggestive hypnosis when he explains. He owns up to having an inappropriate relationship with an inmate, but he’s not telling her who.

Vera runs straight to Fletcher; she has evidence of an inappropriate relationship between staff and an inmate. They walk right past Fletcher to Bridget, where Vera has written up what she saw in the library (technically nothing.) Ferguson overplays her hand, though, she threatens Franky’s parole and instead of seeing how nasty Ferguson is: Vera just sees her foe vanquished.

I really don’t want to give up on you, Vera.

Boomer says what I was thinking: she and Maxine should have a baby!! Maxine doesn’t know how to answer and it’s so bittersweet and poor Booms. She begs and she really wants this and we’re all crying.

Ahhhh, I see now why Vera forced Bridget’s resignation, she thinks that Bridget planted that inappropriate relations thing with an inmate in Fletcher’s head. How typical of me to think it was jealousy between two women for the same guy, my bad. ESPECIALLY when one is a lesbian. Bridget asks Vera to look into Jodie’s file and warns her to not get sucked down in the undertow when Ferguson goes down. Because she will be going down.

Dory doesn’t want any apologies from Bea, her son will be seven before he’ll see his father and I absolutely understand her rage, but shouldn’t that be directed at Ferguson? They’re all victims here and a bit of rage might help.

Bea’s had it; she’s stepping down. She can’t take Ferguson out, she’s so tired and she feels like she can’t protect her people. Maxine reminds her, she’s not fighting alone and she can’t stop now. Maxine won’t let her.

Bea lays out naked on the cool tile, in the shape of a cross and that couldn’t be more appropriate, unless it was Jodie.

Side note: I may have done that exact thing, tile is so nice and cold when you’re lathered beyond belief.

Vera checks Jodie’s file to find several references of the Governor’s psychopathic tendencies, I just don’t have any faith that she’ll do anything about it. She takes her report on Spiteri’s incident along with the pencil and places it on Ferguson’s desk. Taking a moment, she looks through Ferguson’s drawers and finds a tin of matching pencils, with one missing.

Now. We saw the Governor sharpening regular pencils earlier; are these her special red murder-y pencils? Vera stares and takes us out

I am starting to get a little frustrated, much like Bea, how many more little attacks until they regroup and make a run at taking Ferguson down? Clearly they need an insider like Vera, how much longer will she waffle? I hate that Bridget is gone, I really thought she was the only hope for getting rid of Ferguson. Until next time!