Hi everyone and welcome to the last available season of Wentworth!! CAN YOU BELIEVE I’M ALMOST CAUGHT UP?? Woot! Thanks again to my awesome readers AK, AB/T for suggesting it and everyone else for reading: I hear this season gets off the HOOK! Rolling S4:E1 First Blood after the break.
So here we are, three seasons later and everything has changed. Bea Smith (Danielle Cormack) runs the prison she was once afraid to enter; she has even took down the formidable Governor Ferguson (Pamela Rabe) and mob boss Jacs Holt (Kris McQuade) since losing every member of her family to Wentworth’s manipulations. Franky Doyle (Nicole da Silva) is out on parole and going steady with the awesomesauce Bridget Westfall (Libby Tanner). Dory (Shareena Clanton) has baby Joshua by inmate papa Nash Taylor (Luke McKenzie). Liz (Celia Ireland) has HER grown baby Sophie (Edwina Samuels) in jail with her too, they’re mending fences and trying to avoid Boomer (Katrina Milosevic) and her hooch. Maxine Conway (Socratis Otto) has mostly just been henching, any chance we’ll get a storyline for our HBlock Mama Hen, Wentworth? Let’s see what’s new with everyone!
Franky’s on the radio, being interviewed about her time as Top Dog in Wentworth Prison, looks like there’s a whole new vibe at W! Someone’s handling pamphlets that advertise the “new” Wentworth: “Justice. Rehabilitation. Reintegration” are the new watch words, and yoga looks to be featured heavily. Franky points out that there were badder bitches than her behind those doors, and not all of them were on the locked side of the box.
Bea and the women are headed back to the “new” Wentworth, it can’t have been too long away because gorgeous baby Joshua is still a wee bebeh.
I imagine they had to do quite a bit of construction, what with the massive fire and all the explosions at the end of Season 3. Maybe they’ve been staying with Nash!
The women drive through town, Bea starting at all the normals outside while Franky explains what it takes to stay on top inside. “It’s all about power. Who’s got it, who wants it. If you got it, what will you do to keep it?” and so on. I’m glad she was able to find herself and come out of her shell. Bridget is AMAZING.
Kaz Proctor (Tammy McIntosh), well, she’s a little going away present from Governor Ferguson, who tipped off the police about her leading the vigilante group The Red Right Hand. Bea had played that situation poorly and used Kaz inadvisably, discarding her when done and now we see Kaz is ready to do something about that. She’s been leading the women in the yard with Bea gone, Bea will have to come down HARD if she doesn’t want to end up shivved.
OOOOOH and look who the new Governor is!!!! It’s Vera Bennett!! (Kate Atkinson), Deputy Gov. no more! Atta girl.
Derek Channing (Martin Sacks) is still there too, yaaaay. He’s on the board and Vera’s arse, apparently, this better go smoothly! Don’t f*ck it up, Vera!
I will never not love Boomer, although her behaviour is always somefing below expected
Hey, Will Jackson (Robbie Magasiva) is back too, but his neck isn’t! Oh and now he’s Deputy Governor, yay! I just now figured out what was different about Bea; her red hair dye has grown out. Her and Will have a bit of staredown, as do her and Vera.
Vera always was the most sensible person on that side of the fence. She just lacked confidence, so I wonder how her and Bea will get on.
The women are excited about the new programs, they especially would like Bea to get them conjugal visits, like Walford. Hey, look who’s come to give Bea welcome back gifts? EVERYONE! Bea watches suspiciously, but Lucy Gambaro (Sally-Ann Upton) has the best gift of all: a shiv. She’s going to need it if Kaz gets anywhere near her.
CO Linda Miles (Jacqueline Brennan) brings Kim Chang (Ra Chapman) into HBlock, she is TWEAKING. Jaysus
Yay, Nash is out! Dory gets to talk to him on the phone, they must have dropped those drugs smuggling charges that were so obviously contrived by the previous Governor. Does this mean Nash will have custody of the baby? Dory and I are unsure of that scenario.
There’s a new inmate that must be important, given how they linger on her entrance to the scene, she’s very pretty with an awesome mouth, who is she? She’s Allie Novak (Kate Jenkinson) and she’s lovely enough to introduce herself directly to the camera and Bea. Kaz wants to see Bea.
Maxine (with a lovely new long hairdo) explains with a smile: Bea doesn’t come to anyone, love, they come to her. There’s an odd vibe between Allie and Bea; I don’t think they know each other, but they stare at each other longer than strictly necessary.
Will’s come to collect Bea for the new Governor, congrats on the promotion! Matthew Fletcher won’t be joining us any more, shame.
Governor Bennett needs Bea’s help with her programs, she thinks they have similar goals for the women.
I have to interject: I probably know more past prisoners than most and I’ve yet to find meet one into yoga. Make me a believer, Vera!
Bea is similarly skeptical, but Vera needs her for a specific reason. Drugs have always found there way into the prison, Bea is the only leader who didn’t traffic in them for power, and in fact kept them down to their lowest levels ever. Bea pretends she doesn’t care, but Vera knows her history with Debbie and doesn’t buy it. Bea bargains for some conjugal visits: done! Go team!
Bea looks older, tired and heavier. She’s lost some of her energy. The first season was all about finding her strength, the second about revenge and the third about ascending the throne. What will drive her now?
Time for the meet with Kaz, Maxine’s brought Lucy’s shiv, let’s find out what’s gonna happen.
Kaz’s crew covers the cameras, Kaz herself whips out…a bottle of booze. She comes in close to deliver it, accusing Bea of shopping her to the cops and she can’t be stupid enough to believe that? To think Bea would call the police on her and have her sent in there with her? Bea used Kaz and tossed her aside, she wouldn’t waste the time onnit, truthfully.
One of Kaz’s henches looks like a giant P!nk!
Bea’s gang is partying with Kaz’s hooch, but she’s not partaking. She’s worried about Kim Chang.
Vera’s working late when she gets a call then who walks in? NO, GUESS??? It’s Bridget and she has wine!! She’s been working with Vera and good! Vera’s hella nervous about the press conference about the new programs she’s implemented, but Bridget’s sure she’ll do great. Now she’s gotta go home and feed the cat.
In this situation is Franky the cat?
Franky is! She IS the cat! And she wants to know why Gidget’s home late? Oh, maybe Bridget’s the cat.
Liz joins Bea in her room while everyone’s partying, “bloody drunks, eh?” says Liz ruefully. Bea’s having trouble finding her feet, though, she has a feeling something bad is coming.
Bea contemplates the shiv as suicide weapon as Vera walks the halls slowly. Another prisoner is being admitted in the middle of the night, it’s holleee shite it’s Joan Ferguson!!
What has she been charged with specifically? There are SO MANY things it could be, what brought her down? Isn’t it a conflict to put her in the same jail with the inmates and guards she abused and attacked? Shouldn’t she be in a Institute for the Criminally Insane? So many questions! And now I know what bad is coming for Bea!
Franky and Bridget are enjoying quite the domestic bliss, aren’t they? They even share ginch which is just something I never thought of. I’ve never dated a woman, let alone anyone exactly the same size as me, so it would never occur to me that you could just use your partner’s lucky ginch when yours is dirty. Huh
Franky looks BEAUTIFUL in real clothing, a hairstyle and actual makeup! Gorge!
None of that is important right now, Franky’s parole officer is at her actual flat and if anyone finds out they’re living together…she’s gone with a “and I want mu underwear back, you thieving minx” as someone watches, Nils Jesper (Tony Nikolakopoulos) perhaps?
Vera breaks the news of Joan Ferguson’s incarceration at their fine facility during the daily staff meeting, she’ll be kept in Isolation for obvious reasons. Moving on: we have a new nurse! Nurse Radcliffe (Madeline Jevic) is very pretty but seems snotty, although rolling her eyes and mugging could be just a tic. She’s running the voluntary contraceptive program.
Kaz doesn’t seem to understand one of those words
And the new obstructive nurse isn’t having much luck getting it across and Will Jackson isn’t exactly helping since Kaz hates him like fire. Kaz isn’t allowing the prison industrial complex control over her innards, she and the rest of the ladies are out. Bea steps in; Will’s dragged in and Kaz leaves anyway.
Vera’s gone to see her predecessor in isolation; showdown time!
Ferguson looks so different with her hair down! And I was right, she shouldn’t have been remanded to Wentworth, she petitioned for it. She wanted to see what it looked like. Like WHAT looked like? The gold crown on Vera’s shoulder designating Governor? The place after renovation? Without her?
Oh. She thinks she’s getting off
And will be fully reinstated. In your dreams, Ferguson, that’s when you’ll have Vera’s shiny little crown again. There’s some verbal fencing about Vera being controlled by Channing and Vera visiting Ferguson in the psyche facility (I knew that had to be in play!) but she probably wouldn’t remember, given her state…Game, set and match: Vera.
Kim’s having a hard time in the yard. She loses it and climbs the wall, all the way to the razor wire. Eeyouch. It’s so odd seeing wee chubby Joshua being passed around for safety as a woman slashes her hands and face to bits trying to get out.
Dory is thinking exactly along those lines as well, she’s worried about her bebeh in this place. Thank goodness he’s going with his daddy tomorrow.
You know, her and Nash don’t know each other that well; he seemed like a very nice guy but it’s hard to tell in five minutes, innit?
Oh and I was wondering where Sophie was, she’s been sent to the prison farm. Liz helps calm Dory down, she’s making the right decision. I couldn’t make that choice.
Liz reminds Dory, including Bea in the conversation, you only need three things to be happy. Someone to love, something to do and something to look forward to.
I think Bea’s struggling with all three of those things.
Kim is a bloody mess, but Vera can’t deal with her and the meth problem right now, there’s press tomorrow! She never was good at being in the front. Will can’t believe she just wants to hide Kim, his frustration gives way to anger when Bea challenges him just then.
Bea’s taking matters into her own hands then, finding Tina (Charli Tjoe) rinsing away meth in the bathroom. Maxine steps up to do a class in Not Selling Drugs in Bea’s Prison, but I’m concerned as Kaz is there, part of the backup. Bea just notices Allie, though, what is UP with those two?
Bea and Maxine walk out and I get my confirmation that Kaz is still actively working against Bea. “Still think she’s a hero?” She tells her gang that Bea’s Just Say No demonstration was meant to terrorize THEM, but unless they’re selling drugs, it was most definitely not.
Kaz, she’s an idealist. A clearly dangerous, insane idealist with a gift for reaching vulnerable people and having them follow her. I don’t know if she has charisma, exactly, but her conviction is compelling and that’s half the battle. People follow those with conviction, even batshit crazy ones spouting shite about LOCKing HER UP. She’s kind of like an Anti-Bea, who gained power through being a decent f*cking person people wouldn’t stop f*cking with. See how Kaz spins that:
Bridget and Ferguson get to chat, Joan’s all locked up and sounds like Hannibal Lecter: “How’s Franky? I can smell her on you” and still very creepy / dangerous looking to me. Bridget is surprised at how lucid Joan is, given all the anti-psychotics she’s on.
Oh shite, Dory’s down to see Kim but instead sees Ferguson, the jig is up Vera. EVERYONE is about to know that The Freak is back between the sheets.
Wentworth Prison must have a vastly different idea of what Isolation means; it’s Grand Central Station down there!
Boomer thinks her sore boobs means she’s pregnant, but, er, when did she have sex?
Bea notices something’s up in the lunchroom, lots of tomato sauce being poured. Kaz just means to bring Bea, Will and Vera (who she thinks are all working together) down a peg or two. With tomato sauce? Is this another Vinegar Tits sitch?
Ahhhh Ferguson has some help on the inside, that’s why she’s so lucid. She’s not taking her meds and she’s talked her guard into giving her a pencil. And keys?
The same guard waits for Vera in the parking lot; I thought she was going to rush Vera until she handed over the letter Ferguson wrote with the pencil and asked her to post. This guard is actually working for Vera as well on the side, Vera now knows Ferguson isn’t taking her meds.
$10 says the letter is about Vera murdering her nightmare of a mother.
It’s domestic bliss Chez Gidget, Franky cooking (in a Le Creuset Dutch Oven!) and Bridget answering hang-up calls while Nils watches from across the street. I hope that’s not a big problem. Why is this guy still working for Ferguson? Surely she doesn’t have any money. It might not even be him, he must be in jail.
Bridget needs a glassa after her day, by the way, Ferguson’s on remand at Wentworth
AND, she asked after Franky
So Bridget knows that Ferguson knows. Franky argues, but the POV cam from outside their window says otherwise.
Bea’s having a shower when Allie comes in, Bea catches Allie staring at her bum and furious, comes after her into the other woman’s stall. Whooooole lotta nekkid bums flying around all of a sudden.
She challenges Allie, who just thought Bea would be the type to do her own dirty work, right? Bea does some dirty work on her right there, shoving Allie up against the tile. I can’t sort out if that’s flirting…Ahhh and neither can Allie; she turns around with a bloody face and slides down the tile in front of Bea.
Bea and I are confused: dafuq? Bea’s not gay, is she? I mean. I don’t believe in labels at all, but she’s never shown any interest in any of the women and only had the one lover: Harry, right? Hmm. Interesting. And electric
Vera’s freaking out with a nosebleed while she’s supposed to be meeting the press, you can do it, Vera!
Oh but now we know what the tomato sauce was for: Kaz and her gang have dipped tampons in the sauce and are raining them down upon the VIPs. You wanna clear a room fast? Start throwing bloody-looking tampons at everyone. Plug it up! Plug! It! Up!
Channing screams at Vera after, can you imagine how terrified that bald misogynist bastard must have been? Possible menstrual fluid!
Vera starts off slow but does a great job of the speech, I particularly liked the part when she said “no strings attached.” Because of the tampons, they have strings and yeah, you got it.
Maxine is furious, Bea has to do something! I don’t think Bea cares, you know? She might be still thinking about Allie with the intriguing mouth kneeling before her in the shower.
Boomer’s not pregnant. And she’s so sad because her supply of spoof has dried up (heh) now that she’s not at Wolford anymore *8 side eyes at Maxine during that sentence*
Vera’s visiting Ferguson in Isolation, the letter Ferguson wrote wasn’t to the authorities about Vera killing her nightmare of a mother, it was to Shane Butler, Jianna’s son. I owe all of you $10. Hmmm, I hadn’t even thought about Jianna’s son, who is now 17.
Vera ups the cruelty by reading the letter out loud and then tearing it in pieces in front of Feguson
But
OOOOHHHHH. ALL THE CHILLS!!
Hey, Franky got a job, she’s a paralegal for Legal Relief! Franky wants to celebrate right now! Loud music drowns out the sound of Vera driving up, thankfully they have all the blinds open at night (I literally never, not once do that. Nobody does but Franky and Bridget, who are just THAT worried about concealing their relationship) so she can see them dancing closely.
The music takes us out as Dory cries and hands Joshua over to his dad, Bea can’t sleep and Ferguson stares at the strips of paper torn on the floor.
Bea literally has two choices on her arm, a tattoo for Debbie on one side: To The Moon, and the other arm, which she keeps caressing with the shiv. I’ve been thinking this entire episode: what will drive her? What will keep her interest? She cuts herself on the upper thigh and we’re out.
I’m sorry for all the gifs. I didn’t mean to, swears! An interesting start to the new season, I’m waiting to see where this Allie / Bea storyline goes. Bea hasn’t had a romantic interest at all yet, save for the one time she rubbed one out to Mr. Jackson. I’m very happy to see Franky still, I thought we might not see her any more with her parole. I’m concerned about her and Bridget’s relationship, they need to work on being slightly more discreet if they want to not have BOTH of them end up back in jail. Until next time, you guys!
