Hi everyone, welcome back to Wentworth season four where mostly I try not to shout a lot. It hasn’t been going very well for that, but let’s see what S4:E5 Love and Hate have for us anyway.

We left off with Bea (Danielle Cormack) beating the everluving SHITE out of Mr. Jackson (Robbie J. Magasiva) and being dragged away, no doubt wondering what her life has become. She started out a newbie, scared of everyone and is now a thrice convicted felon with life in prison with nothing to live for. She just had to try kill her only ally on the other side of the paint. Man.

We open at the Midway with a young girl, it’s Karen Proctor (Tammy McIntosh) daydreaming about her past. She’s rudely interrupted by a guard: she has a scheduled visit.

The cafeteria is all cacophony, Juice (Sally-Ann Upton) fighting with Tina (Charli Tjoe) over bacon. For the record, Tina: you can’t LIVE on juices of any kind, p*ssy or otherwise.

Boomer (Katrina Milosevic) settles their beef by eating the bacon herself: “you’re welcome.”

Maxine (Socratis Otto) is getting more bad news about her breast cancer; it’s affected the hormone-sensitive cells, which means she needs to stop Estrogen. There is one alternative, a clinical drug trial, but Maxine has to leave right now.

That leaves the Top Dog in the clink, her main hench away and Ferguson (Pamela Rabe) in full control and under the protection of the local radical. Hm.

Nash (Luke McKenzie) has brought wee Joshua to see Dory (Shareena Clanton), let’s have a look then, yeah? Okay one little face shot, you could lift him up, couldn’t you? Come on now! Dory seems out of it, not very excited about her impending conjugal visit with Nash, which is odd. He’s cute as a button.

She looks over his shoulder to see Kim Chang (Ra Chapman) receiving drugs via her throat and some dude’s preternaturally long tongue, pfft. Why does Dory care?

Kaz’s visitor comes in there, I’m guessing it’s her mom, given that she starts with “so this is where your Women’s Lib palaver has gotten you, has it?” That sounds like a mom thing to say! Mother-in-law for sure. Kaz doesn’t want any of Faith’s (Debra Lawrance) pretend crying

What does she want? It’s been ten years. Ah, Kaz’s dad has died, ohhhhh. I get it now, I am positive Kaz’s dad abused her as a child. Faith insisting that Kaz attend the funeral sends Kaz into a fury; she’s pulled off by Mr. Jackson, who seems to have healed up okay.

He’s radioed to come up to Governor Vera Bennett’s (Kate Atkinson) office; a new hire is there for him to show around. Jake Stewart (Bernard Curran) was interviewed by Will, so he’s his responsibility now. The way they linger on his face tells me he is a very important person to the story, I haven’t seen a loving camera pan like that since I saw Allie (Kate Jenkinson) naked in the shower with Bea.

He is adorable enough to make Vera a bit giggly, he’s aware somewhat of the lay of the land with the former Governor out in General Population. He’s never worked with women before, though, hm.

Dory’s in as Peer Worker to see Bea in the Slot; I’m surprised the women get to see a PW while in Solitary. Isn’t it supposed to be punishment? Anyway, Bea just wants information on Ferguson, but there’s not much to report. Dory’s still a bit down about the upcoming Conjugal visit with Nash, and ahhhh, now we get it. She’s feeling shy. They barely know each other, and they only did it the once, up against a wall. He’s never even seen her naked! I love Bea’s response so hard

Ferguson is surveying the yard like a lioness on the hunt; you can almost see her sniff the air. Tina sees Kim in bad shape and ends the basketball game to go talk to her, didn’t we just see Kim get a mouthful of something in the Visitor Lounge?

Jake is just FULL of questions on the tour of Wentworth Correctional, but most are about former Governor Ferguson. Will points her out, I swear, her nose is pointed upwind and everything! Will calls her the most dangerous prisoner in here as she knows the system better than anyone.

The women are enjoying their eyefull of the new guard, Ferguson tries to spin it to Kaz’s crew as being excited and free because Bea is in the Slot, but nobody’s buying it.

Maxine’s packing up when Dory delivers her message from Bea; keep an eye on Ferguson and Kaz in case they try something. Maxine has slightly more pressing things on her mind right now, Bea, fanks. She’s defacto Top Dog right now, though, Dory’s gonna pass the word, etc etc. Maxine stops her: she can’t be Top Dog right now. The ladies crowd into her cell, Boomer offering to help and Liz (Celia Ireland) bringing up the Asian crew acting weird. So who can do it? None of them.

I miss Franky

Tina is helping Kim retrieve drugs from her esophagus (hard pass) when Maxine comes in lays down the law. She’s Top Dog right now, except I hope Bea is out soon because she has a clinical trial to get to and you don’t want to f*ck around with cancer. Maxine rinses the drugs down the drain and oh nooooo. She’s not going. She’s giving up the hormone treatments which help shape her identity AND risking death, all to help Bea keep control.

I wouldn’t mind so much except that it’s clear to me that Bea will NOT be able to keep control away from Ferguson, who is willing to go to far greater lengths than Bea.

Will put a bug in Vera’s ear about Kaz’s dad dying, so Bridget Westfall (Libby Tanner) is here to help her grieve. Kaz is not interested. She showers instead, reliving a memory from the past where her dad gave her a horse. She loved her father so much. We see her laying on the tile of the shower, so maybe she’s grieving in her own way.

Ferguson is looking for her, probing Allie for where she is and about her relationship with her dad until Allie snaps that she shouldn’t ever ask Kaz about her dad.

Ferguson finds Kaz in the showerroom, listlessly brushing her hair. She doesn’t notice Kaz’s strange affect, rattling on about Maxine being in charge, playing up the Man in Charge of Women angle to rile Kaz up. Kaz will not be drawn into petty jail politics, slamming Ferguson up against a wall and throwing her out.

Back in her room, Ferguson tries to regroup and plan, but I think she’s overplaying her hand. As soon as Kaz comes back to her room, looking entirely spent, she’s there knocking on the glass. I bet she’s sussed what I did, so she implies that Allie told her more than she did and starts asking questions about her dad. Kaz fires back: let’s talk about YOUR dad. When Ferguson hesitates, Kaz presses on the wound. Ferguson talks a little bit about her difficult relationship with her difficult dad, but all Kaz wants to know is if he f*cked Ferguson and we leave it at that.

Oh. We have a new prisoner at Wentworth, Tasha Goodwin (Frankie Adams), she’s both gorgeous and a dead ringer for Jianna, so Dory and I stare a bit. The cameras draw her eye mostly, but Ferguson’s face when she sees her…

Dory introduces Tasha around to the H1 crew; there’s something off about her. She is extremely young and her beauty will be a factor.

Oh great, Jake’s got some ideas to share with Vera about how to run Wentworth, I LOVE it when new hires know everything 15 minutes after they start. Share your wisdom, Mr. Stewart, we’re all gagging for it. Well. I’m not, but Vera certainly seems to be, as she blushes and follows his advice without giving him credit.

You know I love Vera’s arc on this show, she really should have been Governor in the first place before Erica snatched it away, but a reader brought up the very same problem I have with her. She believes and immediately acts on everything she hears. It makes her appear to lack depth and reasoning power.

During the sweep, the dogs find drugs in Allie’s cell, ah ha, Ferguson separating Kaz from her most loyal crew member. Allie’s been pretty clear about not caring much for Ferguson and has aligned mentally (if not physically yet) with Bea, so that was an expected move. Allie bites Jake while she’s being restrained, maybe that doesn’t happen at Wolford?

Hm perhaps I misinterpreted Ferguson’s interest in Tasha; she’s already offered her up to Juice in the yard. I can’t see the purpose of that yet, but I’m sure there is one.

Bridget’s in to see Allie, she’s there to give her strategies to avoid slipping back into addiction. Allie has her own ways of dealing, though, and they’re all based around Bea Smith. Bea and I perk right up, what? I forget that Allie was a card carrying member of the Red Right Hand before, she seems so rational. She seems completely infatuated with Bea, though, her Higher Power even.

Jake’s chatting up the pretty (and extremely bitchy) new Nurse Radcliffe (Madeline Jevic) when Vera comes in with the progress report from the sweep. She’s already preening as though she’s trying to impress him…sigh. Some people are more comfortable doing great jobs and getting pats on the head. I’m a big fan!

Ohh noooo Jake makes a joke about getting Hep-C first day on the job and Nurse Radliffe laughs; Vera goes for the jugular. Hasn’t she asked Radliffe to tone down the makeup? Radcliffe is kind enough to pass on Vera’s nickname to Jake.

Bea calls to Allie through the ventilation shaft, you can see Allie start a little bit realising that Bea probably heard that part before. They talk about Kaz, Bea wants to know what Allie sees in her, but Kaz has been like Allie’s mum for years. She helped her get off drugs and stay clean, took care of her, she loves Kaz. And maybe we need to see a little more of Kaz so we can too.

Newb Jake is really making the rounds, hey? Now he’s in the staffroom with a shirtless Will (thank you!), taking credit for the sweep and asking Will to be his workout buddy.

I once had a guy offer to be my workout buddy, it took me a couple of weeks to realise that what he meant was a date, he just didn’t have the balls to ask for it. I also prefer to work out alone, Will. Linda Miles (Jacqueline Brennan) has an extra swing in her step, but Will lets her know: Jake plays for the other team.

Bea and Allie have the most amazing night, talking about everything and then smiling at each other in the morning and that was the BEST! Ferguson miscalculated there, they’re magic together.

Dory gets called into Medical for a drug test before her conjugal, she sends Tasha to the showers by herself. DON’T DO THAT. Send her with SOMEONE!!!!! Damnit, nobody told her about Ferguson either, who’s there to show her the way

Okay now that I can breathe again; Tasha is jumped in the showers by Juice and her crew, but presses the DURESS button, that nobody must ever press. Yay Tasha! Dory comes in and yells at HER, whatever man.

Juice and Bea yell a conversation across the hall; there is a punishment due for pressing the button, WHAT’S THE PUNISHMENT FOR ASSAULTING SOMEONE THEN?? That seems to be just fine, but press a button and save your own arse and it’s all WHO DID THAT?

Everyone in the cafeteria is talking about Tasha pressing the panic button, when is Maxine going to punish her? She can’t go protecting herself like that, they solve their own problems, chides Liz. What a load of…we all know I would be useless in prison, it’s a good thing I can knit. Kinda.

Ah Kaz. She’s kept a little carved wooden horse that looks like the one her dad gave her and she’s caressing it as poison oozes into her cell in the form of Ferguson. Maxine will be punishing Tasha for her transgression, if only there was someone who could stand up for “this poor little girl” (says the woman who offered up said “poor little girl” to Juice and her gang) against this man…(Maxine is all lady, Fergs). Just. Let her grieve.

But no, we’ve gotten to the point where Kaz is reliving her mother’s traitorous response to Kaz telling on her father for touching her. This gives her energy, she breaks a leg off the horse and sets off with Ferguson to openly challenge Maxine.

Maxine’s a real sweetheart, she could use a break right now, perhaps in a clinical trial in another prison.

She does try to be fair, she explains to Tasha exactly why she’s there and why she’s in trouble instead of Juice and I just. I like Tasha, she seems without guile already and she just didn’t KNOW! Kaz moves closer when Tasha is brought closer and then the steam press is coming down..and Maxine stops.

Oh thank sweet Jeebus.

She’s Top Dog right now and she’s decided to let Tasha off with a warning, so there! Anyone have a problem with that? Well. Stella (Bessie Holland) does and the rest of Juice’s crew will as well, but Ferguson looks like someone just stole her breakfast. Like she did when Will didn’t kill Franky when he found out she killed his wife by accident.

Kaz still has all that rage, though, and we see the rest of her story. Her dad shot her horse right in front of her for her telling on him.

Maxine is worried, everyone in the cafeteria is looking at her and she thinks she fucked up. They’ll all turn now. Instead, they all come over and give her their dessert, awww, it’s like when Bea was first recognised by the women. There is more than one way to run the prison, Bea’s just forgotten. Yay Maxine, compassion takes this round.

A shirtless Jake discombobulates Vera in the staffroom, Linda fills her in anyway: gay.

Is he though?

Ah damn, Allie’s back from her mandatory day in Psych for biting Jake, she practically runs she’s so excited to talk to Bea. Bea is so happy to hear her, you can tell, but has to shut her down hard: Juice is listening. Juice knows exactly what that exchange meant.

Kaz loved her dad so much, so very much, you can see it in her face even now. She can’t believe she did, even after what he did. Ferguson knows “it’s possible to love and hate at the same time” and who does Ferguson love? She comforts Kaz and we are out.

But really, who does Ferguson love? She hates Bea, does she love her too? She hates Will, does she love him? Hm. I loved the scene with Bea and Allie talking all night, that was AWESOME. That’s how people fall in love. I’m so bummed that Juice ruined their pajama party. Until next time you guys, cheers.