In Praise of Bad Girls

Tough Love, S3.12

2011-06-12T02:43:00.165-05:00

The Riot, Part 2.

....the inmates are still in firm control of G-Wing. Which now looks like this:

Maxi heads for the Screws Lounge, but some con says that it’s off-limits, per Nikki.

Maxi’s all, “Nikki who?” and saunters right into the office.

Nikki’s cell. She’s washing up, wearing only a bra when she gets some unexpected company.

Caroline: “Sorry.”

Nikki: “It’s alright then.”

Caroline: “Thought you could use one of these.”

“One of these” turns out to be a cup of tea. Which is nice cuz Nikki looks mighty thirsty!

(damn, even MY throat suddenly feels dry)!

Cut to Maxi in the office, busily searching through the inmates’ files.

…while back in Nikki’s cell:

Nikki: “So what you in for?”
Caroline: “Embezzlement.”

Her boyfriend needed money for his business so she embezzled some for him. They got caught, he did a runner, and hasn’t been seen since.

Btw, I don’t actually know what a “tea cozy” is, but I imagine it’s this: 2 women on a bed having tea and getting cozy.

Nikki: “The things we do for love, ey?”

Caroline: “Both in for the same reason then.”

Nikki: “What?”

Caroline: “You killed a copper, didn’t you? For trying to rape your girlfriend?”

Nikki: “Who told you that?”

Caroline: “Everyone knows about you. You’ve got a big following in here.”

Nikki (laughs, embarrassed): “First I’ve heard of it.”
Caroline: “Modest AND smart. (pause) Not much you haven’t got really, is there?”

Nikki: “I wouldn’t get too close. You might be disappointed.”

Caroline: “How close will you let me come?”

As Nikki considers this, Caroline leans in to kiss her but she jumps off the bed.

Nikki: “I’m spoken for.”

Caroline: “Not what I heard.”

Nikki: “I said you’d be disappointed.”

Caroline: “Not what I’ve seen either.”

Nikki: “Yeah well, it’s no one in here.”

With any luck, Nikki says she'll be out of Larkhall soon and they'll be back together.

But Caroline isn’t easily put off. “Soon can be a long time in a place like this.”

Screws Office. Maxi stashes some papers in her pants.

Library - Screws Summit. Sylvia wants to rush the wing now, “while they’re asleep and droogged up to the eyeballs.”

Helen: “I’ll resolve this peacefully if I can.”

Sylvia (scoffs): “Cave in, you mean.”

Helen: “Sylvia, I’m as angry about this as you are! But we’ve got to be careful. Fact is, they’ve got a genuine grievance. They’re not out for themselves."

Helen: “Now if we can address that, it can all be over by breakfast.”

Good thinking, Helen! If only someone had addressed their grievance BEFORE the riot…

Helen gets on the PA: “This is Helen Stewart. I’ve thought about what you said and I’m prepared to negotiate. So will all prisoners make their way to the atrium straightaway please.”

In the Atrium. It’s screws on one side….

…and cons on the other.

Helen: “Ok. I’ve thought about all you said and I understand your grievance.”

Nikki: “So what you gonna do about it?”

Helen's arranged for an English-speaking Nigerian prisoner to transfer in and be Femi’s cellmate and new BFF.

Nikki: “Well, that’s something.”

Helen: “So would you like to call off your little protest now?”

Wow, how incredibly condescending, Helen.

But Nikki just seems relieved. “It’s off.”

Maxi: “Oi, not so fast! What about all the rest? Crap food you wouldn’t feed a pig, same screws treating us like shit…”

Nikki (to other inmates): “That is not what this is about!”

Maxi: “Yes it is! And we’ll take this to the roof if we hafta!”

The inmates roar in approval.

Nikki (yells): “This is about Femi! Now we’ve just had assurances…”

Maxi: “Assurances, my arse! I’m sick of this shit! (to the inmates) Come on!”

Nikki (turns back to Helen): “It just needs time to sink in, that's all. They're a bit fired up.”

Helen: “And who fired them up, Nikki?”

Well, let's not quibble about that now, Helen - there's a riot going on!

The screws leave and Maxi starts giving out instructions.

Nikki: “Look, we’ve made our point!

Maxi: “Have we?”

Nikki: “You heard what Stewart said. What else can she do?”

Maxi looks Nikki up and down. “Who the shit are you, anyway?”

Nikki: “The shit who started it, remember?”

Maxine: “Going soft in your old age. (to the others) Just cuz she topped a pig about 50 years ago.”

Nikki: “So you and your poxy mates are hard, are ya? Wait till their fags start running out and their added-on days start piling up.”

Maxi: “You may not have the stomach, Wade, but there’s others have.”

Yo, Purvis, you ain’t been here a hot minute. Not long enough to eat a loaf of bread, mail a VO, or use a goddamned bar of soap. So who the shit are YOU??

But Nikki knows she's outnumbered. Maxi and her minions are too fired up, so she leaves with Team Wade in tow.

Up on G2, Nikki finds Yvonne. “Thanks for all your help.”

Yvonne says she's tired of fighting other people’s battles; Nikki says sometimes you gotta make a stand.

Yvonne: “Look, I already go to sleep at night with one eye open because of those 3 little tarts! I’m getting too old for this, Nikki. I just want a quiet life.”

Nikki reminds her that she won't have a quiet life if Maxi's in charge, then walks away. Yvonne briefly considers this. “Nikki!” she calls out, and follows after her.

Purvis cell. Whose residents will heretofore be known as the PBJ gang (Peanut Butter & Jelly).

Maxi reads the files she pilfered from the office: “Allison MacKenzie, dangerously aggressive tendencies. Potentially psychopathic.”

Al: “Wot’s it say aboot yeww?”

Maxi: “Cunning, fearless, possible ringleader….”

Al: “Mebbe they’rre not sooh stoopid afterrall.”

Well, someone’s stupid cuz suddenly the cell door slams. Team Wade rigged the door and pulled it shut, banging up the PBJs.

Maxi and Al pound on the door. “Thah yeww, Wade? I’m gohnna kell yew!”

The women have a good laugh and Nikki says it’s time for lockup.

Library. The screws are suited, kitted, and tooled, and ready to bang some heads (well, maybe not Josh).

Helen: “Ok, settle down everyone. I’ve given them every chance to withdraw. We've no option left but to use force. I want you to go in hard. I want no victimization, no score-settling. This has to be a professional operation.”

Ha! I can't help it - I still laugh whenever Helen calls the screws "professionals."

Just then, Gina bursts in. “Nikki Wade wants to see ya. She said it’s all over.”

Helen returns to the wing….

(Shaz: “Jesus!”)

…with a wall of jackbooted screws behind her.

Helen: “Well?”
Nikki: “We've called it off.”

Helen: “Where's the Purvis sisters?”
Nikki: “Let's just say that they were banged up early.”
Helen: “Right, get back to your cells!”

But the inmates don’t exactly jump.

Helen (yells): “Immediately!”

The women dig in a bit.

Nikki tells the inmates, “do as she says,” her eyes still locked with Helen’s. The women disperse.

Helen: “What you waiting for Wade? I said, ‘get back to your cell!’”

Nikki sort of stamps away, giving Helen that hurt puppy-dog-eyed look.

Helen (to the screws): “Right...let's start mopping up.”

Back in the PBJ cell, Al’s still ranting about "kelling Wade" when Gina comes in.

Gina: “Locked yourselves in for your own safety, ey girls? Smart move. Lot of crazy people out there. Come on, MacKenzie, back where you belong.”

Al: “Get your hands off me!”

Gina (warns her): “I wouldn’t…”

Yeah, I wouldn’t either. I definitely would NOT wanna scrap with Gina Rossi.

In the Julies cell, they’re glad it’s all over.

Julie J: “We just want to get out of here and into Monica’s as soon as we can, ey? One day we’ll have a place of our own. A cottage would be nice…a stream. And no man to spoil it. What ya say to that, Ju?”

Julie S (less enthusiastically): “A little stream would be nice…”

Up on the 3s, Helen oversees lockup. As she gets to Nikki’s cell….

Nikki: “This wasn't about you.”
Helen: (angry) “I don't want to hear it!”

Nikki: “This was about the system!”

Helen: “I am the system while I'm in charge! You betrayed me tonight!”

Nikki: “I thought you wanted to change things in here.”
Helen: “Not by violence!”
Nikki: “That was the Peckham Gang wanting a free-for-all. They don't care about Femi!”
Helen: “It's over, Nikki.”
Nikki: “What?”

Helen: “You and me. I don't want anything more to do with you. You know something, I don't even feel sad about it! Now get back into your cell!”

Oh YAWN. Whatevs, Helen. Isn’t this like, the 4th time you’ve broken up with her anyway? But to say that she “betrayed" you is pretty goddamned galling. Hey. remember when you used to worry about “losing out to the Old Boys Club?" Worry no more, Helen – you’re now an official member of the club in good standing.

Next morning in the screws lounge. Helen’s back on the PA.

Helen: “Good morning, G-Wing. You will be locked in your cells until further notice. There will be no education, no visits, no work, no association. You will all lose a week's spends and there will be no visits to the canteen all week.”

Helen: “Is that tough enough for you, Sylvia?”

The screws get busy tossing rooms and spinning cells, while the PBJ gang tries to flush the files. But one in particular catches Maxi’s eye.

Nikki’s cell. Al garbles unintelligible threats thru the walls, but Nikki's got other things on her mind.

Screws lounge. Sylvia sees a bottle of booze in a desk and assumes the inmates weren’t in there. Helen tells her to check the files, just in case.

Sylvia says that would be too hard: “There’s hundreds of them in those filing cabinets. Each file can have dozens of reports. Take weeks to check them all. Blahblahblah….”

But Helen doesn’t want to hear it and tells Sylvia to get cracking. Then sends Gina to get the new Nigerian BFF for Femi…

…then it’s back to her office. Where she makes fresh coffee for the drooling Dr Waugh.

Dr. Waugh: “Quite a night. You must’ve been scared.”

Helen: “I never thought I’d find myself actually looking forward to conference.”

Dr Waugh: “It’ll be my turn to be bricking it.”

Helen: “Not quite the same scale.” ~~Not even fucking close.”~~

Dr Waugh: “Well no, but um, standing up in front of some of the leading people in the field….”

Helen: “What, people that have actually come to hear you talk as opposed to a group of rioting prisoners? Anyway, you’ll have me to hold your hand.”

Dr Waugh: “Well, if you put it like that….””

Blegghh. Look behind you, Helen – “From Two Worlds.” I mean, the writing’s on the wall. Literally. Right there behind you.

Unlock on the wing. Julie S gets a letter from David but quickly puts it away.

Julie J: “Aw, the little lamb’s excited cuz he’s getting his mum and his Aunti Ju back tomorrow!”

Julie S still isn’t sharing her friend’s enthusiasm, though.

En route to the servery, there’s talk of the break up.

Babs: “Well, she’d have said that in the heat of the moment, wouldn’t she?”

Nikki: “Sounded pretty final to me. Maybe she’s just come to her senses. I mean, we're a bit unlikely if you think about it - me and her, together.”

Babs: “Well, not if you win your appeal….”

They’re interrupted by a “hi, Nikki.”

Nikki: “Oh, hiya.”

Caroline: “Sleep well?”

Nikki: “Yeah. You?”

Caroline: “Yeah, good, thanks.”

And with that, Babs takes her cue and steps off. (btw, "did you sleep well?" Worst prison pick-up line EVER).

Maxi catches all of it. “Well, well, well…. int life interesting?”

Kitchen. The Julies are cleaning up and Julie J is still all kinds of excited. Julie S, still considerably less so.

Julie J: “One more breakfast and then it’s ‘goodbye Larkhall!’”

Julie S: “Yeah.”

Julie J wonders if anyone will throw them a party, but Julie S is doubtful. They’re the only ones who ever throw parties.

Julie J: “Yeah. Quiet night in might be best. We can hit the voddys when we get to Monica’s. Well, if you can wait that long."

Julie S: “24 hours and counting, mate.”

Screws Lounge. Barbara’s cleaning when Helen comes in. After a moment, Babs says, “it's a good job Nikki was in control the other night.”

Helen’s mouth literally falls open. “I’m sorry?”

Barbara: “Otherwise we might've had a full-blown riot on our hands. It's just...I heard some of the officers talking as if she were the ringleader, when actually she did everything she could to contain it.”

Helen: “Did she tell you to say all this?”
Barbara: “Oh no, you mustn't think that!”
Helen: “In case you'd forgotten, it was Nikki who instigated the whole thing.”

(actually, it was Babs who instigated the whole thing, but let’s not split hairs).

Barbara insists that the riot started peacefully.

Helen: “Barbara, we are lucky that no one was killed. Now, if Nikki hadn't kept a lid on things she would've been out of here at the speed of light! (yells) If she thinks she was badly treated, then you can tell her from me - she doesn't know she was born!”

Okaaay... Babs, I suggest you NOT tell that to Nikki.

Later on the wing, Yvonne’s hunting for communion wine for the Julies’ goodbye party. Barbara says she can find something “a bit stronger.”

Visiting Room.

Julie S: “So you’re old mum’s getting out tomorrow.”

David: “At last.”

She gives David his father’s letter and says that he wants to give it another shot. “We’re gonna be a family again. You, me, and Trevor.”

Garden. Nikki comes out of the potting shed to find Caroline nearby with a sketch pad.

Nikki: “What you doing here?”
Caroline: “Art class.”

Nikki (sits down): “I didn't know you had a talent.”

Caroline: (suggestively) “Didn't you? We're doing a project called Inside/Outside so I thought I'd do your shed. Sort of like an inside space outside, but still inside, if you know what I mean. So I'll need to do the inside as well, won't I? (pause) If you'll let me.”

Nikki gives her a cute little smile. “Come on.”

They slip off into the ~~love shack~~ potting shed, but they don’t go unnoticed.

Too bad Helen, you had your chance! Enjoy the conference with that wanker, Dr Waugh.

Visiting Room. Julie S is still on about Trevor. And how David will finally have 2 parents who love and look after him.

David: “But I’ve always had 2 parents. Auntie Julie’s been like a second mum.”

Julie: “And she still will be.”

David: “But we won’t be living together will we? Like we always said we would.”

Ha, I’m not sure how a prossie in prison raised a teenage boy with feminist, faux-lesbian sensibilities, but Julie S obviously did something right!

Mealtime. Nikki and Caroline are ~~enjoying a~~ ~~nice~~ ~~quiet,~~ ~~romantic~~ eating when the PBJ gang comes by. Al mutterss about the hot tea she’s carrying, Nikki mumbles to “piss off.”

Maxi (sits at table across): “It’s alright, girls - we can take that. Especially from a star like Nikki Wade. She did kill a pig after all. Gotta give her respect for that, don’t we? What about you, Caroline? What you in for? Got blood on your hands?”

Nikki: “Ignore her.”

Maxi: “No, no, don’t be shy. It must be something real cool if Nikki here’s giving you the time of day.”

Caroline: “I’m in for embezzlement.”

Maxi: “Embezzlement. So like, deception...”

Caroline: “Conned a few people, yeah.”

Maxi: “Yeah, I can believe that.”

Nikki’s had enough though and they leave. Al asks what Maxi’s playing at, but she’s not ready to share just yet.

Nighttime. Nikki and Caroline are alone in the library (obviously brushing up on the classics).

Nikki: “Here’s the book I was telling you about.”

Caroline (distracted): “Oh, right.”

Nikki asks if she’s okay, but Caroline’s worried about Maxi.

Nikki: “Don’t let her get to you, it’s exactly what she wants.”

Caroline: “I know.”

Nikki: “She’s a creep. They all are. Don’t let them wind you up.”

Caroline: “I feel safe when I’m with you.”

Nikki: “You’re the one that got that knife off them.”

Caroline (leans forward): “I only did it to get your attention.”

Nikki smiles and puts her book down. Then leans in.

True to form, Nikki goes right for second base, moving her hand to the top of Caroline’s shirt as...

…the door opens.

Helen: “Nikki, can I have a word please?”

Julies cell. Julie J’s still on about their plans post-Larkhall. Julie S finally tries to tell her about Trevor but gets interrupted.

Yvonne: “Bloody hell, I heard there was a party in here!”

Cue Crystal walking in with a cake. And Babs with a bottle of scotch filched from Fenner’s drawer.

Back in the Library.

Helen: “What is going on?”
Nikki: “I’d have thought that was blindingly obvious.”

(ha!)

Helen: “Nikki, you should be concentrating on your appeal, not fooling around like this. It could get you into serious trouble.”

Nikki: “And fooling around with you wouldn't?”

Helen: “I'll pretend I didn't hear that.”

Of course you will, Helen! Just block it all out….

Nikki: “Sorry if I'm being a bit thick here, Miss, but I thought you said you didn't want anything more to do with me?”
Helen: “I'm still in charge of your welfare, whether I like it or not.”

Nikki: “We wouldn't be a teeny bit jealous would we, by any chance?”
Helen: “Is that why you're doing this?”
Nikki: “Oh yeah, a quick snog in an empty library, just the way to flaunt it. If anything's going on, it's you stalking me.”

Helen: “Don't be ridiculous!”

Nikki: “Look, you've made it clear that you don't give a shit about me. Fine. So how I feel has nothing to do with you anymore. Now can I go please?”

No answer from Helen.

Nikki: “I’ll take that as a ‘yes.’ She gets up and walks to the door.

Helen spins around. “Nikki!”

Nikki stands at the door for a long moment. Finally, she turns around. And waits.

Nikki: “Well?”

Helen: “Be careful.”

Nikki: “What?”

Helen: “You heard.”

Nikki walks out, undoubtedly as confused as the rest of us.

Back on the wing, an anxious Caroline asks what happened.

Nikki: “Oh, you know what they’re like. They know it goes on but they don’t like you advertising it….your court case, blah blah blah.”

(btw, that’s Nikki saying “blah blah blah,” and not me…)

Caroline: “So am I in trouble?”

Nikki: “No, no it’s me that gets my fingers rapped for leading you astray. If only they knew….”

If only…

Anyway, Nikki’s fingers have been rapped enough for one day and she invites Caroline to the party.

And AGAIN they get peeped by Maxi.

In the Julies’ cell, it’s scotch all around.

They’re all laughing and drinking when Nikki and Caroline walk in.

Nikki: “Someone’s having a good time!”

And someone else looks like the cat that just snogged the canary.

Yvonne: “Where you been?”

Nikki: “I just had to pop down to the library with Caroline.”

The women start to laugh and tease them. “Oh the library. Read any good books?”

(haa!)

Downstairs, the PBJ gang hears the laughter and think Team Wade is laughing at them. Al jabbers….something and Tina says…something else.

Maxi finally pulls out the piece of paper. “Go on and have a read of that.”

Al’s eyes grow wide. “Jeezuss chrrrrrist.”

Maxi looks up at the Julies’ cell. “The longer we leave her, the deeper she digs herself in.”

Back in the Julies cell, the women are still laughing and carrying on...

Which means that a screw will be coming along soon to break it up. Right on cue, Josh walks in.

The women ask for a little longer but they’ve already had more time and Josh hustles them out.

Before Nikki leaves, Julie J stops her. “Are you and Caroline….?”

Nikki (smiles): “We’ll see…”

Julie J: “She’s a lovely girl…”

The Julies gush while Nikki blushes, “thanks, Julies.” It’s really quite sweet.

Some hallway. Helen has suddenly realized that the wing is overcrowded so they’re transferring some prisoners out. She reads the names off to Sylvia – the last name is “Caroline Lewis.”

Wow. Nikki’s gonna be pissed. I predict holy hell unleashed on Helen’s head (but why doesn't Helen take advantage of the "overcrowding" to get rid of Maxi and Al?)

The Julies are getting ready for bed and Julie S finally ‘fesses up about Trevor. She says its early days still but they might be getting back together.

Julie J: “But what about all our plans? Cottage in the country, no men…?

Julie S: “I know. I’m so sorry.”

Next morning….

Julie S tries to make up – “might not even work out with me and Trevor,”

but Julie J isn’t interested.

Julie J: “You planned all this, behind my back!”

Julie S: “We could still make it work.”

Julie J: “No we can’t! You’ve ruined everything!”

Breakfast. Nikki sits down next to Caroline who says she’s being shipped out.

Nikki: “What?”

Caroline: “Something to do with overcrowding. Miss Stewart’s orders.”

And...cut to Miss Stewart’s office.

Nikki: “You just can't bear to see me happy, can you?”

Helen: “You are waay off.”
Nikki: “Why can't you just admit you're jealous?”

Helen: “I don't have to explain myself.”
Nikki: “Because you haven't got the balls, that's why! You're like a big kid - you don't want the toy and you don't want anyone else to have it either. Is this how it's going to be? Every time I meet someone I like they get moved out?”

Helen: “I won't be responsible for that when your Wing Governor gets back.”
Nikki: “Betts wouldn't have done this.”

Helen: “Look Nikki, I've got no more to say on the matter!”

Nikki: “And that's what you always do Helen, isn't it? You play the power game on me. Have you ever considered therapy? Christ knows you need it!”

Yes, she does always play the power game, Nikki. And yes, she should consider therapy. Oh, if only she knew a shrink!

Nikki walks out. With a long sigh, Helen leans back in her chair.

Reception. The Julies are being processed out, and even Sylvia and Gina can feel the chill in the air.

Sylvia: “What’s the matter with you two? Had a falling out or what? Anyone would think you were going to prison, not leaving it.”

Hallway. Dr. Waugh catches up with Helen to see if she’s ready for the conference.

Dr. Waugh: “I thought we might stop for a bite to eat along the way. There’s a pub I know by the river.”

Helen: “Sounds perfect.”

Back on the wing, Josh tells Caroline to finish packing – transport’s waiting. Maxi overhears and runs off to find Nikki.

Maxi: “So it's goodbye to your girlfriend then, Wade. That's a shame, innit?”
Nikki (angry): “You know, you really are getting on my tits!”
Maxi: “Be more of a shame when everyone knows she's a nonce!”

That does it. Nikki grabs Maxi and shoves her against the railing. “I’ve had enough of you, Purvis!”

Maxi: “Turn you on screwing a child molester? Cause that's what she is, int she?”
Nikki: “What?”

Maxi: “Didn't you know? (tells the other inmates) Big Queen Nikki here's been shagging a nonce!”

She says Caroline and her bloke took pics of kids having sex and sold them online. The embezzlement charge is just a cover to protect her.

Nikki: “You little shit!”
Maxi: (holds out the paper): “It's all in the file.”

As Nikki reads the file, Tina starts chanting: “Nonce, nonce, kill the nonce! Nonce, nonce, kill the nonce!” The other inmates join in….

….just as Caroline comes out of her cell.

The inmates rush Caroline but Josh shoves her back in the cell, slams the door, and leans on the bell.

“NONCE, NONCE, KILL THE NONCE!” the inmates pound on Caroline's cell.

Nikki stands there in total shock.

They really couldn’t have made this any worse, could they? I mean, if Caroline was a serial killer who hacked up her victims and ate their faces off with curry, it STILL would be better than being a nonce.

To add insult to considerable injury, Nikki turns and sees Helen. And realizes she’d been trying to protect her all along.

Oops, I almost forgot: the Julies finally get released from Larkhall. And get re-arrested less than 2 minutes later for some shady shit they did back in the day.

Monkey on My Back 6

2011-04-17T14:28:00.005-05:00

Wow, so 3 years, huh? That was a longer break than I expected!

Ok, so here’s the thing.... I’ve been revisiting Bad Girls again after 3 yrs. I hadn't watched it or even thought much about it since my last recap here. I don't know, I just got busy. You know, life and all…

And I'm driven back to Bad Girls again because of my past, but in a different way this time. For one thing, it’s not the obsession it was when I first found the show. But it still strikes some really deep chords and I guess it always will. And of course, I'm still all mush when it comes to Helen and Nikki J

But recent revelations about my own Larkhall – the place where I was banged up as a teenager – bring me back to Bad Girls and this blog. I'd hasten to add that it’s been many years since I’ve been anywhere resembling a lockup, lest anyone think me a total nutter or criminal.

So I stumbled across my old Larkhall a few months ago in the news. A guy escaped from there and killed a guard and stabbed a nurse in the process. He got caught and is awaiting trial, but it was the first I’d heard about the place in over 20 years.

One of the articles linked to a Google satellite map. And as soon as I clicked and saw that place again, it was like….BAM. I can’t even describe the feeling. I was totally transfixed for the rest of the night. Obsessively zooming in on the property and buildings, checking it out from different angles. I had to remember to keep breathing.

And since (apparently) I’m a masochist, I was then compelled to look up Larkhall #2, where I landed when I was 19. There were about 30 other kids with me at what was basically a really harsh work farm. I recently learned that former residents had organized to expose the abuses there (they even testified before Congress!) As bad as that place was when I was there (and it was pretty fucking bad), it had gotten worse in subsequent years.

So with all of that, I find myself returning, perhaps not surprisingly, back to Bad Girls and this blog. I’ve always wanted to finish these recaps – at least Series 1 and the last Series 3 epis – and hope to do so in the upcoming months.

I don’t know if there are many Bad Girls fans still out there – it hasn’t aired in the US for a few years. And since HBO optioned the show for an American version (blimey!), a lot of online BG stuff has disappeared. Much of the content on youtube is gone and a lot of fan sites seem to have gone down as well (save for the fanfic sites).

Luckily, there are still some sites around; most notably, the Bad Girls Annex (tho you probably know that if you found your way here). I can’t begin to say enough about this incredible site, they have it all: recaps, analyses, a timeline of events; even a walking tour of Larkhall:

www.badgirlsannex.com

The Nikki and Helen message board still has the most intelligent, in-depth, and lively debate about the show. Everything you ever wanted to know about Bad Girls but were afraid to ask - there's lot of good stuff here, carefully parsed and dissected:

http://z4.invisionfree.com/Nikki_and_Helen

It's been awhile since those crazy, hazy days when I first discovered Bad Girls and tumbled headlong into the obsession. Late nights, feverishly typing recaps, and wired on too much coffee. Rummaging through the wreckage of my past and exorcising some demons along the way. Three years later and this blog remains a labor of love....one that I still hope to finish. Cheers.

Tangled Web, S1.5

2011-04-15T16:35:00.219-05:00

As Helen drives to work, news of Rachel Hicks's suicide is on the radio: "An inmate from Larkhall prison hung herself this morning..."

Helen (gramatically irate): "Hanged, the word is hanged!"

...while back at Larkhall, Dominick gathers Rachel's things.

In the Screws lounge afterwards, Dom tells Fenner, “at half past 3, I wake up this morning. I’m just…. I just can’t believe Rachel could..."

Fenner (interrupts): "yeah, well it’s getting to us all, Dominick."

Helen stops in to say she's meeting with Simon. When she leaves, Fenner says, “funny isn’t it? The guiltier they feel, the bossier they get."

Dom: "I don’t see what she’s got to feel guilty about."

Fenner: "Really? Rachel told me she was desperate because her mum put her kid into care. So what does Stewart do? Puts her on G-1 dorm with a bunch of nutters as punishment."

Dom says Helen could’ve put Rachel down the block for wrecking her cell.

Fenner: "Well she ended up putting her in a coffin."

Dom (angry): "Jim!"

On G3, Fenner lets himself into Shell’s cell.

Shell: "I don’t know if I can manage it this early!"

But Jim’s not there for that (well not now, anyway). He asks if Shell was doing like he said and keeping out of Rachel’s way.

Shell: “Honest, I was! Ask Denny, she’ll tell you. I was trying to be friends with Rachel!”

Fenner: "Look, the Number One’s on the warpath. There’s gonna be a lot of questions. You’re gonna be in deep trouble."

Shell: "Yeah? Well if I’m in deep trouble, I don’t reckon I’ll be the only one, Mr Fenner!"

Fenner tells her to keep her head down and stick to the story.

Simon’s office. Where he's invited Fenner along. Simon asks if they know why Rachel killed herself but before Helen can answer, Fenner jumps in.

Fenner: “The day she died, the mother told her she was gonna put the daughter, Maddie, into care. I told Helen that was probably why she smashed up her cell."

Simon asks if Rachel was on suicide watch.

Helen: "No, I didn't consider her to be a suicide risk.”

Simon (patronizingly): "I take it you're not a mother."

Fenner smirks.

Helen: "Whether I'm a mother or not is irrelevant. Look, I know that she had bad news that day, very bad news. But there’s something else at the root of this, something that she wouldn’t tell me about."

Simon's all, "so you put her back on Basic?" Helen says she could've sent her down the block.

And echoing Jim, Simple Simon says, “So instead you sent her back to a dorm on G-1 where she killed herself.”

Damn, talk about ambushed by the old boys network...

Breakfast. Denny goes to see Shell.

Shell (cheery): "What d'ya want this morning, Denny my darling?"
Denny (worried): "Your drawing made her do it! She thought you wanted to cut her head off!"

Now why would Rachel think that?? Oh right, cuz Shell drew a pic of Rachel with her head cut off!

Shell: "You got rid of it, dint ya?"
Denny: "Yes."

Well then, they've nothing to worry about! Except the extra 10 yrs Denny says they can get.

Shell: "Look, no one’s got anything on us, ok? (no answer) Ok?? Rachel Hicks was a little whore..."

Here comes Nikki...

Shell: "Pity Rachel didn’t listen to you, Nikki. Don’t go thinking the screws are gonna look out for ya!"

"Still, look on the bright side – at least there’s an extra ‘elping today!”

Nikki: "You sick bitch!"

She leaps across the servery in a single bound and takes Dockley DOWN.

The inmates cheer and holler while the screws call for help. The two Julies

hold Denny back while Nikki just wails on that ass…

Until the screws break it up. And drag Nikki down the block. Again. Wah!!

Back in Simon's office.

Simple Simon: “This girl is the first suicide I've had in Larkhall in over 2 years. And how long have you been here?”

Fenner interrupts to say how much he helped Rachel. Got her a job in the office, on and on until Helen reminds him that she authorized that.

Fenner: “Well, that's hardly the point, is it Helen? I mean, a young girl has died in our care.”
Simon (looks pointedly at Helen): “Quite.”

Wow, this is going incredibly shitty for Helen.....

...who excuses herself to go meet Mrs Hicks. Simon suggests she bring Jim along but Helen would rather not.

Simon asks Fenner to leave and then asks Helen if she has a problem with him.

Helen: “I'm sorry?"
Simple Simon (repeats): "Do you have a problem with Jim Fenner?"

Helen: "No."
Simon: “Blah blah blah you can't afford to alienate staff....experienced officers like Jim Fenner. We've just had a suicide, blah blah blah, lapse of judgment, bloviate bloviate...you need all the friends you can get amongst your colleagues."

Well, if anyone knows about alienating staff, Simon... You useless sack of bloody, blimey shit.

Down the block, I think Nikki speaks for us all:

Hallway. The women are being escorted....somewhere.

The Julies lament the tragedy of Rachel Hicks. Zandra laments the tragedy of no drugs. After waking up next to Rachel’s body, her nerves are shot.

Zandra: “The doctor’s going to have to give me something!”

Down the block. Shell stops at Nikki’s cell. “You shouldn’t be getting nothin’ after what you did to me!”

Then it’s Dom’s turn: “You’re in it now, Nikki.”

Nikki: “So what, it’s just another bang up. Throw away the key if you want.”

Dom: “Nikki…”

Nikki: “I’m fine, I’m bloody marvelous being locked up in here 24 hours a day.”

“I won’t swing, if that’s what you’re worried about. Two in two days – that’d give them something to think about.”

Helen’s office. She’s all a-seethe still about the meeting when Lorna tells her that Nikki’s down the block. “Nearly killed Shell Dockley.”

Helen: “Oh great, that’s all I need.”

The Dorm. A very unhappy Zandra comes back from Medical. “Shitface doctor wouldn't give me a sodding thing!”

Crystal: “Mind your language!”

(oh fuck you, Crystal!)

Zandra: “Got any smack, Denny?”
Denny: “No.”

She begs Denny for something but Denny’s all, “tough shit.”

Crystal: “Lord, now I know how Daniel felt stuck in the den with these 2 scumbags!”

Well, Daniel was thrown in the lion’s den for worshipping God over king. And you were thrown into Larkhall for thieving, Crystal. So actually, not like Daniel at all!

Zandra lies on her bed, howling and shrieking (probably as much from Crystal as from the withdrawal).

Helen’s office. She and Fenner wait for Mrs. Hicks.

Fenner: “If I were you, I wouldn’t apologize too much.”

Helen: “Jim…”

Fenner: “I’m only trying to give you the benefit of…”

Helen (annoyed): “…of your vast experience, yes I know, I can do without it thanks.”

Ha! Helen’s delivery here is priceless.

Back on the wing, a jonesing Zan complains to Dom that the doctor won’t give her anything.

Zandra: “What would he do if he woke up to find a dead girl swinging from the window with her tongue licking her knees? Sir, will you go and tell him that I've got to have benzos, please sir?”

"Her tongue licking her knees?!” Ha, I’ve never heard that before! I’ve heard “sucking your ankles,” to describe someone really, really high (as in, “Zan was so wrecked from that dope, she was sucking her ankles in the dorm“).

Zandra says she’s keeping quiet so that he and Lorna don’t get in trouble, but the doctor had better give her something!

Helen’s office. Her meeting with Rachel’s mum goes about as well as her meeting with Simon.

Mrs Hicks: “Smashed her cell up? That’s not like my Rachel. She never had a temper till she got in here.”

And a few minutes later: “…I thought you people were supposed to be professionals. You must’ve seen she was suffering.”

And so on...

Back on the wing.

Sylvia: “If Nikki Wade’s not transferred out of here, I want to know the reason why.”

Lorna: “If you ask me, the Gov thinks she can bring her to heel.”

Heh.

Sylvia: “The Gov does too much thinking. It’s about time she got her hands dirty and did a decent day’s work like the rest of us.”

Screws Lounge. Dom tells Lorna about Zandra’s blackmail. He wants to tell Helen about Zan’s escape before she does.

Dominick: “Listen, Zandra’s a junkie. She’s out of control. Sooner or later she’s gonna tell someone she did a runner. We’ve got to get in there first.”

But Lorna’s not having any of that. It’s Zan’s word against theirs: “Miss Plackett is acting up, she needs slapping down. Leave it to me.”

Really, Lorna?? Oh, THIS should be fun!!

G-Wing. As Helen and Fenner escort her out, Mrs Hicks remembers the package Rachel wanted.

Mrs Hicks: “I didn’t want to do it, I felt sure it was drugs. But Rachel kept telling me no, that it was jewelry for some girl on the wing. Michelle, I think was her name.”

She gives Helen the paper with the address and the name.

Fenner immediately turns to leave and Helen immediately stops him. “Just a minute, Jim. Can you see Mrs. Hicks out please?”

Fenner: “But I was gonna talk to Dockley right away.”

Helen: “I’ll see Michelle myself, thank you.”

The word “gobsmacked” comes to mind.

The Dorm. Where Lorna Rose sees to that slapping down.

Lorna: “I’m hearing things I don’t like about you, doll. From Mr McAllister.”

Zandra: “I only asked him a favor. Cuz I done you two a favor, didn’t I?”

Well, Mr McAllister won’t be doing her any favors and neither will Lorna.

Lorna: “Listen lovey, I’m not scared of you.”

Zandra: “Then what you doing here then?

Lorna: “To warn you. No more threats and no more blackmail. Remember, it’s your neck on the block if the Gov hears you tried to escape.”

Zandra: “And what will happen to you?”

Lorna: “Well, nothing of course!”

Haaa!!

Zandra (incredulous): “For letting a prisoner escape?! Well give me the keys, I’ll let myself out!”

Lorna gets all flustered and tells Zandra to keep it shut. But Zan says she’ll go to Miss Stewart, if she has to. She doesn’t care if she gets banged up – not one bit! And then she starts to cry.

The Servery. Helen confronts Shell.

Helen: “Steve Kennedy, #2 Bourne Grove, I thought you might know him.”

Shell: "Don’t never help to remember things by rushing. Steve….lots of blokes called Steve.”

Alas, Shell doesn’t know a thing. Helen asks why Rachel would want a package from Steve. Shell’s all, “how would I know?”

Helen persists and eventually Shell says Rachel made her give up a dealer’s name.

Shell: “I tried to put her off but would she listen? You and me both know what people are like when they’re desperate to score!”

The look on Helen’s face says it all but Shell just keeps on.

Shell: “Oh Christ, did she kill herself because she couldn’t get them drugs?”

Helen: “We don’t know why Rachel killed herself.”

Shell: “You’re not just saying that to make me feel better??"

Ha!! I seriously, seriously love this scene…

The Dorm. Zandra’s still crying and Lorna’s still trying to dig herself out. She tells Zan she's her friend. Then: “There’s a pool competition later on – that’ll cheer you up, won’t it?”

…and she gets out of there quick as she can. Back on the wing, she gives Dom a big thumbs-up.

Servery. Shell’s still on about Rachel, wishing there was something she could do.

Shell: “Wait a minute, there’s gonna be a memorial service for her, innit there? Only, I thought I could sing at the service. Oh please, Miss. I’d love to do just one last thing for her!”

Wow….Shell’s psychopathy knows NO bounds.

Screws Lounge. Fenner watches Helen & Shell from across the atrium while Dom vents about the job.

Dominick “Why do we keep doing it? This, the prison service. Is it really worth all the hassle?”

Fenner: “What else you gonna do?”

Dom rattles off a bunch of other jobs and says “anything’s better than locking up women for a living.”

Fenner's response? “You need a good night’s sleep, son.”

Which is a perfectly sensible response from Fenner. Of COURSE he can’t imagine doing anything else - locking up women is his dream job!

Dominick: “No, I need to get out of this place. I’m gonna quit.”

Down the block, Fenner comes to get Nikki.

Fenner: “Out.”

Nikki: “Why?”

Fenner: “Cause the lady boss wants to see you, that’s why.”

Nikki: “Well you can tell her to sod off.”

Fenner walks over and gets in Nikki’s face. “Up. Now.” And shoves her clothes at her.

Nikki stands up. “You must be missing Rachel more than any of us, Mr. Fenner.”

Fenner: “One more quip out of you, Wade, I’ll….”

Nikki: “Sorry….did I say the wrong thing?”

Fenner stomps away.

Screws Lounge. Where Helen's casually perusing the file of one Miss Nicola Wade. Dom wants to speak with her, but Helen asks if it can wait.

Dom: “Ah, yeah, sure, if you’re busy.”

Helen (relents): “What’s the problem?” ~~But make it quick, I have to meet Nikki!~~

As Dominick starts explaining, Fenner walks in.

Fenner: “She’s waiting outside your office. If you ask me, we’ve had enough of Wade’s antics. Let’s ship her out and have done with her.”

Helen: “You wanna off load the problem somewhere else, you mean?”

Fenner: “We’ve done all we can with her. She’s a pain in the arse!”

Helen: “Well, she’s not the only one, is she?”

She surely the fuck is not, Helen…

And with that, Helen leaves for her date....I mean, her meeting, with Nikki.

Fenner (shuts the door): “If she’s not careful, she’s gonna end us up in deep shite.”

Dom: “Oh come on, Jim, Helen’s doing a good job.”

So Jim gives Dom the benefit of his vast experience, neatly articulating the Fenner philosophy:

“When you’ve been in the job as long as I have, you know that she’s got too many good ideas. Keep them calm, keep them quiet. That way, everything runs smoothly. Start changing things around and it all goes up the spout.”

Helen’s Office. Nikki is escorted in.

Nikki: “Suicide, now? That what you call changing things for the better, Miss?”

Helen: “Sit down and listen.”

Nikki just crosses her arms and sighs.

Helen (raised voice): “I said, sit down!”

And….Nikki sits.

Helen: “I’m not having this, Nikki. You’re not going to undermine the good order of this wing.”

Nikki: “So transfer me, put me on report, I don't give a shit.”

Helen (angry and exasperated): “Oh, when are you going to grow up and stop all this macho crap?” (pause) Why did you attack Michelle Dockley?”

Nikki: “I dunno, touch of PMT.” And she stands up to leave.

Helen hollers, “SIT IN THAT CHAIR!!”

Nikki sits back down: “Don't you wish it was electric?”

Servery. Fenner pulls Shell aside and she tells him what happened with Helen. And then:

Shell: “I’ve offered to sing at the memorial service. You know, as a friendly gesture. (seductively), Maybe you can find me somewhere quiet to rehearse. You’ll be doing us both a favor.”

Wow, that kind of fucked up is even too fucked up for Fenner! He walks away shaking his head while Shell laughs maniacally (heh).

Back in Helen’s office….

Helen: “The only option you leave me is to get you transferred.”
Nikki: “Send me where you like.”
Helen: “Is that what you want? To be moved away from Trisha?”

Nikki: “I don't give a toss about Trisha. (Pauses for some of that macho crap), She was getting on my nerves so I chucked her.”

Helen: “Was it…was it a long term thing?”

Nikki (quietly): “Nine years.”

Helen: “Nine…. that's a long time.”

Nikki: “Spare me your sympathy, will you? You probably don't think it's for real because we're dykes.”

Helen: “Oh why don't you just…why don’t you just shut up?!”

Screws Lounge. Fenner tells Lorna that Dominick wants to quit.

Lorna: “You are joking.”

Dom: “No. So you can relax. No more nagging you about telling Helen.”

But Lorna promises they’ll have no more trouble with Zandra. She talked to her and everything’s gonna be just fine!

And back to Helen’s office….

Helen (walking around her desk): “Isn't this how it usually goes? You break the rules, you’re thrown into segregation, and you come out more bitter and twisted than when you went in.”

Helen: “And then it just happens all over again.”

Nikki: “Yeah, that's about right. So, hurry up and get on with it, how many days do I get this time?”

Helen: “Oh, you love playing the martyr, don't you Nikki? I'm not sending you to the block, I'm giving you a warning.”

Nikki: “A warning?”

Helen: “I'm sticking my neck out here Nikki, I don't know why, but I am.”

(really, Helen? No clue at all??)

Nikki (surprised): “Can I go now?”
Helen: “Yes.”

As Nikki leaves, there’s a satisfied smile on Helen’s face.

G-wing. Shell and Denny are choosing a song for Rachel’s memorial when Fenner escorts Nikki back.

Nikki: “Surprised to see me, Dockley?”

“Surpised” would be one way to describe it. “Flipped the fuck out” would be another.

Shell (screams at Fenner): “Sir, what’s going on? She assaulted me! I could press charges! How come she’s back on the wing?!”

Fenner: “She just is, alright?”

Solid explanation, Jim!

Meeting in the Screws Lounge.

Helen: “Okay, we’ve got a lot to get through. Right, the investigation into Rachel….”

Fenner: “Before we go on, Helen, I’d like to raise the matter of Nikki Wade. She assaulted a fellow prisoner, now she’s back on the wing. Why?”

Helen: “Because I said so.”

(hee!)

Fenner: “Well excuse me, but we’re professionals trying to do a professional day’s work. We can’t do that if the good order of the wing is gonna be disrupted by troublemakers like Wade.”

Helen: “I made a deal with Nikki.”

Fenner: “ Oh what, so we’re negotiating with them now, are we?”

Grrr….not “we,” Fenner – Helen. Only Helen’s negotiating and she’s only negotiating with Nikki. So sod off!!

Helen: “Look Jim, you said yourself – Nikki Wade’s one of the most difficult prisoners you’ve had to deal with. I’m trying a different tack. Treating her like a human being and trusting her.”

Treating her like a human being?!” Why, Jim and Sylvia think that's crazy talk. But Dom thinks they should try it: “Maybe it'll work. Let's face it, nothing else has.”

Helen: “The whole wing has been tense since Rachel's death. Shell's joke was tasteless. And I've since discovered that Nikki's partner has just ended their 9-year relationship.”

Fenner: “Oh, I've heard it all now. Sod the rules because some lesbian's just dumped her girlfriend!”

After the meeting, Helen thanks Dom for his support but he hands her his resignation.

The Dorm. Helen asks if they know anything about Rachel, but Denny plays dumb and Zan’s too high to talk (she’ll be sucking her ankles in a mo’).

Helen: “Rachel Hicks killed herself in this room! Now, was there anything in her behavior that made you think that she might commit suicide? Did she say anything?”

Finally Crystal says Rachel was scared of Denny.

Denny: “She wasn’t!”

Crystal: “You kicked her! I saw you!”
Denny: “She stole my fags.”
Helen: “And you kicked her?”

Denny (yells): “She stole my fags!”
Helen (yells louder): “Did you kick Rachel??!”

Denny: “Alls I did was give her one little kick!”

‘K….bye Denny! The screws haul her down the block.

Helen thanks Crystal, who says, “she deserves all she gets. She’s a sinner, like most of you in here.”

Oh for fuck’s sake, Crystal…. talk about the felonious pot calling the felonious kettle...felonious.

On the wing. En route to the chapel (and in earshot of Lorna), Zandra asks if a screw would get in trouble for letting someone escape.

Zandra: “Must be pretty serious, letting someone escape.”

Fenner: “Yes it is, it’s bloody serious. So don’t go getting any ideas, ok?”

Chapel, Memorial Service. The….pastor? Minister? Priest? starts by saying it’s a tribute to Rachel that so many of her friends came to the service. And how people turned to Rachel when they were in trouble.

What the fuck? Who is this guy eulogizing?? Rachel didn’t have any “friends.” Nikki was the only one who ever spoke to her, other than Shell and Denny. And they didn’t really “speak” to her so much as “torment” her.

Zandra swaps a phone card for some jellies and gets clocked by Lorna, and Shell sings her “tribute” to Rachel.

Then Helen addresses the room, promising "that no stone will be left unturned" in their effort to find the reason for Rachel's suicide.

Afterwards, Lorna tells Zandra, “I was just thinking in there how ill you looked. Maybe I’ll have a word with the doctor, see if he’s got an appointment he can give you.”

Zandra: “Really miss, I’d be ever so grateful.”

Lorna: “Part of my job is to look after the health of the prisoner. That’s all I’m doing.”

Down the block. Fenner goes to bring Denny to her adjudication.

Fenner: “You know why Rachel topped herself, don’t you?”

Denny: “Yeah. So do you.”

Fenner says it was because her mum put her kid into care. Denny sniggers.

Fenner: “You saw how upset she was. She was calling Maddie’s name all night, wasn’t she? Wasn’t she?”

Denny: “Am I gonna get out of it?”

Fenner: “Just stick to the story and you’ll be alright.”

Adjudication.

Helen: “Daniella, you’re charged with a very serious offense here. You’re not doing yourself any favors.”

Denny: “I only gave her a kick. That’s not bullying, that’s just a kick. A small kick.”

Helen says Rachel was in hospital with internal bruising, maybe from a kick. Does Denny know anything about that?

Denny starts to yell but Fenner clears his throat really loudly and glares at Denny.

Denny: “It weren’t me made Rachel top herself. It was her mum, giving her little girl away…”

Fenner (interrupts): “I think we all know why Rachel committed suicide, Denny, but you shouldn’t have done what you did, so why don’t you just apologize to the governor for kicking Rachel.”

Denny: “I’m sorry.”

Their little exchange makes Helen suspicious.

Helen: “You’ve got a long record of violence and bullying, Denny.”

She warns Denny that she'll be transferred if she bullies anyone else. Then sentences her to 7 days down the block.

Denny yells that it’s not fair and it wasn't her fault. “Mr. Fenner, you said….”

Fenner (to the screws): “Take her away!”

Denny utters that now-familiar-refrain: “You bastard, Fenner!” as she’s dragged back to the block.

Fenner: “You’ve certainly got your favorites, haven’t you?"

Helen: “I’m sorry?”

Fenner: “Well, Nikki Wade half kills a prisoner and she gets a slap on the wrist. Denny gets put down the block for a week for kicking someone.”

Helen: “Daniella Blood is a bully, Jim. I’m surprised a man of your experience doesn’t know the difference.”

Oh snap. Suck THAT, Fenner.

The next day, Denny’s brought back to see Helen and promptly says, “it’s Mr. Fenner.”

Helen: “Mr. Fenner, what about him?”
Denny: “She was shagging him. (sees the skeptical look on Helen’s face) You know, having it off with her - Rachel.”

Helen doesn’t believe her.

Denny insists that Rachel told Shell. "But it ain’t Shell’s fault! It’s Mr. Fenner’s. He’s the one that was doing it to Rachel. He should get the blame.”

Helen wants to know if Shell will confirm her story. Of course she won't! But Denny asks to get off the block anyway.

Helen: “You’re lucky I’m not giving you another week, making false accusations against my staff!”

The Garden. Helen goes looking for Nikki.

Nikki: “Hi.”

Helen: “Hi. How’re you feeling?”

Nikki: “So so.”

Helen: “Nikki, can I speak to you in strict confidence about something?”

Nikki: “Sure.”

Helen: “It’s about Mr. Fenner. You once said that he had a fan club. Can you elaborate?”

Nikki: “What do you mean?”

Helen: “Well, what form this fan club took, for instance? Seemed an unusual thing to say.”

Nikki: “Are you asking me to be a grass?”

Helen: “Nikki, a young girl has ~~hung~~ hanged herself. Now I promised Rachel’s family I’d investigate her death. I did expect a bit more cooperation from her friends.”

She starts to walk away.

Nikki: “I can’t prove anything. And I’m not naming any other names but I did warn Rachel off Fenner. I thought he was taking advantage.”

Helen’s office.

Fenner: “Well it’s a piece of shit.”

Helen: “That’s what I thought. At first. Denny said that Rachel told Shell. And now another prisoner’s told me that she thought you took advantage of Rachel.”

Fenner: “Oh let me guess – Nikki Wade, by any chance? (laughs) Another man-hating lesbian.”

Helen: “Something’s beginning to smell, Jim.”

Jim leans forward. “Look, mum. If you think for one minute I took advantage of that poor girl, there’s not a shred of truth in it! And you repeat one word of it, I’ll have you.”

Helen: “Don’t threaten me, Jim. It makes you sound guilty.”

G-wing. Lorna escorts a very wasted Zandra back from Medical.

Lorna: “Well? How’d you get on?”

Zandra: “Got my jellies.”

Lorna: “Good. That’s you and me quits then. No more favors, got it?”

Zandra: “Yes, Miss…”

She staggers away. “…until next time.”

Simon’s office. Helen says she’s making headway with Rachel's investigation.

Helen: “In the strictest confidence……”

But Simon interrupts to say that Fenner already spoke with him. And said Helen accused him of having had a sexual relationship with Rachel Hicks.

Helen (surprised): “He told you?”

Simon: “Yes, he did.”

Helen thinks there’s something to it.

Simple Simon: “Last week, you said you didn’t have a problem with Jim Fenner. Now you’re accusing him of the worst breach of professional conduct. You’ve got no evidence against him, except the say so of a couple of very difficult prisoners, isn’t that the case?”

Helen: “Yes, I suppose, but I felt they were telling me the truth.”

Simon: “Did you? Well that tells me a lot about your judgment, Helen. That you’ve got none.”

Helen: “Well what was I supposed to do? Just ignore these accusations? I have a duty of care to these women!”

Simon: “Helen, you’re really disturbing me! ~~Duty of care? Don’t be absurd!~~ If you can’t see how wrong you are about this then I think you should go home and seriously ask yourself whether you should be doing this job.”

Another kick in the teeth for Helen, courtesy of the old boys network.

The Dorm.

Zandra: “Poor Denny – it must be hellish for her being down there.”

Crystal: “You wanna feel sorry for someone, you feel sorry for Rachel’s little baby. Stuck in some home for orphans….”

Zandra: “Yeah well, there’ll be a bed for her in here in 15 yrs, won’t there?”

Yeah, there will be, Zan. And you’ll likely be her cellmate if you don’t kick the H.

Screws Lounge. Helen storms in to find Fenner waiting for her.

Helen: “So you went to see your buddy Simon after all.”

Fenner: “I’m not having you slagging me. I could teach you how to run this place. Cuz believe me, love, if I had been running it, Rachel Hicks would still be alive.”

He walks out and leaves Helen seething.

Night calls.

Denny: “Love you, Shell! Miss ya!”

Shell: “Love ya, Den!”

Denny: “Sing us a song someone!”
Julies: “Do you wanna hear the latest number from the two Julies?”

Shell: “I’m gonna get that grassing cow. Oi, Crystal – you listening to me?”

Crystal: “You’re gonna fry in Satan’s fire, Shell! Burn burn burn!”