Wentworth Prison: Forking Hell!

Series Two Episode Three
You know when you have been away from home for a while, perhaps on a holiday or work trip, and you return back to hugs and good wishes? It was kind of like that in Wentworth last night, when Simone returned to the prison for another stretch. Except she was welcomed with a sexual assault, a fork in the stomach and a vicious beating that nearly ended up in a knee capping courtesy of a cue-ball wielding Boomer.

Yep, this is the crazy world of Wentworth. Once an ally of the fearsome (and much missed, as far as I am concerned) Jacs Holt, Simone was on Franky’s radar the moment she set foot back in the prison. With the drug supply emptier than Boomer’s head, the prisoners, particularly the gloriously crazy Sky, looked to Simone for their fix.

Fearing that her leadership was under threat, a desperate Franky subjected Simone to various violent attacks in order to ensure she held on to the coveted Top Dog role. This culminated in a night-time ambush in the library where Bea stopped Boomer going too far in the nick of time. 

Wentworth Prison: Heating up and dying down

Season 2 Episode 2

There was a lot going on in Wentworth Correctional Facility this week. Bizarrely, the main focus was on a new foreign inmate’s constipation, which landed Franky in the shit – but not in the way she had wanted.

After breaking down the language barriers, it emerged that the newcomer had a stash of drugs lodged in her digestive system, but they were in no hurry to escape. Franky, having upset a lot of her customers through lack of supplies, was eager for her to go to the toilet, which left Boomer on faecal watch duties.

Well-meaning Liz was on hand to try and keep the situation under control but tragedy struck as the drugs got into her system after a struggle and left her convulsing to death. This gave the underrated Celia Ireland, who plays Liz, a chance to shine as her alter ego broke down in guilt as she wept her apologies to the dying person who had been left in her care. The scene was daunting, dramatic and heavily emotional, sapped somewhat by Channel 5’s warning before it aired that gave away exactly what was going to happen.  

Wentworth: Pure prisoner perfection

I know that it’s easy to think that the only things Australia has brought for us is Fosters beer, Kylie Minogue and the questionable Home and Away, but occasionally, those Aussies can deliver something that is top notch.

In fact, the subtly hidden in the depths of Channel 5 gritty prison drama, Wentworth, goes beyond top-notch; it’s an absolute masterpiece, with sharp writing, moving storytelling and some of the best dramatic performing I have ever seen.

I will try to avoid spoilers as best I can in this post but the series closed in a similar grim fashion to the way it opened, with an adversary of the women of Wentworth impaled with a sharp implement and the ten episodes of drama in between was just as gripping.

Based to a heavy degree on the 80’s cult classic, Prisoner Cell Block H, Wentworth replaces the shaky sets and hammy acting with a modern reimagining of the tough life in a ruthless women’s prison and it doesn’t pull any punches.