As the 5th episode of Wentworth’s 9th season begins, Allie Novak (Kate Jenkinson) is in a daze due to the recent revelation regarding Judy Bryant (Vivienne Awosoga) and her attack. Lou Kelly (Kate Box) keeps a close eye on Allie and her girls as Rita (Leah Purcell) sits down at their table. Meanwhile, Ann Reynolds (Jane Hall) throws a fit after learning about the Wentworth prison videos being released on the Slammer website. Will Jackson (Robbie Magasiva) confirms the women do not know about it yet and Ann would like to keep it that way to avoid a lawsuit for invasion of privacy. She doesn’t like the way Will nonchalantly handles it and complains that an illegal camera is in Wentworth and a nitrous canister is still missing. Ann demands a cell toss. Linda Miles (Jacqueline Brennan) wastes no time getting to work. When Sue ‘Boomer’ Jenkins (Katrina Milosevic) learns about the cell toss, she runs back to her cell and tells the others.

The guards arrive promptly before Linda forces Boomer to get off the can. Once the inmates are out of their cells, Linda orders the women to strip but they’re not willing to get naked in front of the guards. Linda explains she has been authorized to do whatever it takes to find any gear so Rita begins by removing her jacket. While the women strip to their undies, Linda removes Allie’s blanket but doesn’t find anything there. Rita doesn’t like Linda ordering Allie to strip and lets her know. Still, there is nothing she can do to stop Linda. Meanwhile, Will scolds Ann for forcing the women to strip and calls it invasive. Once that ends, Ann complains to Vera (Kate Atkinson) that Will spoke to her like a child. Vera sides with Will and that only angers Ann more. She complains about having to apologize to Judy Bryant before returning to the crap ton of stuff she must deal with.

Outside, Allie and Rita agree that Linda is out of control, but the orders are coming from higher up the food chain. As for Boomer, she is upset she won’t be able to film the movie now. Boomer decides she wants to film it today and tries to cast Ruby (Rarriwuy Hick) and Allie as the stars of the show. Allie turns down the role of a lifetime and recommends Zaina (Louisa Mignone). After some pushing, Ruby agrees to ask Zaina to take part but says she is only doing it for the baby. Judy joins them and confirms she has a new hot lawyer since her crowdfunding effort brought in 300 grand. When Ruby approaches Zaina, she is surprised that Zaina is so willing to do it. She even offers to waive the fee if Ruby half of the show. Ruby says she’ll be there helping Boomer, so Zaina responds she doesn’t come cheap.

In the kitchen, Jake Stewart (Bernard Curry) approaches Eve (Tina Bursill) to tell her how well the baby is sleeping thanks to her advice. Joan (Pamela Rabe) watches as Eve hurts herself and Jake quickly tries to help. Ferguson seems to know what Eve is up to. Later, Allie goes to the library to retrieve the canister while Boomer’s video shoot starts. Zaina brings a friend and asks Ruby if there is anything, in particular, she’d like. The stars of the show put on masks to hide their identities before Boomer begins giving them instructions. Zaina removes the mask and goes to work on her friend. She tells Ruby to enjoy the show. Will returns to the staff room and finds out that Ann has put together a party to thank everyone. He quickly reminds some of them they’re still on duty just like him. Later that night, Rita talks to Ruby about using call logs to incriminate Jones for Morelli’s murder. She is going to have the burner phone sent to her lawyer and Ruby will contact Eddie’s friend to try to get his phone too.

Allie asks Judy if she wants to get high before both disappear into Allie’s cell. Meanwhile, Joan and Eve talk about Wilder’s exes. Eve tells Joan what she did to one of her men and that Jake is likely a good dad. Joan admits she has never seen Jake so friendly with an inmate before hoping he doesn’t meet a similar fate to Eve’s other men. Eve argues all men are the same since they can’t keep their pants up, but she believes Jake is just being friendly. Joan recommends testing Jake by trying to get him to bring in contraband. When Ferguson recommends vodka, Eve agrees to ask Jake. Allie and Judy get high while laughing at Boomer’s porno project. Allie asks her what she did with Lou’s money since she got a new lawyer with the crowdfunding money.

Allie admits she doesn’t know what she spent the money on since she is so dodgy. Allie asks her about stabbing her. Judy doesn’t deny it and says she lived. They laugh together while Allie says she wishes she hadn’t lived. Judy goes on to say she tried to get herself slotted when she heard Allie was coming back, but Jackson let her off with a warning. She also says she faked their friendship. Linda arrives and catches them with the canister. Marie Winter (Susie Porter) enters Lou’s cell and comforts her. Lou tries to take their friendship further, but Marie stops her. Lou gets angry and screams for her to leave before crying on Marie’s shoulder. Will sits with Allie in her cell and talks to her about using drugs. She says she had to get her kicks from somewhere. Once Will leaves, Judy talks to Allie through the vent and claims everything she said was just a joke. She explains it seemed funny at the time, but it was really messed up. Allie listens as Judy says she is her best friend in here and couldn’t do it without her.

When Judy pleads with her not to leave her hanging, Allie says it is okay because she knows she didn’t mean what she said. Before long, Judy is pushing her around in the wheelchair again. Jake approaches Eve who tries to get vodka since she uses it to sleep better. Jake walks away without giving her an answer. Eve returns to Joan and says Jake couldn’t get away quick enough, but Ferguson says he was just put on the spot. Eve makes a joke about him being caught between his morals and mushroom. Joan begins laughing loudly and soon catches the attention of Vera. Next, Vera researches Eve’s history and learns she was in Blackmoore as well. She immediately asks Greg (David de Lautour) if Joan has mentioned Eve to him. Vera suspects Joan remembers Eve from Blackmoore but Dr. Miller insists Joan doesn’t have any memories. Vera encourages him to ask Joan about Eve today and he does so during their next counseling session.

He asks her about wanting to strangle Eve Wilder. Joan insists she is in control and managed to find common ground with Eve. She doesn’t want to elaborate on it and learns that Vera has been asking questions about her relationship with Eve. Greg gives her more medication and tells her she needs to be more careful. While Allie showers, Judy files her fingernails. Judy joins Boomer and Ruby as they wait for Allie to finish in the shower. She makes up a story that Zaina asked if they wanted to play basketball and that convinces Ruby and Boomer to leave. When Allie finds them gone, she struggles to climb to her wheelchair. Judy approaches her with the knife and says she is really sorry about this. Allie begins screaming and Boomer busts through the door with Ruby and Rita. Boomer tells Judy she is screwed. They ask Allie what she wants to do with her before she is locked in her cell with Boomer screaming at her from outside. Allie tries to find out what to do with her while Rita doesn’t want Ruby to mess up her parole for it.

Allie tells them everything Judy has done and has been doing since she stabbed her. Boomer says she has to die, but Rita warns her she’ll be in prison for life if she does it. Ruby is warned her parole will be blown too. Boomer says the worst thing you can do is to go against the top dog. The second is going against your crew and Judy did both. Rita recommends telling the other women and letting one of them handle her. Allie agrees and they begin telling everyone about Judy the next day. Allie tells Marie about it and instructs her to share the news. When Jake finds Linda with some of the leftover wine, he convinces her to give him a few bottles. Vera questions Greg who lies and says Joan doesn’t remember Eve Wilder. Judy is abused by the women in the laundry room. Judy approaches Lou in hopes of making a deal for protection. She promises to make it worth her while.

Lou reminds Judy that she stole Reb’s money. Lou says she wants Reb, and she knows Judy can’t give her that. She orders the women to chuck her in the dryer, but a guard prevents that from happening. Jake goes to Eve and apologizes for not being able to get what she asked for. She says she shouldn’t have asked before finding out he left one of the wine bottles with her. Joan tells Eve she has nice taste while Vera tries to find out what is going on between Jake and Eve. Jake tells Vera she is a good person and helped with Grace. Vera doesn’t like that and warns him Ferguson could use Eve to get to the baby. Boomer attacks Judy in the hallway and smashes her head against the wall several times. She complains that she took something from Allie and she is different now while choking Judy. Boomer says she’ll never forgive her before kicking her a few times.

The guards rush in and break it up. Ann approaches Judy in the medical to tell her she is going to be extradited since Allie withdrew her statement. Ann says they have more resources and won’t stop until all of Judy’s terrorist mates are locked away. Judy tells Ann she is losing her grip on her tiny universe, and she is terrified. Ann denies it because the most precious thing has already been taken from her. Before Greg leaves the prison, he is asked to check on Boomer. While he is busy with Boomer, Vera takes pictures of his paperwork using her smartphone. She leaves before he can find out. Jake calls Vera and apologizes for earlier before he nearly runs down Ann and learns she is jogging home. He forces her to ride with him. Judy gets a visit from a guard who says he is going to take her to the cafeteria for a meal. Judy is surrounded and stuffed into a large trashcan.

She is dumped onto the floor in front of Allie, Marie, and the others. She pleads with Allie to help her. Lou enters the room and asks the women if they’re going to take out the trash. Judy is dumped into a trashcan full of water and trash. They stop briefly when Judy says she has a deal for Lou who isn’t willing to listen. She gives Judy a thumbs down and she is dunked under the water again. The trashcan’s lid is opened before Lou asks Judy if she has any last words. She tells Lou she’ll want to listen to her deal. Lou mocks her and the lid is shut on Judy once again. The women chant Judas as Judy drowns in the trashcan. The lid is open just in time and Judy is exhausted. Lou approaches and listens to the deal that is whispered into her ear. The women are shocked when Lou tells them to drag Judy out of there.

They’re not happy when they hear that Judy is under Lou’s protection. Allie asks what the heck just happened. Then, we see Joan and Eve sharing wine. Jake has sex with Ann while Vera reads Greg’s notes and learns Joan has regained her memories. Judy tells Lou she’ll be out in a month. Lou warns her that her contacts better not be full of it. Judy says they’re going to bomb their way out.

 

Wentworth Review

The latest episode of Wentworth was okay but a bit dull considering nothing really happened in the long run. We had the opportunity to get rid of a dead-end character who was already hanging by a thread. Now, the character has been saved and it likely severely weakened the season’s best character in Lou. I was fine with Lou trying to go after the guards one by one but bombing your way out of Wentworth just seems a bit silly.

It makes Lou look weak and a bit foolish for believing anything Judy says. It just felt like a cheap trick just like Greg being dumb enough to write down his illegal dealings with Joan Ferguson. It is frustrating the writers have been doing this for so long, yet they still expect us to swallow this stuff with a straight face.

The 9th season has been a lot better than the last 3 or even 4 but I do not like the direction they’re heading here since it is going to ruin the realism of the prior four episodes. Blowing the little things is okay from time to time, but the big mistakes made during this episode are difficult to forgive. The episode scores a 6.5 out of 10. All recaps of Wentworth will be available on Reel Mockery here.