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I see the weapons industry was still thriving in Wentworth, with Frank and his home-made knife or whatever it was. The only surprise is why he bothered to make one, when he and the other male inmates were left completely unsupervised in a workshop full of saws, drills, and hammers, and no tool counts at the end of the session.
Most bizarre line of the episode could have come from Geoff. I don't know if I misheard, but did he ask Matt "Did she do a lolly?"..? That's what it sounded like. To us in the UK a lolly is a sweet on a stick, and I know what you normally do with lollies, and I'd certainly be surprised if Marlene had done that to Matt at this stage. "She sort of went all soft," was Matt's comment about Marlene after the snog. Makes you wonder if the same could have been said for him.
It seemed as though there had been a bit of a shake up in the script department, as if someone was trying to kick start a few slow-moving storylines. Suddenly Marlene and Lexie had become best friends, despite bickering and disliking each other the episode before. And Matt had forgotten his 'fondness' for Pixie and started snogging Marlene. Of course, this was nothing like as amusing as the fact that three male inmates were in an all-female prison, and are able to kiss the women (Matt), make love to them in privacy (Geoff) and violently rape them (Frank), with none of that inconvenience of an officer checking.
The police continued to impress me. I was particularly interested to see the porky police detective seemed to know all about Frank's note, and his "mother" warning him of the sniper. Hmm, pity he hadn't thought to share this information earlier with the people who got shot. Poor old Joyce, looked like she could be getting the catalogue of horrific once-in-a-lifetime traumas that usually go to Meg. Abducted by a dangerous criminal (Lou) and left for dead in a car boot, shot at by a sniper who appeared to need her glasses more than she did, and later on.. let's just say "Mervyn" and leave it there. The lesson from all of this? Never get a job as a prison officer.
I really did like the way Marlene and Matt's relationship was being portrayed, despite being jump started from out of nowhere. After one kiss, naive Marlene was seen putting on make-up, and saying "he's in love with me", to the more street-wise and knowing Lexie. A lovely touch.
New girl Jumpy Janice was making her presence known this episode, with a potentially interesting portrayal of an alcoholic, far removed from the slapstick tone of Lizzie's alcoholism. This could be an interesting look into this problem.. though I've said that before about other issues that have been introduced then promptly dropped. As for Janice herself, I watched in amazement at what I have to say I thought was one of the most unconvincing case of "drunk" acting I've seen. Almost as amusing as the officers, who were presumably trained to spot evidence of drug use in the prison (which would include alcohol) not having a clue, and putting it all down to her being "very jumpy" and "not settling very well".
All was well in the laundry, at least. Or rather, the pink thing was back hanging proudly between the driers. "Lurch here's done her back in again," said Lou to Dennis in the corridor. Was this the first time Alice was referred to by her nickname? I hadn't noticed anyone use it before. Loved how there were two big bottles of meths floating and clunking about in the bucket of water, and Dennis didn't notice. And I was interested in Lou's Delia-style recipe demonstration for the meths "champagne". (As were the many kids watching the programme I bet, in their pre-gluesniffing days).
Nice to see Joan trying to wow the Taylors with her Scotch Eggs. I looked out for them, but could only see what looked like some old potatoes on a plate, and I hope those weren't them. But didn't they go on and on about the blasted things?
At last someone seemed to have remembered the key "hidden" on the mural, and I was surprised to see Myra remove the foil to reveal.. More foil. It certainly looked as though someone had made the key out of some card and Bacofoil. How lucky that she thought to take it then, just incase a man was going to surprise her with an offer of sex later.
And what a line! I nearly gasped aloud when Geoff said to Myra: "I'm sick and tired of all this pretending nonsense. I want you." Cor.
It was nice to see that Sam could be just as annoying to the characters as to the viewers, when she interrupted Myra and Geoff with more excited ramblings about that bloody robot. And speaking of which, when they wheeled it in, all false grin, the word "wrong" written on its forehead, and squeaky and wooden, I thought Meg had walked in a scene too early.
And I noticed Ettie's catchphrase seems to be "Yes, dear." Wasn't that one used by the dotty old social worker Agnes Forster? "Yes, dear." And what a coincidence, they were both played by the same actress. You'd never know, would you? Hmm..
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