Wentworth (season 3)
| Wentworth (season 3) | |
|---|---|
 Region 4 DVD Cover | |
| Country of origin | Australia |
| No. of episodes | 12 |
| Release | |
| Original network | SoHo |
| Original release | 7 April – 23 June 2015 |
| Season chronology | |
The third season of the television drama series Wentworth premiered on SoHo in Australia on 7 April 2015. It was executively produced by FremantleMedia's Director of Drama, Jo Porter. The season comprises 12 episodes. Season three picks up four months after Bea's return to Wentworth following her escape and revenge murder of Brayden Holt.[1]
Plot
As the story resumes four months have passed since Bea Smith's bold escape and ruthless murder of Brayden Holt. Having returned to Wentworth Correctional Centre, Bea has assumed the mantle of Top Dog, hailed by all – including Franky Doyle herself – as a worthy successor. Franky may no longer be Top Dog but she's not about to forget how Liz lagged on her, and Boomer is set to make Liz pay. Doreen's baby bump is growing and Ferguson is watching her closely. While Vera's instincts are more attuned to Ferguson's scheming, Will is none the wiser despite Fletch's apparent hit and run accident.[1]
Cast
Regular
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Recurring and guest
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Episodes
| No. overall | No. in season | Title | Directed by | Written by | Original air date | Aus. viewers (thousands) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 23 | 1 | "The Governor's Pleasure" | Kevin Carlin | Stuart Cole | 7 April 2015 | 100[2] |
|
When Bea is sentenced to life without parole for the killing of Brayden Holt, Governor Ferguson makes it very clear – she owns Bea now. So when Bea uses her standing as top dog to hit back, Ferguson takes revenge – she slots Bea and releases Liz from protection, exposing Liz to a brutal bashing from Boomer. But Ferguson has underestimated Bea, who starts a riot amongst the prisoners. The prison is put on lock-down, with Channing on-site, Vera is attacked and held hostage, and the inmates start a huge bonfire in the exercise yard: Ferguson has no choice but to turn to Bea to quell the riot. Wentworth is not Ferguson's prison – it's Bea's. Battle lines are drawn. First Appearance: Kaz Proctor, Bridget Westfall | ||||||
| 24 | 2 | "Failing Upwards" | Kevin Carlin | Adam Todd | 14 April 2015 | 94[3] |
| Following the riot, Bea must balance an uneasy peace with Ferguson with the needs and expectations of the women. Ferguson wants to stamp out drugs inside the prison, and for obvious reasons Bea finds herself on common ground with the Governor. But when it becomes clear that Ferguson wants Franky's head for it, Bea must wonder if, rather than help cement her position as top dog, it may indeed be a ruse to undermine it. Liz has a difficult reunion with her daughter Sophie and is unsure when Doreen proposes she be her baby's alternate carer. Will is in a happy place and seems to finally be able to put the past behind him, only to become the prime suspect of Harry Smith's murder. | ||||||
| 25 | 3 | "Knives Out" | Catherine Millar | Pete McTighe | 21 April 2015 | 98[4] |
|
Franky is under fire. With her supply cut and her powerbase decimated, she is on her own when prisoners come after her to claim what they are owed. Bridget identifies Franky as someone she could really help, but Franky refuses to engage, venting her frustration by trashing the Education Unit. Whilst in the slot, Franky overhears an altercation between Ferguson and Jodie, who is also in the slot. Meanwhile, Bea is concerned at the polices' interest in Will, and when she confronts him about it, he makes a startling confession. In an attempt to patch up their friendship, Boomer and Liz are forced to help one another. Absent: Aaron Jeffery (Matthew Fletcher) | ||||||
| 26 | 4 | "Righteous Acts" | Catherine Millar | John Ridley | 28 April 2015 | 102[5] |
| Liz's world is rocked when Sophie is remanded in Wentworth for a drunken hit-and-run. Liz has to counsel and protect a freaked-out Sophie, particularly from lesbian trio Lucy, Stella and Rhonda. Franky has commenced her sessions with Bridget and, in a candid move, admits to a desire for revenge against Bea. When Bea is shivved in the yard, Franky comes under suspicion, but Bea quickly realizes Jodie, freshly released from the slot where she was terrorised by Ferguson, was behind the attack at the Governor's behest. Kaz Proctor, a violent vigilante obsessed with women's rights, publicly declares Bea as her personal hero and requests to visit her at Wentworth. | ||||||
| 27 | 5 | "Mercy" | Steve Jodrell | Adam Todd | 5 May 2015 | 97[6] |
| As Fletch readjusts to work life, Bea must forgo closely held morals as she engages in a secret plan to use Jodie Spiteri to bring down Ferguson. Bea is later visited by Kaz Proctor, who she suspects is a member of the violent vigilante group The Red Right Hand. During an angry exchange, Bea is left with the shattering notion that Kaz and her group might be behind Harry's murder. Doreen agonises over the well-being of the baby but finds solace in an unlikely piece of advice from Jess. Sophie continues to idolise Franky, much to Liz's despair, and when Liz finally confronts Franky, it is revealed this is not Sophie's first offence. | ||||||
| 28 | 6 | "Evidence" | Steve Jodrell | Stuart Page | 12 May 2015 | 118[7] |
| Ferguson is blindsided by Jodie's complaint to the ombudsman. Channing attempts damage control, but Jodie's accusations of brutality promise to be very damaging for the Governor. When Ferguson realises Bea is the driving force behind the complaint, she has Bea kidnapped by her henchman Jesper. Channing confirms to Vera that Ferguson refused to help her during the riot, and Will loses Rose for good when Kaz Proctor plants the murder weapon on his property. Isolated and without Bea's support, Jodie crumbles during her hearing, and it is only when Bea wakes strapped into a bed in the psych unit that the real depth of Ferguson's revenge becomes apparent. | ||||||
| 29 | 7 | "The Long Game" | Kevin Carlin | Pete McTighe & Marcia Gardner | 19 May 2015 | 104[8] |
|
Bea struggles to accept that she had a psychotic episode, despite the apparent CCTV evidence. When her blood is found to have traces of LSD, she realises that her attacker caused the meltdown. She smuggles DNA evidence out of the psych unit, understanding she will need to play the long game if she is going to defeat Ferguson. Meanwhile, Liz struggles to stay sober, despite the upset it is causing those around her. Bridget tries to help Franky accept that she has an emotional block, but when she challenges Franky to talk about her mother, she elicits a confession she was not expecting. Absent: Robbie Magasiva (Will Jackson) | ||||||
| 30 | 8 | "Goldfish" | Kevin Carlin | John Ridley | 26 May 2015 | 108[9] |
| Ferguson unwittingly makes herself vulnerable when she calls Doreen "Jianna", the name of her former inmate-lover. Bea sees this as a possible chink in Ferguson's armour and tasks Doreen with uncovering the truth about Jianna. Bea also sends Kaz Proctor and the Red Right Hand after Ferguson's henchman. The stress of her mission brings on Doreen's labour and she gives birth to a boy. In the aftermath, a proud Ferguson overhears Doreen telling Bea about Jianna and calling Ferguson a freak. Any potential humanity in Ferguson is destroyed as she begins to emotionally and psychologically unravel. | ||||||
| 31 | 9 | "Freak Show" | Catherine Millar | Adam Todd | 2 June 2015 | 108[10] |
| Amid further allegations she manipulated Jodie Spiteri to horrifically self-harm, Ferguson angles to remove her most ardent accuser, Bridget Westfall. The arrival of Doreen's newborn heralds dark times for mother and child. Meanwhile, Bea finds herself at her lowest ebb as she realises the toll the war against Ferguson is having on those closest to her. Nearing the point of stepping down as top dog, she is thrown a lifeline from an unlikely ally. Finally, after much agonising, Vera is unable to deny to herself the truth about Ferguson. | ||||||
| 32 | 10 | "A Higher Court" | Catherine Millar | Stuart Page | 9 June 2015 | 127[11] |
| With her parole hearing imminent, Franky is in trouble when an angry Kim plants heroin balloons in her cell. Faced with an imminent cell-toss, Franky has no option but to swallow the evidence, thus facing the board under-prepared and with a gutful of heroin. Just when it seems she could be paroled, Ferguson unleashes the taped confession, letting Will know who really killed his wife. Meanwhile, Bea and Fletch team up against Ferguson, and Doreen faces an agonising choice: keep her baby or ask her sister to get him out of Ferguson's reach for good. | ||||||
| 33 | 11 | "The Living and the Dead" | Steve Jodrell | John Ridley | 16 June 2015 | 109[12] |
| When Fletch follows Bea's instructions to use Jianna as a means to unsettle Ferguson, he unwittingly sets Vera up to take the fall. Vera, for her part, is consumed with a desire for revenge against Lucy for infecting her with Hepatitis C. Meanwhile, Bea's manipulations of Fletch result in him finally recovering his memory and alerting Will, who is on the verge of being arrested for Harry's murder, to the truth behind Ferguson's manipulations. As the forces align against Ferguson, she begins to unravel, realising she is in a fight of her life, professionally and personally. | ||||||
| 34 | 12 | "Blood and Fire" | Steve Jodrell | Pete McTighe | 23 June 2015 | 113[13] |
|
Ferguson is losing control and the walls are closing in. Fletch and Vera band together in an attempt to overthrow the Governor, while Bea discovers the final piece of the puzzle to help solve Harry's murder. Meanwhile, Franky is preparing for her release, but when Jess makes a sudden, drastic move, all plans are thrown out the window and the stage is set for a dramatic showdown. Final Appearance: Matthew Fletcher, Jess Warner | ||||||
Production
On 29 January 2014, it was announced that FremantleMedia had renewed Wentworth for a third season, set to air in 2015.[14]
Jo Porter, the Director of Drama at FremantleMedia stated, "Foxtel have been the perfect broadcast partner and have given Wentworth the ideal platform for it to achieve such success both domestically and then internationally. To have this unique Australian program now airing across the globe fills us with great pride. The commissioning of season three is such a compliment to the hard work and talent of the writers, directors, our outstanding cast and of course the crew, most of whom have been with us since season one. We look forward to continuing our success both here and overseas."[14]
Brian Walsh, the Executive Director of Television at Foxtel stated, "Wentworth's first season was a triumph with its remarkable performance and production qualities which enthralled our Australian audience and achieved such great international recognition. Since October, the cast and the production team, led by producer Amanda Crittenden, have been back on-location delivering on the promise of season two's gripping scripts and the story lines for season three are sensational."[14]
A third season was confirmed on 29 January 2014.[15] A five-month production commenced in the purpose-built set in March 2014.[14] The final table read for season three took place on 8 July 2014.[16] Filming for the third season began in March 2014 and concluded in July 2014.[14]
Former All Saints stars Pia Miranda, Libby Tanner and Tammy Macintosh joined the cast as inmate Jodie Spiteri, psychologist Bridget Westfall and vigilante Karen Proctor, respectively.[17]
Ratings
| Episode | Title | Original airdate | Overnight Viewers | Nightly Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3-01 | The Governor's Pleasure | 7 April 2015 | 100,000[2] | 1st[2] |
| 3-02 | Failing Upwards | 14 April 2015 | 94,000[3] | 1st[3] |
| 3-03 | Knives Out | 21 April 2015 | 98,000[4] | 1st[4] |
| 3-04 | Righteous Acts | 28 April 2015 | 102,000[5] | 1st[5] |
| 3-05 | Mercy | 5 May 2015 | 97,000[6] | 3rd[6] |
| 3-06 | Evidence | 12 May 2015 | 118,000[7] | 1st[7] |
| 3-07 | The Long Game | 19 May 2015 | 104,000[8] | 1st[8] |
| 3-08 | Goldfish | 26 May 2015 | 108,000[9] | 2nd[9] |
| 3-09 | Freak Show | 2 June 2015 | 108,000[10] | 1st[10] |
| 3-10 | A Higher Court | 9 June 2015 | 127,000[11] | 1st[11] |
| 3-11 | The Living and the Dead | 16 June 2015 | 109,000[12] | 1st[12] |
| 3-12 | Blood and Fire | 23 June 2015 | 113,000[13] | 1st[13] |
- Figures are OzTAM Data for the 5 City Metro areas.
- Overnight - Live broadcast and recordings viewed the same night.
- Consolidated - Live broadcast and recordings viewed.
References
- 1 2 "Returning: Wentworth". TV Tonight. 10 February 2015. Retrieved 25 March 2015.
- 1 2 3 Knox, David (8 April 2015). "Tuesday 7 April 2015". TV Tonight. Retrieved 8 April 2015.
- 1 2 3 Knox, David (17 April 2015). "Tuesday 14 April 2015". TV Tonight. Retrieved 17 April 2015.
- 1 2 3 Knox, David (22 April 2015). "Tuesday 21 April 2015". TV Tonight. Retrieved 22 April 2015.
- 1 2 3 Knox, David (29 April 2015). "Tuesday 28 April 2015". TV Tonight. Retrieved 29 April 2015.
- 1 2 3 Knox, David (6 May 2015). "Tuesday 5 May 2015". TV Tonight. Retrieved 6 May 2015.
- 1 2 3 "Tuesday 12 May 2015". TV Tonight.
- 1 2 3 "Tuesday 19 May 2015". TV Tonight.
- 1 2 3 Knox, David (27 May 2015). "Tuesday 26 May 2015". TV Tonight. Retrieved 27 May 2015.
- 1 2 3 Knox, David (3 June 2015). "Tuesday 2 June 2015". TV Tonight. Retrieved 3 June 2015.
- 1 2 3 Knox, David (10 June 2015). "Tuesday 9 June 2015". TV Tonight. Retrieved 10 June 2015.
- 1 2 3 Knox, David (17 June 2015). "Tuesday 16 June 2015". TV Tonight. Retrieved 17 June 2015.
- 1 2 3 "Tuesday 23 June 2015". TV Tonight.
- 1 2 3 4 5 "Renewed: Wentworth". TV Tonight. 29 January 2014. Retrieved 25 March 2015.
- ↑ "Foxtel announces Wentworth Season 3".
- ↑ "Episode 2.8 tonight! #Wentworth #WentworthPrison We had the readthrough for the last block of S3 yesterday. No emoticons do it justice.". Pete McTighe on Twitter. 8 July 2014. Retrieved 8 July 2014.
- ↑ "The screen death of Alex Cook's character Lou in Love My Way still holds strong emotions for fans". News.com.au. Retrieved 8 March 2015.