The first season of Australian drama television series Prisoner (commonly known as Prisoner: Cell Block H) premiered on the then-known 0-10 Network on 26 February 1979 in Sydney and 27 February 1979 in Melbourne. The season contains 79 episodes[1] and concluded on 28 November 1979.
Two new prisoners arrive at Wentworth Detention Centre; Karen Travers, convicted of murdering her abusive husband and Lynn Warner, convicted of burying a baby alive, but she claims she is innocent.
Bea enjoys 24 hours of freedom: she visits her daughter's grave, then shoots her husband dead.
3
Episode 3
Rod Hardy
Ian Bradley
28 February 1979 (1979-02-28)
Bee surrenders and is put back inside, to face off against Franky Doyle. Bill Jackson is stabbed.
4
Episode 4
Graeme Arthur
Ian Bradley
6 March 1979 (1979-03-06)
The murderer of Meg's husband is forced to confess.
5
Episode 5
Rod Hardy
Reg Watson
7 March 1979 (1979-03-07)
6
Episode 6
Graeme Arthur
Denise Morgan
13 March 1979 (1979-03-13)
7
Episode 7
Gary Conway
Denise Morgan
14 March 1979 (1979-03-14)
Vera's mother dies.
8
Episode 8
Brian McDuffie
Ian Coughlan
20 March 1979 (1979-03-20)
9
Episode 9
Gary Conway
Ian Bradley
21 March 1979 (1979-03-21)
10
Episode 10
Graeme Arthur
Ian Coughlan
27 March 1979 (1979-03-27)
Bea's plan to help Marilyn reconcile with Eddie backfires. Lynn struggles with life at home. A depressed Vera is almost arrested when she gets drunk and becomes aggressive in a bar. Helen is released and the prisoners discover what she really thinks of them when she appears in a TV interview.
11
Episode 11
Gary Conway
Denise Morgan
28 March 1979 (1979-03-28)
Franky goes berserk when she learns her brother is critically injured.
12
Episode 12
Brian McDuffie
Michael Brindley
3 April 1979 (1979-04-03)
Lynn marries Doug. Franky, Doreen and Lizzy escape.
Catherine Roberts drives her car backwards and forwards over the man that raped her daughter.
20
Episode 20
William Fitzwater
Denise Morgan
1 May 1979 (1979-05-01)
Franky is shot dead by police. Doreen hands herself in to pay Karen back, accusing her of getting Franky killed.
21
Episode 21
Marcus Cole & Charles Tingwell
Marcus Cole
2 May 1979 (1979-05-02)
22
Episode 22
Marcus Cole & Charles Tingwell
Michael Brindley
8 May 1979 (1979-05-08)
23
Episode 23
Julian Pringle
Maree Teychenne
9 May 1979 (1979-05-09)
24
Episode 24
Julian Pringle
Ron McLean
15 May 1979 (1979-05-15)
25
Episode 25
Alan Coleman
Stanley Walsh
16 May 1979 (1979-05-16)
26
Episode 26
Alan Coleman
Sarah Darling
22 May 1979 (1979-05-22)
27
Episode 27
William Fitzwater
Denise Morgan
23 May 1979 (1979-05-23)
28
Episode 28
William Fitzwater
Dave Worthington & Ian Bradley
29 May 1979 (1979-05-29)
29
Episode 29
Marcus Cole
Michael Brindley
30 May 1979 (1979-05-30)
30
Episode 30
Marcus Cole
Sheila Sibley
5 June 1979 (1979-06-05)
31
Episode 31
Julian Pringle
Denise Morgan
6 June 1979 (1979-06-06)
32
Episode 32
Julian Pringle
John Drew
12 June 1979 (1979-06-12)
George Lucas ties Vera up before running off with her bail money.
33
Episode 33
Peita Letchford
Ray Kolle
12 June 1979 (1979-06-12)
Vera is found by Erica who is less than happy with her involvement with George Lucas. The women get bored of Monica and want Bea back, unbeknown to them that the police are already on her trail.
34
Episode 34
Peita Letchford
Sheila Sibley
19 June 1979 (1979-06-19)
Bea and Val have a night out resulting in a very bad hangover the following morning. Lizzie is forced by Monica to make some of her famous brew but Noeline tries to muscle in on the production line. Noeline's brother makes a big mistake during a burglary.
35
Episode 35
Leigh Spence
Michael Brindley
20 June 1979 (1979-06-20)
Clara throws a party for the other women and manages to make even more booze, but Noeline drinks the lot. Bea is concerned about the young girl who lives next door. Noeline's brother is shot dead by police when his burglary goes wrong.
36
Episode 36
Leigh Spence
Denise Morgan
26 June 1979 (1979-06-26)
Bea's time is up on the outside and she's returned to Wentworth where she takes over as Top Dog, much to the dismay of Noeline and Monica. Meg is injured when Bea and Monica fight in the laundry over who is working the steam press.
37
Episode 37
Marcus Cole
John Drew
27 June 1979 (1979-06-27)
Business woman Marianne de Vere has been persuaded to fund the Half Way House project so a celebration barbecue is organised for the prisoners. She also arranges a new colour television for the Recroom but Noeline ensures that nobody will watch it.
Ros shoots Toni McNally after the court dismisses the charges against her, after a key witness is terrified into giving a false account.
64
Episode 64
Leon Thau
Sheila Sibley
2 October 1979 (1979-10-02)
Toni McNally dies in hospital, meaning Ros Coulson will be charged with her murder.
65
Episode 65
Philip East
John Upton
3 October 1979 (1979-10-03)
Chrissie Latham is brought back to Wentworth, to Meg's horror.
66
Episode 66
Simon Hellings
Dave Worthington
16 October 1979 (1979-10-16)
67
Episode 67
Leigh Spence
Denise Morgan
17 October 1979 (1979-10-17)
68
Episode 68
Leigh Spence
Ray Kolle
23 October 1979 (1979-10-23)
69
Episode 69
Marcus Cole
John Wood
24 October 1979 (1979-10-24)
Greg reveals the results of Chrissie's pregnancy test. Also, Pat's son visit Wentworth in the working party, but Vera catches them talking, putting Pat's release in jeopardy.
70
Episode 70
Marcus Cole
John Wregg & Eric Scott
30 October 1979 (1979-10-30)
Rosie prepares for baby Sam's first birthday, oblivious to the fact he will be taken from her when he reaches a year old. Doreen is released to the halfway house and spends an afternoon with Alice.
71
Episode 71
Leigh Spence
Margaret McClusky
31 October 1979 (1979-10-31)
Psychiatrist Dr Weissman is called in to assess how Rosie is coping with the impending loss of her son, Sam. Vera offers Rosie some last minute advice.
72
Episode 72
Leigh Spence
Denise Morgan
6 November 1979 (1979-11-06)
Doreen tries to come to terms with the realisation that Alice is her long lost mother. On the inside, Bea keeps an eye on the recently sentenced Ros. It's Vera's birthday and she throws herself a party.
73
Episode 73
Philip East
Sheila Sibley
7 November 1979 (1979-11-07)
Karen tries to turn Ros away when she turns up at the halfway house but is persuaded to let her stay one night. However, it's not long before the police are knocking on the halfway house door.
74
Episode 74
Philip East
Ray Kolle
13 November 1979 (1979-11-13)
With Christmas approaching, Lizzie suggests the prisoners write their annual Christmas play, so the women use the chance to ridicule the officers. A reporter takes an interest in Ros' escape story.
75
Episode 75
Kelvin Fogarty
Denise Morgan
14 November 1979 (1979-11-14)
It's Christmas and the women are preparing for their play. Erica is furious following the publishing of a newspaper article on Pat, and tells Greg to choose between the prison and the halfway house.
76
Episode 76
Kelvin Fogarty
John Wood
20 November 1979 (1979-11-20)
Lizzie is still upset, convinced Vera stole her Christmas cake. Pat's house is swarmed with police and reporters, all looking for her son David since his prison escape, but he can't stay away from her.
77
Episode 77
Marcus Cole
John Wregg & Ian Bradley
21 November 1979 (1979-11-21)
Chrissie helps Ros break into Greg's surgery, where she manages to steal some pills. Following the shootout, Pat is arrested and sent back to Wentworth.
78
Episode 78
Marcus Cole
Margaret McClusky
27 November 1979 (1979-11-27)
Security is increased inside the prison. Bea blames Ros, and plans to tell her when Ros is out solitary. Greg and Karen announce their engagement, oblivious to David's plans to end Greg's life.
79
Episode 79
Leigh Spence
Michael Harvey
28 November 1979 (1979-11-28)
Karen is rushed to hospital, where she remains in a serious condition. Political activists Janet Dominguez arrives at Wentworth and is immediately put in solitary confinement.
Reception
Viewership
In 1979, Prisoner was the second most popular program in Australia, averaging at 1,494,000 viewers.[2]
Prisoner began streaming on Network 10's service, 10Play from 1 January 2022.[28][29] The complete first season is currently available to stream.[30]
The series began streaming in the UK on Channel 5's service My5 on 1 September 2023, the first UK broadcast for 22 years.[31][32] It reached the season finale (episode 79) on 20 October 2023.[33] It is also became available to stream on Pluto TV in November 2023.[34] The first season also began broadcasting on TV, with 5Select from 20 December 2023,[35] followed by That's TV 2 on 3 January 2024.[36]
Notes
^"Mum" Brooks was a regular character within the first sixteen episodes of the season. She returned as a recurring character from episodes 30–33 and again from episodes 61–67.
^ Monica Ferguson first appeared in episode 15 as a recurring character; from episode 39 she became a regular character.
^Jim Fletcher was first credited in episode 39, although he did not make his first appearance until episode 40.
^Chrissie Latham originally appeared in episodes 3 & 4 as a guest character and later returned from episode 65 as the character was written back into the series by popular demand.
^All episodes from the UK VHS sets have been re-rated 12 for the DVD releases for violence, language, drug references, nudity, and sexual references and sexual threat
^Content identical in both Australia and the U.S. aside from different cover art. Released in the U.S. as "Set 2".
