losing so many off this programme :( Judith was a good actress she made another really memorable character, some of the best dry quips and delivered spot on.
An amazing actress Maggie Fitzpatrick- every reaction finely judged from the look of fear in the bank , going crazy in her cell , to a slight smile just before she is finally taken away.
Gold, absolute gold. It was a shame we had to wait until the final episode to see The Freak come undone, but it's still an awesome episode and I keep coming back to it again and again.
Can you imagine being a correction officer. .commit a crime and then be sent to the same prison to do your time in as the one you use to be a officer in crazy! !!!
She’s only in wentworth for the one night because they couldn’t arrange her to go to another prison quick enough. So it’s poetic justice she has the one night of hell and humiliation there.
Some people think Bea did, one of my favourites was Lizzy. I think no single character made it there were many great characters and the writing helped a lot as well.
She made it boring I stopped watching after Val left I only watched it for Bea not Lizzie or Doreen or Frankie or Judy and definitely not The Freak I watched for one person and that was Bea
Should of been Bea opening the door at the end in the cell disguised as an officer. Then finally unveiling herself and killing 'the freak', it would of been the greatest if endings and made the show an epic!
They asked Bea Smith actress to come back 3 times after she left. She very nearly did on the 3rd occasion. However she said she would come back if her character killed the Freak and she also asked for more money . Grundy or whatever company it was said no to that , then she refused to come back and they killed her off in episode 550 or something off screen.
Me too! Was always on late Sunday nights, so had to tape it - good old vhs! - and watch it as soon as I got home from school on Monday 😄. As you say 'the good old days'
There will never be a show to surpass Prisoner. It was the best soap ever, together with Neighbours (at least from the 80s and early 90s). No-one can make soap dramas like the Aussies. Our British soaps are depressing and pale in comparison
Coronation street is on a par I'd say because the humour is there. Emmerdale has become like Eastenders, just a load of irritating shouting and arguing, how is that entertaining? lol
@@NickSBailey As someone who used to love Eastenders I have to stay I can't watch it anymore. It's turned into Hollyoaks with the silly music in scenes and all the scheming going on. It's had its time.
I thought it would have been perfect to have Bea Smith make a return in the background at the very end, to see Joan Ferguson off, suggesting she never *actually* died at Barnhurst, rather she escaped and has been in hiding ever since, and lived to see the end of her fiercest enemy. Ahh, if only.
That was always my big regret too. Nothing against Rita, but it should have been Bea or Myra who took down the Freak. Fans wanted it to be Bea. I'd have loved a scene showing Bea at the new prison, having faked her death to escape Barnhurst but caught and sent away to the max security prison where the Freak was being shipped to.
They could have had Bea, Lizzie and Doreen return just for that. Bea could have been transferred from Barnhurst, Lizzie could have arrived again as a prisoner and the same with Doreen.
Tommy1493 yesh I never accepted queen Bea's supposed death in barnhurst.I drew my own conclusion that she escaped from the fire in barnhurst. So yeah to see Bea send the freak off at the end of the show would have been a nice touch!
They did an unofficial alternative ending on you tube where The Freak went in the paddy wagon and Bea was coming out (edited when she killed her husband).
Stop hoping for dead characters to be revived. Its not an interesting twist. It undermines the reality of the entertainment and actually ruins interesting, tragic endings. The idea that the Freak outlived Bea and Myra is a tragic mark on their characters that makes them uniquely iconic. That for all their strength and ability, they were defeated by their enemy. Reviving Bea would’ve ruined one of the most tragic and interesting elements to her character’s conclusion. It’d be like reviving Ned Stark to see the Lannisters fall in Game of Thrones.
Fitting ending. Although really by this stage the Freak was looking completely washed out as a character. I found it hard to believe Joan let the current bunch of inmates stand up to her when she faught off much tougher adverseries in her time. It would have been better to have Joan around for a year or two and send her exiting in a huge showdown with arch enemy Bea . Rather than waiting for the the show to be axed and drag her on for over 4 years turning her into a panto baddie.
I had the good fortune to meet Maggie in 2018. She is the one person who made me give up smoking. She just looked at me and said "They'll kill you darling". Thank you Maggie. Love you. Xxx
Harold Bishop was the busiest man in south east Australia at the time. Coffee shop owner, Crossroads writer, senior police officer, prison officer, bloke from the 'department'. Ian Smith must be loaded!
Pure Gold from 1986 ,Maggie Kirkpatrick as Joan the freak Ferguson , Absolutely brilliant as her Character .Rita Conners Bringing her first prison meal was Woah Amazing Television from Down Under ❤
I started watching this show a few years back then stopped to watch other things then got into Wentworth, now that is ending soon I might give this another go
I've never taken on board before all the conversation between cops in the background in this scene about where to send Joan lol. Awww bless Miss Ferguson1
1:53 Icescape A by Graham De Wilde is the song that plays in the background when Joan Ferguson is arrested. Found this to be so fitting in this scene. I dabbled alot in finding the names of tracks used in Prisoner and found alot of the incidental music tracks online
If the series kept going she'd find a way to worm her way out of it like she always does. With all the chances they had to nail her they wait until the final episode. I would have added a special called the trial of The Freak or done a post credit sequence of her arriving at Blackmoor.
That's flattering to old horse face Anne :) The royals really aren't as dignified and graceful as the media portrays them. Gerda Nicolson who played Reno is the real thing.
Like apples and oranges.. they're difficult to really compare I think.. love both prisoner and Wentworth for different reasons.. when prisoner was repeated on UK Channel 5 it was sponsored by pot noodle and the sponsorship credits used to mock the wobbly set walls and unreliable props..it's all part of the fun.. although I do find Pamela Rabe as Ferguson far scarier than Maggie Kirkpatrick..but I could have nightmares about either of them!!
poor Joan wasn't as bad as some... I think I'd have took the money too. I also heard she was a big Manchester United supporter and fan of Sir Alex back in the day...
As if they would have taken The Freak out to the car when the women were on their outdoor rec period, considering that Reno was complaining that she could not guarantee her safety and put her in solitary to protect her from the other women!!
She should just have been taken off the Christmas card list.. It was a perfect closure to the show... She needed to be punished for all her wrongdoing and prisoners and prison staff were aware of it but just needed proof and this was genius and the best ending there ever could have been!!
How about the prisoners on the other blocks at Wentworth? Only h block inmates get the chance to watch the Freak bundled into the back of a police car.
Love how Wentworth has stolen bits from this and written it into the plot. I suspect that now she's 'Cath Maxwell', she'll now end up as top dog in wentworth as Cath in the final episode, turning it all on its head and Rita won't be the oldest biker in the world!
@@dopedup222 Yeah, my terminology was a bit awry. I guess 'influenced' or 'reimagined' is a better description. My bad. I adore both Prisoner and Wentworth and love the directions series eight of Wentworth is taking.
These scenes would have been very different if Grundy or whatever the company was agreed to Bea Smith And Myra Desmonds demands. They would have killed her. Val Lehman who played Smith was asked back 3 times after she left. Anne Phelan who played Myra left over pay. They were serious murderers not like Rita who was a comedy top dog . The ending was shit.
Maggie Kirkpatrick is a superb actress!
RIP Judith McGrath, aka Mrs.Powell, Judith passed away Sunday 22/10/17. Aged 70 here in Australia.
So sorry 💔 😔
losing so many off this programme :( Judith was a good actress she made another really memorable character, some of the best dry quips and delivered spot on.
Sorry god bless
And sons and daughters that was another good Aussie soap
An amazing actress Maggie Fitzpatrick- every reaction finely judged from the look of fear in the bank , going crazy in her cell , to a slight smile just before she is finally taken away.
"I'm not taking her home, the Mrs might object...". A very underrated line, always found that delivery to be really amusing.
Gold, absolute gold. It was a shame we had to wait until the final episode to see The Freak come undone, but it's still an awesome episode and I keep coming back to it again and again.
Patsy Stone It’s been 4 years - Have you come back to it again ?
@@jakeagusta apparently not lmao
Me too.
Can you imagine being a correction officer. .commit a crime and then be sent to the same prison to do your time in as the one you use to be a officer in crazy! !!!
She’s only in wentworth for the one night because they couldn’t arrange her to go to another prison quick enough. So it’s poetic justice she has the one night of hell and humiliation there.
According to the inspector she waxs hated everywhere so for her safety she was being sent to the west
The freak made this show what it was.
I disagree, I think the character became stale and old.
Some people think Bea did, one of my favourites was Lizzy. I think no single character made it there were many great characters and the writing helped a lot as well.
This show made this show what it was.
She made it boring I stopped watching after Val left I only watched it for Bea not Lizzie or Doreen or Frankie or Judy and definitely not The Freak I watched for one person and that was Bea
Should of been Bea opening the door at the end in the cell disguised as an officer. Then finally unveiling herself and killing 'the freak', it would of been the greatest if endings and made the show an epic!
Best thing ever only if it happened :(
They asked Bea Smith actress to come back 3 times after she left. She very nearly did on the 3rd occasion. However she said she would come back if her character killed the Freak and she also asked for more money . Grundy or whatever company it was said no to that , then she refused to come back and they killed her off in episode 550 or something off screen.
The original bea died in a fire in Barnhurst.
@@Calicokit101 So they said.
gr8 twist
I remember watching this when I just 10 years old, back in the good old days, you'll never have anything like this on tele again.
Me too! Was always on late Sunday nights, so had to tape it - good old vhs! - and watch it as soon as I got home from school on Monday 😄. As you say 'the good old days'
But yet it was in the form of Wentworth which sadly just finished
@@sue9009 VHS the good ole days
There will never be a show to surpass Prisoner. It was the best soap ever, together with Neighbours (at least from the 80s and early 90s). No-one can make soap dramas like the Aussies. Our British soaps are depressing and pale in comparison
The remake Wentworth Prison is good also.
Coronation street is on a par I'd say because the humour is there. Emmerdale has become like Eastenders, just a load of irritating shouting and arguing, how is that entertaining? lol
@@NickSBailey As someone who used to love Eastenders I have to stay I can't watch it anymore. It's turned into Hollyoaks with the silly music in scenes and all the scheming going on. It's had its time.
Our British soaps will never compare!! Pcbh was amazing!!!!
@@joecasey5213 well said. Prisoner is my favourite soap opera as well. And I'm a Pommie as well (as the Aussies say)
I thought it would have been perfect to have Bea Smith make a return in the background at the very end, to see Joan Ferguson off, suggesting she never *actually* died at Barnhurst, rather she escaped and has been in hiding ever since, and lived to see the end of her fiercest enemy. Ahh, if only.
That was always my big regret too. Nothing against Rita, but it should have been Bea or Myra who took down the Freak. Fans wanted it to be Bea. I'd have loved a scene showing Bea at the new prison, having faked her death to escape Barnhurst but caught and sent away to the max security prison where the Freak was being shipped to.
They could have had Bea, Lizzie and Doreen return just for that. Bea could have been transferred from Barnhurst, Lizzie could have arrived again as a prisoner and the same with Doreen.
Tommy1493 yesh I never accepted queen Bea's supposed death in barnhurst.I drew my own conclusion that she escaped from the fire in barnhurst. So yeah to see Bea send the freak off at the end of the show would have been a nice touch!
They did an unofficial alternative ending on you tube where The Freak went in the paddy wagon and Bea was coming out (edited when she killed her husband).
Stop hoping for dead characters to be revived. Its not an interesting twist. It undermines the reality of the entertainment and actually ruins interesting, tragic endings. The idea that the Freak outlived Bea and Myra is a tragic mark on their characters that makes them uniquely iconic. That for all their strength and ability, they were defeated by their enemy. Reviving Bea would’ve ruined one of the most tragic and interesting elements to her character’s conclusion. It’d be like reviving Ned Stark to see the Lannisters fall in Game of Thrones.
When Ferguson took the bag it looked like it was attached to something. Maybe it was attached to an alarm system so the cops knew to get her.
Wentwoerh brought me here. Ferguson is one evil woman.
Fitting ending. Although really by this stage the Freak was looking completely washed out as a character. I found it hard to believe Joan let the current bunch of inmates stand up to her when she faught off much tougher adverseries in her time.
It would have been better to have Joan around for a year or two and send her exiting in a huge showdown with arch enemy Bea . Rather than waiting for the the show to be axed and drag her on for over 4 years turning her into a panto baddie.
Ferguson finally got her Karma
I'm so glad The Freak finally got hers now that she was arrested and I love the music when she is in the car and getting questioned
Ashley's GhostHuntsTV Me too, Ashley. 😃😊👍🏻
Shes such a brilliant actress.. it not just her acting its facial expressions are second to non..
" I trusted you"
so the magnificent career of Maggie Kirkpatrick continues.
I had the good fortune to meet Maggie in 2018. She is the one person who made me give up smoking. She just looked at me and said "They'll kill you darling". Thank you Maggie. Love you. Xxx
The PERFECT culmination to the show. But I I think there could be a continuation in the future, and I don't mean Wentworth, which was excellent....
All the actors are dead or too old, so it won't happen.
It would have been interesting if they did a spin off with Joan where she is transferred to another prison and becomes top dog
Yes, I’ve always thought she would become top dog in not too long a time once she is settled
Did you see where Maggie played a prisoner in Home and Away, I imagine that is how Ferguson would have been inside
I remember watching this Monday nights weekly with my mum best show ever on tv
I also like the scene where Joan Ferguson gets arrested and the music goes with the scene 🎹🎵🎶
Harold Bishop was the busiest man in south east Australia at the time. Coffee shop owner, Crossroads writer, senior police officer, prison officer, bloke from the 'department'. Ian Smith must be loaded!
Didn't know he wrote episodes for our own British soap crossroads
(Ian Smith): Not forgetting the best Knock, Door - Run on Banzai >You really have to see that segment, a real comedy gem. 👍👍👍
Pure Gold from 1986 ,Maggie Kirkpatrick as Joan the freak Ferguson , Absolutely brilliant as her Character .Rita Conners Bringing her first prison meal was Woah Amazing Television from Down Under ❤
I like how you can feel Joan's desperation.
The outside shots of Wentworth was the actual exterior of the studios. The windows in shot were "disguised" to look like they were barred.
FER-GU-SON ! FER-GU-SON ! FER-GU-SON ! FER-GU-SON ! FER-GU-SON !
Watched when younger definitely freaked me out with them black gloves
I started watching this show a few years back then stopped to watch other things then got into Wentworth, now that is ending soon I might give this another go
Absolute classic this was
This was a cop out by the Producers of Prisoner.It was way out of the Freak's character to be so stupid to do something like that.She was too cunning.
I've never taken on board before all the conversation between cops in the background in this scene about where to send Joan lol. Awww bless Miss Ferguson1
They should have sent her to blackmoor or queensland
Brilliant ending. Go rita!
1:53 Icescape A by Graham De Wilde is the song that plays in the background when Joan Ferguson is arrested. Found this to be so fitting in this scene.
I dabbled alot in finding the names of tracks used in Prisoner and found alot of the incidental music tracks online
If the series kept going she'd find a way to worm her way out of it like she always does. With all the chances they had to nail her they wait until the final episode.
I would have added a special called the trial of The Freak or done a post credit sequence of her arriving at Blackmoor.
Watched ..many actresses actors are no more..they were the performers who ran the show so nicely...
fantastic episode
Reynolds kind of reminds me of a member of the Royal family, maybe a bit like Princess Anne
That's flattering to old horse face Anne :) The royals really aren't as dignified and graceful as the media portrays them. Gerda Nicolson who played Reno is the real thing.
Mess with bikers poetic justice rita connors Maggie Kilpatrick absolute sterling job as joan ferguson 79 to 86 a absolute brilliant fuckin show.
It's a shame it had to end 😔
They should have done a spin-off series featuring Joan in prison in Western Australia.
They did its called Wentworth dummy
Wentworth Prison looks like the kind of prison female villains from Neighbours would have ended up in.
a good prison guard gone bad oh what a shame........ superb acting from Maggie Kirkpatrick (Ferguson)
I kinda hate that she was caught. Could have led to a spin off, lol.
I wish Bea would have delivered the meal tray
It is a shame Colleen Powell was not there to see it,
They should have done a spin-off series - ‘’Joan behind bars’ - showing what happened to The Freak when she gets sent down.
If only Bea, Myra and Lou were there to see Joan get her just desserts
Amazing 👌👌👌
i love episodes 1 and 692
Very Execellemt Final Scene
She should have done a dry run first left without the money and gone back if the coast was clear
So this is what happened to all the orphans in Annie. And Annie sure lived up to the color of her red hair ;)
The remake is a lot different then the original.
Me 2016 you telling me!!! Joan especially, my god she's ten times terrifying in Wentworth and tbh ten times better .
Like apples and oranges.. they're difficult to really compare I think.. love both prisoner and Wentworth for different reasons.. when prisoner was repeated on UK Channel 5 it was sponsored by pot noodle and the sponsorship credits used to mock the wobbly set walls and unreliable props..it's all part of the fun.. although I do find Pamela Rabe as Ferguson far scarier than Maggie Kirkpatrick..but I could have nightmares about either of them!!
Rachel Fairfield I wouldn't say better, just different.
Do you mean THAN the original?
Is the remake better?
Fergusin has the nerve to commit a robbery a then raise her voice
Not a tissue in sight! :)
The Freak had it coming
Imagine Bea Smith was in the paddy wagon back from the dead 😅
poor Joan wasn't as bad as some... I think I'd have took the money too. I also heard she was a big Manchester United supporter and fan of Sir Alex back in the day...
I still haven't got to the end of this series. There is like 700 episodes 😂
Do you mean you like 700 episodes? I don't understand that last sentence.
@@elizanne6660 stfu smartass
692
Watched prisoner...love between Ann and wally very romantic .I loved them.
Was it ever specified what Lorna Young was in Wentworth for? She’s been there longer than any inmate.
No, her and Tina were just background extras you saw many times throughout the whole show.
Good morning
As if they would have taken The Freak out to the car when the women were on their outdoor rec period, considering that Reno was complaining that she could not guarantee her safety and put her in solitary to protect her from the other women!!
She walks around freely in the remake, Wentworth lol.
What was the background music song when she was sent back to prison?
Icescape A by Graham De Wilde plays 1:53 to 5:01 when Feguson is arrested and sent to Wentworth.
Golden book and video VHS
Rita was shit, Ferguson should have turned around and seen bea Smith that would have been great
The freak got betrayed wot that evil screw deserves
Joan got was coming 2her
They should have ended the series with the sad theme.
all good as they did that with Wentworth
PCBH Mags was a complete icon 💖
Episode 692? 😲❗
This is the final episode
Poor Joan, she didn't deserve to be stitched up by Rita.
Of course not Joan only killed Rita's boyfriend Slasher. Didn't deserve it in the slightest.
She should just have been taken off the Christmas card list.. It was a perfect closure to the show... She needed to be punished for all her wrongdoing and prisoners and prison staff were aware of it but just needed proof and this was genius and the best ending there ever could have been!!
@@zaralara4059 not directly
Joan Ferguson was a saint
How about the prisoners on the other blocks at Wentworth? Only h block inmates get the chance to watch the Freak bundled into the back of a police car.
Love how Wentworth has stolen bits from this and written it into the plot. I suspect that now she's 'Cath Maxwell', she'll now end up as top dog in wentworth as Cath in the final episode, turning it all on its head and Rita won't be the oldest biker in the world!
It didn't steal it because it's a re imagining of this series and gives nod to certain parts of the story from this version.
@@dopedup222 Yeah, my terminology was a bit awry. I guess 'influenced' or 'reimagined' is a better description. My bad. I adore both Prisoner and Wentworth and love the directions series eight of Wentworth is taking.
Not even close.
Bash The Freak!!!!!
wonder if fergie wud been top dog if prisoner cont
At the end justice!
I Stiill don't belive the ending
Wentworth on Netflix had the best version of Ferguson. Stark raving functional psychopath!
DVD
CD
I'm confused what happened 😂
Rita set The Freak up
PHILIPS
VHS
police set up joan
After all the shit pcbh fans went through with Ferguson all we got to see was her being driven off in a police car 🚓 what a disappointment 😢
Probably better than the ending Joan got in Wentworth.
MGM UA HOME VIDEO VHS
153
Jeep car
Australia
It don't look like the Freak on Wentworth will be in season 4. Though I'm hoping she will. I like Pamela Rabe better as Ferguson.
Maggie was the original though.
Jay West and better
These scenes would have been very different if Grundy or whatever the company was agreed to Bea Smith And Myra Desmonds demands. They would have killed her. Val Lehman who played Smith was asked back 3 times after she left. Anne Phelan who played Myra left over pay. They were serious murderers not like Rita who was a comedy top dog . The ending was shit.
Didn't know Mrs Powell died in 2017 god bless rip😢
watching this, I must say, thanks god it's 2021! wentworth is so much better, no offense! Aussies are the best, anyway!
Good morning