Wentworth (season 5)
| Wentworth (season 5) | |
|---|---|
| Country of origin | Australia |
| No. of episodes | 12 |
| Release | |
| Original network | Showcase |
| Original release | 4 April – 20 June 2017 |
| Season chronology | |
The fifth season of the television drama series Wentworth premiered on Showcase in Australia on 4 April 2017, having previously aired on SoHo, and concluded on June 20, 2017. It was executive produced by FremantleMedia's Director of Drama, Jo Porter. The season comprised 12 episodes. The fifth season picks up just days after the stabbing to death of Bea Smith.[1]
Plot
After leaving viewers in shock at the end of last season, the story resumes in the days following Bea Smith’s tragic death at the hands of Joan Ferguson. Emotional, psychological and professional shockwaves pound the inmates and staff of Wentworth Correctional Centre. Governor Vera Bennett is under fire from Corrective Services and, with Will on suspension, she is relying more on her deputy Jake, not realising he is now Ferguson’s puppet. New top dog Kaz has a challenge to restore order amongst the traumatised inmates, though Sonia remains aloof focusing on her upcoming trial. Liz has to decide if she follows her heart or her head. Doreen struggles with being separated from her son and Boomer supports Maxine as she continues her battle with breast cancer. On the outside, it falls to Franky to break the devastating news about Bea to Allie.[1]
Cast
Regular
|
Recurring
|
Episodes
| No. overall | No. in season | Title | Directed by | Written by | Original air date | Aus. viewers (thousands) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 47 | 1 | "Scars" | Mat King | John Ridley | 4 April 2017 | 101[2] |
| Both staff and inmates at Wentworth are dealing with the aftermath of Bea's tragic death. Allie returns from hospital while Ferguson is back in general population. Hounded by inmates wanting her blood, Ferguson takes advantage of their hatred by subduing her assailants during an exercise period and creating an aura of fear around herself. Kaz declares that all violence against other women in prison is banned, while Sonia prepares for her trial, confident that she will be acquitted. Vera is faced with the problem of who let Bea into a restricted area to attack Ferguson and finds herself taking unethical measures to cover herself. Boomer is distraught when Maxine announces that she is being transferred to Barnhurst, and Franky finds her freedom in peril as Mike Pennisi, the man she assaulted, comes back into her life. | ||||||
| 48 | 2 | "The Bitch is Back" | Mat King | Andrew Anastasios | 11 April 2017 | 96[3] |
| Franky is returned to Wentworth to face charges for murder - her case looks doomed when her DNA is matched to the murder weapon - the gun she took from Shayne outside the court during Ferguson's trial. She deduces that somehow Ferguson is behind it all. Bridget is devastated to see Franky back in prison, while Maxine says goodbye to the women before being transferred. Vera takes steps to discredit Ferguson's case, while Liz begins to doubt her decision to testify against Sonia when Doreen learns that she intends to give testimony. | ||||||
| 49 | 3 | "Nothing But the Truth" | Geoff Bennett | Pete McTighe | 18 April 2017 | 88[4] |
| Franky enlists Shayne's help to prove her innocence and tries to place a distance between herself and Bridget. Facing accusations of being a weak leader, Kaz takes decisive action to stop the drug trade in the prison and Ferguson senses an opportunity to gain power. Liz takes the stand at Sonia's trial but things go horribly wrong when the defence counsel produces new evidence. As Sonia walks free from the court, Liz is returned to Wentworth, realising that she is in a worse position than ever before. | ||||||
| 50 | 4 | "Loose Ends" | Geoff Bennett | Marcia Gardner | 25 April 2017 | 85[5] |
| Doreen applies for a transfer to Western Australia, while Liz tries to contact Kaplan. Franky and Allie become closer, as Ferguson proposes to take control of the prison drug trade. Sonia enjoys the high life as the scale of her crimes becomes apparent, but finds that her freedom is short-lived. | ||||||
| 51 | 5 | "Belly of the Beast" | Fiona Banks | Marcia Gardner | 2 May 2017 | 79[6] |
| Allie tries to come to terms with her grief. Doreen has her transfer hearing with the board, while Sonia resists Lucy's standover tactics. As the drug trade intensifies, Kaz accuses Will of supplying drugs to the women as their mutual hatred comes to a head. Franky sabotages a prison van as part of her escape plan, an action which places Kaz and Will in mortal danger, but enables them to forge a new understanding. | ||||||
| 52 | 6 | "Happy Birthday, Vera" | Fiona Banks | John Ridley | 9 May 2017 | 80[7] |
| 53 | 7 | "The Pact" | Mat King | Andrew Anastasios | 16 May 2017 | 83[8] |
| 54 | 8 | "Think Inside the Box" | Mat King | Pete McTighe | 23 May 2017 | 73[9] |
| 55 | 9 | "Snakehead" | Catherine Millar | Andrew Anastasios | 30 May 2017 | 74[10] |
| 56 | 10 | "Mere Anarchy" | Catherine Miller | Marcia Gardner | 6 June 2017 | 81[11] |
| 57 | 11 | "Coup de Grace" | Kevin Carlin | John Ridley | 13 June 2017 | 81[12] |
| 58 | 12 | "Hell Bent" | Kevin Carlin | Pete McTighe | 20 June 2017 | 119[13] |
Production
On 21 July 2016, it was announced that FremantleMedia had renewed Wentworth for a fifth season, set to air in 2017.[14]
Jo Porter, the Director of Drama at FremantleMedia stated, "As season four comes to a close, the audience has witnessed a dangerous shift in the power base at Wentworth which is building to an unmissable conclusion next week. Wentworth has built a reputation for delivering a world with unexpected twists and turns where no character is safe. The season’s end provides a chilling platform for our script producer Marcia Gardner and the writing team to shape the next chapter for our regular characters, along with some new faces in the yard and on the outside. With series producer Pino Amenta at the helm, our ambition to keep lifting the bar and reward our audience both locally and internationally couldn’t be stronger."[14]
Penny Win, the Head of Drama at Foxtel stated, "Wentworth has gone from strength to strength over the past four seasons. Not only is it an international television success story, now showing in 141 territories, it is a ratings blockbuster and fan favourite for Foxtel audiences. We are extremely proud of this long-running drama juggernaut. It was a very easy decision to commission a further season of this brilliantly constructed and crafted program from our production partner FremantleMedia. There is a lot in store both for the women behind bars and those on the outside."
Ratings
| Episode | Title | Original airdate | Overnight Viewers | Nightly Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 5-01 | "Scars" | 4 April 2017 | 101,000[2] | 1st[2] |
| 5-02 | "The Bitch is Back" | 11 April 2017 | 96,000[3] | 1st[3] |
| 5-03 | "Nothing But the Truth" | 18 April 2017 | 88,000[4] | 2nd[4] |
| 5-04 | "Loose Ends" | 25 April 2017 | 85,000[5] | 9th[5] |
| 5-05 | "Belly of the Beast" | 2 May 2017 | 79,000[6] | 2nd[6] |
| 5-06 | "Happy Birthday, Vera" | 9 May 2017 | 80,000[7] | 1st[7] |
| 5-07 | "The Pact" | 16 May 2017 | 83,000[8] | 1st[8] |
| 5-08 | "Think Inside the Box" | 23 May 2017 | 73,000[9] | 2nd[9] |
| 5-09 | "Snakehead" | 30 May 2017 | 74,000[10] | 2nd[10] |
| 5-10 | "Mere Anarchy" | 6 June 2017 | 81,000[11] | 2nd[11] |
| 5-11 | "Coup de Grace" | 13 June 2017 | 81,000[12] | 2nd[12] |
| 5-12 | "Hell Bent" | 20 June 2017 | 119,000[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". Foxtel. 27 February 2017. Retrieved 27 February 2017.
- 1 2 3 "Tuesday 4 April 2017". TV Tonight. 4 April 2017.
- 1 2 3 "Tuesday 11 April 2017". TV Tonight. 11 April 2017.
- 1 2 3 "Tuesday 18 April 2017". TV Tonight. 18 April 2017.
- 1 2 3 "Tuesday 25 April 2017". TV Tonight. 25 April 2017.
- 1 2 3 "Tuesday 2 May 2017". TV Tonight. 2 May 2017.
- 1 2 3 "Tuesday 9 May 2017". TV Tonight. 9 May 2017.
- 1 2 3 "Tuesday 16 May 2017". TV Tonight. 16 May 2017.
- 1 2 3 "Tuesday 23 May 2017". TV Tonight. 24 May 2017.
- 1 2 3 "Tuesday 30 May 2017". TV Tonight. 31 May 2017.
- 1 2 3 "Tuesday 6 June 2017". TV Tonight. 7 June 2017.
- 1 2 3 "Tuesday 13 June 2017". TV Tonight. 14 June 2017.
- 1 2 3 "Tuesday 20 June 2017". TV Tonight. 21 June 2017.
- 1 2 "Renewed: Wentworth". Foxtel. 21 July 2016. Retrieved 27 February 2017.