Prisoner — Season 8

Lou starts a full-scale riot in the prison, taking Joan, Mervin and Steve hostage and tying up Rita and her cronies in the dining room. Eve faces a kangaroo court and is hanged as punishment, as Lou finally gets revenge on the Phantom Lagger. As Bob tries to regain control of his prison, Lou forces Joan and Rita into a fight to the death...

The officers and inmates attempt to get back on track in the aftermath of Lou's riot as Eve's murder is made to look like suicide and Julie is rushed to hospital in a critical condition. Bob vows to make Lou's life a misery as punishment for her actions. Meanwhile, it looks like the prisoners are about to get a new Top Dog...

Lou and Alice face their punishment for the riot, at the hands of Rita and her bloodthirsty band of prisoners. Bob counsels an old friend whose daughter is dying of a terminal illness. Lexie and Jessie overpower Bassinger and tie him up, but they're sent back to Wentworth charged with his assault when the police don't believe their story.

When Ann decides to return to work, the Department make a decision about Bob's future, which could have serious repercussions. Lou finds she has no friends left, not even her once-loyal henchwoman Alice, and has nowhere left to turn. Pippa makes it clear she disapproves of Ann's relationship with Dan.

Meg learns she is to be demoted from Deputy Governor to make way for Bob. Rita and the girls begin making their own booze and let Alice out of coventry when she saves their necks from Joan. Joan threatens to have Lou sent to Blackmoor; Lou steals some caustic soda to poison the home brew.

Jessie is rushed to hospital in a critical condition, but Lexie is unconcerned. Lou holds Flora and Sean hostage at gunpoint, before shooting them both dead at point-blank range. Dan's involvement with the bikies causes problems in his relationship with Ann. Pocco roams the prison under the oblivious officers' noses.

With Lou on her way back to Wentworth after murdering Flora and Sean Jenkins, a grieving Alice quietly vows to kill Lou when she returns. Brought back to the infirmary, Lou finds a threatening message in her food. Bob learns Kath is on her way to the prison. Steve warns Joan that she is heading for a breakdown.

Kath Maxwell looks set to have a hard time in Wentworth, as the women react angrily to the ""kid killer"". Rita has drugs smuggled into the prison in a remote-controlled car and throws a party, which ends in disaster after Steve flushes the dope down the loo and Rita knocks him out. Joan goes golfing.

Lots of bullying going on as Joan bullies Lou and everyone else bullies Kath. Janet tries to ingratiate herself with both Kath and Lou, telling Lou she knows something about Bob Moran that they can use against him. Rita tells the other girls that drugs are a no-no from now on, to their disgust and surprise.

The women throw Joyce and Mervin a slap-up wedding breakfast, but the festivities are shattered with the news that Lou has been found murdered in solitary. Bob and Kath desperately try to keep their friendship a secret from everyone in Wentworth, as Kath is systematically bullied by the other prisoners.

Kath and Janet team up and arm themselves with knives in a bid to usurp Rita as Top Dog. Roach and Ida decide to rob a newsagency to get money for Bongo. Joan makes a new friend and Kath is punished for destroying Joyce and Mervin's wedding video.

Joan is offered $10,000 by Mrs Ryan if she will agree to help get Julie's sentence extended. Roach and Ida find themselves behind bars for robbing the newsagency and Roach realises she saw Joan the night the Conquerors' bikes were burned. Rita plots her revenge on Joan for the fire and, subsequently, Slasher's death, by arranging a nasty surprise at her home. Kath says goodbye to her husband.

Joan's house is burned down by the bikies at Rita's request, after which Rita and Alice dangle her off the roof of the prison. Incensed, Joan agrees to Mrs Ryan's request to get Julie's sentence extended. An old acquaintance of Joan's from Queensland is arrested and sent to Wentworth. Janet and Kath arrange a drugs drop and Meg suspects the women know something about the fire at Joan's place.

Julie suffers a nightmarish trip thanks to Joan and Kath, accidentally stabs Nancy and ends up almost being crushed in the garbage compactor. Troublesome prisoner Merle Jones is transferred to H Block to act as muscle for Kath and Janet, and they soon find her childish exterior hides a nasty temper. Mrs Ryan realises her plan to split Steve and Julie up has failed. Meg is concerned about why Marty has left the navy.

Marty and his two new fellow trainees - Rodney Adams and Delia Stout - discover the highs and lows of working at Wentworth. The women plot to make the Freak pay for reading Nancy's diary and carry out a cunning plan to humiliate her - one that involves a bomb planted in the prison garden and an escape attempt...

Rita is gutted and becomes disillusioned when Merle knocks her out in a dispute stirred up by Kath and Janet. Rodney holds an aerobics class for the prisoners, which ends in him being made a fool of. Janet plays silly buggers and messes around with the video tapes in an attempt to get Rita's girls into trouble. Joan and Andrew have a talk and try to reach a new understanding. Tension flares up between the three trainees.

Following some plotting from the prisoners and some fake flirting from Lexie, Rodney is able to catch Janet's sister making a drug drop. The women tease Alice about her obvious crush on Marty. Joan gets a driving lesson and is ordered by Parker to increase the drug trafficking, Delia is made a fool of when she finds the tape of the women's film and reports it to Ann. Lorelei worries about what will happen to Zoe as her mother's health deteriorates.

The arrest of Janet's sister prompts Parker to take action against Joan and she is devastated when he has Andrew knocked down and killed in a hit-and-run accident. Incensed, she takes a gun from the prison armoury to protect herself and goes to Inspector Grace to spill the beans and trap Parker. Back at Wentworth, Kath becomes hysterical and has to be sedated while the Warriors are reunited and welcome Roach back to the fold.

Joan goes undercover for the police in an attempt to trap Harry Parker and bring him to justice, but it's a dangerous plan that could leave her life in danger. The women try to befriend Merle in a bid to undermine Kath and Janet's influence over her. Roach and Lexie try to come up with ways to make money in Wentworth. Rita and her gang give Janet a makeover, driving her to drastic measures.

Kath goes on trial and the judge drops a bombshell

Deprived of her medication, Merle nearly kills herself. Kath is furious with Janet and takes action.

The prisoners grow excited about the impending work release on the boat, despite Rodney's efforts to have the scheme cancelled. Lexie tries to come up with a way to prevent being transferred to Maternity - but a potentially deadly disease was something she hadn't counted on. Roach makes plans to escape and enlists Vicki's help, until Rita puts a spoke in the wheels. Joyce and Mervin get some bad news and find themselves homeless.

Lexie is stopped just in time from getting to Maternity and returned to the other women as Wentworth has to be disinfected following the Golden Staph outbreak. Kath siezes her chance in Rita's absence and sets up a casino in the Rec Room. Lorelei and Nancy worry that Rita will take advantage of the work release on the boat to kill Joan - indeed, she has something just along that line up her sleeve...

Stranded at sea, Joan decides to head for a nearby island to try and get help, and is pursued by Rita, intent on killing her as revenge for Slasher's death. However, Nancy is determined to stop her - and Joan turns out to be the one who has to save Rita's life in the end. On the boat, Roach is falling for Mick and decides that she isn't going back with the others. Back in Wentworth, Kath throws her weight around with the other girls.

The aftermath of the boat dramas reverberate around Wentworth as Kath plots to put Rita and her supporters in her place. Joan is still missing - until the noise of a helicopter overhead signifies her return from apparent death. Lexie and Lorelei plan a surprise party for Merle to try and win her over to their side, but Kath gets Vicki to help ruin the party for her. Nancy's son comes to visit and he has a few surprises in store for her.

Rita, Alice and Nancy await their fate following Joan's unexpected return to Wentworth as she tells Ann how she managed to escape the island. Kath decides it is time for her to make a bid for the Top Dog position. Lorelei is beaten up by Kath's supporters for defying her and standing up for herself. Nancy's new daughter-in-law turns up at the prison to ask her advice. Rita gets out of Solitary and ambushes Kath on the stairs.

Spider and Vicki attack Sarah and spray-paint her white. Incensed, Sarah takes drastic action and places poisonous chemicals in the air conditioning system, causing mass illness and evacuation of H Block. Lisa's sudden inability to speak is diagnosed as all being in her head. Joan suggests to Ann that they start a prison shop.

Spider tries to burn down the shop and is worried that Joan will bash her to punish her. When her attacker comes in the middle of the night, though, it's not Joan... Kath is made trustee in charge of the shop. Rita is reluctantly appointed to try and keep Sarah in line. Spider's confession about Lester prompts Lisa to get her voice back.

Joan catches Rodney in the process of bashing Spider. Lester's belongings are delivered to Lisa in jail.

Rita forces Sarah to face some home truths. Kath, Merle and Rodney go on a day out to buy contraband for the shop.

The Freak appears to finally have beaten Rita as she arrives at Blackmoor, where she is stunned to spot a familiar face amongst the inmates. Back at Wentworth, Kath is aiming to be the new Top Dog.

Inadvertantly on the run, Merle finds herself a new playmate and a comfortable hiding place from the authorities. Back at Wentworth, Ann suffers the consequences when Lorelei is threatened by Craven.

Rita attempts to lure Craven into a fight to the death, intent on avenging the attack on Lorelei. Merle makes the most of her new-found freedom and has a ball with her new pal Tommy.

Craven continues his reign of terror at Wentworth - but it is about to come to a bloody end. Merle manages to turn an innocent game with Tommy into a police siege that is only ended with the intervention of Ann.

Joan consolidates her hold on Wentworth in the aftermath of Craven's murder, but she is forced to sacrifice Lorelei to protect her own job. Meg and Joyce find themselves in big trouble for disobeying Joan's orders.

Joan's attempt to transfer Meg, Joyce and Marty away from Wentworth incurs the wrath of the union and the threat of an officers' strike. Kath loses her trusteeship after being set-up.

Joan attempts to hide the important role she played in Lorelei's recovery. Rita, Alice and Brumby's escape attempt seems in jeopardy.

Rita is back but Joan is determined to break the hold she has over the women. A television news team arrives at Wentworth to investigate Meg's claims of a cover-up.

Kath and Rita do a deal and reach a compromise. Ann is reinstated as Governor by the Department, prompting Joan to make a surprise decision.

Ann Reynolds' return to Wentworth and Joan's simultaneous fall from grace are the cause for major celebrations amongst the staff and inmates alike. Brumby begins plotting yet another ill-conceived escape attempt.

Brumby's bashers are revealed and punished for their misdeeds. Marty places himself in considerable danger as he continues his attempts to help Spike.

Marty's attempts to help Spike could spell trouble for Lisa Mullins. Kath finally manages to find Spider's contraband, but Rita could die as a consequence.

Kath and Merle are forced to swallow their pride as punishment for poisoning Rita. Spider finds the evidence she needs to try and put a stop to Alice and Harry's budding romance.

Joan gets a nasty shock on her first day in her new job. Kath contemplates an offer from Ron Willis to get Marty and Spike. Rita arranges a meeting for Alice and Harry to discuss his past.

Rita and the girls plot revenge on Stud and Billy for the attack on Lorelei. Alice tries to find out the truth about Harry's past.

Rita and Alice are cleared of trouble in the incident with the men. Kath makes her getaway, but is forced to leave Merle behind. Angry and humiliated, Joan threatens Dwyer and bullies him into helping her.

In the aftermath of the escape, a distraught Merle is sedated and committed to a mental institution. Dwyer advises Joan to swallow her pride and return to Wentworth. The women, with the help of Lisa, plan a cruel humiliation for Rodney.

Spider finally succeeds in pushing Rita too far. Rodney makes plans to get back at Lisa. Kath's escape could end with her in a pine box...

Rita receives some devastating news from the doctor about her ill health. Kath finally manages to escape from her minders.

Rita struggles to come to terms with the news of her impending death. Returned to Wentworth and rejected by Merle, Kath feels like she has nothing left to live for and prepares to commit suicide.

Rita counsels Kath and stops her killing herself. The women find a weapon to defeat Rodney with. Rita tells Alice she has some big plans that nothing - and no-one - can interfere with.

Joan surprises everyone when she volunteers to be Rita's constant help. Harry makes an unexpected announcement.

Rita escapes from Wentworth to carry out her robbery. Kath and Merle are reunited and the women learn of Rita's condition. The department assess Ann's reform proposals.

Rita carries out the robbery but is recaptured and brought back to Wentworth in a bad way. Joan goes to pick up the cash but chickens out. Alice gets Tom to bring in his motorbike for Rita to ride in the grounds as a birthday treat. Ann is told her reforms have been accepted and Dwyer sacked. Rita announces she's standing down as Top Dog and wants Kath to take over. Harry is transferred to Barnhurst. Joan arrives at work next day to hear Rita died during the night. She finally picks up the stolen loot, but the cops are waiting for her and she arrives in Wentworth on remand overnight and is put in Solitary. Joan starts cracking up and is horrified when her meal is brought in by a very much alive Rita. She is taken away to another prison next morning as the women whoop and holler. Rita tells Alice she's ""going to be the oldest biker in the world"".