I've just finished watching the infamous boat episodes which are generally regarded as a nadir for the show and amongst the worst episodes in Prisoner history.
However, I don't think they are all that bad.
For a start, it was nice to see some of the Wentworth girls and prison officers in a different setting (ie outside of Wentworth).
There is also lots of high drama on the sea as Rita Connors plots to kill Ferguson - to avenge the death of her beloved Slasher.
Firstly, she pushes the bloated Delia Stout over board, who falls arse over tits into the sea like a beached whale.
Then Marty Jackson dives into rescue her.
Next, Connors sabotages the boat by disabling the engine and radio communications on board.
Some tense scenes follow as Ferguson starts to realise that they are lost at sea, aimlessly drifting along the channel, and that she is outnumbered and no longer in charge of the work party.
This tension is also fuelled by the overtures Rita is making to Joan - clearly making it known that she intends to kill her given the chance!
This results in some excellent scenes between Kirkpatrick and Linscott as Joan fights to stay awake during the night to fend off any attack by Connors.
In the morning Joan makes her way to the nearby island, whilst unknowingly being followed by Rita. This culminates in the famous scene where Rita loses her footing just as she is about to strike Ferguson and slips to the edge of the cliff only for HER to be saved by the Freak at the eleventh hour.
I thought the episodes were generally well directed - Sean Nash certainly knows how to draw the viewer in and build the tension - and I also enjoyed the narrative; that of Rita wishing to exact revenge on the freak for her boyfriend's death as she sees it. It was tense and exciting.
Certainly, there have been many many worse episodes of Prisoner IMO.
What are your thoughts?