Wentworth Season 3 Overview: The Best TV Show You're Probably Not Watching

Netflix released season 3 of "Wentworth" last week. There are 12 episode total. It seems like FOREVER since we checked in with the ladies at my favorite imaginary prison. (Sorry Litchfield inmates). I was worried the quality of the show might slip after being on for a while. I'm happy to report that season 3 is the best thus far. "Wentworth" just keeps getting better with age. Now, on to the show.

Bea Smith (who arrived as a scared newbie in episode 1) is now "Queen Bea". Over the years she's wrestled control from first Franky and then Jacs. Now she's locked in a power struggle with Governor Ferguson. People are going to get hurt and, odds are, it will be the inmates. Being top dog is not all it's cracked up to be. If Bea isnt careful she'll end up becoming the type of person she most hates. Luckily she has Maxine as her right hand woman. I'm glad to see Maxine has finally been accepted by the other inmates (she's transgendered).

Franky is pretty much friendless at the beginning of season 3. After Boomer severely beat LIz (for being a lagger), her hands are burned in a clothes press by Bea as payback. That was painful to watch! Franky cant do anything to stop the assault. There is a very touching scene later between Franky and Boomer. Boomer says she always loved Franky and would do anything to protect her. Unfortunately Franky doesnt seem to feel the same (or at least cant express it).

When a shipment of drugs is confiscated, Franky is in a bad spot and has no way to repay the money she owes. She must stoop to a new low and strikes a bargain with Juice. Yuck! What are the odds that Franky has hepatitis C now?

Liz continues to struggle with family issues. Her daughter comes to visit (but that doesnt go well). Sophie later ends up in Wentworth because she kills someone while drunk driving. Mental Note: Is there only one women's prison in Australia? All these ladies keep ending up in the same place. Anyway, Liz struggles to protect Sophie. Franky gallantly keeps her from being raped by Juice's crew. When Soph and Liz meet with the wife of Sophie's victim, she finally begins to take responsibility for her actions.

While is the slot, Jodie is tortured by Joan. We're not sure of the specifics but it has to be something big because the poor girl is terrified. She wets herself upon Ferguson. Bea and Franky try to convince Jodie to lodge a complain against the Governor. They do this by first starving her and then by depriving her of sleep. I didnt agree with their tactics. Jodi has already been through enough. Not surprisingly, the plan fails. Jodi puts out her own eye with one of the Gov's pencils. This is after Jodi stabs Bea (but doesnt do a very good job of it).

Poor Vera continues to be unlucky in life. During the prison riot she is infected with hepatitis C. She later learns Ferguson refused to do anything to rescue her. The two grow further apart. Ferguson eventually fires Vera as deputy governor and announces her illness to the entire staff. Classy move Ferg!

Vera surmises that Juice is the masked prisoner that infected her. They have a little "discussion". Vera considers pushing Juice's wheelchair down the steps. Juice (her real name is Lucy) fights back and accidentally ends up at the bottom of the stairs anyway.

Vera tells the gov that Lucy filed assault charges. Vera also believes that what Jodi and Bea said is true. Jodi was tortured by Joan. Bea was drugged up so she couldn't attend Jodi's hearing. Vera has reported all of this to the Board (who will have Joan removed from office). The noose tightens around the Freak. It's great to see how much Vera has grown during this show. She's not a mousy girl that can be pushed around any more.

Doreen seems to have been pregnant for like three years. Am I right or am I right? After some close calls (she gets in the middle of a few fights), she finally has her baby. Jess has an unhealthy obsession with little Joshua. Speaking of unhealthy obsessions, Doreen reminds Joan of an inmate from long ago who had her baby taken away. Ferguson blames Will (who was her social worker) for removing the child-- thus causing Jianna to commit suicide. By the end of season 3, we learn Jianna did NOT kill herself. The inmates offed her because they hated the Freak. In present day, Joan sets up Doreen's baby-daddy with drugs when he comes to visit. It's off to prison again for him. JOAN PLAYS FOR KEEPS!

Surprisingly, Fletcher survives being run over by a van. He has brain damage and a number of physical injuries. I actually feel sorry for the guy (even though he was a jerk last season). Vera visits him at the rehab facility (without telling Joan). Fletch returns to work but has a hard time adjusting. He eventually remembers that JOAN TRIED TO KILL HIM. And she's going to do it again. She sends Niles Jesper to Fletch's house. He's the same guy who: 1. Ran Fletch over with the van; 2. Attacked and drugged Bea; 3. Another deed (see below); and 4. I'm not sure what all else. Luckily Fletch gets the upper hand and shoots the guy DEAD. Mr Fletcher is safe for now.

Bea's ex husband Harry Smith is murdered. Will (who has settled down with Prison Nurse Rose) is accused of the crime. Ferguson insinuates that he and Bea have a romantic relationship. Bea needs help from someone on the outside. She learns of a group called the Red Right Hand. They've taken to beating up men who get light sentences for domestic violence. The leader (Karen Proctor) is fixated on Bea. She visits her in jail. Bea gets the intel she needs and then blows off Karen. Someone is not happy. It should come as no surprise that JOAN HAD HARRY KILLED AND WILL FRAMED.

There's a new psychologist at Wentworth. Her name is Bridget Westfall. Frankie nicknames her Gidget. She was sent by the higher-ups (who have doubts about Ferguson's ability to run the prison). Bridget seems genuinely interested in helping the inmates. She has a number of meetings with Franky (who is up for parole but always seems to sabotage herself). Sparks fly between the two. Bridget is canned for having an inappropriate relationship. Nothing happened though...yet. The Governor just wants Bridget gone.

Before Bridget exits, Franky admits to her (in a excellent scene) that she killed Meg Jackson by accident. This confession is a turning point for Franky. She then: gets her act together, stays out of trouble (despite Kim planting drugs in her cell which she had to swallow) and is able to successfully plead her case before the parole board. Will finds out the truth about his wife's death. We think he will kill Franky. But he forgives her (much to the chagrin of Joan).
Franky finds a loophole in the additional seven year drug possession sentence that Boomer received (after Liz squealed on her). Franky finally tells Boomer she loves her. She also patches things up with Liz. Nicole da Silva seriously deserves all the awards for these three great scenes. Despite all her efforts, Franky still believes she'll leave Wentworth in a body bag.

And in the main event, Governor Ferguson continues to masterfully play everyone on this show. Have I said how much I love Pamela Rabe? A million times is not enough. One look from her would send me screaming in the opposite direction. She has a number of extremely terrifying scenes. She rips the tail off her pet fish. Seriously? That is just evil. We learn that her fencing partner/father does not even exist. It's all in her head. JOAN HAS BEEN CRAZY ALL ALONG.

Her obsession with Jianna has been transferred to Doreen. She almost kisses Doreen right before she goes into labor. Apparently the baby does not want Joan getting friendly with his mommy. Ferguson arrives at her office one morning to find pictures of Jianna covering every wall. Bea is sending a message. The Freak is a ticking time bomb. The best everyone can hope for is to not be around when she blows.

Everything in the prison comes to a head. Jess (who has been secretly poisoning Doreen and her baby with some pocketed heroin) steals Joshua. Someone has to save the baby soon or he'll be dead (since that's why Jess is in jail). Yes, Jess is cute but she's also SERIOUSLY cray cray. The prison is on lockdown. Ferguson finds Jess in the basement. She lifts her into the air and STRANGLES HER DEAD. What a powerful scene!

The Freak decides to conceal Jess's body by setting her on fire. Uhhhh, I'm not sure that's a good plan in a prison with lots of locked doors. Sure enough, the fire gets out of hand and Gov and Joshua are trapped. Vera and the other guards evacuate the prisoners. Bea and Franky frantically search for Joshua. Franky passes the baby to Bea but the walls collapse. Will goes back with Bea to help Franky. Will saves the Governor (I probably would have left her there). Bea carries the motionless body of Franky outside. Was her premonition about not leaving jail alive correct?

In the finale scene, Franky walks out of prison. She survived after all. Yeah! She spots Bridget. Franky had previously told her she wanted a "hot girl in a hot car" to pick her up and drive off into the sunset. Will we see any of "Fridget" next year? I hope so but, if not, at least Franky gets her well deserved happy ending.

A new crop of prisoners arrive at Wentworth including Karen Proctor. Karen (ie Kaz) thinks Bea ratted her out to the police. More trouble is brewing.

IMPORTANT NOTE: Apparently during the Australian TV broadcast, after the credits rolled viewers got a sneak peak of the Governor in a straight jacket in a lovely padded cell. We DID NOT see this on Netflix. Uh Netflix, that seems like a important thing to keep in... just saying.

Favorite Quotes:

"If you rule through chaos, you reap what you sow."- Bea to Joan after the fire.
"They call me a freak, an abomination, an anomaly, a monster. They fear me because I make the difficult decisions-- the decisions nobody else has the courage to make. They're right to be afraid. I will remove any and all obstacles in my path...for the greater good."- Governor Joan Ferguson (ie The Freak).

Grade: 5 Monsters (out of 5). Simply perfect. The story lines are addictive. The characters are compelling. No one is all good or all bad. We root for the prisoners to make the right decisions but they continue to make bad ones in spite of themselves.

The actors are excellent. Joan (Pamela Rabe), Bea (Danielle Cormack) and Franky (Nicole da Silva) are standouts. I even voted Joan Ferguson my top female TV character of 2015. Pamela Rabe is THAT good.

I watched all 12 episodes in two sittings. Now I'm sad and wish I had savored season 3 a little longer. There is apparently a German and Dutch adaptation of the show. I may need to watch those to get my fix until "Wentworth" returns. Luckily season 4 is currently in production in Australia. We'll hopefully get it in the US next year.