Everything changes but basically stays the same or not as the case may be

This kicks off when Maxi Purvis continues her bid for control in breaking into the files and countermanding Nikki’s instruction otherwise with her words ‘Nikki who?” to the woman ‘on sentry duty’

What was very touching was Nikki’s dreams of getting to the outside with Helen despite the way events were being drastically overturned. Caroline reveals her hand and spins the yarn calculated to appeal to Nikki’s sympathies. One revealing Nikki characteristic was her genuine unassuming nature in not being aware that swhe had ‘quite a following’ – I got the feeling that this wasn’t bullshit.

Helen had clearly had a rethink of the entire situation and realized that ‘some of the grievances are genuine’ i.e. Nikki’s while the Purvis gang were simply out to cause mayhem. It becomes apparent that Helen’s intransigence earlier on was because she simply hadn’t got an answer to Femi’s problems and strangely left Femi on segregation because she felt unable to discount the official line of Femi kicking off (as she had Bodybag’s yarn that Carol Byatt hadn’t complained that she was bleeding). On rethinking the position, she came up with the answer of a fellow Nigerian who could speak English, and interestingly, having to double up as Wing Governor (in contrast with Stubberfield’s ‘so laid back that he was laid off’ approach when Fenner was stabbed.

Nikki was exposed in the preliminary negotiations where her long time role as ‘spokeswoman’ and ‘head prefect’ was exposed being unspoken pressure not to appear too ‘soft.’ On the other hand, she was trying to excuse the protesters only to be confronted with Helen’s question as to ‘who fired them up?’.When Maxi contested Nikki’s right to call off the protest, for the first and only time, I got the feeling that Nikki was at her wits end. She finally reached out blindly with her last throw of the dice in appealing to Yvonne in arguing that Yvonne would ‘never get any peace with Maxi Purvis and her gang.’

Maxi Purvis reveals a hidden bit of sisterly protectiveness in saying that ESN referred to Tina as ‘extra special nuisance’ rather than ‘educationally sub normal’ and we hear the especially masterly character description of Al Mckenzie which has resonances for the future.

Elsewhere, what is worrying is Helen’s exhortation to ‘go in hard’ but no score settling which, if it had gone ahead, would have ended up in as much mayhem as the prisoners caused. Instead what is especially shocking when the PBG were ‘banged up’ and Nikki offered to negotiate unhindered, was the sight of Helen behind the row of bars and prison officers in riot gear. I’m sure that Nikki expected a measure of appreciation and not the chilling ‘what are you waiting for, Wade?’ .Similarly shocking was Helen's "I am the system."

The rest of the episode shows a complete disconnectedness of understanding as Nikki takes Helen’s breaking off of their relationship (and repeated at a lated date via Babs) was the confrontations between Helen and Nikki (with or without Caroline present). First of all, Nikki reverts to her manner of hard defiance which prevailed in Series 1, Ep 1 –4 and then her emotions spilling out of Helen wanting to run a ‘power trip’ on Nikki. A whole jumbled up impression comes out of broken fragments of love and frustration until the finale when Nikki realizes the real reason why Helen shipped Caroline out.

On another note, the visit by David is one of those themes that runs through BG from first episode to last and the Julies’ anticipation of being on the outside but ending up as one more broken dream.

Characteristically even-handed coverage, Richard, thanks! I had a question: when you noted "[Helen's] having to double up as Wing Governor (in contrast with Stubberfield’s ‘so laid back that he was laid off’ approach when Fenner was stabbed" I found myself wondering, have we discussed this specifically, I mean... did I miss a step or is Helen in fact doing Stubberfield's old job AND her own old job? If so it's surprising her head didn't explode.

I'm also thinking some of how strapped she is for responses to Nikki might be because she's unable to negotiate the different requirements of those two rather different positions. I mean, the goals of Wing Gov shouldn't be at odds with Governing Gov--in theory. In Stubberfield's case that happened because he was concerned only with number 1 & politicking--but it seems to some extent that the job descriptions *would* be at odds, even if there had been someone else in Stubberfield's position; it's the natural order of bureaucracies to a large extent, innit? Grayling, however self-serving as well, clearly is more competent, and clearly has some marginal interest in the prisoners even early in the show; arguably he's at least mouthing *some* platitudes designed to pretend he cares. Stubberfield was never even interested in bothering that much. So my point is: if Helen is stuck doing both these positions, in a way it might be to her advantage, as she understands the politics of appearance (spin, in the press) as well as the daily realities of running the prison--but that could only work on a good day, and certainly one without a major crisis. To have to negotiate those two poles in the middle of a crisis doesn't seem any great advantage--rather, another obstacle we haven't, perhaps, quite examined thoroughly enough.

Mmm, hadn't thought through this one, ekny. but your post does kick off some great ideas. Backtracking to the 'Fenner stabbing' incident, Karen and Helen effectively split the handling, and clashed a bit. If Karen hadn't been on leave, she would had largely done the negotiations with Helen as backup, where she would have been far more proactive than Stubberfield. In this situation, Helen had literally noone (except a very distant Area). It makes her line 'I am the system' more understandable.

What has suddenly hit me is that Helen was very much in the position of being on her own just as Nikki was, that poignantly short distance the other side of the barricades. There's also an exchange of visible emotions between them which speaks volumes which, I think you covered on an earlier thread.

I've posted something to that effect in the S3E11 thread, reworked it a bit here so that it fits into the context of what is being said.

I found that there was a definite parallel between Helen and Nikki's actions in this episode. On the one side we have Nikki trying to calm down her "troops" by reasoning with them that the protest is about Femi, and not about other issues. On the other side, and at roughly the same time, we find Helen reasoning with her "troops", trying to calm them down, to think through a strategy as opposed to just barging in on the wing in full riot gear (attack mode). On the wing we have Maxi firing on the inmates, and in the library we have Bodybag attempting to do the same with the PO's, as she has already identified the "ring leader" and blatently tells Helen that she doesn't have much of a strategy. So there is the parallel between Helen and Nikki trying to calm things down while at the same time there is a parallel between Maxi and Bodybag who tries to fire things up, wanting the confrontation.

Helen sidelines Bodybag and at the same time Nikki sidelines her "bodybag", the PBG. It is therefore sort of ironic that Nikki and Helen are actually working "together" (i.e. in parallel) without knowing it, to try and find the middle ground that would be mutually beneficial to them both: Nikki is trying to stop the riot violence so that it wouldn't cause any more trouble for Helen (with her PO's and higher up at Area if she couldn't control the riot), whilst Helen is trying to stop the PO's from "going in hard", which would in turn cause trouble for Nikki, possibly even abuse in the name of rules and regulations ("I want no score settling").

Good, point, that Helen was wearing two hats at this time. I remember sensing this, and even though it never was a plot point, I think Helen having to cover both roles/jobs, is a variation on a theme with her character, that Helen, idealist that she is, can often take on too much. The ambitious political Helen cannot stay away from also being the hands on "I think I can do some good" wing gov working directly with the inmates...

Convenient, story wise, that both the real wing gov and the principle officer were gone, so with the whole Femi/riot story line, Helen bites off more than she can chew. Normally an inmate would not have a direct line to the #1, Nikki does. Nikki's direct confrontation with Helen concerning Femi throws their whole dynamic off and it continues to get more muddled from this point on up to the "I don't even feel sad about it" moment.

For Helen playing two roles, it's like she's unable to negoiate with herself. The roles are too different, so rather than giving her an advantage, she works against herself. As "top of the shit heap", GG Helen is ineffectual in politically interacting with the immates, Nikki included.

I very much like your idea, Microsoftly, of Maxi and Bodybag in being an inverted version of each other as the direct parallel of Helen and Nikki. What hit me is how emotionally isolated Nikki was in the discussions about the protest and, practically speaking, the others weren't in the supportive role (as in the 'self rule' episode) Likewise, Helen was in the same boat with Bodybag's uselessness and the other PO's passive.

Two quick thoughts.

1. Helen had no authority over the women. Yes, it was handed to her by way of her position, but when it came down to it, the inmates had no respect for it. Case in point: "Right, go back to your cells". No one listened, they all just looked at her even after she repeated her instruction. They only started moving when Nikki told them "do as she says". Nikki held the power card and I think it infuriated Helen no end. This little and seeminly insignificant incident is the straw that broke the Helen camel's back. The "it's over, you and me" was spoken not only out of anger, but also out of sheer frustration. After seeing this, one would think that Helen needed Nikki as an ally amongst the inmates, even more so after Nikki's power on the wing was displayed to her.

2. In retrospect I also now believe that Helen was on her way to tell Nikki why she (Helen) did what she did re Caroline - Maxi just beat her to it. Helen had calmed down at this point and was thinking more clearly. I think she felt the need to clear the air with Nikki, sort of as a closure?

Microsofty, interesting. I'd never thought of that. I bet she was. I wonder if Nikki would've forgiven her if Caroline hadn't been outed?

Great points by microsoftly. I hadn't spotted how dependent Helen was on Nikki's display of authority- to push the point further, Helen had that authority among the prison officers, more so in her Wing Governor days and not because of increased rank. This has happened so soon after her promotion and Nikki's earlier verbal jab of "I thought you were supposed to be all powerful."

A couple of points also cross my mind and the first is Nikki's argument against the protest "We've all got too much to lose." In reality, all the other prisoners stood to lose extra days, privileges, etc but Nikki stood to have her appeal blown out of the water before it got to court. In reality, Nikki had far far too much to lose, both for herself and Helen, and the others, comparatively little. The point is that Nikki is constitutionally incapable of arguing special privileges and the others didn't pick up on it.

The other related one is that Helen chose to come down pretty heavily against all the prisoners which is certainly not unreasonable and comes over as 'fair minded', everyone suffers. Unlike the first protest in the very first episode, Helen doesn't single out Nikki - last time Nikki was sent down the block. This time, Nikki was only part responsible but the consequences (damage done) was far greater - again Nikki's appeal could have again gone down. It could explain why Helen blew up so much at Babs when she came to remonstrate with her. At the very least, this was Helen doing 'I promised to get you out on appeal and I'll stick to my end of the bargain' and, possibly Helen's unconscious at work, even at a moment like this.

Sorry I'm so late to this discussion. Super-busy week in the evenings, so I didn't have a chance to re-watch the episode until early this morning (it was a small consolation for the fact that I woke up 45 min before my alarm was set to go off). I also heard rumor that the next episode isn't being broadcast until NEXT Monday, so we have an extra week to discuss this episode, which is good, since it's already Friday.

I don't know about this. I mean, yes, I think Helen is aware at this moment of how much power Nikki has, and that again, in this moment, Nikki has more control over the inmates than she does. But I don't see Helen as being angry about the relative power. If anything, I think she's angry at how Nikki decided to use her power (ie starting the protest in the first place). I fall more into the school of thought which Richard touched on:

I think THIS is (part of) why Helen got so angry at Nikki. Not only did Nikki take actions which made Helen's job much more difficult, but she (Nikki) demonstrated an additional level of lack of respect for Helen's needs and struggles by risking her appeal with this protest. I'd imagine Helen's thinking to herself: If Nikki loved me at all she'd be using every bone in her body to make things smooth for me in my professional life (as Governing Gov) and in my personal life (as Nikki's-soon-to-be-lover).

I rewatched with this question in mind, and it's definitely possible. The other interpretation is that Helen heard the alarm and possibly sensed what was happening, and so followed the other officers who were rushing on to the wing to see what was going on. Given that there had been a riot just a few days ago, it's understandable that Helen would want to be present at the first sign of unrest on the wing.

Which leads right into my thought on a central theme of this episode. Selfishness. And how characters determine if someone is operating out of self-interest or not.

The episode opens with three very telling moments. Caroline walks in on Nikki washing up at the sink, without a shirt on. Maxi marches into the screws' office and starts going through the prisoners' files. (Which, btw, it is now clear, only include conviction information and reports on in-prison behavior--we were discussing this in the Claire thread, about Nikki's trial, and why Helen didn't know more about Nikki's case before she became Lifer's Liaison.) And then Nikki asks Caroline what she's in for. All three are moments of unwanted exposure, of characters attempting to peel back layers to see what's underneath. There's a process of discernment, or differentiation, which goes on in so many interactions in Larkhall, characters trying to figure out where others are coming from, what's motivating them.

It's clear that Caroline and Maxi know this process well. Maxi has been observing and conniving since her arrival, evaluating who's in charge, planning strategies to wrench power from Yvonne and then Nikki. Caroline has been quietly observing Nikki for weeks now. She knows Nikki's crime, her relationship status (when Nikki says she's "spoken for" Caroline responds: "That's not what I've heard. Not what I've seen either."). Caroline has been watching and learning. She's chosen Nikki to be her protector, and she's going to seduce Nikki to secure her protection. Caroline and Maxi both are motivated by completely selfish interests, but that motivation is far less evident from Caroline than from Maxi--Caroline appears to be generous, but she's out for herself. Maxi is the one who harasses Caroline with her awareness of the role Caroline is playing: Maxi: Embezzlement. So like, deception? Caroline: I conned a few people, yeah.

This idea of selfishness also plays into the riot and its resolution. Helen knows that some of the prisoners don't care about Femi, as Gina points out when the officers are congregated in the library. Helen's ignoring the selfish ones so that she can address the non-selfish prisoners. But it's selfishness which ultimately gets the riot resolved: Nikki reminds Yvonne that if Maxi Purvis takes over, the wing won't be a very pleasant place. Yvonne finally helps Nikki, but only once Nikki has positioned the act as pure selfishness. In a way, this episode, with its preoccupation with selfishness, shows the conclusion of Yvonne's particular struggle, her desire to act only for herself, because it's easier than feeling an obligation to take care of everyone.

After the riot is over, the two primary storylines continue to explore this theme of self-interest and selfishness. Julie J has this romantic fantasy of she and Julie S sharing a cottage in the country, with no man around to spoil it. Julie J doesn't know that Julie S has some selfish interests, and that when they get out, Julie S is hoping to reunite with Trevor. Julie S spends most of the episode keeping this information close--she doesn't want Julie J to know she is being selfish. And Julie J is mostly oblivious to it.

In contrast, Helen and Nikki are almost hyper-sensitive to the other's potential for selfishness. Helen is furious for Nikki about the riot. For all the reasons discussed above: not trusting her (Helen) to resolve the Femi situation effectively, making her (Helen's) first weeks as Governing Gov MUCH more difficult, risking her (Nikki's) appeal (and by extension their relationship) by instigating violence on the wing. She thinks Nikki is being selfish, or at least more concerned about herself and her fellow inmates than she's concerned about Helen. Intellectually and professionally, Helen knows that the Peckham girls were the cause of the riot. But emotionally and personally, she can't differentiate between Nikki the prisoner and Nikki the lover, nor can she see outside herself and her own interests to understand where Nikki was coming from. Then, later on, Nikki herself makes the same mistake about Helen--she thinks Helen is acting out of self-interest regarding Caroline, when in fact it's the opposite. In the scene where Helen walks in on Nikki and Caroline, the care and concern and pain on Helen's face is so evident, and Nikki just can't see it--she's full of pointed rebuffs: "You don't give a shit about me. Fine." But Nikki realizes in the end how wrong she was, seeing selfishness where there was really only caring and love.

This struggle to differentiate pervades every element of this episode. Maxi whips through the files and quickly sees which ones are going to offer the most strategic benefit to her. Those files themselves are about differentiating the inmates, identifying certain ones as ringleaders, etc. They're remarkably accurate of course, from Al's psychopathology to Tina's learning disabilities. But of course at the conclusion of the riot, all the prisoners are treated the same, including Nikki. All locked in their cells, all losing personal spends, privileges, everyone's cells searched. No differentiation, despite Helen's previous beliefs that the motivations of the prisoners differed. (The Julies complain about this to Josh a little later, claiming they were "banged up when it weren't our fault.") It works in both directions though, as we see Femi terrified when Gina enters her cell in solitary--Femi can't distinguish between the officers who attack her and those who want to help her. And, so as to not miss a chance to rag on Thomas, he blithely compares his upcoming speech at the conference with Helen facing the rioting wing. Helen's not having any of it, and she calls him on it immediately.

There's some interesting contradictory symbolism which I haven't quite been able to figure out. Well, it seems contradictory to me. Because there's this sense that Julie S is trying to form a family with Trevor, which normally we would think of as being a lovely and positive thing for a woman about-to-be-released from prison. And yet instead it's a huge betrayal. Similarly, Caroline is trying to do the same, or a version of it. She gains entry into Nikki's domain, the potting shed, Nikki's "inside space" (this was the first time I ever caught this double entendre!). I can't think of another episode where the formation of romantic attachments is quite so sinister as this one! (Well, other than the ep where Karen and Fenner get together--blech.) The reason they seem to be sinister, I think, is that both Caroline and Julie S are being secretive, and because these attachments represent a lack of fidelity: Julie S cheating on Julie J, just as Nikki is cheating on Helen. Is there something just inherently selfish (and therefore bad) about wanting to find love even though it will hurt someone else deeply? This brings up this idea I've been playing around with for ages, that BG doesn't believe in serial monogamy. Characters who fall in love can only do so one time. No character on the show who had a significant love interest which ended badly ever got another love interest

Spoiler Warning!

(Pat had no one post-Sheena, Denny had no one post-Shaz etc). The only counter-example to this is Babs falling in love with Henry, although we never met Babs husband Peter, we know she considered him to be the only man she could ever love.

End Spoilers

One other totally random observation: that therapy line from Nikki is quite pointed, which I had never noticed before. Given where Helen's emotional energies have been directed lately, it's quite astute. And the next time we see Helen after the scene where Nikki tells her to get some therapy, Helen is with Thomas the psychiatrist making plans to go to the conference. I guess this is not the kind of therapy Nikki meant to suggest? :)

Outstanding, outstanding post. This is the first time I've seen these aspects of the ep discussed in a way that makes sense without placing Blame on various characters, just says, analytically: what's this about, then?

In addition to selfishness and secrecy being the back side of Nikki's behavior w/C (re H) and Julie's behavior is that guilt is the other element that's gone unmentioned. Julie Saunders knows she's made a commitment, spoken and assumed both, to Julie J, and her fantasy's just shifted. She's switched allegiances, and anger's the flipside of guilt. It's almost a relief, I imagine, to be able to fight, for this couple as well as Helen & Nikki, because then they can get it out (as if that's going to make them feel better). We'll spend the rest of the season seeing just how bad Helen feels abt the breakup, and although some folks have discussed, elsewhere, the Nikki-gap, post this episode, how much more suffering need we see her do? The short shot of her curled up on her bed is (imo) as close to defeat as we've ever seen Nikki. So the fallout across the board is pretty complete.


I have a final only partially formed thought about the Julies, which is that because their relationship is *not* sexual, prison is the only vessel that can hold it. (I'm not including that Shed 'had' to keep them in the show or came up with plot devices to do so or whatever; only the emotional reality of their situation.)

Iow, they are not fully able to 'choose' each other because this isn't the Victorian age, they're prostitutes (who are still heterosexual), and in any other context, they'd want a 'real' family plus sex--not a Boston marriage. Which family doesn't necessarily include "aunty" Julie in the guest-bedroom. They haven't really thought it out because it won't, entirely, work. It could, but only if they were different people & this dynamic was articulated. Since it can't be spoken, there's no way to actualize it. Helen and Nikki have the same dynamic around trust and betrayal, but the only solution for them, as lovers, is to get OUT; the only solution for the Julies, as provided in the terms Shed sets them, is to stay IN.

If that's making sense.

Great points.

Helen was on her way to the wing before any alarms went off. Thomas wants to hit the road, she tells him to give her "15 minutes" - there was a definite purpose in her going back to the wing. Although we can't see her until the very end, I'm pretty sure she was already on the wing, observing the whole "kill the nonce" scene.

I couldn't help but feel that Caroline included Nikki in the "few people" she has conned. Ties in nicely with the rest of your argument, Caroline picking a protective power to watch over her. She was defintely conning Nikki, making Nikki believe that she was sincere.

I love this point! Makes me wonder: can we say the same about Nikki? Can she differentiate between Helen the GG and Helen the lover?

Ah! But we've seen Nikki in a very similar position way back in S3E2, but then she had her back turned towards the door. This time she's facing the door. Now the explanation might be as simple as during E2 she was sharing her cell with Babs and wanted some privacy or... more complicated in that this time she was facing the door, hoping for Helen's return? (As Helen always returned). Thoughts, anyone?

Interestingly, there's an argument to be made about blame in this episode. The full exchange between Josh and the Julies is as follows:
Julie J: Banged up when it weren't our fault.
Josh: I don't make the rules.
Julie S: That's right.
Julie J: Blame someone else.
Josh: That's only what you're doing, innit?

But for whatever reason, I just can't look at the episode from this framework. I mean, I can, but it's just not a fun way to look at it. Because when focusing on blame, which (to some extent) is what many characters are doing, winds up being so static, like it doesn't move anywhere. All you do is arrive at the same impasse as Josh and the Julies, where they're pointing fingers at each other and there's no way to gain any other understanding, other than Boy, this situation sucks.

I very much like your idea of how the Julies relationship can only exist inside Larkhall. It makes complete sense to me, and is a wonderful parallel to Helen and Nikki.

Nice observation. True that we have seen Nikki in the same position twice and the first time Bab's was in the room. I think both times Nikki has given into defeat.

The first time because she did not know that Helen would come to her a few days later and say that they still stood a chance.

The second time there was much more emotion to the ending and it was not an emotion of I can't keep it together. It was along the lines of anger and the words that were used were very hurtful. Nikki knew she was in trouble when Helen refered to her as "Wade" and not Nikki.

Nikki knew that when Helen got the promotion it was not going to be good for their relationship becuase when Helen was a grade 4 she really had no impact on running Larkhall and now it came back down to Nikki the Inmate and Helen the jailer. It did not work before and Nikki had given up on it working this time.

In season 2 ep 1 when Helen came back Nikki made her choose between her and her carreer and then in Season 2 ep 7 Nikki said that she did not want to hurt her carrer but it seemed like that only applied when Helen was not in charge and her jailer.

Exactly, I agree--which is why I was so excited to read your analysis, which resists doing that.

I love all the points that had been made, esapecially Abzug's perspective looking through Maxi's and Caroline's eyes and the 2 Julies position. There's an awful lot of 'if only Helen could have known what Nikki was doing' and vice versa.

What Helen didn't know
(1) the emotional pressure Nikki was under to start the protest
(2) that Nikki had put herself on the line in trying to stop the prisoners arming themselves with knives- all the POs would have seen in 'mop up' time was the scattering of knives on the floor.

What Nikki didn't know
(1) That Helen had got onto a language line to talk to Femi
(2) That Helen had been holding back the heavy mob in contrast with the scene when Helen emerged with a line of prison officers in riot gear
(3) that Helen's apparently convincing breaking off of the relationship wasn't quite as positive as it sounded. When Helen and Nikki confronted each other in the library, the damage was done.

I agree Richard.

The one thing that gets me the most is the miscommunication. Its not really even miscommunication but things gone unsaid, but then again that is life and one thing that makes the show so believable.

I have to agree to some extent with azbug on this one. I agree Helen was angry about Nikki using her power to start the protest, especially after she pointedly told Nikki she was handling it. As far as Helen being angry with Nikki's power itself, that's just not so. Helen has always been aware of Nikki's power on the wing from Day 1 and has often come to Nikki requesting she use that power with the inmates S1E1, S3E2; as a matter of fact I was always upset that Helen "used" Nikki in this way; talk about selfish. As azbug said, in this instance Helen is angered that Nikki used that power that resulted in violence. You can't forget the line Helen uses in S3 in "The Great Escape" when she's lecturing Nikki about there being other ways of going about things other than violence when Nikki confronts Fenner. She makes it pretty darn clear she isn't interested in a violent Nikki. Even though the protest started out peacefully, it was Nikki who opened the PBG Pandora's Box. I really think this is where Helen's anger stems from, she specifically told Nikki she didn't care for that side of her and there she is 3 episodes later "kicking off" after she apologizes to Helen and says she's right.

Again I think this analysis is spot on and it goes back to the episode I mentioned above, "The Great Escape." Helen tells Nikki she's been working her "arse off" on her appeal and Nikki has jeapordized it not just once but twice now. Nothing like feeling under pressure and underappreciated. However, it seems Helen has forgotten a very important aspect of Nikki; the protester. Helen couldn't really expect Nikki not to protest Femi's treatment. It's like Helen completly forgot who Nikki is this episode.

I think Microsoftly is right on this point. I've always thought Helen was going to the wing to talk to Nikki; maybe not tell her out right that Caroline was a nonce but making her position as clear as she could. Though Helen was angry with her and wanted nothing to do with her at this point, she still very much loved her and the thought that Nikki thought Helen was being spiteful would not sit well with the character we've come to know.

I really like Yvonne's storyline that ended her. It showed how big her heart was on the one hand but how age and being "top dog" really takes it out of you. I think by the time we get to this episode, Yvonne is just bone tired and doesn't have the energy to participate but is too proud to admit that to anyone for fear of losing her "top dog" status or looking weak.

When Nikki spits out this line I love the ever so subtle change in Helen's expression, just another fine example of Simone's acting abilities. I think this is my second favorite Mandana scene, when she's having her go at Helen my heart just breaks no matter how many times I see it. (My first favorite Mandana scene is from S3E1 from where she falls apart to the moment where she walks out of the PO's office, that breaks my heart as well). I also love this scene because Nikki finally verbalizes her feelings in a way that isn't hurtful but full of honesty. It really shows how much her character had grown from the spearing incident.

I agree. This really is a large theme in this episode. None of our characters are communicating well including Femi who can't communicate at all which kicks off the protest/riot. When Nikki is trying to communicate the reasoning of the protest to Maxi, she seems to have lost her ability to talk her way out of the situation and it's frustrating to watch because we've come to know Nikki as the great communicator. Yvonne isn't communicating her real reasoning for not wanting to help clean up the mess. The Julie's aren't communicating honestly with eachother, Helen and Nikki aren't communicating on the same level because of Helen's new position. When they communicate post-riot, it's full of pain, resentment and unspoken love. Caroline's communication with Nikki is full of deceit. It seems the only people actually communicating well on any level are Helen and Thomas and Julie S. and David.

I have a camera angle question for the camera angle expert(s) (abzug, I believe?)

In the opening scenes of the episode we go from the outside to the inside and once we're inside, we have a top down angle on the wing, we get to see all three landings (or most of it, in any case) from above. What I find interesting is the fact that all the landings are covered in toilet paper, heaps and heaps of the stuff, during these shots. The top looking down on the shit heap? The inmates looking up, saying we don't give a shit?

Actually I was wondering exactly the same thing!

It seemed very deliberate and symbolic. Only I was thinking more along the lines of different layers of shit! Think your suggestions are better though.

As usual a great discussion here.

Popstalin's post makes a lot of very interesting points that are worth developing.
1. What I find interesting is how you perceive Helen's line "I'm dealing with it." My background and experience makes it sound to my ears that it sounds like the typical politician's brush off and, thinking closer on it, Nikki has had reason to believe that whatever Helen promises, she delivers. On the other hand, Nikki has been used to Helen being more forthcoming about what she was going to do and, again it can't be overemphasised that Helen's recent temporary promotion to acting Governing Governor makes for vulnerability in the way Abzug accurately describes.

2. This very important post can be given a twist. Nikki became a protester,either in the big arena or in personal altercations when she was rebuffed. Helen was both astute and humane to see that, being listened to, Nikki had constructive ideas to 'change the system' in a parallel way that Helen was seeking to do AND communicating with each other. The irony of applying for her appeal required Nikki to be passive which went against her nature.

5. Working slightly of order, Nikki had a dual role of 'head prefect' (funny how that term resonates from the DST raid in Series 1) and 'protester/advocate' Up till now, Nikki was able to keep both roles together. In this episode, Nikki lost that grip. In previous protests, Nikki had always been the most 'left wing/ activist' whereas this time, Nikki was facing being outflankewd from the 'left' even if it was in a negative, destructive form. She was caught right in the middle and her position in the protest was probably more impossible than Helen's.

3 4. Couldn't agree more and also there was such a striking difference between Nikki's manner in the library and in Helen's office.

An additional point is that Shed wrote two situations where Nikki as 'the great communicator' was out of her depth, Pam Jolley who was 'mad' and Femi who couldn't speak English. These were two situations where Thomas could make an input.

I had noted that down in my notebook, but didn't come to any conclusions other than the ones mentioned here, you know, the wing treated as a toilet, being shat on, etc etc.

Nice political analogy here, illustrating how the radicals on either side can be far too extreme: the PBG as the far leftists (close to anarchists, right?) and the far right being represented by Bodybag (go in hard, leave no prisoners etc). For all the radicalness of this show, Shed usually presents a case for moderateness.

Wow, great connection between these two! I guess we could make the case that these two characters are both the embodiment of the main issue between Helen and Nikki this season, right? I had never made that full connection before....

I was thinking along the same lines, ekny. Helen and Nikki need to be OUTSIDE while the Julies need to be INSIDE.

Inside & Outside. This idea seemed to be a theme in this episode.

As microsofty points out, 'In the opening scenes of the episode we go from the outside to the inside'. Can't remember if there were any more camera angles like that?

Helen and Nikki standing on opposite sides of the bars. One looking outside, one looking inside.

Caroline talking about the potting shed, "We're doing a project called 'Inside Outside'. So I thought I'd do your shed .... sort of like an inside space .... outside"

Caroline being shipped outside?

I'm sure there is more to this idea but that's all I can think of now.

Coincidentally "Inside Outside" is the name of the prison further education and training programme in England. I don't know when the scheme was launched with that name but I think it is a lot more recent than BG S3.

Hi Cassandra, some nice connections there! It's been a long time since I've seen the ep so I was working from memory. Abzug: wouldn't Nikki herself be the Case for the Moderates? Seems to me the whole point is she gets swamped immediately. (Although I'd have to disagree with the PBG being called "anarchists"--or lefties, since in my book, those are both potentially good/constructive political agencies/movements, and the PBG have no politics, they're just thugs. Of course, Bodybag is a thug, too.)

I know there's a terminology problem which I used very loosely. The interesting thing is that while Nikki's oratory was certainly fiery enough, she was doing a bit of Helen type focussing in on specific reforms. I could imagine an 'alternative reality' where Stubberfield is the Governing Governor, Helen the Wing Governor and hitting him with something like these demands in his office. What Nikki was asking for was basically achievable and she insisted on it being a ' peaceful protest' It had connotations of say Dr Martin Luther King or early Brit CND.The protest was always a means to an end.

The PBG escalated their demands along the lines of generalised complaints about Larkhall (if you take what Maxi said seriously) with no real thought as to whether they could be taken seriously. The mayhem was an end in itself. The word anarchism has different meanings in different contexts- an anarchists will define themselves in terms of 'self rule' whereas the PBG stand for 'mob rule.'

Just a further thought on this inside/outside theme.

On the inside, N&H struggles to build a healthy relationship due to all the constraints. At one point they both firmly believe that they would be able to have this healthy relationship once their both on the outside. Unfortunately it was never going to be as easy as that for these two. Another factor comes into play here and that is the fact that Helen first has to come out, and not necessarily to friends and family, but mostly to herself, before she can be truly in love with Nikki. I don't doubt that Helen was in love with Nikki throughout, but as Thomas pointed out to her: "maybe it has helped you unlock what you've been denying... you are not even being honest with yourself". She helped unlock the physical gate that kept Nikki inside - all that is left is for Helen's internal battle to stop. She has to walk through the physical and emotional gate that she has unlocked, she has to come out before N&H can be happy together. If she were to remain inside her closet (denying her own feelings), N&H wouldn't work despite the fact that both were now on the outside.

Hey, I like that idea, microsofty. I hadn't really thought about 'unlock' as being both a 'physical and emotional gate'.

I'm still sure there's more to this inside/outside idea. I have a vague idea that Helen is being contrasted with Caroline here but I'm not too sure. Caroline is outside the closet publically while Helen is still inside. Caroline is inside (on the same side of the bars as Nikki) while Helen can only watch from the outside. From inside her office, Helen watches Nikki and Caroline in the garden outside. She watches them go inside the potting shed, which (forgetting innuendo!) is Nikki's special place outside yet still inside the prison.

Something else in the dialogue struck me as bit strange. When the two Julies talk about their little cottage, they were quite adamant about having a little stream with no men to spoil it. It seemed a bit odd. Unless it was some sort of comparison with Thomas suggesting to Helen that they stop at a pub for a bite to eat on the river. Just thought it seemed a bit out of place.

Maybe the Julies' concept was more of a contrast with Thomas' notion of having a bite to eat next to the river. A place next to the river is something scenic, something Thomas regarded as a bit romantic. I don't think the Julies ever had any romantic dealings with men. Due to the nature of their job and everything related to the job, men is something that always got the Julies into trouble. It is something that they want to steer clear off, now that they are rehabilitated.

Thomas struck me as the type of person who has always lived an "inside" life, meaning a life that was pretty safe and secured. He has never stepped outside of the safe boundaries that was his life. He followed the rules: finished school, studied for a secure job, got the secure job, had the wife, the house, etc. All the normal things in life, nothing to be frowned upon. I can't quite remember now what his reaction was to his wife cheating on him (she did cheat on him, yeah?), but this took him outside of his safe bubble, shattered some of his illusions of life to such an extent that he harboured the pain, he could recall it in an instant: "I've been hurt before because someone wasn't honest with me..." - luckily for N&H (and us!) he wasn't willing to walk down that road again. The road that led him outside his safe boundaries, the road with too many risks associated with it - he seemed pretty keen to not believe Helen that she wasn't cheating on him with Nikki.

:eek Sorry microsofty, I meant contrast ... must have typed the wrong word. I just didn't understand why they were contrasting the two. Sort of makes sense now. Maybe I'm reading too much into things!!

I assumed that phrase referred to his wife but don't think he actually said. Can't remember what was said in earlier episodes about her. Good point that he was looking for an easy life as Nikki once accused Helen of - safe and secure.

ETA - You were right. From the official BG site "Became a psychiatrist after qualifying as a doctor. Once married to a fellow medical student, but she left Thomas for his best friend."

I like the idea of this post, microsoftly which does emphasise the finale took place when ALL constraints, physical and emotional, are removed, including both of them getting out of prison, not in any competing relationship (i.e. Trisha) and most of all, that Helen has worked through everything that is holding her back.

There was a really excellent post that ekny did quite a while back of a combination of an analysis of the Thomas Helen scene after the visit to the dog races and also making the very important point that the profound changes that Helen went through didn't happen in one go but that a lot of old habits of thinking and behaving died hard and this point was Helen in mid transition . It could do with being retrieved.

Could this be the thread? It's where we discussed the symbolism of the dog races scene:
http://z4.invisionfree.com/Nikki_and_Helen...p?showtopic=737

It was personal email, for feedback/editing etc., part of that unfinished essay, Richard & Abzug, which is why you keep remembering it I guess. Thanks for that. Someday. :) --e

I thought I'd pick this up again, since we hadn't really explored it quite thoroughly--and you know me, I'm always one for beating the horse until it is well and truly dead. :)

I was a bit jarred when you described Caroline as being outside the closet, because I didn't really see her as being "out" in that way. I mean, yes, she comes onto Nikki pretty explicitly. But we don't have any evidence that Caroline is otherwise outwardly identified as lesbian or bi. In fact, in hindsight, it seems highly likely that Caroline isn't even the littlest bit gay, and is really seducing Nikki just for protection. But then I started thinking that Caroline is more closeted than almost anyone else, including Helen. Not closeted about her (homo)sexuality, but closeted about her (patho)sexuality--her pedophilia/child-sex-related crime. Which plays right into this theme we're teasing out, where things that seem outside are actually inside (the potting shed), and things which seem outside (Helen) are actually inside (in that she still cares deeply for Nikki, and wants to protect her; and in that she's an employee of HMP, but is deeply imprisoned, emotionally speaking, by her job).

There's another element to this being "out" idea, because at its essence, being out is actually about letting people in, right? Because a person who is out is open about their thoughts and feelings. So, again, we come back to Caroline and Helen. Caroline appears to be "out" but is in fact keeping her feelings and motivations extremely close to her chest--she's not letting anyone in at all. Helen appears to be keeping information close (why she warns Nikki, why she has Caroline shipped out), and is in fact being secretive. But she's like being out about being in--she says to Nikki "You're WAY off," and then ends the scene with "that's all I'm going to say on the matter." And then ultimately, she does let Nikki in, about her actions toward Caroline.

Very nice, ITA with all of this. I was too crazed earlier in the week to take the thought further, either, but was also jarred by the idea of Caroline having any sexuality per se, much less lesbian: & just wanted to add, in that way I see her as very close to Shell, in terms of character. We have no backstory on C at all, of course, but we can at least say from what we have seen, I think, that she uses her sexuality in an instrumental way. It's not about what pleasure she can get or give, it's only about what she can use it *for*. Which (in my book) isn't sexuality, per se (or sexual preference) at all. Or at least, not the sexuality I'd attribute to a reasonably well-integrated or even just consistent personality.

I think you are probably right about Caroline not being gay. I always took her attraction to Nikki for granted with the added incentive that Nikki would be an ideal protector. Now I'm beginnning to wonder just how much of Caroline was genuine. She freely admitted that the knife scene was staged to get Nikki's attention. She certainly doesn't seem all that interested in the library, the book that Nikki is showing her or even expressing herself through drawing. Was her attraction to Nikki genuine or due to loneliness or was it all an act? I'm now guessing partly for protection and partly loneliness since even in the real world she would have to be secretive and may have had few friends who knew the real person (apart from the boyfriend).

Good point though we don't actually know Caroline's motive for her crime, do we? For all we know her motive may have been entirely financial gain and she may not have had any sexual feelings about the crime. But she was certainly closeted about having commited the crime (with good reason). I like the idea that things that seem outside are actually inside and vice versa.

I'm not entirely sure what you meant in the last sentence by her actions. Yes, Caroline keeps her whole personality inside and quite openly lies to protect it. Helen, on the other hand, can't lie and instead hints that there is something deeper, particularly with the 'Be careful" line. Helen lets her personality out by keeping Caroline's secret and adding her to the transfer list. I'm not convinced that she ever intended to tell Nikki at the very end, though it is a possibility.

ETA - Good points ekny. Caroline's manipulativeness (if that's a word?) does remind me of Shell so much.

Hi Cassandra, I'd add to the other points you made abt C's behavior in the library that she's clearly bored/uninterested in Nikki's come-up-to-see-my-etchings routine (and one does feel it's a bit of a routine). There's a point when N isn't looking at her while she's showing her the book that C looks distinctly peevish & irritable, verging on bad-tempered. That moment was the giveaway for me, in terms of what C was out for, who she was--or wasn't.

All your points were brilliant, but this one made me go :eek

If Caroline's only motivation was financial gain, there are a million other crimes she could have committed. Any sane and normal thinking person just DOES NOT DO that to children, even if they have a criminal mind. We don't often hear of female paedophiles, but that does not mean that they don't exist. Caroline was sick and deranged and she was most probably used to lure the children in (with her sweet face and all). And when I say "used", I don't mean to say that she was unwilling - she was very much willing and an active participant in these crimes. She may not have actually touched the children, but seeing them perform sexual acts gave her a sense of sexual gratification, maybe it was her aphrodisiac. Whichever way you look at it, Caroline was sick and twisted, a true nonce in every sense of the word.

Actually I do totally agree with you on this one. I was really playing devil's advocate as there is a small chance that her involvement was only for financial gain. I'm thinking more if someone really self centred, who doesn't care about others, is presented with an opportunity to make some easy money. I reckon in those circumstances Caroline might just have got involved. Or maybe her boyfriend was involved before she met him. I agree even so she would have to be really twisted to start with. But it is much more likely the way you described it.

I agree with both of you...there's no justification for Caroline's participation (regardless of the role, passive or not). I wondered though--did she take the fall for her boyfriend like Zandra and so many other women did? Does it really matter, since her crime was so reprehensible? I guess there's no way to really know what the writers intentions were now, but was Dockley's mom considered a nonce, too? She didn't protect Shell from her father's sexual abuse.

I guess, it's just hard for me to see Caroline with Nikki. I don't know why the writers chose this path for her character. Helen gets a great guy, and Nikki gets involved with the worst possible moral and criminal offender. It just seems like such a drastic way to prove that Helen still cares for Nikki, IMHO.

I agree Route 66, it is hard to see Caroline with Nikki. Particularly when you know about her background and the fake persona that she has assumed. As for the writers I posted a interview extract in the Caroline thread which sort of explained why they did this idea (http://z4.invisionfree.com/Nikki_and_Helen...47&st=135&#last). I was going to cut and paste but I guess you may want to add to the discussion there.

I had a little thought on this 'outside inside' theme. I'm thinking along the lines of things being inside out now or rather the wrong way round.

Firstly the cons are running G-wing. Nikki, who is always reluctant to be 'Head Prefect', is more-or-less in charge. Top Dog Yvonne is strangely taking a back seat and refusing to get involved. Fenner, who is usually present whenever there's trouble, is missing so Bodybag surprisingly is acting Principal Officer.

Helen being jealous when it's usually been Nikki up till now. Nikki not wearing her heart on her sleeve. Nikki who is usually a good judge of character does not see through Caroline.

Again I'm sure this idea can be taken further.