| Wentworth | |
|---|---|
| Season 4 | |
 Region 4 DVD Cover | |
| Starring | |
| No. of episodes | 12 |
| Release | |
| Original network | SoHo |
| Original release | 10 May – 26 July 2016 |
| Season chronology | |
The fourth season of the television drama series Wentworth premiered on SoHo in Australia on 10 May 2016. It was executively produced by FremantleMedia's Director of Drama, Jo Porter. The season comprises 12 episodes. Season four picks up four months after the fire at Wentworth. [1]
Four months after the fire at Wentworth, Bea and the other inmates have been housed offsite while they wait for construction to be completed. Season four will see Bea battle two formidable enemies. There is Kaz, made so dangerous by her extremist feminist ideology, who regards Bea as the great betrayer to the cause, and Ferguson who is on a mission to exonerate herself – will the walls of Wentworth be enough to protect the Top Dog? [1]
Regular
Special guest
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| No. overall | No. in season | Title | Directed by | Written by | Original air date | Aus. viewers |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 35 | 1 | "First Blood" | Kevin Carlin | John Ridley | 10 May 2016 | 140,000 [2] |
| 36 | 2 | "Poking Spiders" | Kevin Carlin | Marcia Gardner | 17 May 2016 | 97,000 [3] |
| 37 | 3 | "Prisoner" | Steve Jodrell | Pete McTighe | 24 May 2016 | 81,000 [4] |
| 38 | 4 | "Screw Lover" | Steve Jodrell | Michael Lucas | 31 May 2016 | 97,000 [5] |
| 39 | 5 | "Love and Hate" | Jet Wilkinson | John Ridley | 7 June 2016 | 103,000 [6] |
| 40 | 6 | "Divide and Conquer" | Jet Wilkinson | Marcia Gardner | 14 June 2016 | 119,000 [7] |
| 41 | 7 | "Panic Button" | Adrian Russell Wills | Pete McTighe | 21 June 2016 | 121,000 [8] |
| 42 | 8 | "Plan Bea" | Adrian Russell Wills | Michael Lucas | 28 June 2016 | 84,000 [9] |
| 43 | 9 | "Afterlife" | Steve Jodrell | Michael Lucas | 5 July 2016 | 110,000 [10] |
| 44 | 10 | "Smitten" | Steve Jodrell | Samantha Winston | 12 July 2016 | 110,000 [11] |
| 45 | 11 | "Eleventh Hour" | Kevin Carlin | John Ridley | 19 July 2016 | 123,000 [12] |
| 46 | 12 | "Seeing Red" | Kevin Carlin | Pete McTighe | 26 July 2016 | 95,000 [13] |
On 27 February 2015, it was announced that FremantleMedia had renewed Wentworth for a fourth season, set to air in 2016. [14]
Jo Porter, the Director of Drama at FremantleMedia stated, "Without wanting to give away any specific spoilers from season three, suffice to say it builds to a fabulous crescendo that in turn has given our season four writers a fantastic launch pad to explore what is next for the complex and compelling characters of Wentworth. Our loyal Wentworth fans are not going to be disappointed and I know our amazing cast and crew are going to relish bringing to life these potent stories." [14]
Penny Win, the Head of Drama at Foxtel stated, "All of us at Foxtel and FremantleMedia Australia are extremely proud of Wentworth and the passionate bond the series has forged with drama lovers, starting with our discerning Foxtel subscribers and expanding to captivate audiences around the world." [14]
On 5 November 2015, it was announced that Sigrid Thornton would step through the gates of Wentworth Correctional Centre, becoming the first actress from the original series, Prisoner to play a major re-occurring role in the reimagination. Moreover, she also plays Sonia Stevens, an inmate featured in the original series, albeit played by Tina Bursill. [15]
Of Sigrid's casting, Penny Win stated, "Wentworth's fourth season continues the series' finely-honed evolution as a world class contemporary drama which proudly forges its own path, while fearlessly daring to reimagine characters and elements of the iconic Prisoner series. Having Sigrid Thornton sign on to return behind the walls of Wentworth is a casting dream and a wonderful acknowledgement of the work the writing team has put into the creation of Sonia Stevens and our plans for her and all our characters." [15]
Jo Porter stated, "Sigrid was always on the top of our casting wish list – adored and admired by audiences for the strong women she has chosen to portray. From the second Sonia Stevens steps from the brawler, there is an unsettling sense all is not as it may seem. I am sure audiences will relish watching Sonia’s long game play out across season four." [15]
| No. | Title | Air date | Overnight ratings | Ref(s) | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Viewers | Rank | ||||
| 1 | "First Blood" | 10 May 2016 | 140,000 | 1 | [2] |
| 2 | "Poking Spiders" | 17 May 2016 | 97,000 | 2 | [3] |
| 3 | "Prisoner" | 24 May 2016 | 81,000 | 4 | [4] |
| 4 | "Screw Lover" | 31 May 2016 | 97,000 | 3 | [5] |
| 5 | "Love and Hate" | 7 June 2016 | 103,000 | 3 | [6] |
| 6 | "Divide and Conquer" | 14 June 2016 | 119,000 | 1 | [7] |
| 7 | "Panic Button" | 21 June 2016 | 121,000 | 1 | [8] |
| 8 | "Plan Bea" | 28 June 2016 | 84,000 | 3 | [9] |
| 9 | "Afterlife" | 5 July 2016 | 110,000 | 1 | [10] |
| 10 | "Smitten" | 12 July 2016 | 110,000 | 1 | [11] |
| 11 | "Eleventh Hour" | 19 July 2016 | 123,000 | 1 | [12] |
| 12 | "Seeing Red" | 26 July 2016 | 95,000 | 2 | [13] |
| Title | Release | Country | DVD | Blu-ray | Region | Ref(s) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Wentworth: The Complete Season 4 | 5 October 2016 |  Australia |  | | ||
Wentworth Prison: Season Four | 7 November 2016 |  UK | |  | ||
Wentworth: Die Komplette Vierte Staffel | 25 May 2018 |  Germany | | | ||
| Additional | ||||||
Set details
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Prisoner is an Australian television soap opera, which broadcast on Network Ten from February 27 (Melbourne) February 26 (Sydney) 1979 to December 1986 (Melbourne), though the series finale would not screen until September 1987 in Sydney, where it aired as a three-hour film that was split into three one-hour episodes at the much-later time-slot of 10:30 p.m., running eight seasons and 692 episodes.
Sigrid Madeline Thornton is an Australian film and television actress. Her television work includes Prisoner (1979–80), All the Rivers Run (1983), SeaChange (1998–2019) and Wentworth (2016–2018). She also starred in the American Western series Paradise (1988–91). Her film appearances include Snapshot (1979), The Man from Snowy River (1982), Street Hero (1984) and Face to Face (2011). She won the AACTA Award for Best Guest or Supporting Actress in a Television Drama for the 2015 miniseries Peter Allen: Not the Boy Next Door.
Tina Bursill is an Australian actress. She played Louise Carter on the television series Skyways (1979–1981) and Sonia Stevens on Prisoner (1983–1984). She played Meryl Knight in the Nine Network drama series Doctor Doctor. Bursill won the AFI (AACTA) Award for Best Supporting Actress for the 1987 film Jilted.
Leah Maree Purcell is an Aboriginal Australian stage and film actress, playwright, film director, and novelist. She made her film debut in 1999, appearing in Paul Fenech's Somewhere in the Darkness, which led to roles in films, such as Lantana (2001), Somersault (2004), The Proposition (2005) and Jindabyne (2006).
Love My Way is an Australian television drama series. It won the AFI award for Best Television Drama Series for each of its three seasons (2004–2007).
Susie Porter is an Australian television, film and theatre actress. She made her debut in the 1996 film Idiot Box, before rising to prominence in films including Paradise Road (1997), Welcome to Woop Woop (1997), Two Hands (1999), Better Than Sex (2000), The Monkey's Mask (2000), Mullet (2001), Teesh and Trude (2002), and The Caterpillar Wish (2006). Porter is also highly recognised for her roles in television series, most notably, as Patricia Wright in East West 101, Eve Pritchard in East of Everything, as Kay Parker in Sisters of War, and as Marie Winter in the prison drama, Wentworth.
Celia Ireland is an Australian actress. She is best known for her role as Regina Butcher on the television series All Saints and her Logie award winning role as Liz Birdsworth on the prison drama series Wentworth.
Wentworth is an Australian television drama series. It was first broadcast on SoHo on 1 May 2013, and it concluded on Fox Showcase with its 100th episode on 26 October 2021. The series serves as a contemporary reimagining of Prisoner, which ran on Network Ten from 1979 to 1986. Lara Radulovich and David Hannam developed Wentworth from Reg Watson's original concept. The series is set in the modern day and initially focuses on Bea Smith's early days in prison and her subsequent rise to the top of the prison's hierarchy. From the fifth season onward, the series shifted to emphasize more of an ensemble format.
The first season of the crime drama television series Wentworth originally aired on SoHo in Australia. The season consisted of 10 episodes and aired between 1 May and 3 July 2013. It was executively produced by FremantleMedia's director of drama Jo Porter. The series is a remake of Prisoner, which aired on Network Ten from 1979 to 1986. Lara Radulovich and David Hannam developed Wentworth from Reg Watson's original concept. The season was shot over four months from 10 October 2012.
The second season of the crime drama television series "Wentworth" premiered on May 20, 2014, on the Australian network SoHo. The season, consisting of 12 episodes, was executive produced by Jo Porter, Fremantle Media's director of drama. The storyline continues three months after Bea Smith's actions in the previous season, including the murder of Jacs Holt, and the rise of Franky Doyle as the top dog among the inmates. The introduction of a new governor, Joan Ferguson, brings further complexity to the season's events. The season gained several nominations and awards.
The third season of the television drama series Wentworth premiered on SoHo in Australia on 7 April 2015. It was executively produced by FremantleMedia's Director of Drama, Jo Porter. The season comprises 12 episodes. Season three picks up four months after Bea's return to Wentworth following her escape and revenge murder of Brayden Holt.
Bea Smith is a fictional character from the Australian television drama Wentworth, portrayed by Danielle Cormack. She was introduced in the first episode of the series "No Place Like Home", broadcast in May 2013. Bea is notable for her storylines of being abused by her husband Harry, avenging the death of her daughter by murdering Brayden Holt and being the top dog in Wentworth Prison. Bea has had rivalries with Franky Doyle, Jacs Holt, Kaz Proctor and Joan Ferguson. Bea was the central character in Wentworth until her exit at the end of Season 4.
Jacqueline Holt is a character in Wentworth and serves as the main antagonist in the first season. Jacs was notable for being the first known top dog in Wentworth and for her rivalries with Franky Doyle and Bea Smith. Jacs was portrayed by Kris McQuade.
"First Blood" is the thirty-fifth episode of the Australian drama series Wentworth. It is also the first episode of the show's fourth season, and was broadcast on 10 May 2016. The episode's story begins four months after the events of the previous episode, "Blood and Fire". "First Blood" saw the introduction of Kate Jenkinson's character Allie Novak, former prison Governor Joan returning as an inmate and the beginning of a rivalry between central character Bea Smith and Kaz Proctor. The episode also includes scenes set outside the prison, which follow Franky Doyle, a former inmate who is released on parole. It was the first episode of the show to be filmed at a new rebuilt set. It has received generally positive reviews from television critics. Reviews regarding scenes in which Joan is incarcerated in a glass-walled cell were less favourable.
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 20 June 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 death of Bea Smith and is therefore noted as the first season not to feature Danielle Cormack.
The sixth season of television drama series Wentworth premiered on Showcase in Australia on 19 June 2018 and concluded on 4 September 2018. It was executively produced by FremantleMedia's Director of Drama, Jo Porter. The season comprised 12 episodes. The sixth season picks up the days after the escape of Franky Doyle and Joan Ferguson. This season introduced three new characters portrayed by Leah Purcell, Susie Porter and Rarriwuy Hick.
The seventh season of television drama series Wentworth premiered on Fox Showcase in Australia on 28 May 2019. It is executive produced by FremantleMedia's director of drama, Jo Porter. The seventh season picks up a few months after the events of last season's finale, the presumed closure of the case of Joan Ferguson and the subsequent arrest of former acting Governor, Derek Channing.
The eighth and final season of Australian television drama series Wentworth, premiered on Fox Showcase on 28 July 2020. The twenty-episode final season has been divided into two parts; the first, titled Wentworth: Redemption, contains the first ten episodes (2020), while the second, titled Wentworth: The Final Sentence, includes the remaining ten episodes and commenced broadcast on 24 August 2021. The story picks up sometime following the siege at the end of the previous season where the prisoners and staff struggle to rebuild their lives as they struggle to cope in the aftermath. In season 8 Joan Ferguson returns, and it is explained how she escaped death after being buried alive by Will Jackson.
Amelia "Milly" Alcock (born 11 April 2000) is an Australian actress. She received an AACTA Award nomination for her performance in the Foxtel comedy-drama Upright (2019–2022). She gained wider recognition for starring as young Rhaenyra Targaryen in the HBO fantasy series House of the Dragon (2022). For the role, Alcock was nominated for a Critics' Choice Television Award for Best Supporting Actress in a Drama Series.