Wentworth (season 8)

The eighth season of Australian television drama series Wentworth, titled Wentworth: Redemption, premiered on Fox Showcase on 28 July 2020.[1][2] The ten-episode season will serve as the series' penultimate season as it has been announced that the show will end in 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. It will also see the return of Joan Ferguson and the revelation of the mystery surrounding how she escaped death by being buried alive by Will Jackson.

Wentworth
Season 8
Promotional banner
Starring
Country of originAustralia
No. of episodes3
Release
Original networkFox Showcase
Original release28 July 2020 (2020-07-28) –
present
Season chronology

This season will introduce five new characters: Ann Reynolds (Jane Hall), Lou Kelly (Kate Box), Judy Bryant (Vivienne Awosoga), Reb Keane (Zoe Terakes), and Sheila Bausch (Marta Dusseldorp).

Cast
Main article: List of Wentworth characters

Episodes
See also: List of Wentworth episodes
No.
overall		No. in
season		TitleDirected byWritten byOriginal air dateAus. viewers
811"Resurrection"Kevin CarlinPete McTighe28 July 2020 (2020-07-28)107,000[3]
Lou Kelly, a former top dog of Wentworth, and her transgender boyfriend Reb Keane arrive at the prison after an armed robbery. Marie is removed from isolation and placed in the protection unit; there she offers to pay for Reb’s sex reassignment surgery if Reb kills Ruby. New General Manager Ann Reynolds takes the helm following the siege with the intention of removing Will from the service. Vera is reluctant to return to work after the birth of her daughter Grace, however, she is tempted when she is offered a position she cannot refuse and on the condition that Will remains as governor. Rita remains in police protection pending her charges and is desperate to make contact with Ruby. Later, she learns that Attorney General Heston, Marie’s former protector, has been found dead. After Boomer insults Reb, Lou viciously attacks Boomer which prompts Top Dog Allie to remove one of Lou's fingers. Joan, now living on government welfare under the pseudonym Kath Maxwell, puts her plan for revenge into action and has set her sights on abducting Grace.
822"Ends and Means"[4]Kevin CarlinMax Conroy & Kim Wilson4 August 2020 (2020-08-04)78,000[5]
Lou returns from the hospital unit with her finger reattached, while she and Reb hatch a scheme to raise money for her sex reassignment surgery. Ann persuades Vera to let her hair down and she agrees to let Jake babysit Grace while they go to bar. Marie discovers that she may serve a life sentence in light of Heston's death and threatens to expose her affair with Will if she is not moved into general; she then decides to sabotage Ruby's plans for parole by informing the police of Danny's murder. Honouring his promise to Rita, Will covers for Ruby at the last minute and the charges are dropped. Marie, having failed in avenging Danny's murder, attempts suicide but is rescued by Will. Joan's plans to abduct Grace are thwarted by a homeless man who knows she is not Kath Maxwell and attacks her, leaving her for dead.
833"Enemy of the State"[6]Beck ColeMarcia Gardner11 August 2020 (2020-08-11)73,000[7]
Following her suicide attempt, Marie begins to suffer from nightmares and suspects that she has had a near-death experience, which Greg believes to be the medication she is taking; however, when Marie has a vision of Danny, she suddenly makes peace with herself over the guilt of his death and the failures in her life while making the decision to retract her statement about Ruby. Reb becomes frantic when he begins to withdraw from his HRT medication and makes a request to Will, which is granted, only to be overruled by Ann, forcing Lou to take desperate measures in order to keep up a regular supply. Ruby receives a visit from her father who informs her that he is dying of cancer and that he wishes to make contact with Rita before it's too late. Judy Bryant, a woman suspected of terrorism, arrives at Wentworth and immediately clashes with those in charge, and persuades Allie to take a stance against prison conditions, forcing the women to go on hunger strike; When false evidence is presented, Judy realises that Ann has set her up.
844"Revenant"[8]TBATBA18 August 2020 (2020-08-18)TBD
855"Fallout"[9]TBATBA25 August 2020 (2020-08-25)TBD

Production

Season eight of Wentworth went into production in October 2019. It will consist of a further ten episodes[10][11] and like the previous two seasons, was shot back-to-back with the ninth season.

Brian Walsh, Foxtel Executive Director of Television commented that "Wentworth has been the shining star of Foxtel’s extensive slate of Australian dramas and we are very proud to call “action” on the new season. We are indebted to the remarkable creative talent involved and to showcase the outstanding line-up of actors who bring to life this compelling series."[11]

Joining the cast will be Kate Box as Lou Kelly, a former top dog of Wentworth Correctional Facility who often uses a violent approach to get what she wants, Jane Hall as Ann Reynolds, a General Manager of extreme authority, taking control of the prison following the siege, and Zoe Terakes as transgender character Reb Keane, a meek and shy prisoner and love interest for Lou.[11][12] It was later announced that actress Vivienne Awosoga would be joining the cast as Judy Bryant. The characters originally appeared in Prisoner[13] in which Lou Kelly was played by Louise Siversen, Ann Reynolds by Gerda Nicolson, Reb Keane by Janet Andrewartha and Judy Bryant by Betty Bobbitt. In June 2020, it was announced that Marta Dusseldorp would be joining that cast as Sheila Bausch, a cult member accused of mass murder, theft and arson.[14]

The season premiered in Australia on Fox Showcase on 28 July 2020.[1][2] and on August 5 on 5STAR in the UK.[15]

Reception

Ratings
No. Title Air date Overnight ratings Ref(s)
ViewersRank
1 "Resurrection" 28 July 2020 107,0001 [3]
2 "Ends and Means" 4 August 2020 78,0003 [5]
3 "Enemy of the State" 11 August 2020 73,0005 [7]

References
  1. Knox, David (18 March 2020). "Australian prison drama Wentworth suspends filming amid the coronavirus pandemic... but fans can expect new episodes in June this year". tvtonight.com.au. Retrieved 22 March 2020.
  2. "Wentworth season 8 comes to Foxtel on July 28". Mediaweek. 26 May 2020. Retrieved 30 May 2020.
  3. Knox, David (30 July 2020). "Tuesday 28 July 2020". TV Tonight. Retrieved 30 July 2020.
  4. https://www.foxtel.com.au/tv-guide/Wentworth/114517846
  5. Knox, David (5 August 2020). "Tuesday 4 August 2020". TV Tonight. Retrieved 5 August 2020.
  6. https://www.foxtel.com.au/tv-guide/Wentworth/114640537
  7. Knox, David (12 August 2020). "Tuesday 11 August 2020". TV Tonight. Retrieved 12 August 2020.
  8. https://www.foxtel.com.au/tv-guide/Wentworth/114640637
  9. https://www.foxtel.com.au/tv-guide/Wentworth/114641002
  10. "Wentworth Series 8 (2020)". Screenaustralia.gov.au. Retrieved 8 February 2020.
  11. "HERITAGE CHARACTERS JOIN SIEGE SURVIVORS ON THE INSIDE AS WENTWORTH SEASON 8 COMMENCES PRODUCTION". foxshowcase.com.au. Retrieved 8 February 2020.
  12. "Wentworth Season 8 release date, Get the latest updates including cast in details". Devdiscourse.com. 6 January 2020. Retrieved 8 February 2020.
  13. Hill, Leigh Andrew (25 October 2019). "'Wentworth' pays homage to 'Prisoner' with upcoming eighth season". Outinperth.org. Retrieved 8 February 2020.
  14. "Wentworth: Marta Dusseldorp joins Foxtel TV show". dailytelegraph.com.au. Retrieved 14 June 2020.
  15. "Wentworth Season 8 - UK Release Date Revealed". wentworth-prison.co.uk. 22 July 2020. Retrieved 26 July 2020.
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