Rehersals for a VIP fasion show were underway. PO Sylvia Hollamby stupidly ignored a pregnant inmate's calls for a doctor but then worried when the inmate was found in a pool of blood the next morning - she then denied that the inmate had asked for a doctor. A near riot followed when the inmates discovered this! Nikki Wade was taken down 'The Block' for being the 'ringleader'. New wing governor, Helen Stewart, cancelled the fasion show but was then bullied into reinstating it by her superior, Simon Stubberfield, who said he'd sack her if she didn't! Another inmate, Rachel, was moved to a cell next to the vindictive Shell Dockley, who verbally abused her through the wall - unknown to her, Rachel was getting 'Special Attention' from PO Jim Fenner! Helen's Boyfriend, Sean, Arrived at her flat.
Monica Lindsay and Zandra Plackett arrived at Larkhall. We learned later that Monica has a 30 year old son, Spencer, who has down's syndrome. Helen Stewart took a stand against drugs and formed the Dedicated Search Team (DST). Shell forced Rachel to write to the DST naming Nikki - the DST then raided Nikki's cell but obviously found nothing. Denny took an instant dislike to Zandra, saying that she owed her drugs from the last time she was at Larkhall. Shell, once again, verbally abused Rachel.
Jim Fenner's anger got the better of him when Rachel wrote him love letters - that's not the way to keep an affair secret! Zandra asked Helen if she could marry her fiance, Robin, at Larkhall; Helen said she'd consider it and put Zandra on a detox programme. Nikki warned Rachel about Jim Fenner, telling her that he had also slept with Shell - Rachel asked him this and of course, he denied it! New inmate Crystal Gordon arrived, complete with her guitar. Shell continued to intimidate Rachel. Zandra was distraught to discover that Robin was going to marry someone else!
Zandra decided that she wanted an abortion, after a talk with Helen, Dominic and Lorna were assigned to take her to the clinic. At the clinic, she escaped for a few hours but, to the PO's relief, was found, still inside the clinic. The PO's didn't tell Helen about it because they knew they'd get an official warning. Back at Larkhall, Shell was still making Rachel's life hell by wanting Rachel to make her mother bring drugs in! Nikki learned that her girlfriend, Trisha, is seeing someone else. Rachel's Mother didn't bring any drugs and later, Shell once again intimidated Rachel as a result. Next morning, as Zandra woke, she screamed as she saw Rachel hanging next to her! Helen ordered a full inquiry into Rachel's suicide.
Dominic wanted to come clean to Helen about Zandra's attempted escape but Lorna peruaded him not to because she didn't want an official warning. Jim tried to get his and Shell's stories straight (about their affair) because Helen was highly suspicious of him. Fenner, Helen and Stubberfield took part in a meeting where Helen voiced her thoughts about Jim and vice-versa; Stubberfield seemed to take Jim's side, calling Helen's motives 'tenuous'. Nikki was spared from a spell down the block by Helen, prompting the PO's to see 'favouritism' taking place, especially when Denny was shipped down the block for the same offence! Zandra blackmailed Lorna saying that if she didn't bring her drugs, she'd tell all about her escape at the clinic. Lorna had no choice to oblige. Stubberfield questioned Helen's ability to do her job.
Alchoholic Jessie Devlin arrived at G-Wing for 2 weeks, and was ridiculed by the inmates, and Sylvia, for being drunk. Later that night, at the pub, Dominic blabbed the truth about Zandra's escape at the clinic, to Helen. She was angry and said she'd have to tell Stubberfield. Denny attacked Jessie with a fork and, when asked why she had done it, admitted that Jessie was her mother who had abandoned her as a child. After her release, Jessie sent Denny a letter saying that she hadn't had a drink for 2 days and asked for a visiting order. Helen told Dominic that she had told Stubberfield about Zandra's attempted escape and that his and Lorna's jobs were safe. Sadly for Lorna, no-one had told her as she was in the process of smuggling in valium for Zandra!
Sean proposed to Helen but she left for work, leaving him to ponder. Shell and Denny kicked Zandra and made her tell them who her supplier was - then they made her lure Lorna into the toilets. Lorna declined to get Zandra more drugs until Shell emergedfrom the cubicle and threatened her. Lorna then smuggled more drugs in and was nearly caught by Fenner. Spencer visited Monica but looked ill. Nikki was moved into a new, better room as a privilage. Sean did a presentation at the prison where he was introduced as Helen's partner; much to Nikki's disgust. After seeing inmates entering and leaving Shell's cell, Dominic investigated and found drugs in the Budgie's cage. Shell then shouted that it was Lorna who supplied them - only Fenner beleived her though. Shell had her priveliges removed after the drugs incident so took out her anger on the budgie - poor little thing!
Julie J received a Birthday card from her son and discovered that it was a coded recipe for brewing alcohol. The Julies, along with Nikki and Denny, then try to make the alchohol. They were nearly caught by Sylvia but the Julies managed to distract her enough to divert her attention from the shed. Monica received the shattering news that her son, Spencer, had died from a fatal heart attack. Helen goes to the funeral with Monica and showed her compassion when she removed Monica's handcuffs. The inmates name their new wine in honour of Spencer.
Shell told Crystal that she wanted her to write an article to a newspaper about the drugs problem at Larkhall - this got Crystal into trouble with Helen and Helen into trouble with Stubberfield. Shell also revealed to Crystal that she wanted to set up Lorna. She persuaded Lorna to bring her some perfume that had some very well hidden drugs inside - Lorna didn't notice them but Helen certainly did when Shell showed her! Lorna got the sack! Shell was therefore very unpopular on G-Wing. Monica planned suicide but was talked out of it by Nikki and a new inmate, Yvonne Atkins arrived.
In the final episode of the first series, we saw a petition being passed around to bring back open visits, which were banned earlier by Stubberfield after he heard about the drug problem. Yvonne wanted to make Sylvia sign so she set up a Gospel choir. Eventually the plan worked and Sylvia signed...just to stop the terrible music! Shell told Fenner that she could fix him like she did Lorna Rose. This infuriated him, making him bang her head against a wall. She got back in his good books by writing some kind of letter to Mrs Fenner - we'll have to wait until the next series to find out the letter's content. Monica wanted to commit suicide again and took the drugs - Nikki saved her life but doesnt tell Helen in case it affected Monica's upcoming appeal. Monica won her appeal and, after being released, delivered a speech on TV about the women in prison, which made even the hardest inmates cry! Helen then ran straight from court to the tailors, where Sean was trying on his wedding suit, and
