Prisoner of Melbourne: Vinegar & Fletch

Fiona Spence and Gerard McGuire as Vera and Jim.

Fiona Spence is Vera Bennett, the screw also known as Vinegar Tits. Vera is the first mean screw, though not exactly bent. She is driven by loneliness and sees discipline as the only means toward control. Locked in battle against Bea Smith ever since Vera taunted Smith after permission for the prisoner to attend her daughter’s funeral had been denied. When Vera’s domineering mother finally dies, the pathetic side of Vera is opened up through bouts of alcoholism and a couple of desperate grasps at love. Highlights include Vera pouring a box of wine down the sink in a sobriety tear and a moving goodbye scene with Lizzie Birdsworth when Vera is promoted to governor of Barnhurst. “Better the devil you know,” says Lizzie. Vera walks through the gates looking like an Erica Davidson clone, ready to start her new life, in Episode 224.

Mister SF is vinegared by Fiona Spence.

Gerard McGuire is Deputy Governor Jim Fletcher, Fletch the Letch, introduced as the first male officer in Episode 40. The homophobic Vietnam vet and former Pentridge screw has an active love life. When his family is blown to bits by a letter bomb in Episode 190, a template is created for officer Colleen Powell. Fletch gets extra credit by healing himself of hemophobia by saying it was all a joke.

“All right you lot, move along.”