On a knife's edge

Last week's massive episode of Wentworth ended in spectacular fashion with "Top Dog" Kaz Proctor going to drastic measures to put a stop to Marie Winter's reign of terror.

​

Were her efforts successful? Perhaps. But it's not a good outcome for Kaz (Tammy MacIntosh), who is now in the slot, and looks to remain there for some time.

​

"What the hell happened with Winter? Don't you think you took it too far?" asks Vera (Kate Atkinson), who is visiting Kaz in solitary. She's hoping she can talk some sense into the leader and make her see that going to such drastic measures against Marie (Susie Porter), and using extreme violence, was never going to be in anyone's best interests.

​

But Kaz is unrepentant. "Marie Winter is a cancer," she says, ignoring Vera's please to seek help with new prison psychiatrist, Dr Greg Miller (David Le Lautour).

​

Kaz believes what she did was entirely justified, the possible death of Marie would put a definitive full stop to Allie (Kate Jenkinson) ever turning back to a life of drugs. She also believes that Marie must be punished for the part she likely played in the death of Rita's (Leah Purcell) would-be husband, Ray.

​

Vera is all too aware that having Kaz back in the general population is very important for the other women - despite her recent murderous actions, Kaz is a stabilising presence for the inmates.

​

"The women need their Top Dog," Vera implores Will (Robbie Magasiva). "You want Costa leading the women? I am not downplaying what Proctor did, but I still believe she has the women's best interests in mind."

​

Will's not so sure. He can't see that Marie, the woman he has been intimate with, could ever be such a threat. But, as Tammy explains, the guard is being hoodwinked.

​

"Kaz knows just how dangerous Marie can be," Tammy, 49, tells TV Week. "I think she puts herself above the muck. That's the clever thing about Marie - she creates a circumstance where other people decide for her, and put her in places she wants to be without her ever having to make any effort whatsoever."

​

Without the stabilising influence of Kaz, the prison is in rapid freefall, made more dangerous by the arrival of a volatile new inmate, Narelle Stang (Morgana O'Reilly). Her connections to both Kaz and Rita (Leah Purcell) could have deadly consequences.

​

Narelle is a member of a notorious drug family known both in and out of prison and she's bad news for Rita, who's horrified to learn her cover has been blown.

​

"Rita Connors - don't you mean Rita Harris?" she says menacingly as they meet for the first time in the hallway. "Does anyone else in here know you're a copper?"

​

Rita quickly realises she's in trouble. And despite initially saying, "You've got your facts mixed up. I'm awaiting trial for murdering a prisoner," she knows she has to protect her true identity at all costs.

​

When there's only room for one Top Dog, who will fall?