Episode 3.16 - Coming Out
Written by Jaden Clark
Produced by Brian Park
Directed by Di Patrick
With Fenner now aware of the truth about her and Nikki, Helen has no choice but to try and brazen it out. But when he threatens to report Nikki’s escape to the appeals court, she is forced to tender her resignation. Nikki begs Helen to reconsider – they can always get Barbara to lie for them – but Helen is adamant. She makes Nikki promise to focus on winning her appeal before saying a tearful goodbye. The date of Nikki’s appeal is soured even further by Fenner’s presence as her escorting officer. Despite his dismissive comments about her chances, the testimony of Nikki’s chief witness, Sally Anne Howe, is both harrowing and convincing.
Tina is still defending Virginia to the disgust of Maxi and the derision of the rest of G-Wing. After Tina makes the unprecedented gesture of asking to be moved to another cell, Maxi decides to punish her disobedience with a bar of soap stuffed into a sock. But when Yvonne starts accusing Virginia of doing deals with Fenner and of trying to corrupt Tina, Maxi does a complete about turn. All of a sudden, she’s acting like she’s Virginia’s best friend! Seeing this, Yvonne decides that it’s about time the whole wing knew about Virginia’s deal with Fenner. Hollamby is disgusted by the slur on Fenner’s character and silences Yvonne by putting her on report.
After Virginia puts her miracle recovery down to the work of God, Crystal announces a little miracle of her own: she’s pregnant! Karen isn’t stupid enough to believe Crystal’s claims that she was impregnated by God and demands to know which of her officers is the father. Josh is delighted when he hears the news and tells Crystal that now she’s pregnant, he’ll stand by her. However, they will have to come clean to Karen.
Fenner wastes no time in informing Thomas of the true reason for Helen’s resignation. He responds by punching Fenner on the nose. Later that evening, Thomas meets Helen for dinner and confronts her about her feelings for Nikki. Although she admits that they were once involved, Helen insists that it was over a long time ago. However, Thomas is convinced that Helen’s feelings for Nikki run a lot deeper than she is admitting and urges her to be honest with herself before walking out.
After saying an emotional goodbye to her friends on G-Wing, Nikki is taken back to court to hear the judge’s verdict. She can’t quite believe it when he accepts her plea of provocation and reduces her conviction to manslaughter before releasing her on time already served. There are celebrations on G-Wing when the verdict is announced on the TV and Nikki is brought out in front of the cameras to make a statement. In another part of London, Helen sits in a pub and watches the TV with tears in her eyes.
Fenner spends some of his ill-gotten gains from his deal with Virginia on an engagement ring for Karen. But when he leaves to fetch a bottle of champagne, Karen finds some mail from Helen: a statement of sexual assault against her fiancé. On his way out, Fenner overhears Yvonne arguing with Virginia in the bathroom. The two women separate and enter separate cubicles. A while later, Di finds Yvonne looking down at Virginia’s drowned body in horror. That evening, Yvonne is forcibly removed from her cell and dragged down to the block. She frantically protests her innocence, screaming out the name of the person she knows is really responsible – Fenner.
Trisha’s hopes of reconciling with Nikki are spoilt when Helen turns up at the club to offer her congratulations. When Helen leaves, a resigned Trisha orders Nikki to go after her. Out on the street, Helen informs Nikki that her relationship with Thomas is over and asks if there’s any possibility of them trying again. In the full view of everyone in the street, they make up with a passionate kiss. Meanwhile, Shell and Denny are still living the high life in Spain, until they receive an unwelcome visit from the Spanish police. They’re cornered this time, and with no way out, they hold hands and jump into the sea.