Wentworth
2013
Original language: English
- drama
- crime
The story
Bea Smith is locked up while awaiting trial for the attempted murder of her husband and must learn how life works in prison. A modern adaptation and sequel of the iconic Prisoner series.
What it’s like
Harsh fluorescent corridors, steel doors clanging shut, and the hard, bluish institutional light of an Australian women's prison give this series a constant low-grade tension, though its camera stays close and human, lingering on faces in tight handheld frames and hard-cut medium shots. The palette runs to greys, beige and muted prison-issue colours, broken by the warmth of a smuggled moment or a sunlit exercise yard. Sound is mostly everyday prison noise: keys, footsteps, raised voices, with a dramatic synth-and-strings score swelling at confrontations. Pacing is brisk and soapy, with ongoing storylines, sudden turns and cliffhanger episode endings. The vibe is tense, gritty and melodramatic, closer to a binge-friendly soap than to slow contemplation. Violence is regular and can be sharp: fights, stabbings and assaults appear across the run, with some sexual threat and coercion, and dread often comes from what might happen next. It suits viewers who enjoy character-driven prison drama with strong female ensembles and a steady current of conflict, and it works best for those comfortable with frequent, sometimes brutal, confrontation rather than anyone wanting something gentle.
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