This episode picks up where series 2 ended. Jim's enjoyment in Shell's cell soon comes to an end as she violently stabbed him with the broken bottle - Karen heared his screams and called in all available staff. Despite her protests, Helen drove Nikki back to Larkhall and was reassured of her ability to do so when she heared about the mayhem on the wing. After numerous attemps to make Shell give in, The officers (now in full riot uniform) stormed into the cell and finally overpowered Shell and got Jim out. Shell was then taken down the block. Helen smuggled Nikki back to her cell and because of the mayhem upstairs, no-one noticed! As the episode ends, we see Jim flat-lining on the stretcher, with Marilyn screaming and Dr Nicholson trying in vein to resuscitate him...!

Dr Nicholson succeeded in saving Jim's life and he was quickly rushed to hospital. Sylvia, enraged at the fact that Shell wasn't being punished for her attack on Jim, decideds to take justice into her own hands - after a word with Dr Nicholson, Shell was transferred to the 'muppet wing'. Julie Saunders decided to apply to be a part of a tagging scheme so that she could see her son David's school play. Jim continued to recover well at the hospital. Sylvia excelled herself when she put Mad Tessa Spall as Shell's cellmate and, with the help of PO Wheeler, took further action by making Podger Pam attack her. Later in the week and to Sylvia's disgust, Shell was later allowed back on G-Wing - Sylvia then called on the PO's to go on strike!

Julie S was released to Monica Lindsay's 'halfway house' with an electronic tag, leaving Julie J distraught back at Larkhall. The officers were out on 'mass sick leave' so the inmates jumped at the chance to run the wing for themselves; A problem occured though in the form of a large knife going missing from the kitchens...Who could have taken it? Di Barker was devastated to learn that Dominic McAllister would not be coming back. Her dreams shattered, she turned her rage towards the thing that had blighted her life for so long - her ageing, sick mother. Triggered by her son David's performance in his school play, Macbeth, Julie S suddenly realised the extent of her Julie J's misery. She then too desperate measures to return to Larkhall...possibly the first ever prison break-in! Seeing what her friend had done for her, Julie J returned the knife to it's rightful place. Helen concluded that Shell's attack on Jim was indeed pre-meditated.

Barbara Hunt was shocked to hear that she'd been accused of bigamy by her step-children, a crime she later admitted was true! A new officer, Gina Rossi arrived on G-Wing, setting male temperatures soaring and getting right up the nose of Sylvia, Karen and inmates alike! Yvonne Atkins got quite a few visits from male 'lawyers' - Sylvia tried to catch her but, to her embarassment, when a real lawyer was there! Charlie's lawyer told Yvonne that he needed her help to get him off his charges. Josh offered the secretly obsessed Di Barker some friendly advice in the wake of Dominic's departure: 'Find someone else'!...If only he knew...

16 year-old crack addict Buki Lester arrived at Larkhall - her body piercings prompted Shaz to self-peirce Denny's tongue...with life threatening consequences! Yvonne double-crossed Charlie in court and told the jury that she's known all along the packages were drugs - to her despair, Charlie got off because he ""got at the jury""...Lauren had a nasty surprise waiting though in the form of hitman, who fired a bullet right between his eyes! Jim fenner returned to work at Larkhall - but found himself terrorised by Shell. Gina Rossi showed the women what she's made of in the Officers vs Inmates pool tournament - where Jim was horrified when he saw who was chosen as his opponent! Josh passed his PO exam.

'Podger Pam' arrived on G-wing's Lifer's Unit, to the alarm of the other inmates. Helen Stewart suspected that her mental state had been horribly misdiagnosed so brought in new prison doctor Thomas Waugh. Karen and Helen went to see Simon Stubberfield about Dr Nicholson's incompetence and got him sacked. The two Julies discoved a stray cat hiding in the prison bins and later discovered it was female when it gave birth to kittens. Josh had an eventful induction period as a trainee PO. Di discovered Josh was living with Crystal. Shell contiuned to taunt Jim, who was still scared of her. The tension between Jim and Helen reached new heights when Jim tried to assert his power by sexually assaulting her!

A fly-on-the-wall TV documentary crew, Kicking Productions, arrived at HMP Larkhall to make a series, creating havoc in the process. Jim Fenner wanted Shell Dockley out of Larkhall for good, and so was willing to go to any lengths to get rid of her...even helping her to escape! Helen told Nikki about Jim's assault on her - meaning that Jim now had yet another enemy on G Wing. Buki's tough girl image disappeared when she was found bleeding in her cell after a violent display of self-harm - and it was all caught on camera by the documentary crew, along with shocking revelations about her childhood. Shell, Denny and Shaz succeeded in their attempt to escape using the keys and money that Jim had left them - unfortunately for Shaz, she sprained her ankle and so had to be left behind...Sylvia realised numbers were down and so began frantically searching...to no avail!

Shell and Denny celebrated their freedom with a drugs and vodka binge...and Sylvia and Bobby Hollamby received a terrible visit from the pair, hell-bent on revenge! G-Wing was in chaos due to the escape and Jim Fenner a very worried man - especially when Shaz was brought back to Larkhall and questioned. Crystal was horrified to find Shell and Denny on her doorstep but agreed to let them stay the night - Shell, as vindictive as ever, repaid the favour in a way that would have disastrous consequences for Crystal's future. Simon Stubberfield was sacked as prison governor. Denny and Shell, armed with false passports, wigs and stolen cash, made their way to the airport but where were they going, and had left Larkhall behind forever?

Aristocratic ‘it-girl' Charlotte Myddleton is sentenced to a year in Larkhall for drug offences - the other inmates don't react too kindly to the new Prada-clad prisoner, especially when she treats them like lepers! Josh began his new job as a PO but got a terrible shock when he saw Crystal, who was back at Larkhall after being set up by Shell! Di deliberately rigged a drugs test to get Crystal in trouble, hoping that Josh would leave her because of it. Buki leaked information to a newpaper about Charlotte talking drugs, which was true but wasn't detected due to Di swapping her results with Crystals! We saw Shell and Denny in sunny Spain, having fun on a boat - it's a long was from Larkhall but will they ever return?...

Crystal is on a hunger strike to protest about her drugs test results and, after a retest is proved right! - Josh then realises what Di did and prepares for a confronation! Jim was horrified to learn that Helen was the governing governor, replacing Simon Stubberfield! Helen officially appointed Dr Waugh as new prison doctor and seemed to get on really well with him. Josh and Crystal got 'married' in the prison chapel in a service conducted by Babs. Nikki received news that her appeal was being transferred to the high court, meaning she had a good chance of being successful. The Peckham Boot Gang made a noisy arrival at Larkhall but what wing will they be on?(!) After a heavy confronation with Josh about the drugs tests, Di took out her violent anger once again on her mother, and the next day after being called ""sick"" by Josh, spiralled out of control - after being taken home by Jim, she was horrified when he discovered her badly bruised, neglected mother in her house!

The Peckham boot gang arrives on G-Wing, causing chaos! Nigerian prisoner, Femi, can't speak a word of english and a peaceful protest about her treatment, led by Nikki, goes horrible wrong after the Boot Gang turns it into a full-scale riot! Charlotte Myddleton is shipped out to an open-prison. Al begins bullying Shaz but gets more than she bargains for from Yvonne - will Al and the rest of the Boot Gang ""waste her""?! During the riot, a new prisoner, Caroline, catches Nikki's eye. Violence erupted further when the screws, in full riot uniform, attempted to put the inmates into their cells! Helen was furious with Nikki after Sylvia told her about her envolvment with the 'peaceful protest'!

The riot finally ended peacefully because Nikki locked the Peckham boot gang in their cells - sadly for her though, Helen told Nikki that their relationship was over because of the part she had played in the chaos. Nikki then took an interest in new prisoner Caroline. The Julies argued over their plans for the future now that Julie S had met Trevor again but to their horror, they were re-arrested outside the prison gates for past crimes they had committed while working for Virginia O'Kane as 'The 2 Trudies'. Helen seemed to be yet more friendly with Dr Waugh. Femi was moved to E-Wing with Fatima, an english-speaking Nigerian prisoner. Nikki was perplexed as to why Helen was telling her to ""be careful"" of Caroline but found out from Maxi that Caroline's crime wasn't fraud...she was in prison for sexually abusing children!!

Shaz was bullied again by Al. Di Barker had a sexual encounter in the toilets with Gina Rossi's boyfriend Mark. She lied perfectly to cover her tracks until the end of the episode, when she couldn't hide how hurt she was when Mark said that ""She meant nothing to him"" - A distraught Gina then told Mark she was pregnant! The Julies returned to G-Wing...and so did Virginia O'Kane! Josh continued to ignore Di. Virginia's disability proved a challenge for the officers. To Maxi and Al's disgust, Tina seemed to take a shine to Virginia. Jim, as corrupt as ever, offered to collect Virginia's brothel money for her...for a 50% share of course!...

Jim began his 'after-hours job' collecting money from Virginia's brothels. Helen was determined to prove that Jim is unfit to work with female prisoners and was very happy when Yvonne told her about the job he was participating in for Virginia. After yet another arguement between Helen and Jim, Karen made it clear to Helen that she was on Jim's side. Di spread lies about Gina. Virginia, while alone in her cell, stood up to look in the mirror, proving that her disability was a lie. Shaz asked for a transfer to the lifers' unit to get away from Al, but Dr Waugh suggested an unorthodox way of boosting her self-esteem. Crystal received the date for her court appearance. Gina and Di came to blows over Mark, with tragic consequences. Helen and Dr Waugh went to the dog races together and later, at his flat, shared a kiss!

Josh received a surprise package from Denny that could prove Crystal's innocence. Jim told Nikki that Helen is now seeing Dr Waugh - Something Helen didn't deny! Virginia's disability was publically outed as a scam by Al. Helen continued to lie in wait for Jim at Virginia's brothels - she finally found him and told him she wanted his resignation letter or she would tell Karen and area. Jim blackmails Di into helping him find evidence about Helen's relationship with Nikki and is overjoyed when he finds in Babs' diary about Nikki's escape. Defeated by this new evidence, Helen has no ammo against Jim and is blackmailed by him to resign. Crystal was found guilty because Karen gave her a bad character statement - this was because Sylvia's stolen clock (remember that?) was found and returned to Karen!

On the day of Nikki's trial, Fenner tries one last time to jepordise her chances by trying to blackmail Di into putting a scalpel into Nikki's bag - luckily, Di refused as they left for court. Virginia O'Kane received a hostile reaction from all the girls except Tina Purvis, who was beaten up by her sister for being so sympathetic. Back at the courthouse, evidence has been given and the jury have their verdict - Nikki's sentence is reduced to three years for manslaughter...time she has already served so she is a free woman! As Di entered the bathrooms to check things are OK when she saw the lifeless body of Virginia - with Yvonne standing nearby...is she capable of murder or has Fenner set her up? In sunny Spain, we finally catch up with escapees Shell and Denny - the Spanish police have found them but we are left to wonder whether they survived after jumping into the sea to escape! In the final scene Nikki was in a club with Trish but no Helen - she walked sadly outside and heare