Bad Girls series 1 explained

Season Number:1
Bgcolour:
  1. 521A57
Starring:
Network:ITV
Num Episodes:10

The first series of Bad Girls premiered on ITV on 1 June 1999, and ended on 3 August 1999. It consists of ten episodes. The show was produced by Shed Productions as part of Shed Media. After the first episode aired, the show became an instant hit in the United Kingdom. The show also became successful in several countries including the United States, Australia and Republic of Ireland.

Storylines

The first series focuses on the growing relationship between new G-Wing governor Helen Stewart and prisoner Nikki Wade. Helen tries to show the prisoners that she on their side by taking matters such as miscarriage, bullying and drugs seriously, whereas the other officers, like Sylvia Hollamby, don't take any interest in the prisoners' problems. Helen doesn't get the support she needs from her officers and tries to convince Nikki that she needs her help in running an orderly wing. This is when Nikki's attraction for Helen begins to grow. Other major storylines in the first series is top dog, Shell Dockley's bullying against new prisoner Rachel Hicks, her drug dealing and her affair with senior officer Jim Fenner who also begins an affair with Rachel, as they become involved in a love triangle, Shell and her sidekick Denny Blood torture Rachel to the point where she commits suicide. New prisoner Zandra Plackett struggles to kick her drug habit, and things get worse when she discovers she's pregnant. Monica Lindsey, another new prisoner on G-Wing, finds it hard to cope when she worries about how her son, Spencer, who has Down's syndrome, will deal with his mother's wrongful imprisonment.

Cast

See main article: List of Bad Girls characters.

Guest

Episodes

See main article: List of Bad Girls episodes.

Reception

Ratings

TitleAir dateTimeslot
ViewersRank
1"Them and Us"1 June 1999Tuesday 9:00 pm7,990,00017[1]
2"Drug Wars"8 June 1999Tuesday 9:00 pm7,390,00016
3"Love Rival"15 June 1999Tuesday 9:00 pm6,360,00018
4"The Victim"22 June 1999Tuesday 9:00 pm6,860,00017
5"Tangled Web"29 June 1999Tuesday 9:00 pm7,050,00019
6"A Big Mistake"6 July 1999Tuesday 9:00 pm7,020,00014
7"Playing with Fire"13 July 1999Tuesday 9:00 pm7,670,00012
8"Falling Apart"20 July 1999Tuesday 9:00 pm7,600,00015
9"Payback Time"27 July 1999Tuesday 9:00 pm7,320,00012
10"Love Hurts"3 August 1999Tuesday 9:00 pm7,660,00014

Release

In the UK, series one was originally released in VHS format in three volumes. The DVD was released in the UK on 18 June 2001. It was re-released in the UK on 7 February 2011 by Acorn Media UK, with brand new packaging.[2] The re-release was also released in a boxset along with series two on 7 February 2011.[3] Series one was also released as part of a series one-four boxset on 9 October 2006.

In Australia, series one has been released three times on DVD, the first being on 24 March 2003 containing the same packaging as the first UK DVD release. The second release was part of the complete boxset consisting of all eight series which was released on 10 November 2010.[4] The third was released on 12 January 2011, as a separate edition from the complete boxset.[5]

The DVD was released in America on 7 June 2011 containing its own style of cover packaging. It was released as "The Complete First Season", and was the only series of Bad Girls to be released in America.

Bad Girls: Series One
Set DetailsSpecial Features
  • 10 episodes
  • 4-disc set
  • 3-disc set (re-release)
  • 4:3/1.33:1 aspect ratio (cropped VHS transfer)
  • 16:9/1.78:1 original aspect ratio (re-release)
  • Subtitles: no
  • Language: English (stereo)
  • Documentary: Bad Girls in Oxford*
  • Commentary Track: Episode 10*
  • Cast Interviews:
    • Simone Lahbib (Helen)
    • Mandana Jones (Nikki)
    • Debra Stephenson (Shell)
    • Jack Ellis (Jim)
    • Alicya Eyo (Denny)
    • Helen Fraser (Sylvia)
    • Victoria Alcock (Julie S)
    • Kika Mirylees (Julie J)
  • Outtakes
  • Fan Featurette: Bad Girls Book Signing*
  • Photo Library*
Release dates
United StatesUnited KingdomAustralia
7 June 200518 June 2001 (Contender)----7 February 2011 (Acorn)24 March 2003 (Shock)----12 January 2011 (Shock re-release)

Note: Special features marked * are not available on the re-release DVD

External links

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Weekly top 30 programmes on TV sets (July 1998 – Sept 2018). Broadcasters' Audience Research Board. 24 February 2022.
  2. Web site: Bad Girls Series 1 . acornmediauk.com . 31 March 2011 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20110727213325/http://www.acornmediauk.com/index.php/bad-girls-series-1.html . 27 July 2011 .
  3. Web site: Bad Girls: Series 1 & 2: Box Set: Hmv Exclusive. hmv.com. 31 March 2011.
  4. Web site: Bad Girls (1999) - The Complete Collection: Uncut (32 Disc Box Set) . ezydvd.com.au . 31 March 2011 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20110411042850/http://www.ezydvd.com.au/item.zml/815700 . 11 April 2011 .
  5. Web site: Bad Girls (1999) - Series 1: Uncut (4 Disc Set) . ezydvd.com.au . 31 March 2011 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20101211053940/http://www.ezydvd.com.au/item.zml/817029 . 11 December 2010 .