Prisoner (TV Series)

Episode #5.87 (1983)

Maggie Kirkpatrick: Joan 'The Freak' Ferguson

Photos 

Quotes 

• Joan "The Freak" Ferguson : Yeah, well. The only thing to do under these circumstances is to keep 'em locked up until the escape route's found.

  David Bridges : But that could take weeks.

  Joan "The Freak" Ferguson : All the better.

  David Bridges : I think you're wrong.

  Joan "The Freak" Ferguson : And I think you're still wet behind the ears if you think there's another solution.

  David Bridges : You can't confine people like that. It's madness. They should be free; it's our job to help them through this to freedom.

  Joan "The Freak" Ferguson : Freedom? Could you imagine what'd happen if this lot were let loose? I mean, look what they've done to me. And Parker's already killed an officer at Barnhurst.

  David Bridges : Yeah, well have you ever stopped to ask yourself why they didn't try to kill Meg Morris, or Joyce Barry, or me; why you? It's because you hate their guts, you treat them like dirt. So why does it surprise you that they hate you in return?

  Joan "The Freak" Ferguson : Well. There's certainly another side to you.

  David Bridges : Yeah, well that's because there's more to this job than rattling keys and crushing the life out of these women.

  Joan "The Freak" Ferguson : Oh come on, I know them and I know why they're in here. It's because they can't cope with the outside.

  David Bridges : Yeah and because the outside doesn't want to know about them.

  Joan "The Freak" Ferguson : And why should it? You wanna give 'em half a chance, alright go ahead, give it to 'em. And you know what'll happen? They'll lie and cheat and swindle and murder, and they'll go to their graves still swearing that they were hard done by. And you know why? Because there'll always be mugs like you to believe 'em.

• Sonia Stevens : I had nothing to do with the hanging. I didn't even know it was going on.

  Joan "The Freak" Ferguson : I know. Why would a blackmailer murder her victim? That's bad economics, and you're such a *smart* girl.

• Joan "The Freak" Ferguson : Mitchell, last time you caused me trouble you ended up in a hospital bed, remember? Don't make me do it again.

• Det. Insp. Thorne : Can you think of anyone who might wanna see you dead?

  Joan "The Freak" Ferguson : You're not forgetting that I was hanged, are you?

  Det. Insp. Thorne : Course not. What about any connections the women might have had on the outside?

  Joan "The Freak" Ferguson : That's not for me to say.

  Det. Insp. Thorne : But you have made enemies?

  Joan "The Freak" Ferguson : People who are good at their job are seldom popular, Inspector, you should know that.

  Det. Insp. Thorne : [chuckles]  I certainly have.

• Lizzie Birdsworth : Did you see the way she just stood there? Gives me the creeps just to think about it. I tell you what... she's gonna make our lives a living hell.

  Minnie Donovan : Well, I tried to warn you, didn't I?

  Lizzie Birdsworth : Well we didn't think that mongrel would live... there's no way we're gonna get rid of her now. She was absolutely undestroyable.

  Joan "The Freak" Ferguson : [having crept in behind]  How right you are, Birdsworth. I am. And don't you forget it.