MovieChat Forums > Prisoner (1979) Discussion > Vera, or Joan?

Vera, or Joan?

posted 13 years ago by scottmc1971
25 replies | jump to latest

I always preferred Vera because she seemed more real, somehow. Seeing the way she'd been dominated by her emotionally-abusive mother you could see why she'd become so bitter and twisted. She was more to be pitied than hated. Joan was more your classic panto villain - lots of fun to watch, but a bit one-dimensional and just not as well-drawn a character. Plus I thought Vera was kind of cute and I couldn't understand why everyone was always going on about how ugly she was.

"That, - Captain Bligh, - that is the thing; - I am in hell, sir - I am in hell."

[–] oranges99 13 years ago

Definitely Vera. She was a disciplinarian but always stuck by the rules when making it tough for the inmates. Joan was evil and just so very over-rated and got away with far too much.

[–] Mr_Gordo 13 years ago

Vera is my second favorite character... She was the strongest character they ever had, apart from Erica Davidson (who's my favorite character). Vera was always by the book. Very very firm but really fair 90% of the time. Yet she did have her emotional moments, like when Lizzy gave her a bar of soap for her birthday and Vera was very appreciative... And when she took the dog home rather than calling it into the pound... But she humbly didn't want her generosity to be witnessed...

Joan is iconic... Joan (The Freak) Ferguson made the show... But her character was too contrived after a while. They took her too far and I believe that is what ruined the show... It was all around Joan and so ended up being repetitive and predictable... They should have killed her off a lot earlier than they finished. But still it couldn't have been Prisoner without The Freak..

*´¨)
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[–] Circ81 13 years ago

Loved them both, was sad when Vera left, but The Freak is who I always remembered from the original days and who I most looked forward to seeing. It would have been great if they'd had some screen time together. Vera had a very vulnerable side, but she always seemed to end up hurt when she showed it, it's no wonder she became so hard over the years. Joan the Freak did have a little bit of a soft side too (although even she seemed surprised when she occasionally showed it). Remember when he Dad came to visit and seemed to have more time for Coleen Powell and Meg, or during all that trouble with her next door neighbour and her little girl, how she visited her when she had to go into that home, and I loved how she was with her dogs.

It's better to rest in the warm body of a friend, than in a cold hole in the ground.

[–] 13 years ago

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[–] NorthernGooner 13 years ago

Joan the freak, she made the show for me. Vera wasn't that bad really if you compare the two she just liked to stick to the rules where as Joan made them up as she went along.

[–] adamrock619 13 years ago

Joan, any day

Though mind you that storyline with that boy, I think his name was Charlie, was better suited for Vera

And at the end I did think things were repeating themselves with Joan
It would have been interesting to see Joan as a prisoner

[–] NorthernGooner 13 years ago

Shane? I liked that storyline with Joan it was good to see there was a nice person in there somewhere.

[–] 13 years ago

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[–] winterangel 12 years ago

Vera! I never got on with Joan who was just boring!

[–] riverwalk 12 years ago

''I never got on with Joan who was just boring!''

Ok joan the freak was alot of things but boring was not 1 of them.I'd safely say she is 1 of the most iconic tv characters ever[certainly 1 from australian tv shows anyway] and probably the best character prisoner ever had and there were some absolute greats in through the years both on short term and long term.

Personally i thought vera and joan were very good though i'll have too choose joan.Vera was never really scary plus she was nowhere near as evil as joan,she was cold yes and unfeeling. But the audience could understand this when they knew her backstory.She was a very lonely sad woman who was desperate for friendship and company.Any offer she got of friendship or love she would grab at with both hands.

Joan seemed more evil to the core.The actress did an excellent job in the role,she sure as hell scared the crap out of me.

[–] hepp316 11 years ago

No contest for mine, the freak was just awesome and what a finish to the series

[–] Moosie84 12 years ago

Both are great and since I'm currently watching the episodes with Vera I'll have to go with her.

Joan was perhaps more of a villain seeing as she was mean as hell, but Vera was special. Many layers of that character.

Three things stands out though:
1. She was strict, but didn't break the rules (bent them a few times perhaps).
2. She could look cold and unpleasant at work, but as soon as she slipped into something more casual and let her hair down, she looked really good. Impressive.
3. Her smile. Or smirk. That alone can make you hate her guts.

[–] 12 years ago

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[–] 12 years ago

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[–] djcatsgc 11 years ago

Last night ( 16th Aug 14) channel 5 (UK) had a program tv's nastiest villains, voted for by the viewers.
50 listed. ..........Joan came 1st
About the only time I have agreed with one of these tv poles

[–] michael_mulligan 10 years ago

Vera for me, she did things by the book and wasn't as sociopathic like Joan. Living in the UK I had heard about Joan before she graced our screens and looked forward to seeing her antics. But after her initial appearance plus the departure of Bea Smith she became a pantomime villain running rackets and abusing the inmates.