Bad Girls Recaps: Episode 3.16 "Coming Out"

Right outside the door — Helen tells Thomas she's leaving Larkhall and has had enough of Fenner.

Thomas: No, there's no way you'd throw the towel in. Not now. Has he touched you again?!
Helen: No.
Thomas: Because if he has —
Helen: He hasn't.
Thomas: Eh, well, there's something you're not telling me. I can read that.
Helen: Don't psychoanalyze me. I'm not one of your bloody patients.
Thomas: I don't understand why you're lying to me.

Me me me. Jeez, Tom, not everything is about you and your stupid stretched-out collar. Seriously, how old is that T-shirt?

Helen: Because I don't know how you'd react to the truth.
Thomas: Try me!
Helen: I can't. Not yet. But I've made the right decision. You just have to trust me.

And you just have to not have these conversations while Nikki is two feet away. What must she be thinking?

Too little, too late — Di tries to apologize to Crystal, but Crystal knows Di is evil. Short scene: It's easy when you're just presenting facts.

Karen's office — Helen announces that she'll be leaving Larkhall this afternoon.

Karen: Well, what's prompted this?
Helen: Oh, that's easy. [looking at Fenner, who happens to be present] It was Jim.
Karen: You're not still banging that old drum.

Interesting turn of phrase, Miss Shacked-Up-With-Slime.

Helen: He's been playing you since day one, Karen. He's a misogynist bastard. And I am sick to the bloody back teeth trying to get you to see it. So I'm done. He's all yours.

And on that note, she just saunters out, leaving Fenner looking paralyzed and Karen shaking her head.

"Misogynist bastard" — is there anything better than an insult composed of a big word and a bad word? Rrrawr.

The minute Helen leaves, panicked Fenner thanks Karen for believing in him and confesses that he's "after something."

Fenner: I wanna marry you.

Well, that's certainly the ultimate distraction. Before Karen can process that, Josh interrupts to ask for a transfer off G Wing. Everyone's jumping ship, Miss Betts! Have you considered that perhaps you're the iceberg?

Packing up — Thomas is helping Helen pack up her office. And by "helping," I mean "needling."

Thomas: Well, that's my betting days over, then. I just never thought you'd walk away and let Fenner win.

Helen whips her head around. Sic 'em! Kill it!

Helen: OK, so he won. Rub it in. Make me feel worse than I already do.

Yeah, Tom. You suck.

Thomas: I'm sorry.
Helen: Don't you think if I had one shred of hope ...
Thomas: It's just ... you know, you were so determined.
Helen: I have gone to the wire fighting the s--- in this service.
Thomas: And resign if you want. That is your right. [heading for the door] Come on. Over a drink, yeah?
Helen: Yeah, a big bevy-load.

I don't know why certain words improve so much under that accent, but they definitely do. "Big bevy-load" sounds as pretty as "raindrops on roses."

Helen takes an envelope with her. The music lets us know it's an important envelope.

The warpath — Nikki is stomping around, enraged. Isn't it sexy?

Barbara: I'm so sorry, Nikki. I hid the diary so carefully; I thought it was safe.
Nikki: [whipping her head around just like Helen did] This is prison, darling. Nothing's safe in here.
Yvonne: [passing by] What's up?
Nikki: Stewart's resigned.

Even Yvonne finds that alarming.

Parting shots — Fenner finds Helen as she is leaving. Thomas stares him down, but Helen shoos Thomas away so she can have her own moment.

Helen: You know one of the good things about walking away from a job? All of a sudden you realize you've got nothing left to lose. I may be on my way out, Jim, but I am gonna drag you all the way down with me. Enjoy it while it lasts.

Fenner doesn't say a word. I think he's actually scared.

One last pine — Nikki is peering out her cell window as Helen departs.

Looks so familiar, doesn't it?

season 1

And just like she did after Sean burned his wedding suit on the Larkhall lawn, Helen peers back, knowing Nikki is watching and looking heartbroken all over again.