I agree with Chaos Theory about Tami. Foster care is hellish -- if you wanted to create a system to destroy a kid's heart and mind, you couldn't do much better. (Some foster *parents* are wonderful, but the system itself is horrible.) Many kids with terrible childhoods manage to patch themselves together by joining a quasi-family institution like the military or law enforcement. That seems to be what Tami did, and it works -- as long as the adult "family" doesn't disappear like the childhood ones did.
Barbra seems to have wonderful survival and coping skills. Good for her. It's too bad she couldn't show a bit of compassion to Tami, but that would probably take a lot of self-confidence and maturity, and it's not reasonable to expect it from her, especially when Tami is acting so scary.
I'm still puzzled by Robert. Is his act *just* an act? Or is he really a bit over the edge? In any case, he has no business in this place.
I agree with Nurse GiGi about Jeff: "Poor Jeff, however, is just a walking target and I think would be in real danger if the other inmates were violent offenders." The one who isn't taking his meds does seem quite dangerous, and I hope one or another of these "guards" -- who don't seem to guard much of anybody -- will intervene before Jeff or another person is badly hurt.
Zac is fine, of course.
Certainly this show is getting more than a bit unpleasant. The stated reason for placing these people in the jail is that they are to report back on what problems there are in the institution. But with the zillion cameras around, the authorities can easily *see* what the problems are; no need to insert innocent "spies."
So I suppose that the deal is: the sheriff gets to get his face on TV as an "innovative reformer," and the five innocents get to be on TV too. Does anyone know if they're being paid, and how much. I wouldn't do it for much less than $50k.
The sad issue is that these five were obviously not picked because they'd be good spies and reporters (except Zack, and maybe they thought Tami would be OK too). Most were picked because they looked like they'd provide delicious horrified fascination to us, the audience, as we watch them stumble and crumble. Like Fear Factor, only slimier. (So will I stop watching? Should. Might not. I'm as slimy as the next person.)
