This episode features another show dealing with prison mistreatment and prison reform. It appears that someone in the production staff had someone in prison since they had at least one episode per season dealing with this issue.
Barbara Stanwyck gives an outstanding performance in this episode as she, for some unknown reason, wants to experience a woman's prison so she can give a true account of the terrible conditions. Victoria decides to become a petty thief so she will be placed in the prison. Not wanting to use her real name she uses the alias of Nellie Handley, an Irish woman with a criminal background. So it kind of different when we hear Victoria using an Irish accent and language while the state prison.
Without giving a spoiler alert, I am sure that you can guess that Victoria experiences a wide variety of humiliating and filthy duties. From a brutal guard to a near death incident with a serious illness, Victoria gets the full gambit of late 1800 prison life.
When the warden finds out the true identity of Nellie Handley, Victoria's life is in major jeopardy. When the only person that knows about Victoria in jail ends up dead, the warden wants an accident to put an end to Nelly Handley's life for good.
The episode is packed with some fine actors. Gavin MacLeod, Richard Anderson and Susan Oliver all give fine performances in this show. But the real stand-out in this episode is Barbara Stanwyck. Ms Stanwyck gives 100% of herself to this show making an otherwise uninteresting topic entertaining. This is one episode you will remember long after viewing.