Netflix JailBirds: 10 Best Characters (Ranked)

From prison dramas to love stories, Jailbirds gave audiences real-life entertainment through complex and varied characters. There are many characters in Netflix’s Jailbirds who made us laugh, cry and sympathetic to their stories.  In spite of their crimes, the show allowed us to see the humane sides of these inmates allowing us to understand how they came to be in the situations they’re in.  

While there are many passing characters throughout the show, there are 10 whose personal idiosyncrasies and dramas made the show the hit that it was. 

10 Rebecca ‘Baby Girl’ Temme

Rebecca Temme or ‘ Baby Girl’ has had a rough and unfortunate upbringing which made her a complex character in the show. She is fiercely loyal, especially to those she loved, which made her admirable but also got her into trouble.  Her relationship with half-sibling and fellow inmate Shayna was indicative of this. Initially, Baby Girl showed love to Shayna but a betrayal burns bridges between the two. One of the most interesting aspects of Baby Girl’s story is also the loyalty she carries for her co-defendant. Even though she could have pleaded for a reduced sentence by simply outing her Co-D, Baby Girl stood by him and got sentenced to life in prison as a result. Baby Girl’s character is one that audiences would love to see more of should S2 be renewed as she was one of S1’s most complex and derivative characters. 

9 Megan ‘Monster’ Hawkins

Meghan Hawkins or Monster is a character that you see a lot of throughout the show due to her openness in sharing her story. The fellow inmates call her ‘Monster’ because she is covered in tattoos but she has stood by the fact that looks can be deceiving and that she’s not scary at all. In fact, she used to live a normal life on the East Coast even running her own business. But as she took on the distribution of narcotics as a side hustle, she found herself incarcerated at the Sacramento County Jail. Within the jail, Monster was a character that all the inmates could rely on as she was friendly, approachable and understanding of a lot of others’ situations. Even though she’s now back in jail for identity theft, Monster proved to be a reliable and likable character in the show. 

8 Katrina

Katrina Haslam, who was sentenced to 6 months in jail for driving on the other side of the road,  was also one of the younger inmates at the jail.  Katrina’s time in jail was documented primarily through her relationship with fellow male inmate Daniel ‘Dolla’ Carter.

Katrina and Dolla were our first introduction to the magic of  ‘toilet talking’ within the jail. They both sent each other countless love letters and gifts through ‘the bowl’ and created a relationship that lasted beyond the jail walls. Katrina’s journey in and out of jail was both unique and entertaining to explore which makes her one of Jailbirds’ best characters. 

7 Daniel ‘Dolla’ Carter

Daniel ‘Dolla’ Carter was one of the youngest male inmates introduced at the Sacramento County Jail. At just 18 years of age, Carter was looking at a life sentence for attempted murder; but in spite of this, he remained positive and in good spirits.  Dolla was also the ladies’ man at the jail. Even though he was in a relationship with Katrina, he also grew close to other female inmates.  This made Dolla one of the show’s most charismatic inmates and one who will elicit some laughs. 

6 Andrea ‘Drea’ Gunderson

As it’s often said, there ain’t nothing to do in jail but to pass the time and often that time is passed through dramas and complications. That is exactly what Andrea “Drea” Gunderson made of her jail time. Drea, 23 was always able to find someone to pick a bone with.

She tended to know private information about people which she often used to start a row with them. She also has had relationships with many female inmates which added on to more drama. You will not be bored with this jailbird character when you spend some time with her in the episodes. 

5 Gaylon ‘Shawn’ Beason 

Another inmate great with the ladies was Gaylon ‘Shawn’ Beason. Despite being married, Shawn was hellbent on providing each female inmate with a good time by giving them the pleasure of her company. After a 90 day repeated stint in jail, Shawn promised audiences that she would get her life back on track and not re-offend as she’s trying to have a baby with her wife. Luckily Shawn has been able to keep that promise as she hasn’t returned to jail yet. News of a baby is definitely on the horizon for this charming character. 

4 Najla ‘Noonie’ Jones

Najla ‘Noonie’ Jones is Jailbirds’ resident Queen of Pruno. She took us through the process of making ‘prison alcohol’ or pruno and gave the filmmakers all the juicy prison secrets they wanted to know. Even though we saw her getting multiple ‘strikes’ and apprehended for some of the actions she was involved in, ‘Noonie’ always remained a firm and confident character throughout the show. Just like Monster, she has developed various friendships with the girls around her which made her one of the most informed characters in the jail. 

3 Taylor

Another young inmate incarcerated at Sacramento Jail was 19 year- old Taylor Coatney. Coatney was involved in a home invasion and robbery that took a lethal turn. Throughout her time at the jail,  she often expressed her regret at her actions and was accepting of the sentence that would be handed down to her.

Around the jail, she was generally trusted to do ‘prison work’ which involved her cleaning and helping out new inmates. Taylor is one of the show’s best inmates because of her maturity and her awareness of the impact of her crimes. Throughout the show, she showed a constant willingness to do better and to help others which as an audience you can grow to appreciate. 

2 Courtney ‘Jay’ Koranda

Probably one of the most down to earth inmates, Courtney (or Jay, as she referred to herself in jail), was focused on doing her time and getting out. In for multiple drug offenses and having recently lost both her mother and father, Jay truly wanted to do what was right and make amends so that she could get out of jail to see her son. Thankfully, she was released from jail and has been able to maintain a steady life since. In her attitude, determination to get clean and friendships in jail, Jay was truly an exemplary inmate. 

1 Bianca & Brianna

Nothing warmed audiences’ hearts more than Bianca and Brianna’s love for each other. The two met in jail and built a relationship that transcended their circumstance. Bianca always looked out for Brianna and supported her at her lowest moments and Brianna was able to be her true self around Bianca.  Both were extremely likable characters bringing stories of true love and hope to the jailbird scene. Despite awaiting a 30-year jail sentence, Brianna and Bianca were determined to make their love work which makes them our favorite couple in the show. Now if that’s not real love, then what is. 

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