“Burning Down The House,” the third episode of Worst Roommate Ever focuses on Tammy, a woman so vile and manipulative that she could twist anyone around her finger—from her husband and his friends to even her own son—all for the sake of money and control. Tammy is the very picture of someone who would do anything to get what she wants without showing any kind of remorse or guilt. From the get-go, Tammy’s wicked nature is clear. She sweet-talks her way into people’s lives and makes them believe she’s a loving wife and a caring mother. But she would not hesitate to hurt you, or worse, to try to kill you. What makes Tammy the worst roommate ever is not just her actions but her complete lack of conscience. When you watch this episode, you’ll be horrified for sure to see how far someone can go for greed and a desire for control. So what did she do exactly? Did she achieve her goal? We will know it all from this explainer of episode three.
What happened to Rich Fritz?
Rich Fritz was Tammy’s husband. The couple seemed to be very much in love and therefore Rich and Tammy decided to get married. Rich was head over heels for Tammy. He even told his mom that it was true love. However, his mother had her doubts. She noticed Tammy seemed more interested in the family’s wealth than in Rich himself. From their first meeting, Tammy kept asking about their house, their properties, and how much money they had. It was clear to Rich’s mom that Tammy was more into materialistic things than into Rich. Rich was a wonderful person. He worked in the military as a squadron leader and was highly respected by everyone around him. His charm and leadership made him someone people looked up to. He was also a devoted family man, always wanting to do everything for his loved ones. Tammy knew this and took full advantage of it.
Over time, Rich started to see that Tammy was never happy, no matter what he did for her. He could have given her the moon and stars, but she always wanted more. Her greed seemed to grow each day, and she even threatened to divorce him if her needs were not fulfilled. By then, Rich had had enough. He realized that if Tammy wanted to leave, he didn’t care anymore. A divorce would be a blessing in disguise, but he was determined not to give her the house, the boat, or even custody of their son, Christian. Rich knew Christian wouldn’t be safe with Tammy. One Father’s Day weekend, Rich was about to go on vacation to Utah with his friends when he suddenly fell ill. The doctor thought it was just strep throat, but the next day, Rich died. It happened so suddenly that everyone was in shock. Although the police thought it was a natural death, Rich’s mother had her reservations. She became even more skeptical when Tammy insisted on cremating Rich, despite knowing he had always wanted to be buried. Rich’s parents knew his wishes, but Tammy went ahead and had him cremated anyway. To this day, no one knows exactly what happened to Rich. However, his family is convinced it wasn’t a natural death. They believe he was murdered by Tammy, on account of what she tried to do to Rich’s friend Bo for his money.
What happened to Bo?
Bo was one of Rich’s closest friends from their military days. After Rich’s death, he was devastated. When his military service ended, he needed a place to stay and a job. Suddenly, Tammy called him and offered him a place to stay at her house rent-free. Bo was shocked and happy. He loved Christian very much and felt like Rich would have wanted him to stay with them, to be a parental figure, and to protect Tammy and Christian. Bo accepted the offer and started living with them. He noticed Tammy worked as a police emergency line dispatcher and sometimes didn’t come home at all due to late shifts. Bo became Christian’s friend, guardian, and babysitter, all in one. He picked him up from school, made him food, and took care of him. They played video games together, and Tammy would sometimes join them, drinking beer. It seemed like a happy setup. But Bo didn’t have much except his security card and insurance papers, which Tammy locked in her safe. He didn’t think much of it back then. One day, Tammy had a breakup and was devastated. She and Bo drank too much, and the next thing Bo knew, he woke up in the hospital. It was strange because nothing happened to Tammy. The doctors thought he was high on something and didn’t think much of it. Then one day, Bo woke up and found the house on fire. He somehow saved himself. And you know what? Both of these attempts – the fire and the hospitalization were Tammy’s doing. She wanted to get rid of Bo to claim his insurance money. She even listed herself as Bo’s significant other, not just a roommate, to ensure she got his money after his death.
After the fire, Bo moved to a separate place, and Tammy and Christian moved into a condo. Christian, though very young, had to cook and clean for himself because Tammy was never home and always busy dating strangers. If Christian complained, Tammy got offended. It was clear she had no motherly instinct. Then, suddenly, Christian saw his mother inviting two strangers, Michelle and Sean, to live with them. Tammy even let them stay in Christian’s room and made him sleep on the sofa. Christian was devastated. He saw the three of them heavily drugged and always plotting something. Christian was scared to stay at his own home with his own mother. The little boy felt very alone. Sean even threatened to cut his throat if he made a scene, and when Christian told Tammy, she turned a blind eye. And you ask what they were planning about. Actually, Bo was planning to go back to his hometown in Alaska because he was out of money and had no job prospects. Tammy felt time was running out and planned to murder Bo for his insurance money, and she was even willing to share it with Sean and Michelle. Bo was like a second father to Christian, so his leaving town was sad news. Christian wanted to say a last goodbye. When Christian and Tammy went to Bo’s house, they knocked on the door multiple times with no answer. When they finally got in, they found Bo brutally beaten, his head bleeding, his jaw fractured, and severe injuries all over his body. He was barely alive. Christian’s quick action saved Bo, who was rushed to the ER. Bo’s father, a police officer, investigated the case because they saw how the whole house was filled with drag marks of blood on the floor and carpets and knew something was wrong. Through their investigation, they discovered the truth of Tammy, Michelle, and Sean’s involvement in the attack. They were arrested. Thankfully, Bo survived the attack, and after several procedures, he was alive and well.
From the investigation, the police found out that Tammy initially wanted her brother Philip to kill Bo so she could get his $25,000 insurance payout. When Philip refused to get involved, Tammy took matters into her own hands. She spiked Bo’s drink with GHB, a dangerous substance, and intended to kill him. Later, she took Sean’s help to beat Bo with a baseball bat so that he could finish the job. All three were charged with various crimes, including white-collar crime, identity theft, and attempted murder, and they were sentenced to twenty-six years in prison. But this situation didn’t break Bo and Christian’s bond. To this day, they are best friends, and Bo remains a parental figure in Christian’s life. Even now that Christian is a father himself, he deeply loves Bo and is forever grateful for his contributions to his life.
