I’m something of a true crime skeptic. I understand the appeal and I’ve enjoyed a series or two before, but I find the majority of them off-putting. This goes double for any adaptations of true crime stories. Too often these series devolve into a retelling of events propped up by casting a few name actors. With Good American Family, I’ll give them credit for attempting to break the mold. That very faint praise is about all I can muster.
Inspired by the true story of Natalia Grace, Good American Family gives her the Lifetime treatment. Kristine and Michael Barnett (Ellen Pompeo and Mark Duplass) adopt Grace (Imogen Faith Reed), finally fulfilling their dream of having a daughter. Their dream quickly turns into a nightmare once they suspect Natalia isn’t who she seems. Or is it the parents who aren’t what they seem?
This is the central question of Good American Family, but if you’re watching the series as it releases, you won’t even realize it. The show’s first 4 episodes show us the situation from the perspective of the Barnetts, particularly Kristine. Only in the show’s second half does the audience learn about the actual events and the parents’ callousness. It’s an odd way to frame a story of very real child abuse, but one that maybe would have worked if the series released all at once. The rare example of a show that actually benefits from the binge release model.
It doesn’t help that, except for Reed, everyone is putting in minimum effort here. Ellen Pompeo tries to expand audiences’ perception of her as the self-centered Kristine. It’s hard not to just see an evil version of Meredith Grey. The show’s first half adopts her paranoid feelings about Natalia, but it only serves to detract from her performance. Mark Duplass plays her bumbling husband Michael like he’s in a different, funnier show. Imogen Faith Reed is the sole bright spot as Natalia and even then, she’s relegated to playing her like a horror villain for the first half.
Good American Family attempts to subvert viewer’s expectations by putting us into the viewpoint of these, negligent at best, parents. It could be an interesting idea. In reality, it makes the show feel more exploitative than if they stuck to a straight retelling of the events. There’s a real chance that many viewers unfamiliar with this case will watch an episode or two and come away with the opinion that the Barnetts were in some way justified. That’s a failure for all involved. If you must watch this series, just this once, wait for the full story.
Good American Family is currently streaming on Hulu. New episodes release on Wednesdays.