Good American Family

"Good American Family" is a gripping American drama-thriller series, inspired by the true story of Natalia Grace and her adoption by Kristine (Ellen Pompeo) and Michael Barnett (Mark Duplass).

Natalia, a child with dwarfism, is abandoned by the Barnetts after displaying strange behavior. Sound familiar?

It echoes a plot twist from the 2009 horror film "Orphan," which was based on the real-life case of Estonian imposter Barbora Skrlová. The unsettling premise taps into our darkest fears, but this series dives deeper into a much more twisted narrative.

While the story begins in 2010, the truth unfolds in a shocking series of revelations.

What initially seems like a straightforward tale quickly morphs into something more complex, shedding light on a deeper, far darker reality. After the success of a popular docuseries, the inevitable narrative adaptation has arrived.

If you're unfamiliar with the details of the Grace case, it's best to dive in blind-this show is a masterclass in twisting allegiances and testing your judgment.

The first episodes might make you cringe, but as Natalia's character shifts from antagonist to protagonist, the story evolves into something much more than just a rehash of Orphan.

It's a mix of crime drama-thriller, and satire, with a he-said-she-said dynamic that keeps you hooked, episode after episode.

If you're ready for a binge-worthy, mind-bending rollercoaster, "Good American Family" is not to be missed.

I'm on episode 5. When they dropped the adopted off at her own place and to see her struggle was unsettling. Total transparency. I have abandonment issues from childhood. To see her in that element was cringing to me. So far the series is intense. I couldn't finish the episode as of yet. To get that type of reaction from the audience is amazing. Unfortunately there isn't anything warm hearted about the show. I think the acting is convincing. The actor playing the "dwarf", is convincing. I never watched Grey's Anatomy, but the lead actress has this gravitational pull. She draws you in and very unpredictable.

Wanted to like this. For the most part, I'm unconvinced by the characterizations, which are in need of nuance. I was hoping to see a fresh role for Pompeo, but her delivery is similar to her longtime performance in "Grey's Anatomy". Same voice, similar expressions, and convenient charms. Some of the emotional transitions for Duplass feel rushed and formulaic. Considering that I'm having challenges early on, I'm reminded that this series will endure for 8 episodes. The script feels flimsy, and it's disappointing because the real life story is intriguing. It's hard to know what really happened behind closed doors in the Barnett household after they adopted Natalia Grace. As a result, we're presented with some scenarios which don't ring true. Finally, a quick tech note: the score for this series is heavy handed. When the production wants the viewer to feel threatened or sentimental, the music works overtime to make sure we get the gist.

I will say, I started off agreeing with all of the other comments and reviews, however my perspective is starting to change following episode 5. I am not sure what they are doing and how they will continue to present this storyline, but I am VERY intrigued.

Initially it starts off following Ellen Pompeo's perspective as the mom, but now I think it's turning and starting to following Natalia Grace's perspective. It's an interesting state of production though because you really can't tell what's perspective and what's real life- I guess that's true for everything and this story is doing an excellent job of creating that!

I started thinking that I could predict where this was going based on the blurb and a couple of episodes I'd watched...and I was SO wrong.

If you really pay attention (put the phone down!) and give this the time to play out through the episodes, the story unfolds and personally I loved the way it was filmed as it truly got such an emotional response out of me. I was surprised at the story and my whole opinion of characters changed as the episodes played out. The way in which it's filmed is a credit to helping tailor your connection with each character.

I don't want to give spoilers so you can enjoy it too!