User reviews

As Episode 1 of "An Update on Our Family" (2025 release; 3 episodes ranging from 43 to 50 min) opens, we are introduced to Myka and James Stauffer, who painstakingly vlog on the YouTube family channel, going back to 2013. After 3 kids of their own, the couple decides to adopt a special needs boy from China. At this point we are 10 minutes into Episode 1.

Couple of comments: this is the work of director Rachel Mason, who just recently directed the outstanding (if tragic) documentary "Last Take: Rust and the Story of Halyna". Here Mason examines the phenom that is family vlogging, and as it turns out (wait for it!), things are not quite as they seem. This is not the first documentary looking at this issue. But as it turns out, all of it is just an appetizer for what plays out in Episode 3, when the Stauffers adopt a young boy from China. I won't say more about it so as not to spoil. I must admit I have never heard of this story before, nor am I all that familiar with the multiple family vlogs that apparently exist out there, all hoping to get enough subscribers that YouTube and sponsors will pay them handsomely, but raising the obvious ethical question of what these parents are thinking about making so much of their children's lives available to the public at large without the children's conscious consent. Apart from the interesting ethical issues raised by the documentary, in retrospect all of this could've been handled in far less that the almost 2 1/2 hrs. Running time of the 3 episodes.

"An Update on Our Family" started streaming on Max not too long ago, and I stumbled on it the other night, I watched all 3 episodes in a single setting. This mini-series is currently rated 100% Certified Fresh on Rotten Tomatoes, which is far too generous in my opinion. If you are curious about the phenom that is family vlogging on YouTube or about adoptions of special needs kids from overseas, I'd readily suggest you check this out, and draw your own conclusion.

I feel like instead of a proper documentary, this is one of those obnoxious YouTube video essays. It DRAGS and truly could've told the entire story in an hour. There's a good 30 minutes' worth in the first episode alone where they're just saying the same things over and over and over again.

We get it. People feel community by vlogging. Yes, we get it - YouTube can be lucrative. Yes, we twigged 10 minutes ago that this woman really wanted to be a mom and seemed authentic about it.

It's really frustrating because this doco touches on some actually interesting topics, but it feels a little bit like HBO asked them for an episode count and they had to pad for time. You're better off reading the article the entire thing is based on, because there's no particularly new insights here either (the family they're all discussing declined an interview).

That could have been told in one, 2-hour doc, but instead we're subjected to these incredibly awkward, sincerely troubling parasocial fans that seem very confused as to their 'relationship' with content creators. I'm incredibly troubled by the sheer volume of people who seem to be at least somewhat intelligent, but willfully seem to toss that out the window in order to form false relationships with people who don't exist.

Along with 'content creators' who are so wrapped up in the creation of content and the time it takes to create this unattainable feeling of relatability to portray themselves as something not even remotely resembling real life, that they're all but ignoring that of the very real, very dependent children who are only used as props to convey this ridiculous portrayal to an easily duped public. That our aged Congress is so severely lacking when it comes to social media and that of creation of content that they've allowed this nonsense to fester like an open wound, it's no wonder that there seems to be a new horrifying train wreck surfacing weekly, with children being completely exploited. We have what's referred to as 'Jackie Coogan' laws, but for some reason doesn't apply to any of this, and these creators see no problems with exploitation in the most disturbing and disgusting ways.

The first episode was incredibly disturbing and difficult to consume- there's so many times we felt a need to turn away, yet continues to watch in hopes of a point being made. It's no exaggeration to say that the subjects of this were barely mentioned- and it was more so in passing and in some rather bizarre ways that really shone a light more on those who consume this garbage than that of the creators, themselves. There were some interesting moments but not a single thing pertaining to WHY the filmmakers are there, just weird teases that in supposing are meant to being the viewers back, but plays more like daytime soap operas.

I found a rather comprehensive and interesting article that laid bare the behavior behind this nonsense, and completely finished consuming it within 20 minutes. Skip this and do your own research.

I made it most of the way through the first episode before giving up. It was so mind-numbingly boring I just couldn't do it. Everyone discussed the same topics and each person repeated themselves endlessly. The lack of editing made it feel drawn-out and pointless.

With only the first episode out, I'll check back in, but this one felt entirely unnecessary. It's disappointing because the story has so much potential. People have waited years for a quality documentary about this couple, but this production wastes the opportunity with poor editing and no focus.

Loads of camera angles, though ;) if you've seen it you know.

When the director was interviewed on TDS, I was excited because I thought there was going to be a brutal balance between the freak show jobless ass-hats and more rational objective people. It's obnoxious, not infuriating due to truth bombs. The editing is awful and I truly wanted to punch my TV while watching this. I had to pull out my phone to answer work emails and schedule a doctor appointment to unburden my growing anxiety and anger. I don't think this director intended this, but she has no distance from the subject matter. There is no story, but rather YouTube vomit clickbait style rabbit holes. You have failed to uncover this and have instead become what you claim to loathe.

While watching the first episode all I could think was "this has to be satire". There's no way these people are actually this cringe, right? The bizarre woman who sorta narrates even tries to use the Kardashians as some measure of "normal". Then the influencer with the Big Dumb Hat showed up and it officially jumped the shark.

This is just a bunch of self-described "influencers" with no talent and no substance at all. Based on the show description there's eventually going to be a story about an adopted kid, but the entire first episode has nothing to do with that. If you want to watch a documentary on the downfall of society, this is the one.

The documentary uses many editing cliches that have been overdone by the big streamers for about 10 years now. The ticker showing a video's view count rising rapidly. The breaking of the 4th wall when people are being interviewed. It's extremely boring. The first episode take roughly 50 minutes to say: 1) Vloggers are a thing. 2) People really like this particular family vlogger. 3) They might have enjoyed the attention from vlogging too much. That's it. You just saw the first episode. It is a sad reminder that many YouTubers these days can craft better documentaries than Netflix and HBO, with .1% of the resources.

I very much dislike the whole 'family vlogger' thing. In my opinion, it's so clearly being done for financial gain, as well as attention seeking. And the worst part, is that it's at the cost of children. These kids have no parts of their lives that are private, they're not consenting to having their faces plastered on videos for millions to see. They don't consent to millions of strangers basically being voyeurs of their lives. None of that is even counting the massive number of child predators that are out there. I don't even want to imagine the trauma that will cause them as they grow up. I mean, could imagine strangers coming up to you and telling you stories about yourself that you probably don't even remember?? I've watched documentaries of children who are now adults, that have had to change their names because of their parents' incessant need for money and attention.

One of the worst things are the actual viewers themselves, who get so invested in the lives of people they don't even know, that they neglect their own families. I mean, who constantly refreshes their YouTube feed because they're anxiously waiting on an update from strangers' lives? It's just weird. Then they feel like they basically own that family and can all but demand them to release the content THEY want, regardless of whether that family feels comfortable with it. And in this case, these crazy viewers threaten to COME AFTER THEM and their KIDS?!?! Yes, what happened was horrible, but some of these people looked like they lived in their parents' basements, their houses are filthy, etc. They really need to touch grass and sort their lives out before they get so involved in some else's. But at the same time, those vloggers basically asked for it, although the children (who are the real victims)....didn't.

It's just gross and disgusting, and the only way to prevent these tragic things from happening, is to stop watching it. Stop giving these people your views, time, and money. Unlike a lot of the comments I saw in this documentary, I don't wish harm on this family, or the parents. I hope they learn from this experience, and stop putting every aspect of theirs and their children's lives online. I pray they learn to actually enjoy the moments, instead of seeking to profit from them in some way.

Two eps in and really enjoying the balanced view of what is, on paper, a family easy to take down. In reality, authenticity as a business model by nature is a flawed idea. It's also wishful thinking by audience member and content creator alike.

This doc isn't trying to drop truth bombs big enough to become the story of the week. It's tackling an uncomfortable and highly relatable grey gap between presentation and reality.

It doesn't cherry pick unbecoming clips from the family under fire, and so far it seems to center more on people touched by the adoption process than not.

Not sure how many episodes there are but so far, I'm hooked.

This series is great if you know of online drama but need it to be condensed into an HBO style documentary for you to actually care about any of it. Hannah Cho is the perfect person to lead everyone through it because she explains what's going on through the lens of a fan who had been there from the beginning, but also from the perspective of someone who also lives and breathes social media for her own livelihood. It's like when your bestie is explaining really great controversy happening outside of your social circle that doesn't affect you but is fascinating nonetheless. The perspectives of the journalists covering it vs social media responses in the last episode are part of a larger picture that I'd love to see this documentary team explore more.

Main character voice Hannah Cho shares her excitement to heal through an internationational adoption from an influencer she respected, frames this documentary in a poignant manner. Experts are knowledgeable on subject material and characters such as other family bloggers coaching each other to 'be careful' when weighing in on the Staunchest is haunting. Loved this documentary. From reviews there seems to be a divide between folks who have grown up with and are interested in influencer culture. I think of the expert who says : no one cares about this stuff in real life so I talk about it on the internet.

The door I've parents of this young lad got him because they thought he was content for their YouTube channel. They picked an autistic child from China to bring home thinking he would fit right in. They were wrong.

Parents, please listen. Respect your kid's anonymity. Don't post them online. Let them have a happy childhood without fear of cameras catching every moment.

These parents are really gross. Stop entertaining these types of people. They will make you feel like a bad parent just by watching them being so dedicated. They are not dedicated. When those cameras go off those kids are suffering. Do. It support this kind of stuff.