A Friend of the Family TV Review

Last Updated on October 10, 2022

Plot: Inspired by the harrowing true story of the Broberg family, whose daughter Jan was kidnapped multiple times over a period of a few years by a charismatic, obsessed family “friend”.

Review: There does not seem to be any end in sight for the current wave of true crime event series populating streaming services these days. While some are better than others, there are still some genuinely disturbing stories that have been told recently. Documentaries always have an advantage in the realm of true crime, but a well-made narrative series can chill you as much as entertain. A Friend of the Family, from producer Nick Antosca (Candy, The Act), is one of the most shocking and disturbing true crime stories I have ever heard and offers a well-made look at a story that is too crazy not to be true. With a great cast and the actual victim of the crime on board as a producer, this series is bound to be one of the most talked about series of the year.

A Friend of the Family tells the story of the Broberg family, residents of a small Idaho suburb. The church-going Mormon family, led by patriarch Bob (Colin Hanks) and mother Mary Ann (Anna Paquin), are befriended by newcomers Robert and Gail Berchtold (Jake Lacy and Lio Tipton). Invited over for a friendly dinner, Robert immediately shows favor for eldest Broberg daughter Jan (Hendrix Yancey). Over time, Robert ingratiates himself with the Brobergs as his attention towards Jan grows, eventually leading to an abduction executed in an incredibly strange manner. As the series shifts back and forth in time, we begin to learn how Robert manipulated the entire Broberg family, including Bob and Mary Ann, in an effort to gain control over Jan’s affections. It is a deeply disturbing story that unfolds over several years as Jan, later played by Mckenna Grace, continues to fall prey to Berchtold’s charismatic prowess.

Over the nine-episode series, five of which were made available for this review, many of the same key points are made that were analyzed in the documentary film Abducted in Plain Sight. Whether you have seen the documentary or not, you will find yourself deeply disturbed not only at how Berchtold’s pedophilia was allowed to occur amongst those closest to him, but how Mary Ann and Bob Broberg could knowingly let their child be abused. A Friend of the Family is an infuriating chronicle of the systematic failure to protect children from adults preying on their innocence and a difficult series to watch. It is also well constructed to lure you into the wholesome Broberg and Berchtold families before casually pulling away the curtain to reveal the sinister truth underneath.

It helps significantly that Colin Hanks and Anna Paquin lead the cast as Bob and Mary Ann Broberg. With Jan Broberg on board as producer, she had significant input in how her parents were portrayed on screen. Hanks, virtually unrecognizable under a prosthetic hairpiece, is heartbreaking as he falls under the sway of Berchtold’s charisma. Paquin has long been a talented actress and delivers a performance that vacillates between quiet adoration and a mother’s rage as the truth comes into focus. Lio Tipton is also quite good as Robert Berchtold’s wife, who at times seems like a victim herself or potentially a co-conspirator of her husband’s crimes. Mckenna Grace continues a string of outstanding performances as Jan and compliments the performance in the first half of the season from Hendrix Yancey. The standout here is Jake Lacy, who has delivered another solid performance alongside his role in The White Lotus as a character people will love to hate.

Nick Antosca, familiar with horror as seen in his film screenplay Antlers and his anthology series Channel Zero, brings his scariest series to screen in A Friend of the Family. With Jan Broberg alongside to consult on the series, Antosca and his writing team have crafted a series steeped in 1970s costumes and production design that at once makes this series feel like a relic of a bygone era and all the more scary that it did not get more publicity until more recently. There is deliberate pacing through the series that ramps up quickly but keeps the momentum churning from episode to episode. On more than one occasion, I found myself in shock that the lack of action by citizens, family members, and legal authorities allowed this violation to happen for as long as it did.

A Friend of the Family is a complex series to watch and one that I have no plans to revisit any time soon. I mean that as a high compliment as this story disturbed me in ways few true crime or even horror films have. As a parent, A Friend of the Family angered me and made me sick to my stomach, and I hope it spurs many viewers into action to prevent such a crime from ever happening again. While this story’s elements were fictionalized to make it entertaining, it is still very affecting, and no one will end this series without being marked by what they saw. This is a powerful story and one that I will not soon forget. I caution you to go into this series prepared to be horrified.

A Friend of the Family premieres on October 6th on Peacock.

A Friend of the Family

AMAZING

9