Grey’s Anatomy star Ellen Pompeo returns to the screen with a new leading role in Hulu’s new drama series Good American Family.
The series premiered on March 19, and four episodes have been released with the final episode set to stream on April 9.
The show follows the real-life adoption story of Ukrainian orphan Natalia Grace Mans, who was born with a rare form of dwarfism and later adopted by the Barnett family in Indiana in 2010. Allegations of fraud and abuse come up and ultimately ruined the Barnetts’ once picture-perfect Midwestern life. The case sparked media attention due to factors related to Mans’s real age and identity.
Pompeo stars alongside Mark Duplass, playing husband and wife Michael and Kristine Barnett. The couple is seeking a sweet little girl to complete their family. However, shortly after her arrival, Natalia’s behavior becomes unmanageable. The changing attitudes and gravity of their situation make them start to question the adoption agency and Mans herself.
The Barnetts begin to wonder what they have gotten themselves into as they find themselves fighting a psychological and legal battle.
While many scenes are dramatized based on true events to enhance the plot, the disclaimer shown at the beginning of each episode warns viewers the show was drafted differently from what actually happened. The dramatized scenes display a biased portrayal of Mans, played by Imogen Faith Reid, depicting her as a villain ruining the Barnetts’ lives.
In reality, when the real Barnetts changed Mans’s birth certificate from 2003 to 1998 in 2012, she became a legal adult.
However, in court, the results of several DNA tests revealed that Natalia was actually around seven or eight years old at the time of her adoption.
On screen, Mans’s character is unlikable, manipulative and often acts unpredictably adding to the mystery and suspense.
Simultaneously, suspicions grow within Kristine, as she feels like Mans is hiding things from the Barnett family. Fearing that their dream has now turned into a nightmare, the Barnetts are entangled in a mess of what to do now that Mans is their daughter.
The episodes follow several years of the story in order to show what transpired and the show’s duration emphasizes how the characters’ evolving motives and emotions change the narrative over time.
Good American Family is becoming another binge-worthy series in Hulu’s collection of dramas that leave fans wanting more.
The series displays the downward spiral of the Barnetts as they transition from having a perfect household to one that is neglectful and filled with angst and doubt.