The winners write history, and the story of Natalie Grace is no exception. Good American Family is reportedly loosely based on the Natalie Grace case—the same case that inspired the cult horror classic Orphan. Yet, where this Hulu series stumbles is in trying to have its cake and eat it too, waffling between sensationalism and thoughtful insight.
Is that so bad? No, this story may be for you if you enjoy a titillating series filled with true crime tropes, soapy drama, and horror themes. However, it fails to deftly handle serious subjects such as adoption fraud, medical deception, and abuse. Instead, it ignores the goal of a nuanced exploration of Natalie Grace’s experience and the systemic failures at play.
Hulu’s Good American Family comes close to understanding such an eye-opening, jaw-dropping story but ultimately prioritizes tabloid fodder over tragedy.
Hulu’s Good American Family Season 1 Review and Synopsis
The story follows the good works of Kristine Barnett (Ellen Pompeo), a woman who runs a school for special needs children out of her own home. She is such an angel that she refuses to accept any donations or extra money from grateful parents, which keeps her budget on a shoestring. Soon, she will move into a recreation center, with the news covering the event.
However, Kristine’s marriage to her husband, Michael (Mark Duplass), has been rocky as of late. They are mourning the loss of their daughter, and the time required to raise one of their neurodivergent sons has put a strain on their relationship. They soon receive a call from a local adoption agency about a little girl who needs a home. Kristine believes this will repair their union.
They fly the family down to adopt Natalie Grace (Imogen Faith Reid), a child with dwarfism, a medical condition characterized by a height of less than four feet ten inches. However, as they begin raising Natalie, her behavior becomes dangerous, leading to typical horror film clichés. Soon, though, the Barnetts realized they were victims of fraud, so to speak.
Good American Family Loses it’s Focus Quickly
Good American Family is based on the story of Natalie Grace, a figure who has inspired multiple films, been covered in true crime docuseries, and now serves as the basis for this middling television show. The series makes several bizarre character decisions, not based on actual events, to move the story along.
This is mainly done to give the family a plausible “Christian” excuse, creating a facade of goodwill. The story also struggles with its narrative timeline, frequently jumping back and forth in a way that can confuse the viewer. Dule Hill (Psych, The West Wing) plays a detective investigating the case of abuse, which stretches the story beyond its limits.
Imogen Faith Reid delivers a very strong performance, especially in scenes that require taking the subject matter seriously. Reid’s portrayal puts you in the character’s mindset, making her decisions—driven by desperation and survival—feel understandable. I will say this automatically provides more insight into the case of Natalie Grace than most adaptations, though the series quickly loses focus in favor of shock value.
Is Hulu’s Good American Family Season 1 Worth Watching?
Hulu’s Good American Family is not worth watching because it is extraordinarily uneven, jumping around between soapy drama, horror, and thoughtful moments with little grace. Ellen Pompeo is extraordinarily over the top here, playing a caricature of a woman who shifts from concerned parent to cruel enforcer, more glorified than grounded in real issues or themes.
For instance, despite Natalie Grace’s crimes, the best episode occurs when the show depicts her struggles while living alone. Instead of fleshing out that part of the story—which is welcome—the show jumps around from an Orphan-like thriller designed to excite the audience, often sensationalizing events rather than making an effort to understand Grace’s plight or reasoning.
The point is, if you are watching this story purely for entertainment, you are viewing the Natalie Grace character as a circus act, which is exactly what happens when society backs someone into a corner. The more fascinating approach would be to attempt to get inside Grace’s head instead of exploiting her.
You can stream Good American Family only on Hulu starting March 19th!
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