Reel Review Mom

Peacock’s A Friend of the Family is one of those true-crime series that makes you sit there, jaw dropped, asking yourself, “How did this actually happen?” Based on the disturbing real-life story of the Broberg family, this show captures an almost unbelievable series of events that unfolded over years — and yes, it all really happened.

What’s wild about A Friend of the Family is how perfectly it balances the unsettling with the human. The performances are stellar — Anna Paquin (love her!), Colin Hanks, and Jake Lacy bring a shocking authenticity to roles that are both heartbreaking and infuriating. The manipulation, the blind trust, and the repeated abductions are so extreme that, if it weren’t for the real case it’s based on, you’d think it was too far-fetched to be true.

This isn’t just a story about crime; it’s a story about how evil can hide behind charm, faith, and familiarity. Watching it feels like witnessing a slow-motion nightmare where no one wakes up until it’s too late. It’s disturbing, emotional, and completely engrossing — one of those shows that lingers long after the credits roll because you just can’t believe this was real life.