A neighbor develops a disturbing interest in the Broberg family in the just-released trailer for Peacock’s upcoming true-crime limited drama series “A Friend of the Family.”
The series is inspired by the true story of the Broberg family, whose daughter Jan was kidnapped multiple times over several years by an obsessed family “friend.” (You can watch the new trailer here.)
Jan and Mary Ann Broberg both serve as producers on the series, which comes from showrunner, executive producer and writer Nick Antosca (“Candy”).
“We were a loving, trusting, educated family. We were not stupid or careless. So how could this happen in our neighborhood, where we knew everyone, and everyone was a friend? The truth is that most predators are not strangers but people we know — people who can build trust, create special friendships, and separate family members psychologically,” Jan Broberg said in a statement.
She is hoping the series will spark difficult conversations among viewers so that they can confront this sort of behavior head on, noting that some families have direct experience with this sort of abuse.
It’s a sentiment Antosca echoes.
“In the course of working on this story and talking with others who have worked on it, one thing has become clear: It’s more relatable than it first seems,” Antosca said. “The Brobergs’ story is an extreme point on a continuum that many people have been on.”
Peacock’s official description reads: “The Brobergs — described as devoted to their faith, family, and community — were utterly unprepared for the sophisticated tactics their neighbor used to exploit their vulnerabilities, drive them apart and turn their daughter against them. This is the story of how their lives were permanently altered — and how they survived.”
Anna Paquin (“Flack”), Jake Lacy (“The White Lotus”), Colin Hanks (“The Offer”), Lio Tipton (“The Edge of Sleep”), Mckenna Grace (“Ghostbusters: Afterlife”) and Hendrix Yancey (“George & Tammy”) star. Alex Hedlund serves as executive producer, while Eliza Hittman will direct and executive produce. Consulting producers include Skye Borgman for Top Knot Films.
UCP produces the show.
The nine-episode series will launch with three episodes on Oct. 6, with new episodes streaming weekly.
