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Hulu's Good American Family is an eight-episode drama based on the true story of Ukrainian orphan Natalia Grace Barnett. It follows her adoption by Kristine and Michael Barnett, who later claimed that she was an adult with dwarfism. The series explores their growing doubts, the legal battle that followed, and the perspectives of those involved.
According to Screenrant, the premiere of episodes 1 and 2 of Hulu's Good American Family showcased some shocking details about the Barnett family's time with Natalia Grace, but not all of them matched the true story completely. From the beginning, the show did not set out to be a documentary or a piece of true crime television based entirely on facts.
The show depicted a deteriorating marriage, financial struggles, and Natalia's use of a walker, which were different from real events. Good American Family premiered on Wednesday, March 19, 2025, and is now available for streaming on Hulu.
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5 major differences between Good American Family episodes 1 and 2, and the real-life Natalia Grace case explored
1) Michael Barnett revealed that 2010 was the best time of his married life
At the beginning of Good American Family, a major plotline centered on Kristine and Michael Barnett's marital problems. The show depicted their marriage as being on the brink of collapse, with Michael even sleeping on the floor and refusing to have a physical relationship with his wife.
As per Screenrant, in real life, Michael Barnett said in The Curious Case of Natalia Grace interview that 2010 was the best time of their marriage. Their relationship hit a rough patch only after the adoption of Natalia Grace.
2) Barnetts completed the adoption process through two different agencies
The series made a big change regarding Michael and Kristine's adoption of Natalia Grace. The series showed that a representative from an agency called First Path contacted Kristine and offered to let them adopt Natalia.
As per the Screenrant's article, in real life, the Barnetts completed the adoption process through two different agencies. One of these agencies was Adoption by Shepherd Care, which was based in Hollywood, Florida.
3) The Barnetts were not struggling financially
A big change in the series was Michael and Kristine’s financial situation. The series showed that Kristine had to use money from Jacob’s Place to pay for Natalia’s medical bills and complete the adoption process.
According to a Screenrant article, published on March 21, 2025, in real life, the Barnetts were not rich, but they were not struggling financially as much as Good American Family showed. Even Jacob Barnett revealed in The Curious Case of Natalia Grace interview that after they had adopted Natalia, the whole family went to Florida and took a trip to Disney World.
4) The series showed that Natalia Grace used a walker to walk
The walker was a key part of the show because Natalia was suspended from school as she hit children with the same. Later, when she abandoned the walker and ran to the beach, it was shown that something was wrong.
As per Screenrant's article, in real life, the Barnetts' home videos never showed Natalia using a walker. She was always able to walk on her own.
5) Good American Family episode 2: Natalia's pubic hair discrepancy
At the end of the second episode, the series showed that when Natalia ran to the bathroom, Kristine followed her and noticed that Natalia had pubic hair, even though her birth certificate said she was only seven years old.
According to Screenrant, both Kristine and Michael claimed that Natalia had pubic hair, but according to Michael, he figured it out the same day they picked her up from Florida.
Also Read: How to watch Good American Family? Streaming details explored
Good American Family dramatized the controversial case of Natalia Grace, but many details differed from reality. These changes were made to increase the drama, making the story entertaining.
