“The acting is… pretty bad”- Fans not impressed with Good American Family after three episodes

Hulu's true crime mini-series Good American Family premiered globally on March 19, 2025, with two episodes. The story explores the accusations raised by Kristine and Michael Barnett against their adopted daughter Natalia Grace, who has a rare case of dwarfism.

The show contains eight episodes, with three episodes released so far. However, viewers of the show are seemingly upset with the leads' performances, with Ellen Pompeo receiving mixed reviews for her performance.

Under the Reddit thread r/television, a discussion regarding the premiere of the Hulu mini-series has revealed negative feedback from the fans. They are especially unhappy with the portrayal of Natalia, as some believe the actor Imogen Faith Reid does not resemble her at all.

"I’m watching the first episode right now and I am not a fan. The acting is… pretty bad. They made Natalia straight up creepy. Probably won’t continue watching," said Reddit user MortytheMortician9.

Reddit user expressed their disappointment with the acting in the series Good American Family. (Image via reddit.com)

Many users on X tweeted negatively about the acting.

"Good american family was so a*s i’m sorry the acting was unbearable," said a user.

"Ellen Pompeo... is so bad. How is she a paid actress?! Worst acting I've ever seen," another person criticized Ellen specifically.

"I started watching Good American Family and I find myself not interested after 8 minutes of the 1st episode. The lead actress is just horrible. She cannot act! I looked her up and found out that she is Ellen Pompeo," another X user gave her feedback.

While the criticism is quite prominent, there has also been some appreciation for the acting.

"Ellen Pompeo needs an Emmy for good American family cause her acting," said a user.

"If you think Ellen Pompeo can’t act go watch Good American family," a fan again praised her for her work.

"Good American Family on Hulu 9/10 The first 3 episodes are good !" another user said, impressed by the show.

---

The cast of Good American Family

The series premiered its first two episodes on March 19, 2025. It was written by Katie Robbins and produced by 20th Television, while Liz Garbus directed and executive produced the pilot. Principal photography for the shoot took place in Santa Clarita, California.

The cast includes Ellen Pompeo starring as Kristine Barnett, the adoptive mother. The actress is well known for playing Meredith Grey on Grey's Anatomy. Mark Duplass plays the role of Michael Barnett, the adoptive father, while Imogen Faith Reid stars as Natalia Grace, the 7-year-old child with dwarfism. The recurring cast list includes:

• Sarayu Blue as Valika, parent of a kid at daycare.
• Dule Hill as Brandon Drysdale, the lead detective for the case.
• Kim Shaw as Jennifer Barnett, Michael's second wife

---

What is Good American Family about?

The true crime mini-series covers the story surrounding the troubled adoption of Natalia Grace, a 7-year-old girl with dwarfism. Unfortunately, after a few months with the Barnetts, the parents started accusing the child of being older than she stated and being abusive to their other kids.

The series follows the different perspectives of the main characters involved to tell all sides of the true crime event. As per Forbes, the family eventually abandoned her in their Indiana home based on an inconclusive estimate provided by a physician and social worker. She was eventually adopted by the neighbors. Years later, a concrete DNA test confirmed she was under 10 when she was adopted.

Viewers can tune in to the Hulu app to learn more about the unusual case of Natalia Grace's adoption. New episodes will be released every Wednesday. International viewers can subscribe to the Disney+ app to watch the true crime series.

---

Stay tuned with us for further updates.