Over the last decade, Nick Antosca made his name in the TV world with dark tales based on true crime and tinged with horror. And the list of series he’s worked on is formidable: “Hannibal,” “Channel Zero,” “The Act,” “Brand New Cherry Flavor,” and most recently, Hulu‘s “Candy.” So, what does Antosca have up his sleeve next? Another true-crime mini-series for Peacock that recounts a story almost too surreal to believe.
Over nine episodes, “A Friend Of The Family” tells the true story of how Robert Berchtold, a close friend of the Broberg family, kidnapped Jan Broberg multiple times over several years. Jake Lacy stars against type as Berchtold, while child actors McKenna Grace and Hendrix Yancey share the role of Jan Broberg.
Here’s the show’s official synopsis, courtesy of Peacock:
A FRIEND OF THE FAMILY is based on the harrowing true story of the Broberg family, whose daughter Jan was kidnapped multiple times over a period of a few years by a charismatic, obsessed family “friend.” The Brobergs — 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.
“A Friend Of The Family” also stars Anna Paquin, Colin Hanks, Lio Tipton, Elle Lisic, and Austin Stowell. Patrick Fischler, Bree Elrod, Philip Ettinger, and Ella Jay Basco round out the main cast.
On top of being the showrunner on “A Friend Of The Family,” Antosca also serves as co-executive producer. Eliza Hittman directs several of the show’s nine episodes.
How will “A Friend Of The Family” line up against Antosca’s other work? Peacock subscribers find out when the show premieres exclusively on the streamer on October 6. Take a peek at a teaser for the series below.
