Guest blogger: Emily Lewis, founder of MrsMommyBookNerdsBookReviews.com, a fantastic blog reviewing novels focusing on the themes of family and parenting, as well as children’s books. Go check it out!
The ABC drama– THE FAMILY— is a psychological thriller that showcases a family trying to recover from a tragedy that occurred a decade before. The politician’s young son disappears when she is campaigning near their home and presumed dead. None of the family members have recovered from the loss and all are fighting their own demons.
This television series follows a broken family. A local politician, the mayor of a small Maine town, (played by the incomparable Joan Allen) is trying to move up the ladder to governor. An older son struggles with alcohol and guilt, and a driven daughter (Alison Pill), who is also her mother’s campaign manager, has secrets of her own. The father (a very subtle performance by Rupert Everett) strives to rebuild his unhappy marriage that was shattered when their son disappeared. Out of nowhere a mysterious young man, suspected to be the missing younger son, reappears and things get turned upside down.
So many secrets are slowly revealed through flashbacks and present day encounters. It is very compelling TV! I could not help but to put myself in each of the character’s shoes and wonder how I would feel and react to each of their circumstances. This is a story about family dysfunction, a mix of secrets and lies with a dash of suspense. THE FAMILY is, most of all, about the strange and complex bonds that families have: the fierce loyalty and the unwavering connection that a family shares despite all the heartbreak and tragedy. I truly loved this show and unfortunately this show was not renewed by ABC, but I have hopes that another outlet will pick it up. It will soon be available on Netflix.