Plot Synopsis

A FRIEND OF THE FAMILY is a true-crime limited drama series that is based on the harrowing true story of the Broberg family, whose daughter Jan was kidnapped multiple times from their Idaho home 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. The Broberg family includes:

Mary Ann Broberg: Mary Ann is the mother of three daughters, and her life has felt safe, happy and rewarding until recently. She has realized too late that she may have missed warning signs and made a terrible mistake by becoming close to her charismatic neighbor Robert Berchtold - and trusting him around her oldest daughter, Jan.

Robert "B" Berchtold: B a charming local businessman who appears to be a genial Mormon father and husband. An expert in manipulation, he puts everyone around him at ease as he carefully plots the abduction of Mary Ann's daughter.

Bob Broberg: As Mary Ann's husband and Jan's father, Bob is big-hearted, kind, and everyone's best friend, the very model of a suburban patriarch. As his family gets closer to neighbor Robert Berchtold, Bob begins to fear that something is amiss.

Gail Berchtold: Gail is Robert Berchtold's wife and the mother of a large family. Her husband suffers from mood swings and this has led him to act erratically. Gail's concerns about her husband may keep her on edge, but she never could have expected what her husband would eventually do.

Jan Broberg: Jan is the oldest daughter of Bob and Mary Ann Broberg and leads a happy, traditional life in an idyllic American city. Jan trusts family friend and neighbor Robert Berchtold, though he has plans for her abduction that she doesn't suspect. Jan was 12 years old when she was abducted in 1974.

Four episodes of A FRIEND OF THE FAMILY dropped on Thursday, October 6, 2022 on Peacock, with a new episode debuting each Thursday through November 10.
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On Tuesday, November 15, 2022, Peacock released "A Friend of the Family: True Evil," a 90-minute documentary, featuring the real-life Broberg family. Jan Broberg and her family tell the unbelievable story of how she survived two kidnappings and years of childhood sexual abuse by a family friend.