A Friend of the Family Season 1 Episode 5 Review: The Bitter Cup
On A Friend of the Family Season 1 Episode 5, “The Bitter Cup,” Brother B. steps up his manipulation game with the Brobergs, focusing on Mary Ann and strengthening the predatory bond he has with teenage Jan.
This episode spans the several years between the first and second kidnapping, and it makes the viewing a bit disjointed. It starts off with Hendrix Yancey continuing the role of young Jan, carrying over from the first four episodes, then promptly switches to the slightly older Jan played by Mckenna Grace. The way it shows the passage of time works visually, a kind of time-lapse of the Brobergs household and B.’s steady harassment by phone.
However, the narrative suffers as a result; it doesn’t make the timeline hard to follow, but it does comes across as clunky.
Brother B.’s power of manipulation knows no bounds. Jake Lacy makes this vile character even more evil on this episode, portraying the shocking lengths he will go to keep his hold over the traumatized family. He breaks into their home to continue his “mission” to turn Jan against her family and towards him.
And he really does a number on poor Mary Ann (Anna Paquin). Her life pretty much falls apart over the course of the episode.
She is shunned from her home and her church, declared a danger to her children, all while going through a tedious legal battle with B. and his lawyer.
The trial is a glaring example of how unjust the justice system can be. Berchtold gets off with basically a slap on the wrist, a mere 2 weeks of jail time.
Bob Broberg: He had her in Mexico longer than 15 days.
Not only does B. know how to manipulate people, he knows how to work the system in his favor, too. His look to the head agent when the verdict comes down is bone-chilling.
By the end of the episode, Mary Ann has been let back into her home for the time being, but that’s the only positive for her. And not to mention, another nightmare is about to descend on the Brobergs.
Paquin turns in a phenomenal performance. There are so many emotions to play in this situation, and Paquin presents them in an understated fashion that speaks volumes.
The camerawork on A Friend of the Family is one of its strongest assets. The scene where Jan disappears for the second time, is shot in a slow, full-circle move that shows a deceptively idyllic life in a mid-western suburb. Dynamic framing like this adds to the unsettling mood of the limited series.
What did you think of this episode of A Friend of the Family? Share your thoughts in the comments below!
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New episodes of A Friend of the Family stream Thursdays on Peacock.
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Erin Allen
Erin is a former script supervisor for film and television. She's an avid fan of middle aged actresses, dark dramas, and irreverent comedies. She loves to read actual books and X-Files fan fiction. Her other passions include pointing out feminist issues, shipping Mulder and Scully, and collecting pop culture mugs.