Friend of the Family

Right now you can watch Friend of the Family in the US on Fawesome — and it earns its twists rather than manufacturing them. It says what it needs to say in one sitting, no filler. A 5/10 rating says what the writing already makes obvious: this one works. Shauna O'Brien sets the tone, and the ensemble matches it scene for scene. There is no real reason to keep putting it off — it is right there on Fawesome.

Whatever else is competing for your attention this week, Friend of the Family is worth clearing space for. The plotting in Friend of the Family is tight enough that the twists feel earned rather than assembled. A free-spirited natural beauty teaches an entire family to reconnect with their own sexuality. Elke is invited to stay with the Stillman family in their luxurious home in Malibu. The outward appearances of a happy and successful family soon dissolve as Elke finds each to have emotional and sexual problems that only she can help them overcome. Shauna O'Brien and Griffin Drew lead a cast that brings real weight to the material. It was released in 1995. The plot mechanics of Friend of the Family never overwhelm the human cost underneath them. It knows exactly what it is, and does not try to be anything else.

For anyone who wants their crime drama to earn its twists, Friend of the Family delivers. It rewards viewers regardless of what else is in their watch history. Short enough to finish in one sitting, substantial enough to feel satisfying. Shauna O'Brien anchors it, but the writing does the real work. If you are going to commit to one crime drama this month, make it this one.