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An Update on Our Family

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An Update on Our Family
GenreDocumentary
Directed byRachel Mason
Country of originUnited States
Original languageEnglish
No. of episodes3
Production
Executive producers
  • Rachel Mason
  • Rachael Knudsen
  • Max Heckman
  • Chad Mumm
  • Mark W. Olsen
  • Jennifer O'Connell
  • Lizzie Fox
Producers
  • Casey Meurer
  • Julee Metz
  • Jasmine Luoma
Cinematography
  • John P. Campbell
  • Gretchen Warthen
Editors
  • Sean Stewart
  • Joan Educate
  • Giovanni P. Autran
  • David Feinberg
Running time43-50 minutes
Production companies
Original release
NetworkHBO
ReleaseJanuary 15 (2025-01-15) –
January 29, 2025 (2025-01-29)

An Update on Our Family is an American documentary series directed and produced by Rachel Mason. It explores the world of family vlogging, primarily exploring the case of Myka and James Stauffer, and their adoption of a child, Huxley.

It had its world premiere at the Tribeca Festival on June 6, 2024,[1][2] It premiered January 15, 2025, on HBO.[3] It was inspired by a New York Magazine article by Caitlin Moscatello.[4][5]

Premise

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The series explores the world of family vlogging, primarily exploring the case of Myka and James Stauffer, and their adoption of a child, Huxley, which the two documented on their YouTube channel.[6] Huxley was later diagnosed with autism and ADHD, with the Stauffers deciding to rehouse him.[7]

Episodes

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No.TitleDirected byOriginal release date [8]U.S. viewers
(millions)
1"Welcome to Our Family"Rachel MasonJanuary 15, 2025 (2025-01-15)N/A
2"Damn Good Mom"Rachel MasonJanuary 22, 2025 (2025-01-22)N/A
3"Where's Huxley?"Rachel MasonJanuary 29, 2025 (2025-01-29)N/A

Production

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Rachel Mason reached out to Myka and James Stauffer about participating in the documentary, hoping to hear their side, however, they declined to participate.[9][10] Mason opted to blur all of the children who appear in the series to protect their privacy, and consent.[11][12]

Reception

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Critical reception

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The review aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes reported a 100% approval rating with an average rating of 7.80/10, based on five critic reviews.[13]

Andrew Parker of The Gate gave the series an eight out of ten, writing: "Rachel Mason’s heartbreaking and skillfully assembled three part documentary series looks at the darker side of family vlogging culture, and stands as a pointed cautionary tale about a modern culture that thrives on attention, greed, and rage."[14] John Anderson of The Wall Street Journal wrote: "What is formally interesting about Ms. Mason’s series, and something worthy of respect, is her lack of interest in objectivity. There’s no flock of talking heads offering up some semblance of "balance". Ms. Mason gives us the goods."[15]

References

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  1. ^ "An Update on Our Family". Tribeca Festival. Retrieved January 8, 2025.
  2. ^ Dunn, Jack (April 18, 2024). "Tribeca Festival Reveals TV and Now Lineup Including New Series With Issa Rae, Serena Williams and Jake Gyllenhaal". Variety. Retrieved January 8, 2025.
  3. ^ "HBO Original Three-Part Documentary Series An Update on Our Family Debuts January 15". Warner Bros. Discovery. January 7, 2025. Retrieved January 8, 2025.
  4. ^ Walsh, Savannah (January 15, 2025). "Why Did Myka and James Stauffer Rehome Their Adopted Son?". Vanity Fair. Retrieved January 16, 2025.
  5. ^ Moscatello, Caitlin (January 15, 2025). "Why Did These YouTubers Give Away Their Son?". The Cut. Retrieved January 16, 2025.
  6. ^ Lyttle, Zoey (June 11, 2024). "The Biggest Bombshells from An Update on Our Family, the Shocking New Docuseries About Myka and James Stauffer". People. Retrieved January 8, 2025.
  7. ^ Vulpo, Mike (June 11, 2024). "Stauffer Family Docuseries Examines When Fans Discovered Adopted Son Huxley Was Rehomed". Us Weekly. Retrieved January 8, 2025.
  8. ^ "An Update on Our Family". The Futon Critic. Retrieved January 8, 2025.
  9. ^ Walsh, Savannah (January 15, 2025). "Why Did Myka and James Stauffer Rehome Their Adopted Son?". Vanity Fair. Retrieved January 19, 2025.
  10. ^ Brodsky, Rachel (January 15, 2025). "The True Story Behind An Update on Our Family and the YouTubers Who Gave Up an Adopted Child". Time. Retrieved January 19, 2025.
  11. ^ Simonpialli, Radheyan (January 15, 2025). "Absolutely heartbreaking': the dark side of family vlogging". The Guardian. Retrieved January 19, 2025.
  12. ^ Kilkenny, Katie (June 6, 2024). "Director Rachel Mason Talks New Series on Family Vlogging and Status of 'Rust' Documentary". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved January 19, 2025.
  13. ^ "An Update on Our Family: Season 1". Rotten Tomatoes. Retrieved January 30, 2025.
  14. ^ Parker, Andrew (January 15, 2025). "An Update on Our Family Review: Dislike, Flag and Unsubscribe". The Gate. Retrieved January 19, 2025.
  15. ^ Anderson, John (January 14, 2025). "'An Update on Our Family' Review: Clickbait Parenting on HBO". The Wall Street Journal. Retrieved January 19, 2025.
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