The series opens in 2010 with Kristine and Michael Barnett, a couple from Indiana, deciding to adopt a Ukrainian girl named Natalia Grace, believed to be a six-year-old orphan with a rare form of dwarfism. They are initially hopeful and excited about expanding their family through this adoption.

Upon Natalia's arrival, the Barnetts experience a honeymoon period, including a family vacation to Disneyland, where things seem normal and hopeful. However, soon after settling into their home, Kristine gives Natalia her first bath and is shocked to discover Natalia has full pubic hair, which raises suspicions about her true age. Natalia admits to having a menstrual period and hiding bloody underwear, deepening the Barnetts' doubts.

As months pass, tensions escalate. Michael recounts incidents where Natalia exhibits disturbing behavior: she attempts to urinate on her six-year-old sibling Ethan, defecates in the family car, and smears the waste onto Ethan. She also dangerously flings open the car door while it is in motion. These actions cause significant distress and fear within the family.

The Barnetts' suspicions about Natalia's age grow, and they begin to believe she is not a child but an adult posing as one. This belief leads to a breakdown in family relations, with accusations of abuse and neglect surfacing from both sides. The Barnetts claim Natalia terrorizes the household, while Natalia alleges impatience and mistreatment from her adoptive parents.

Legal troubles follow as the Barnetts face charges related to neglect and abuse of Natalia, who is now considered an adult by law due to a court ruling that bars the prosecution from presenting evidence about her being a minor. Michael is offered immunity if he testifies against Kristine, but he refuses, choosing to face the charges himself while placing blame on Kristine.

In court, spousal privilege prevents the use of incriminating Facebook messages between Michael and Kristine as evidence. The judge sustains objections whenever the prosecution tries to argue Natalia's minor status. After two hours of jury deliberation, Michael is acquitted of all charges.

Following the trial, Natalia is placed under the care of a new guardian, Cynthia Mans. Natalia expresses deep emotional pain and lashes out at Cynthia, accusing her of treating her as a project rather than a person. Despite this, Natalia finds some solace in her new family environment.

Just three weeks before Kristine's own trial is set to begin, all charges against her are dismissed, ending the legal saga. The series closes with a scene of Natalia surrounded by her new siblings, reading aloud positive social media comments about her, symbolizing a form of vindication in the public eye despite the complex and painful history.

Throughout the series, the narrative unfolds chronologically, detailing the adoption, the initial hope, the growing suspicions, the disturbing incidents, the legal battles, and the emotional fallout for all involved, providing a comprehensive and unabridged account of the Barnett family's experience with Natalia Grace.

The ending of Good American Family (2025) concludes with the trial of Kristine and Michael Barnett, who face charges of neglect and conspiracy related to their adoptive daughter Natalia Grace. Despite their efforts, the Barnetts lose key character witnesses, and damaging evidence surfaces, including numerous abusive Facebook messages between them. The series portrays Natalia as ultimately innocent and a victim of the Barnetts' abuse. However, the legal case collapses because the court does not allow proof of Natalia's true age, which is central to the neglect charges. The Barnetts remain legally unconvicted, while Natalia's fate beyond the trial is left somewhat ambiguous in the series.

In a detailed narrative of the ending:

The final episodes focus heavily on the build-up to the Barnetts' trial. Kristine and Michael Barnett, portrayed by Ellen Pompeo and Mark Duplass, are seen gathering evidence with their lawyers, preparing to defend themselves against charges of neglect of a dependent and conspiracy to commit neglect. They are confident initially but soon realize they lack character witnesses to support their claims. Scenes show them reviewing footage of Natalia's interviews, including a recreation of her telling Dr. Phil, "I want justice," expressing her desire for the Barnetts to be held accountable.

As the trial approaches, the Barnetts watch video interviews from people who knew Natalia, such as her school doctor and a previous adoptive mother, all of whom contradict the Barnetts' portrayal of Natalia as a sociopathic child. Kristine reacts emotionally, saying, "I wish she'd held me up until I fried," referring to an incident where Natalia allegedly pushed her against an electric fence. This moment highlights Kristine's denial and frustration as her narrative unravels.

Meanwhile, Natalia's legal team uncovers a trove of Facebook messages between Kristine and Michael, revealing their cruel insults toward Natalia, calling her a "thing" and a "smoked out hungover hooker." The show visually emphasizes the volume of these messages by showing a large table piled with printed pages, underscoring the extent of the Barnetts' hostility.

Kristine also loses the support of her closest ally, Val, a neighbor and friend who had been emotionally and financially supporting her. When asked to testify about Natalia's character, Val admits she never witnessed any of the alleged bad behavior, illustrating how Kristine's narrative was accepted without question due to trust rather than evidence.

The trial scenes are tense and deliberate, with the editing designed to feel like a cross-examination. However, a critical legal hurdle emerges: the court refuses to allow Natalia to present evidence proving her true age, which is essential to establishing neglect since the Barnetts claimed she was an adult posing as a child. Without this proof, the neglect charges cannot be substantiated, and the case collapses despite DNA evidence and potential testimony from Natalia's birth mother.

The series ends with this unresolved legal outcome. The Barnetts are publicly vilified but remain legally unconvicted. Natalia's personal journey after the trial is left open-ended in the show, though real-life events indicate she later escaped further abuse from another family and found a more supportive environment. The series omits these later developments, focusing instead on the emotional and legal climax of the Barnetts' trial.

In terms of character fates at the end:

• Kristine Barnett remains under public scrutiny and legal jeopardy but is not convicted due to the trial's collapse.
• Michael Barnett shares the same fate as Kristine, facing charges but ultimately not convicted.
• Natalia Grace is portrayed as a victim who sought justice but is left in a legally ambiguous position by the court's refusal to accept key evidence.
• Val, the neighbor, withdraws her support from Kristine after realizing the truth about Natalia.

The ending highlights the complexity of the case, the challenges of proving abuse legally, and the emotional toll on all involved, leaving viewers with a nuanced but unresolved conclusion.

Yes, the 2025 miniseries "Good American Family" does have a post-credits scene. After the main story concludes, an end credits title card reveals that Natalia Grace's birthdate in her passport has been officially restored to September 2003, legally recognizing that she was only eight years old when left to fend for herself. This provides some validation of her claims despite the court case outcome. However, another title card also reveals that her happy ending did not last long, hinting at ongoing struggles beyond the series' timeline.

This post-credits information adds a bittersweet note to the conclusion, emphasizing both a legal acknowledgment of Natalia's true age and the continuing difficulties she faces after the events depicted in the show.

The TV miniseries Good American Family (2025) is rated TV-MA, indicating it is intended for mature audiences and not suitable for children under 17. The content is generally mild for a TV-MA rating but includes some potentially objectionable or upsetting elements for children or sensitive viewers.

Potentially sensitive aspects include:

• Mild sexual content and nudity
• Mild violence and gore
• Mild profanity
• Mild use of alcohol, drugs, and smoking
• Mild frightening and intense scenes

The series deals with complex themes such as family trauma, perspective bias, and mystery surrounding the adopted daughter's background, which may be emotionally intense or unsettling for some viewers. However, there are no reports of extreme or graphic content beyond mild levels in these categories.

In summary, Good American Family is not family-friendly for children and may be upsetting for sensitive viewers due to its mature themes and mild adult content. Parents should exercise caution and consider the maturity of their children before viewing.

In the 2025 miniseries "Good American Family," the dog does not die. Viewer-trigger reports specifically indicate that no dog death occurs in the series, with 11 viewers confirming the dog does not die and zero reports of a dog death. The show does include other difficult themes such as abandonment and abuse, but the dog's fate is not one of them.

The series focuses on the Barnett family's adoption of a girl they believe has dwarfism and the ensuing family and legal struggles. While the family abandons Natalia in some episodes, and there are multiple intense emotional and traumatic events, the dog remains alive throughout the story.