The remarkable and comprehensive transformation of "Good American Family" has orchestrated a breathtaking about-face, catapulting the Hulu series into a league of its own. This mesmerizing evolution persists in Episode 6, titled "Not Today Satan," which delves deeper into Natalia Grace's torment, unveils fresh insights into her tenure with the Barnetts, and introduces a figure seemingly embodying Kristine's moral (and fiscal) antithesis—yet cloaked in sufficient enigma to keep viewers perpetually guessing about everyone's true intentions.
Kristine herself is largely absent from this episode, save for fleeting glimpses in nostalgia-tinged flashbacks, her voice echoing only through telephone conversations. This absence, amongst other factors, lends her an eerie, spectral aura, her growling voice haunting Natalia whenever she's cornered into an uncomfortable predicament. Natalia, repeating, "I'm 22, I just look young for my age. My parents and I are very close," grapples with haunting recollections of Kristine pepper-spraying and assaulting her.
Episode 6 of "Good American Family" unfolds, as is its custom, with Natalia under Brandon's probing interview gaze. They revisit a scene where Kristine, fed up with discovering bloody socks in the wardrobe, handed Natalia tampons and "instructed her in their use." Natalia's distress over this topic is palpable. Yet, the subtext is unmistakable: Natalia's only experience of genital bleeding occurred after Kristine's "tutorial." The bloody socks mystery is later unraveled—Kristine punished Natalia by making her walk barefoot around the block, leaving her feet in a sorry state. Thus, the series takes a decidedly more chilling turn.
It's Natalia's foot woes that bring her into Cynthia Mans' orbit. Now residing in Lafayette, Indiana, Natalia trudges to school, where she struggles to keep up with the workload and befriend her peers, still very much a child among them. Walking proves arduous, wreaking havoc on her feet. Forced to take frequent breaks, it's during one such respite that Cynthia, driving by, notices her distress and steps in to offer assistance.
It's incrementally unveiled that Cynthia has tied the knot with a preacher named Antwon, and together, they have nurtured a brood of seven children, some of whom are deemed as "God's children" — that is, souls they've embraced from tumultuous backgrounds to offer them a refuge. Cynthia stands in stark contrast to Kristine, embodying a polar opposite. At times, Natalia recites her monotonous script, adopting a defensive stance, and even exploding in anger. Yet, in each instance, Cynthia's demeanor is gentler, more empathetic. She possesses the uncanny ability to dismantle Natalia's defenses — fortified further by Kristine's overt cruelties — and invites her into the warmth of her home.
Cynthia's guardianship of Natalia also serves as a conduit for medical enlightenment. Posing as her mother in the doctor's clinic, she ensures that scans are conducted to address Natalia's relentless ache and discomfort. These scans unequivocally disclose that Natalia is not 22; she is, in fact, a child. However, they also cast a shadow of suspicion and draw the scrutiny of Brandon, who levels accusations at the Mans family, accusing them of essentially abducting children to pilfer their governmental benefits.
Such allegations might seem far-fetched if we hadn't already encountered hints of such deceit. When Cynthia first took Natalia shopping, she subtly manipulated her into paying for groceries using her EBT card. Perhaps, this could be interpreted as Cynthia's tactic to entice Natalia over for dinner, technically tricking her into footing the bill for her own groceries. Yet, a snippet of conversation between Natalia and Antwon — inadvertently overheard by Natalia — hints at a need for the money. It's not conclusive, but the bait is undeniably present.
However, nothing in Cynthia and Antwon's demeanor suggests sinister motives. Their children, even the non-biological ones, appear joyful and well-adjusted. Cynthia exhibits immense patience and affection towards Natalia. When Kristine, somehow acquiring Natalia's number, calls to caution her that Natalia is perilous, an adult in disguise who attempted to snatch her husband (a novel twist indeed), Cynthia stands her ground, defending Natalia, refraining from scolding her for her flight, and even disclosing Kristine's claims with honesty.
It's an enchanting venue for the spectators, with the sixth episode of "Good American Family" leaving us captivated right there. We remain clueless about Cynthia's motives, yet they appear more noble than Kristine's. However, there's a pretty evident hint that their "rescue" of Natalia might just benefit them. Does this really matter? If moral rectitude financially rewards them, hasn't the virtuous act still been fulfilled? It's a conundrum, particularly for Natalia, who's being swayed this way and that, innocently involved. As the show unravels fresh insights into what life could have been like within the Barnett household, it increasingly appears that Natalia would find herself better off virtually anywhere but there.
