HBO has just released a gripping three-part documentary called An Update on Our Family, which takes us into the often contentious e-genre of family vlogging. This docu-series is directed by Rachel Mason, and it started airing weekly on January 15th, 2025, with the final episode set to come out on January 29th.
An Update on Our Family first saw the light of day at the 2024 Tribeca Festival and zooms in on Myka and James Stauffer, a couple from Ohio, who adopted a baby from China and then had to choose to re-home him three years later. This decision caused a huge uproar, and for good reason.
An Update on Our Family is based on an article by Caitlin Moscatello that appeared in New York Magazine. It's a no-holds-barred look at how this family became an internet sensation and shared every intimate moment with millions of strangers. It makes you think about privacy, being a parent, and how money can mess things up in the digital world we live in.
An Update on Our Family is a rollercoaster of emotions and unanswered questions.
An Update on Our Family release date and episode schedule
An Update on Our Family a new show we've been eagerly waiting for, kicked off with its opening episode titled "Welcome to Our Family" on the 15th of January, 2025. You can catch new episodes every Wednesday at 9:00 p.m. Eastern/Pacific Time on HBO or watch them on Max whenever you like.
An Update on Our Family has three episodes:
Episode 1: “Welcome to Our Family” (January 15, 2025):
This one's the starter, where we go into the glitzy world of family vlogging. It's about Myka and James Stauffer, who shot to fame with their honest parenting videos. The episode's like a behind-the-scenes look at how they adopted Huxley, their little bundle of joy from China, and how their fan base kept growing.
Episode 2: “Damn Good Mom” (January 22, 2025):
Here's where things get real. This episode takes us into the nitty-gritty of the vlogging world. It shows us how those pesky algorithms and the need for drama can drive content creation, and it's not always rainbows and unicorns. The Stauffers had to deal with odd emotions, especially when Huxley just disappeared from their videos without any warning.
Episode 3: “Where’s Huxley?” (January 29, 2025):
Now, this is the grand finale. It's about the aftermath of the Stauffers' decision to find a new home for Huxley. You'll get to hear from experts and see what fans have to say. The episode makes you think about the right and wrong of what they did and how it all led to the end of their online life as we knew it.
The plot of An Update on Our Family
This docuseries tells the story of Myka and James Stauffer, once big names on YouTube with almost a million subscribers. They were open about their lives as parents and even adopted a little boy named Huxley in 2017. They made touching videos about it, and people loved watching them. But then, Huxley vanished from their videos in 2020, and everyone started to wonder what happened.
In a video that's now deleted, the Stauffers said they found a "new forever family" for Huxley because he had some medical and behavior issues they weren't ready for. This didn't go over well with a lot of folks. They got slammed with accusations that they were just using Huxley to make money from their YouTube channel. It showed the not-so-great side of family vlogging.
The show doesn't just focus on the Stauffers; it also looks at the whole YouTube scene where families share their lives. It talks to experts on vlogging, those who watch YouTube, and adoption experts. They give a full picture of what's going on when families make their kids' lives into content for cash.
The cast of An Update on Our Family and its experts
This documentary, An Update on Our Family, is a creation brought to life by Rachel Mason as the director, with HBO Documentary Films and Vox Media Studios joining forces to make it happen. It's got old family videos, people talking about their experiences, and experts sharing their insights.
The executive producers for this show include Rachel Mason, Rachael Knudsen, and Max Heckman, along with others who've put in a lot of work. The episodes' cast can be all traced to their real selves as they contain talks with regular YouTubers like Hannah Cho and have adoption pros chiming in. Channon Rose, Sean Cannell, and Sophie Ross appear too.
Plus, An Update on Our Family breaks down those YouTube algorithms and the not-so-great parts of the vlogging world. They even go through the Stauffers' videos with a fine-tooth comb, so we get to see everything without any sugarcoating.
Watch An Update on Our Family every Wednesday night at 9:00 on HBO, on your TV, and on their streaming service, Max.

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