Netflix's 'The Family' raises an eyebrow at secretive D.C. influence

The following is a spoiler-free review of Netflix's The Family.

The Family is more likely to give you forehead wrinkles than answers.

Best categorized as an eyebrow raise told in five acts, Netflix's latest docuseries takes aim at the Christian political organization The Family — officially known as The Fellowship Foundation. Don't be surprised if you haven't heard of them by either name. According to numerous former members, that's how they like it.

Renowned for its connection to (and alleged influence over) powerful leaders across the globe, this secretive "informal association" has been the source of Washingtonian skepticism for many years. With allegations ranging from congressional scandal coverups to undue influence over U.S. presidents, The Family's role in D.C. seems to extend far beyond high-profile prayer groups.

And yet, what could be a scathing exposé of a theocracy in the making falls flat, following too many leads that go nowhere in an already complex narrative.

Based on executive producer Jeff Sharlet's books C Street: The Fundamentalist Threat to American Democracy and The Family: The Secret Fundamentalism at the Heart of American Power, the Netflix doc retells Sharlet's first-hand experience as a former Family member.

In 2002, Sharlet, then a young religion reporter, lived with the group's brotherhood in a fraternal Arlington mansion as part of a low-level investigation. As he would tell it, he was soon all-in on the group's supportive belief system.

Later, however, Sharlet was faced with a disturbing hierarchy of power, designed to use Jesus's leadership teachings as a model for global influence. At the center of it all was The Family's longtime head Douglas Coe — an unelected man who regularly appeared at the right hand of U.S. presidents prior to his death in 2017. In the series' surprisingly effective reenactments, Coe is played by Emmy Award-winning actor James Cromwell.

As it stands, that's a pretty great story.

But for The Family, that's just episode one. Over the series' next four hours, Sharlet's account appears alongside those of congressional representatives, political theorists, and others with intimate knowledge of the organization's internal affairs. Plenty of them side with Sharlet's skepticism, but just as many offer up support for the faith-based Family, arguing that these mysterious ministries are all part of God's will — and nothing nefarious is at play.

The narrative weaves together numerous accusations of apparent wrongdoing, but fails to tie them off with any one "Ah-ha!" moment. Arguably, The Family's most explosive assertion is that our current president is a result of their strategic support, at least in part. It's a bold claim, sure to inspire debate among viewers.

Intriguing but unsatisfying, Netflix's The Family fails to crack the code on this shadowy group of God-fearers. Whether that's because The Family is still too slippery to pin down or isn't really hiding anything remains unclear.

The Family is now streaming on Netflix.