Gentle Readers . . . and Maxwell,
Today we're talking about a documentary and a series based on the same events. Abducted In Plain Sight streams on Netflix (a.k.a. Forever B; 2017; Not Rated), while A Friend Of The Family is available on Peacock (2022; TV-MA; most episodes already streaming & the final episode available this Thursday).
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I watched this doc when it was new on Netflix. It will have you wondering if this story could possibly be true and when you learn it is, you might want to scream at the people on the TV. How could any adult be so stupid and naive?
Bob and MaryAnn Broberg and their three young daughters lived in Idaho, where they met some new friends at church–– Bob and Gail Berchtold and their youngsters. The two families became so close and Bob Berchtold in particular became such a fixture in the Brobergs' lives that he was nicknamed "B" because both men were named Bob.
A Broberg family member also ended up with a nickname. B paid particular attention to oldest daughter Jan Broberg and called her "Dolly." It wasn't anything unusual when B offered to take Jan horseback riding one day in 1974 when Jan was 12.
But he didn't bring Jan home.
B took Jan to Mexico, where he sexually assaulted her and married her, and his wife, Gail, blackmailed Bob and MaryAnn to keep them from calling the police. He even convinced Jan that she had to have his baby before she turned 16 in order to save the alien race of another planet.
Eventually, the Brobergs called the police and got the FBI involved. B brought Jan home, but he kidnapped her AGAIN when she was 14 and enrolled her in a boarding school while he posed as a CIA agent.
It's nuts, isn't it? But it happened.
A Friend Of The Family is a dramatization of these events. The first episode begins with the real Jan Broberg, now well into adulthood and an actress, explaining that the documentary didn't tell her story as fully as she wished it had. It seems Bob and MaryAnn Broberg were widely condemned and harassed for their foolishness.
I don't think my parents would have fallen for B's demands, but who knows what people will do? I was a victim of gaslighting that often had me questioning reality and doubting myself.
I think the series is pretty good. The cast includes Colin Hanks as Bob Broberg, Anna Paquin as MaryAnn, Jake Lacy as B, Hendrix Yancey as younger Jan, and Mckenna Grace as older Jan.
I hope I've given you the right amount of interest to pique your curiosity. Believe me: This story has a lot more to it than the information I've provided.
Happy viewing!
Infinities of love,
Janie Junebug
I watched the documentary and had a similar reaction. The Brobergs struck me as very naive and easily manipulated. There are lots of SMH moments.
ReplyDeleteJan did not tell anyone that B sexually assaulted her. If she had, maybe her parents would have reacted differently.
DeleteAaaargh.
ReplyDeleteYup. It's bizarre.
DeleteI could have watched the series but it angered me just seeing the promos. It's downright nuts what happened and I still s ratch my head about the parents. To be frank I am a victim, not as bad as what she went through but...bad enough and when I told my mom, my mom made it clear to this man to never set foot near me or family again or she kill him I didn't want daddy to know because I knew he would go to jail and I wanted my dad to be near me. I was 7 I just can't fathom that they let him take her twice. Plus that guy's wife needed to be locked up too.
ReplyDeleteI can't fathom Gail Broberg's actions, but B was probably gaslighting and manipulating her. They divorced eventually because he wanted it. She was probably afraid of being on her own with little kids. She later remarried. I don't know if she's still living.
DeleteProving yet again how religion rots the mind.
ReplyDeleteI'm with you there, sister. They're Mormons, which seems to be even worse than typical religions.
DeleteFreaky story, and you're right, you don't think it could actually happen.
ReplyDeletexoxo
I don't understand it, yet I understand the brainwashing and to a certain extent, the naivete. I was pretty naive and innocent as a 12 year old in Topeka, Kansas.
DeleteHorrifying.
ReplyDeleteAbsolutely.
DeleteI remember watching this on Netflix and the disbelief people could be so gullible and malleable. People always do still amaze me.
ReplyDeleteLook at all the people who still believe trump won the election. They're so gullible and unable to face facts.
DeleteAnd it still amazes me. *sigh*
DeleteIt's crazy to think that it happened, yet in today's culture you literally call people you don't know, who have no screening whatsoever, to drive you places. We "trust" people to meet us places to sell us things. We "date" people online that we've never met.
ReplyDeleteCrazier things happen all the time. It's a wonder we're all not dead.
I saw this sometime ago. I think when people are pure at heart they can't imagine or read others who are not. This is often how kids are, they just can't fathom.
ReplyDeleteThat's a good point. The Brobergs had no concept of someone from their church conning them.
DeletePart of me thanks you and the other part (the part that watched 3 consecutive episodes this afternoon) curses you!
ReplyDeleteAt 12 I could have easily been manipulated. Times were different and information was not so readily available.
That being said, I would hate to have been the one to incur my parent's and especially my mother's wrath. We would not have had to worry about the judicial system
Just don't curse me too much! Our situations were definitely different as kids in the '70s. If we were away from home, we had to rely on using someone's telephone to call our parents or find a pay phone and have a dime to put in it. Jan Broberg couldn't pull out a cell phone to call her parents. My parents never had friends so close that anyone would have taken me someplace, and if I had gone off with someone without permission, I doubt if I'd still be living.
DeleteSuch a tragic story, really. I'm going to look it up. Not sure if I can watch it without getting really upset but we'll see!
ReplyDeleteI found the story so fascinating that, although I thought all the adults were nuts, I couldn't stop watching.
DeleteThat definitely sounds crazy!
ReplyDeleteIt's hard to believe it happened, but the Brobergs and have told the story consistently for a long time. B also went after other young girls and did serve some brief jail sentences.
DeleteHi Janie. Sometimes truth is stranger than fiction. I enjoy watching stories based on true events.
ReplyDeleteI think truth is definitely stranger than fiction. I would never be able to invent such a wild story.
DeleteI find out that I get so frustrated by some of the the actions but who knows how we would act. As you said truth is stranger that fiction.
ReplyDeleteParents are sometimes happy to have someone else take responsibility for their kids for a bit. I'm not saying that the Brobergs wanted to get rid of Jan, but letting B take her horseback riding would have seemed like a great thing, until he didn't bring her back and they were afraid of reporting it because of what could be revealed about their own sexual behavior.
DeleteI always feel so sorry for the victims. Not sure if I could watch this, to know it really happened...I hope the grown adult woman has been able to find happiness and peace.
ReplyDeleteShe seems to do quite well, which I'm sure took a lot of work. She has pretty steady jobs in movies and TV shows and was married, maybe still is. She and her mom published a book together, which led to the documentary, which led to the series.
DeleteHi Janie - I just can't get into watching anything like this - be it with you, or here in the UK - seeing the headlines is enough ... Hilary
ReplyDeleteI understand. It's not everyone's cup of tea.
DeleteWhat a bizarre story! It is said that truth is stranger than fiction, though. I'll look for the documentary on Netflix (we don't have Peacock here.). Thanks for the info, Janie!
ReplyDelete