The Hulu docu-series “Devil In The Family: The Fall Of Ruby Franke” follows the truly disturbing and extremely captivating case of a controversial family who decided to document their life for the world to see. 

The three-episode series released on Feb. 27 dives deeper into the unsettling case of the “8 Passengers” YouTube page, a “mommy vlogger”-style channel that offers a window into the everyday life of the Franke family and Franke’s parenting philosophies. While the family put on a perfect and happy front, they were hiding many bone-chilling secrets behind the camera lens that led to Ruby Franke’s eventual guilty sentence of four counts of second-degree child abuse. The first episode covers all of the horrors already exposed to the public. In contrast, the second and final episodes show what occurred in private, including the terrifying events that led to Franke’s arrest in 2023.

Exclusive interviews with primarily Kevin Franke, the father, and Chad and Shari Franke, the eldest children, are a part of every episode to provide further insight into the family dynamic and Franke’s actions that were not previously exposed to the public. Throughout the docu-series, archived footage that was cut from 8 Passengers YouTube videos is displayed, showing Franke’s continuation of mistreatment towards her family — for example, telling her daughter to act differently from herself and ordering Chad to “fake being happy.”

The series does a great job of focusing the scope of the series on specific, important details without forgetting the larger circumstances. The story itself is focused on Franke’s control over her family and her utilization of religion to justify her abuse. But it provides a further narrative on the mask that social media is able to create.

Every shocking detail and disturbing video compels the viewer to keep watching in order to uncover more secrets about the Frankes. Every episode is well-organized, with evidence that backs up quotes from Kevin, Chad and Shari, solidifying the turmoil they experienced. The raw, unadorned interviews with family members and neighbors allow their emotions and perspectives to be apparent to the audience.

As a true crime fan and someone who was previously aware of the Ruby Franke trial, “Devil In The Family: The Fall of Ruby Franke” offered a deeper dive into the already disturbing case that left me speechless. After seeing what genuinely happened behind the scenes of a channel meant to be a “real” portrayal of a big, happy family, the show leaves you thinking about social media and how horrors can be hidden just behind a camera.