From what I understand, the relationship between Gabby Petito and Brian Laundrie ended in tragedy with Brian taking Gabby’s life — an act that is undeniably wrong and inexcusable. However, I think it’s important to look more closely at the dynamics that led up to that point.
The documentary is told largely from the perspective of Gabby’s family and friends, which naturally introduces bias in her favor. It portrays Gabby as the emotional and practical leader of the relationship — the one who initiated their van life journey, contributed most of the resources, and managed much of the work along the way. This framing subtly paints Brian as the dependent, passive partner, and eventually, the villain. Yet despite this narrative bias, the series struggles to present compelling evidence of Brian as a consistent abuser.
In fact, the now-infamous police bodycam footage from their traffic stop contradicts that image. Gabby admitted to being the aggressor, and the officers seemed to recognize this as well. Brian’s visible frustration during moments involving Gabby’s vlogging activities doesn’t necessarily indicate abuse — it could also suggest deeper incompatibilities or emotional strain that the series avoids exploring in depth.
Gabby’s messages and apology letters to Brian — shown in the series — read, to me, more like emotional manipulation than genuine remorse. They resemble the kind of apologies someone writes after lashing out or behaving unfairly, trying to retain control of the narrative and the relationship. Brian, on the other hand, comes across as emotionally insecure — someone who may have been vulnerable to this kind of manipulation.
Later in the series, it’s revealed that the dream of traveling the country in a van and documenting it through vlogs was originally a shared goal between Gabby and her ex-boyfriend, not Brian. That detail, combined with the fact that this ex had reentered the picture before her death, raises serious questions. It appears that Gabby may have projected her old dream onto Brian and used him as a stand-in — emotionally pressuring him into a lifestyle he never truly embraced.
To add another layer, the series uses AI-generated voiceovers to recreate Gabby’s voice and narrate parts of the story from her perspective, even when no recordings exist. This creative decision blurs the line between reality and interpretation, potentially swaying viewers with sentimentality rather than facts.
In the end, while the documentary succeeds in honoring Gabby’s life, it also avoids a more nuanced and uncomfortable conversation about the possible emotional imbalance in their relationship — one that may have contributed to the tragedy, even if it doesn’t justify it.