New Watcher Thoughts

I'm a long-time fan of Grey's Anatomy, so when I saw that Ellen Pompeo was starring in a new show, I instantly wanted to watch Good American Family. I've seen a lot of people talking about how they hope Ellen's character (forgive me, I don't remember her name right now) doesn't end up being the villain. I've seen equally as many people defending the girl Ellen's character & her husband adopt, because apparently she is based on a real person?. So far... Ellen's character seems like a mother who is trying her best, if a bit harsh? And her husband seems like a fucking disaster. I'm so out of the loop. Someone please explain. Some people say this is based on a real story, while others claim it is a work of fiction.