Based on a True Story Season 1 Review: America’s obsession with true crime is manifested in a darkly funny way

America’s obsession with true crime is manifested in a darkly funny way

Episode Guide

Episode 1 -| Review Score – 3.5/5
Episode 2 -| Review Score – 3/5
Episode 3 -| Review Score – 4/5
Episode 4 -| Review Score – 4/5
Episode 5 -| Review Score – 4.5/5
Episode 6 -| Review Score – 4/5
Episode 7 -| Review Score – 3.5/5
Episode 8 -| Review Score – 3.5/5

Peacock’s Based on a True Story was marketed as a thrilling and sarcastic take on America’s obsession with true crime. And that is exactly what we get with its first season. Set in the heart of Hollywood, the series stars Kaley Cuoco, Chriss Messina, and Tom Bateman as the unlikely trio who create a podcast about a raging serial killer.

Craig Rosenberg serves as the chief writer and showrunner for season 1. In this eight-part series, he takes plenty of potshots on established true crime tropes but never takes them too seriously. He doesn’t do this in an irresponsible way to dampen the viewing experience. On the contrary, Based on a True Story’s penchant for breaking the rules is what makes the show so fun.

The plot revolves around Ava and Nahan Bartlett (Cuoco and Messina), a pregnant couple on the verge of bankruptcy, and divorce. The former is a real estate agent and the latter a former tennis prodigy turned coach. Both face difficult challenges in their professional lives that grossly affect their marriage.

Ava is a true crime fanatic, who gathers with her equally passionate friend circle to discuss genre podcasts and new crimes. As if it were a gift from the heavens, she coincidentally figures out the identity of the mysterious Westside Ripper who has been terrorizing the city. Nathan and she devise a plan to invite the killer to make a podcast about his crimes. The rest of the series shows how that decision changes their lives and pushes them further into the quagmire of betrayals, lies, and disappointments.

The real tragedy demonstrated in the show is that the couple think they have hit on a great idea when in actuality, they are making a deal with the devil. For the most part, that tragedy remains hidden. The viewers aren’t made to realize and see what the podcast is doing to our protagonists until possibly the very last episode where their fairy tale starts to unravel.

Despite being rather light on details, Based on a True Story constantly makes up for it by being in the moment. At no point do the creators take a leap of faith or jump ahead of themselves to not tap into the bizarre nature of the plot’s central conceit. While the charm of the cast is one thing, the effort put into the narrative makes the show more appealing and surprisingly level-headed. The life advice – to live life in the present – works superbly for the show. This ensures that all the subplots remain engaging and the viewer’s attention is never lost. The continuity aspect also helps to uphold the binge-worthiness of the show, which is something many TV projects fail to do these days.

Another very impressive takeaway from this first season 1 is how its core identity is preserved. It is one thing to market the show as being about true crime fanatics but completely another to actually pull it off. The CrimeCon episode (with a convention that resembles ComiCon), Ava’s constant musings about serial killer behaviour, the moments of daydreaming that manifest the characters’ lust for crime, and the Ripper’s overt involvement in the podcast’s production, are all instances that reflect the creator’s intentions. He ably shows commitment to the underpinnings of social commentary and the nature of our society’s titillation with crime and violence.

At roughly half an hour each, the episodes whizz by with pace. They end just when you’re wanting more! Even though there is a feeling that the length of the episodes could be elongated to some extent to fit in more substance, it does not end up making a material difference. The soundtrack used in the season adds to the lighthearted tone of the storytelling and brings more flavour to the experience.

Kaley Cuoco, Tom Bateman, Chris Messina, and Priscilla Quintana (who plays Ruby, Ava’s best friend) fit the profile of their characters perfectly. Coincidentally, this is Cuoco’s second time playing a commoner who meddles in true crime. Her immensely successful stint with The Flight Attendant comes in handy here. Shades of Cassandra are quite visible in Ava’s portrayal, which works once again. Tom Bateman is the real centre of attraction though. From the third episode onwards, he takes over with his exciting performance and might well be on his way to an Emmy come the award season.

For so many positives in Based on a True Story’s season 1, there are some shortfalls as well, most notably in the lack of development regarding our characters’ histories and dynamics with each other.

Ava and Nathan’s /Simon and Ruby’s failing marriages, and Matt’s devilish dark secrets were not properly contextualized. Although their emotions and feelings did not feel random, with the presence of motifs, they could have had a better impact. In simpler terms, one would have liked Based on a True Story to be more like marinated fine dining than fried, fast food, which is fun but not always substantial.

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