The True-Crime Comedy That Everyone’s Going To Be Talking About
From podcasts to documentaries, true crime is a genre that keeps on giving. We can’t seem to get enough of stories of real-life criminals and their deeds, so much so that NBC’s streaming service Peacock is developing a new series that takes a satirical look at our obsession with all things true crime.
Based On A True Story is a mix of comedy and thriller, and stars Kaley Cuoco as a realtor who finds herself with a potentially lucrative opportunity to exploit the true crime craze.
Here’s everything we know about Based On A True Story
Similar to Only Murders In The Building, Based On A True Story is self-aware in its commentary of America (and the rest of the world)’s love of the wildy popular genre. “Over the last decade, a true crime phenomenon has swept over America. Podcasts, documentaries, fictional shows based on true stories – they dominate the culture… …which inspired me to create this show” says series creator Craig Rosenberg.
Big Bang Theory and The Flight Attendant star Cuoco plays Ava Bartlett, a woman in a somewhat complicated marriage to Nathan, played by Chris Messina (Air, The Mindy Project). Both feel let down by the fact their dreams as a young couple haven’t played out, and their marriage has become strained.
This changes when the chance to capitalise and cash in on the true crime genre suddenly presents itself, and the two pair up with a plumber (Death on the Nile’s Tom Bateman) to concoct a scheme that will change their lives and marriage for ever. What this scheme exactly is hasn’t been revealed yet (presumably it’s part of the surprise), but Rosenberg hinted that the show’s LA setting where everyone wants to be famous creates a backdrop for “a story of fame, ambition, aspiration and murder.”
It seems likely that some kind of fake murder case is about to be devised- but the dangerous idea has the potential to blow up in their faces with serious consequences. For Ava and Nathan though, it’s a gamble too good to resist. The rest of the cast meanwhile includes Liana Liberatro (Scream VI), Priscilla Quintana (Good Trouble), Li Jun Li (Babylon) and Stranger Things’ Natalia Dyer. All eight episodes of the first season will drop simultaneously on 8th June on Peacock- which is available in the UK through NOW.
based on a true story comes to NOW TV on 8th June 2023
