Based on a True Story - Season 1

In Based on a True Story, Ava loves true crime podcasts. She dreams of making one herself. When she thinks she is on the trail of a serial killer, she decides to make her own podcast about him. Or perhaps better said: with him…

The American series Based on a True Story is not a typical crime series. Filled with the necessary absurdity and a touch of sarcasm, this comedy is a combination of funny and mysterious. It's all about a podcast about a serial killer, made by a couple obsessed with the subject. The reason why their podcast is not like all the others is a special one. Their podcast contains, according to their own statements, reports and interviews with the serial killer himself.

The story is a bit unusual, not exactly realistic, but that also fits the genre of this series.

Nathan (Chris Messina, The Mindy Project) is a former tennis pro who now teaches at a rich club in Beverly Hills. He feels like a loser because he had to give up his top sports career due to an injury. His pregnant wife Ava (Kaley Cuoco, The Big Bang Theory) is a real estate agent and crazy about murder mysteries. She misses the passion in their relationship and therefore looks in all kinds of places for ways to bring the tension back into her life.

While scrolling I accidentally came across the title and since the accompanying text appealed to me, I decided to watch an episode. The rest of the first season soon followed, which I then watched in its entirety in just a few days. I was positively surprised by the series. Technically, there isn't much wrong with Based on a True Story. The acting is excellent, the sets are convincing and the humor is genuinely funny at times. The story is a bit unusual, not exactly realistic, but that also fits the genre of this series. In short, I had a great time.

When plumber Matt (Tom Bateman, Behind Her Eyes) comes by to work on the pipes, a friendship quickly develops between him and Nathan. However, Ava does not trust things and imagines the craziest things. Not much later she is sure: Matt is the serial killer who has LA in his grip! However, contrary to his indication, she has a different plan. She wants to work with him to create a successful podcast about her favorite subject: murder mysteries. She just has to convince her husband of this.



The first season of Based on a True Story consists of eight episodes and originally aired on Peacock in the US. The full season can now be seen via Amazon Prime Video and a second season has already been announced. This is good news, because the first season ends with quite an open ending. Actually, I didn't expect this. Personally, I thought the story was very suitable for a miniseries or at least a season with a beginning and end. Somehow I think it's a shame that this route was chosen. While I think another season is definitely worth it, I would have enjoyed having some more answers to questions now.

One part of the series that sometimes irritated me was the dreams that passed by.

One part of the series that sometimes irritated me was the dreams that passed by. Various characters sometimes had dreams that seemed lifelike and appeared as normal scenes, only for the character to suddenly wake up and everything turned out to be fake. It was nice that the latter became clear right away, but I didn't always think the dreams added much to the story. Once isn't a big deal, but it happened too often during the season as far as I'm concerned.

You have to like this genre to appreciate the series. I can imagine that if this is not your humor, you will find Based on a True Story mostly bland and too absurd. It is also borderline occasionally, but it did not prevent me from enjoying the series. The chemistry between the three leads is very good and they all play their roles believably. I liked the combination of crime and humor and at times it reminded me of Dexter. Although I must admit that the quality of that series is a lot better. Nevertheless, I am very curious about season two and will definitely be ready to watch it again when it comes out.