Based on a True Story
Kaley Cuoco and Chris Messina star as down-on-their-luck couple Ava and Nathan in hugely entertaining sitcom Based on a True Story. When Nathan gets fired from his job as a tennis coach and Ava struggles to sell a pricey property, the pair find themselves with money troubles. However, when the true crime-obsessed Ava puts the pieces together that their handsome new plumber Matt (Tom Bateman) is the notorious Westside Ripper serial killer, she’s found the answers to their problems. Rather than reporting him to the police, the couple plan to feature him on a podcast which they believe is guaranteed to become a hit.
Created by The Boys and Gen V’s Craig Rosenberg, this series is somewhere between The Tragedy Girls and Scream, satirising society’s superficial nature alongside the macabre obsession with true crime that’s boomed within the past decade or so. While the protagonists are concerned about becoming a serial killer’s next victims, all their friends can talk about is birthing plans and boasting about the affairs they’ve had to keep their marriages exciting. While the social commentary isn’t as sharp or as cerebral as it is in Rosenberg’s superhero shows, the showrunner’s wit subtly rears its head at several points throughout to make for some wry laughs.
Less successful, though, is the interplay between the social commentary, grizzly violence and the show’s glossy sitcom vibe. While the intent seems to create humour from the juxtaposition of the vibrant presentation with gritty violence much like Gen V’s puppet sequences, the effect doesn’t work as well here. The series leans too hard into its sitcom aesthetic for the shocking moments to have much of an impact.
Despite the tonal mishmash, there’s still an enthralling crime thriller plotline to be found here. With the bodies continuing to pile up, the couple find themselves in a psychological game of cat and mouse with the killer as the police investigation starts to close in. Thanks to Bateman’s genuinely menacing presence, viewers are kept on their toes by never knowing how the killer will react to any situation.
Although Rosenburg’s true crime satire is let down by its clashing tone, its engaging plot is what makes this show an enjoyable watch.
Andrew Murray
Based on a True Story is released on Sky on 29th December 2023.
Watch the trailer for Based on a True Story here:
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