Scripted series · Peacock
Based on a True Story
True Crime is an obsession that never dies.
Who's in it
Cast
The principal ensemble across the run of the series.
Kaley Cuoco
Ava Bartlett
16 eps
Chris Messina
Nathan Bartlett
16 eps
Tom Bateman
Matt Pierce
16 eps
Priscilla Quintana
Ruby Gale
9 eps
Liana Liberato
Tory Thompson
16 eps
Natalia Dyer
Chloe Lake
2 eps
April Wilkner
Amy
1 eps
Li Jun Li
Michelle
5 eps
Annabelle Dexter-Jones
Serena
6 eps
Aisha Alfa
Carolyn
5 eps
Alex Alomar Akpobome
Ryan
4 eps
June Diane Raphael
Romy Lipinski
7 eps
Brandon Keener
Paul
4 eps
Miles Mussenden
Detective Quincy Burrell
4 eps
Britney Ortiz
Rebecca
2 eps
Pierson Fodé
Jamie
2 eps
Belmont Cameli
Mason
3 eps
Ava Catanzarite
Tess
1 eps
Jill Lover
Lisa
1 eps
Dawn Aneada
Roxie
1 eps
Lynette Romero
News Anchor
1 eps
Jennifer Kim
Kelly Monroe
1 eps
Patrick McEnroe
Tennis Commentator
1 eps
Jessica St. Clair
Rochelle Lipinski
7 eps
Aaron Staton
Simon
4 eps
Sebastian Quinn
Carlos
5 eps
Timm Sharp
Richard
3 eps
Yvonne Senat Jones
Detective Jessie Peterson
2 eps
Kellen Patino
Ollie
4 eps
Berkeley Grace Barrows
Jodie
1 eps
Sophia Xu
Gabby
1 eps
Matthew C. Flynn
Father
1 eps
Graysen Moore
Son
1 eps
Lizze Broadway
Dahlia Stone
1 eps
Ever Carradine
Melissa Lake
1 eps
Tani Hala
Self Defense Expert
1 eps
Dominique Willingham
Flyer Guy
1 eps
Valerie Tosi
Lady at Booth
1 eps
Claire Holt
TV Writer
1 eps
Robin Winston
Reporter
2 eps
The Nutevio profile
TV DNA
How Based on a True Story actually feels to watch, measured on the traits our editors track across every series.
Signature profile
Based on a True Story reads strongest on Character Depth, Humour and Bingeability.
How fully written and psychologically layered the ensemble is.
How often the series is genuinely funny, by design.
How hard it is to stop after one episode.
How much the series is designed to affect you.
How much each hour depends on the one before it.
How often an episode ends on a hook you can't ignore.
The sustained pressure the series keeps you under.
Visual ambition — scale, craft and set-piece filmmaking.
The scale, internal logic and texture of the world.
The story
What it's about
The lives of a realtor, a plumber and a former tennis star unexpectedly collide, exposing America’s obsession with true crime, murder and the slow-close toilet seat.
The run
Seasons
2 seasons · 16 episodes.
Season 1 · Complete
Season 1
20238 episodes
7.2IMDbBest episode · S01E06 Love You, Buzzfeed
Season 2 · Complete
Season 2
20248 episodes
6.5IMDbSeason two finds new parents Ava and Nathan Bartlett three months into parenthood. Focused on taking care of her family, Ava is determined to resist her true crime obsession and return to work as a real estate agent while Nathan trains private tennis clients. But a series of new murders pulls her back in - is Matt behind the slayings? Is Tory, now entangled in a relationship with Matt, in danger? For a while, life is good -- Ava's TikTok habit and her new friend Drew provide a welcome distraction, and Nathan's all in on reigniting his tennis career as well as his friendship with Matt -- until danger comes knocking, literally.
Best episode · S02E02 Control F for Murder
Where the series peaks
Best Episodes
The hours that define the show, ranked by audience response and editorial signal.
S01E06
Love You, Buzzfeed
Ava and Nathan attend a charity auction at Ruby's mansion, where new and old wounds are laid bare.
- Directed by Francesca Gregorini
- Written by Craig Rosenberg
S01E03
Who's Next?
Ava and Nathan spar with Matt for creative control; Nathan struggles to keep his story straight.
- Directed by Anu Valia
- Written by Craig Rosenberg
S01E02
BDE
Ava and Nathan try to maintain appearances; detectives question Nathan at work; Matt asks to meet.
- Directed by Anu Valia
- Written by Craig Rosenberg
S01E05
Ted Bundy Bottle Opener
After a shocking incident at CrimeCon, Ava and Nathan probe Matt for the truth.
- Directed by Jennifer Arnold
- Written by Craig Rosenberg
S01E01
The Great American Art Form
A realtor and a former tennis star struggle to stay afloat as a serial killer puts LA on alert.
- Directed by Alexander Buono
- Written by Craig Rosenberg
S01E07
National Geographic
Nathan reckons with a devastating failure; Ava confronts her buyer; Matt takes a new approach.
- Directed by Francesca Gregorini
- Written by Craig Rosenberg
Recently aired
Latest Episodes
S02E05
Double Fault
- Directed by Jenée LaMarque
- Written by Spindrift Beck
S02E02
Control F for Murder
- Directed by Alexander Buono
- Written by Jaclyn Moore
S02E04
Y'all Ready for This?
- Directed by Anu Valia
- Written by Max Searle
S02E06
Based on a Drew Story
- Directed by Jenée LaMarque
- Written by Amelia Swedeen
Behind the series
Created by
Showrunners, creators, executive producers and the writers who set the voice of the series.
- Photo unavailable
Craig Rosenberg
Showrunner
- Photo unavailable
Annie Weisman
Executive producer
Kaley Cuoco
Executive producer
Jason Bateman
Executive producer
Michael Costigan
Executive producer
Alexander Buono
Executive producer
- Photo unavailable
Amelia Swedeen
Writer
- Photo unavailable
Max Searle
Writer
- Photo unavailable
Jaclyn Moore
Writer
- Photo unavailable
Debbie Ezer
Writer
- Photo unavailable
Sono Patel
Writer
- Photo unavailable
Spindrift Beck
Writer
The craft
Key Crew
Directing, writing, production, camera, music and editing.
Executive production
- Annie WeismanExecutive Producer
- Kaley CuocoExecutive Producer
- P. Todd CoeProducer
- Kyle WeberProducer
- Jason BatemanExecutive Producer
- Michael CostiganExecutive Producer
Writing
- Amelia SwedeenWriter
- Annie WeismanWriter
- Max SearleWriter
- Jaclyn MooreWriter
- Craig RosenbergWriter
- Debbie EzerWriter
Direction
- Jennifer ArnoldDirector
- Jenée LaMarqueDirector
- Alexander BuonoDirector
- Anu ValiaDirector
- Francesca GregoriniDirector
Cinematography
- Michelle LawlerDirector of Photography
- Mark SchwartzbardDirector of Photography
Music
- Sherri ChungOriginal Music Composer
Where to watch
Streaming
Availability verified against regional listings.
- Amazon VideoBuy
- Apple TV StoreBuy
- Peacock PremiumStreaming
- Google Play MoviesBuy
- Fandango At HomeBuy
- Peacock Premium PlusStreaming
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Where to go from here
Watch Next
Our editors' suggestion for the show you should start tonight — and why.
The Rookie
2018
Another morally complex epic for anyone who wanted more grey.
Breaking Bad
2008
Watch this next if you like protagonists you can't quite defend.
Dexter
2006
A crime story told with the patience of a novel.
Shameless
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A palate cleanser with real writing behind the jokes.
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A natural next watch: same ambition, different world.
Never stop watching
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