The first season of Based on a True Story is satirical excellence. The series follows Ava (Kaley Cuoco) and Nathan (Chris Messina). Ava’s a real estate agent who’s a true crime junkie, and Nathan’s a washed up pro tennis player. Through their sleuthing they discover that Nathan is friends with a real life serial killer, and then they decide to start a podcast with him because that’s just the most pragmatic course of action. The show uses its premise to poke fun at society’s commodification of true crime, where we buy into the sensationalism of it all because it livens up our dull and weary lives, and completely ignore the very real people at the centre of these crimes.
This season, their bizarre friendship with serial killer Matt (Tom Bateman) continues, and now things get even more complicated because Matt’s romantically involved with Ava’s sister Tory (Liana Liberato). Ava, quite rightly, does not want Tory to be dating a reformed serial killer, but Tory insists that Matt has kicked his sickness and she’s not going to judge him for his past. Coincidentally, a whole string of murders happens now that Matt’s back in town. Has he relapsed, or are Ava and Nathan dealing with a brand new serial killer?
What makes Based on a True Story such a great show is the focus on its character arcs despite the zany premise of the show. Last season Ava and Nathan were grappling with the reality of becoming new parents, of the change a baby would bring into their lives, and in part mourning their lost youth. I mean, all that fear of change is probably why they even befriend a serial killer in the first place. This season, Ava’s given birth and we’re thrown in medias res into their lives as new parents. She’s dealing with breast feeding issues and feeling out of place in her friend group now that she has a newborn, while Nathan’s trying to manage Ava’s anxieties as well as his own crippling sense of failure as a former pro tennis player.
Cuoco and Messina feel like a real life middle-aged married couple, and they are just hilarious together. There are so many one-liners and set pieces that just work because of their delivery, and the end result is me laughing my head off. They also kill it – pun intended – when it comes to the more vulnerable, emotional spaces of their characters. Messina fleshes out Nathan’s insecurities and brokenness when it comes to his profession. He has so much love and passion for tennis, but after his injury the tennis world just chewed and spat him out. He met Ava at the height of his career, and worries that she won’t be able to look at him as this strong, virile man because of what he’s lost.
Cuoco conveys Ava’s struggles as a new mother, torn between her desire to pursue things that bring her excitement – like her true crime addiction – or just devote herself to being the best mom she can be. Ava and Nathan are looking to bring the spark back into their relationship, since most of their attention has been on their newborn Jack. Even though the pair are sometimes not in sync, like Nathan doing a sexy dance and Ava’s too preoccupied with her murder board to notice, they see and accept each other wholeheartedly. That’s truly couple goals.
This second season also dives deeper into Matt’s past and psyche – can a man who’s drenched his life in violence and murder truly reform? Bateman is fantastic as Matt and does great work in building the various layers of his persona. He’s an authentic friend to Nathan and encourages him to take charge of his life, he’s a passionate lover to Tory, but he’s also a man that feels the most complete when he’s off murdering someone.
Based on a True Story has fun pushing the boundaries, but it still colours within the lines and never goes too far to land a punchline. It’s the sweet centre of dark comedy, and an absolute blast.
Review screener provided.
REVIEW SCORE – 4/5
