Is ‘Based on a True Story’ on Peacock Really Based on a True Story?

Peacock‘s new show Based on a True Story gleefully sends up America’s ghoulish obsession with true crime podcasts. When married couple Ava (Kaley Cuoco) and Nathan (Chris Messina) find themselves in financial strife ahead of the birth of their first baby, they stumble upon what they think is a brilliant idea. They will blackmail a serial killer into being on a podcast with them about his crimes. Naturally, not everything about this plan goes smoothly.

Based on a True Story features gruesome death scenes, satiric jokes about the LA elite, and some truly great line reads from one Chris Messina.

All eight episodes of Based on a True Story are now streaming on Peacock for your binge-watching benefit. However you might find yourself wondering if Ava and Nathan’s wild story really is based on a true story. Was there a serial killer who teamed up with a Los Angeles couple to spill the beans on his crimes? Or is the title purely tongue-in-cheek?

Here’s what we know about the origins for Based on a True Story on Peacock.

Is Based on a True Story on Peacock Really Based on a True Story?

With a title like Based on a True Story, you might expect that, duh, the show is based on a true story. However the show is actually the brainchild of writer Craig Rosenberg and producers Jason Bateman and Michael Costigan. Rosenberg, an alum of The Boys and Gen V, pitched the idea of a married couple blackmailing a serial killer into doing a podcast with them. Everything in Based on a True Story is made up. It’s a complete satire and send-up of true crime’s hold on pop culture.

“Over the last decade, a true crime phenomenon has swept over America. Podcasts, documentaries, fictional shows based on true stories – they dominate the culture. Murderers have become celebrities and celebrities have become murderers which inspired me to create this show,” Based on a True Story‘s creator Rosenberg said in a statement Peacock shared with the press.

“I became fascinated with the idea of a relatable married couple whose youthful dreams hadn’t come to fruition and who saw the true crime tidal wave as an opportunity to change their lives and save their marriage.”

Kaley Cuoco and Chris Messina star as Ava and Nathan Bartlett, the married couple who make a very bold, very dangerous play at cashing in on a killer in their midst. Tom Bateman, Natalia Dyer, Priscilla Quintana, Liana Liberato, and Succession scene-stealer Annabelle Dexter-Jones round out the ensemble cast.

Will There Be a Based on a True Story Season 2?

We don’t know yet! Peacock has yet to announce a second season of Based on a True Story. However, the first season ends on a delicious cliffhanger, suggesting the story’s not done. Furthermore, there are hints that someone involved in the podcast wants to branch out with more serial killers in future installments.