‘Based on a True Story’ Season 2 Throws Kaley Cuoco, Chris Messina and Tom Bateman Back Into Murder
Season 2 of Based on a True Story is reuniting Kaley Cuoco and Chris Messina — as new parents — with Tom Bateman.
Peacock released the official trailer on Thursday, October 24, which picks up with Ava (Cuoco) and Nathan (Messina) navigating life with a baby. They are thrown for a loop, however, when Ava's sister Tory (Liana Liberato) turns up engaged to Matt (Bateman).
"You cannot marry a murderer," Ava tells Tory, who fires back, "Matt is actively taking steps to change."
Ava sets off on a mission to prove that Matt is still up to his serial killer ways. That is where Drew (Melissa Fumero) comes in, who becomes Ava's friend but is also a detective looking into a new series of murders. While Matt claims it isn't him, Ava isn't sure whether he is telling the truth.
"I wish I could make her see who he really is," Ava says after Matt explains how he was "sick" but "healing" from his tendency to kill other people. Tory is less than thrilled with her older sister's behavior.,"You are obsessed with him. You are bored with your middle-aged mush of a life and he keeps things exciting for you," she says.
The rest of the sneak peek hints at stakeouts, a sex party and plenty of murder boards.
"If I don't solve this in the next four hours, people will die," Ava realizes. "This is so dangerous, I have to get out of this."
Season 1 of Based on a True Story, which debuted on Peacock in 2023, followed fictional couple Ava and Nathan as they teamed up with serial killer Matt to start a podcast to make money off the true crime trend. Matt — the West Side Ripper — wasn't thrilled when Ava and Nathan tried to cut ties with him at the end of the season so he dropped Ruby's (Priscilla Quintana) dead body on their doorstep.
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Ava and Nathan figured out a way to bury Ruby's body and reconnected as a result. Their problems were far from over though because Ruby's husband, Simon (Aaron Staton), showed up at their home and saw them cleaning her blood off their floor.
Cuoco, 38, previously defended the decisions her character makes after getting involved with Matt. “It happens all the time,” she told ABC in June 2023. “That’s why this was very believable to me. They are in a desperate situation, make a really ridiculous choice out of desperation and end up in a very bad place. In my opinion, they’re as bad as the killer by the end of this.”
Messina, 50, meanwhile, said he developed a better understanding of the public's interest in true crime through his role in the series, adding, “I see the addiction of it [with shows like Dateline]. For me, it’s always a nice puzzle to figure out how people got into this situation and how can I not. And if I do, how can I be saved?"
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Before the release of season 2, new showrunner Annie Weisman teased what fans can expect from the show. (Weisman replaced Craig Rosenberg, who was at the helm during the first season.)
"Season 2 opens on Ava and Nathan struggling to balance parenthood with their true crime obsession. Kaley and Chris deliver exceptional performances, bringing depth, authenticity, and comedic chemistry to every moment," she teased in a press release. "Tom Bateman's portrayal of Matt effortlessly shifts between charming and chilling, while Liana Liberato embodies Tory's feisty free spirit. And we're thrilled to welcome Melissa Fumero to the series in a surprising new role. The entire cast excels at balancing humor and heart, creating a deeply funny, unpredictable, and resonant viewing experience."
Season 2 of Based on a True Story premieres Thursday, November 21, on Peacock.