‘Based On A True Story’ Season 2: New Parenthood Meets True Crime in Twisted Return (Exclusive)

As Peacock’s dark comedy thriller Based On A True Story returns for its second season on Nov. 21, viewers will find Ava (Kaley Cuoco) and Nathan Bartlett (Chris Messina) navigating an entirely new challenge: parenthood. However, as new showrunner Annie Weisman reveals to PopCulture, caring for a newborn may be the least of their worries.

A Time Jump Into New Territory

Rather than picking up directly after season one’s cliffhanger ending, season two opens three months into Ava and Nathan’s journey as new parents. The decision, as Weisman explains, was partly practical: “Part of that was just the real-life practicality of our actress having a baby after having been pregnant for 8 months all of last season and valiantly shooting the show up until about a week before she actually gave birth.”

However, the time jump also serves a narrative purpose, allowing the show to explore what Weisman calls “the new normal” – balancing parenthood with the unusual predicament of having a serial killer as part of their extended family circle. “It felt like a way to ratchet up the tension and challenge and also keep it grounded in the reality of a real family in the midst of all of this kind of heightened storytelling,” she notes.

Fresh Blood in the Writers’ Room

Weisman, known for creating the Apple TV+ series Physical, brings her experience with dark comedy and cultural commentary to the show’s second season. “I was really excited to join the show in season two because it felt like I was attracted to the dark comedy and the kind of cultural commentary that the show has,” she shares. While the Southern California setting feels familiar to her, Weisman acknowledges that writing in the mystery genre presents an exciting new challenge.

A Complicated Family Affair

One of the season’s most significant developments involves Ava’s sister Tori (Liana Liberato), who becomes engaged to Matt (Tom Bateman) – the very same serial killer with whom Ava and Nathan have been entangled. This development, according to Liberato, “complicates everything.”

“It is the way into our family for Matt,” Liberato tells PopCulture. “The best way to get an advantage over Nathan and Ava is to infiltrate yourself as much as you can into the family dynamic. And through me, that is what Matt is able to do.”

The engagement creates a particular strain between the sisters. Liberato describes how Ava has assumed “a bit of a maternal figure” in Tori’s life, but this dynamic becomes strained as Ava begins to overstep boundaries. “You start to feel that tension between the sisters which I think will be very fun for the audience to watch,” she adds.

Living Her Own True Crime Story

In a twist of irony, Tori finds herself unwittingly living out the kind of true crime narrative that her sister Ava has long been obsessed with. Liberato suggests that both sisters share a fascination with the genre, though it manifests differently: “I think that in her own way, she’s intoxicated and sort of addicted to the thrill of being with Matt.”

This dynamic leads to significant character development for Tori throughout the season. “I think in the beginning she’s sort of leaning a lot on her emotions and trusting those emotions,” Liberato reveals, “and then towards the end of the season she’s sort of forced to solidify how she feels after everything that she’s been put through.”

Keeping the Mystery Fresh

When it comes to maintaining the show’s momentum in its second season, Weisman emphasizes the importance of forward motion. “This season, it was really important to us to have a new kind of forward moving story to tell. And so that really pulls us along and is the engine of the season,” she explains. “And then within that, we just try to stay true to what the characters are challenged with episode by episode as well in their life – in their marriage, as new parents, trying to make new friendships, trying to keep their careers alive.”

A Dynamic Leading Duo

Weisman praises the chemistry between series leads Cuoco and Messina, noting how their real-life dynamics mirror their characters’ relationship. “Kaley is much more comfortable in that world… and that anything you give her, she kind of leaps over the bar,” she observes. “And she pulls Chris with her… his comfort zone is more in the dramatic space. So I kind of think she challenges him and he grounds her.”

New Faces and Fresh Dangers

The second season introduces Brooklyn Nine-Nine’s Melissa Fumero in what’s being described as “a surprising new role” as Drew, a new friend who provides a welcome distraction for Ava. However, as the season progresses, a series of new murders threatens to pull Ava back into the world she’s trying to leave behind.

Looking Ahead

While Ava attempts to resist her true crime obsession and return to work as a real estate agent, and Nathan focuses on training private tennis clients, danger inevitably finds its way back to their door – literally. With all eight 30-minute episodes already released, viewers won’t have to wait to discover whether Matt is behind the new killings and if Tori’s life is in danger.

The series continues to balance its dark comedy roots with genuine suspense and family drama, now complicated by the demands of new parenthood and increasingly tangled relationships. As Weisman puts it, “It’s that balance of both elements that kind of gives the show its unique character.”

With new murders, fresh faces, and evolving family dynamics, Based On A True Story season two promises to deliver another compelling chapter in this darkly comic exploration of America’s true crime obsession – this time with a crying baby in the mix.