“Based On A True Story” follows sleuthing and pregnant couple Nathan (Chris Messina) and Ava (Kaley Cuoco) Bartlett won over hearts with their darkly comic observation of true crime podcasts.

Our crime-busting suburban couple return for a second season with a toddler, a sleep-deprived mother who can’t fight her addiction to true crime, and her tennis coach husband trying to provide for his family. Pretty regular stuff. Except for the fact that they can’t ignore the serial killer in their neighborhood. Showrunner and Executive Producer Annie Weisman takes the helm to explore our fascination with true crime podcasts and social media. She shares her thoughts with Creative Screenwriting Magazine.

“We had a nice timeline in the form of a real and imaginary pregnancy to rapidly accelerate the story of how they got out of the terrible bind they found themselves in last season and create a forward moving mystery,” explains Weisman.

What’s Up With Our Obsession With True Crime Podcasts?

The high audience interest in true crime TV shows show no signs of abating. The attraction for audiences is asking if the fantasy of having a close relationship with a serial killer becoming a reality creates a fun idea for a TV show.

Annie Weisman

“What is it about a sociopathic manipulative serial killer that is so intriguing, charming, and pulls us in. We play around with that and we dive into it with humor and with commentary,” jokes Weisman.

“As much as we want to take a moral high ground and say that we prefer softer, kinder and more compassionate male figures, we are very culturally drawn to serial killers.”

Based On A True Story dives into the darkness of humanity. “We are really trying to take the characters on a journey through that obsession to something a little more open-hearted and and compassionate by the end. We are looking at how this couple is torn apart by their true crime obsession by this kind of Svengali manipulative figure, but then, ultimately through shining a light on the mystery, they actually come back together.” So Based On A True Story can actually save your marriage.

The show is a fresh take on the genre with a large smattering of comedy. “We have active scary thriller elements,” she adds.

Finding The Comedy

Many modern TV series don’t strictly adhere to a single genre. Based On A True Story fits into a core crime genre and the writers took it to its extremities.

The comedy really comes from the the clash of characters.

Nathan and Ava are inherently comedic due to their different (and often opposing) attitudes to life.

“Nathan is very tortured and serious and Ava is more flippant. They take themselves, and the way in which they haven’t achieved their dreams, seriously. Ava has a lot more lightness, flexibility and willingness to see the brighter side of life.”

It’s a classic odd couple comedic pairing that generates a lot of fun and friction.

Despite putting themselves in grave danger, both Ava and Nathan get something out of it. They are both fearless and courageous. Solving crimes allows them to feel a sense of control over the chaos in their lives.

Ava is driven to the “brutal darkness in the sunny California life.” Solving crimes allows her to escape it. Nathan is feeling emasculated and inadequate, so solving murders is the solution for it.

“True crime becomes a hero’s quest for Nathan. It’s a way for him to be a provider and a protector.”

Writing The Show

Based On A True Story is anchored to a traditional detective story track and complemented by heightened character work. There are writers with both procedural and comedic backgrounds in the writers’ room. Each episode packs in a lot of story and many are built around set pieces. Since the show is streaming on Peacock, the writers could push its creative limits.

Ava (Kaley Cuoco) & Drew (Melissa Fumero) Photo by Colleen Hayes/ PEACOCK

Season 2 builds on Nathan’s tennis coach storyline and Ava really wanted to explore the life of a new mom. “Ava made the choice to become a mom a little later in life after she focused on her career and marriage. She’s diving right into the deep end of  how isolating and frightening it can be protecting a child in a dangerous world.”

Ava is also “parenting”  her younger sister Tory Thompson (Liana Liberato) who is dating a serial killer.

Annie Weisman didn’t set out to reinvent the TV comedy wheel in Season 2. The template had already been set by creator Craig Rosenberg and many of the cast, writers, and directors returned from Season 1.

“It’s really about collaborating, listening, and continuing the story. We discussed what we were connecting to, what was working and what we wanted to continue to explore with these characters,” mentions Weisman.

“I think in everything I write, I try to be honest about the female perspective. I try to inhabit that with the kind of integrity that I feel in my life.”

“I think we did a good job of balancing both male and female perspectives in the show.”