'Based on a True Story' Season 3 & The Desperate Housewives Connection (2024)

Season 2 of Peacock’s twisty true-crime comedy thriller Based on a True Story is off to a great start, and if the series’ new showrunner has her way, the Kaley Cuoco & Chris Messina romp could go on for years to come. In a recent interview with MovieWeb, showrunner Annie Weisman, who was at the helm of Physical and came from Desperate Housewives and About a Boy, made a candid admission about how many seasons are in store for the hit comedy, noting, “I don't really see a limit at this point." She added:

“I can promise you that we had plenty to do this season in eight episodes. We were sort of packed with comedy stories, romantic comedy stories, and a mystery story. And we do promise that it comes to a very satisfying conclusion, but then we're also able to kind of tease a whole new mystery that could bring us back for another season. I don't see why we couldn't continue that.”’

From 'Desperate Housewives' to 'Based on a True Story'

Based on a True Story

TV-MA

Comedy

See Also

'Based on a True Story' stars Kaley Cuoco and Chris Messina reveal where they'd like to see their characters go from here: "I want everyone in prison"

Thriller

Based on a True Story is a Peacock original crime thriller starring Kaley Cuoco and Chris Messina as a married couple who starts their own True Crime podcast. Ava and Nathan Bartlett are expecting their first child despite marital troubles as their finances continue to plummet, and their decision to hire a charming plumber to install a new toilet leaves them stuck in a true crime story of their own.

Where to Watch

• stream
• rent
• buy

Not available

*Availability in US

Release Date

June 8, 2023

Cast

Kaley Cuoco , Chris Messina , Tom Bateman , Liana Liberato , Natalia Dyer , Priscilla Quintana

Seasons

2

Streaming Service(s)

Peacock

The slick dark comedy finds married couple Ava and Nathan (Cuoco and Messina) inadvertently stumbling into becoming true-crime devotees. Last season, the L.A. duo crossed paths with a serial killer (Tom Bateman) and launched a podcast with him. This season tracks the fallout of that, adds a newborn baby (theirs), and ups the stakes with other killings and bizarre characters who come into the couple's lives.

Based on a True Story has a satirical streak that targets our true-crime obsession, similar to how Weisman used Desperate Housewives as a satirical twist on soap operas and crime shows. Weisman elaborated about that thematic connection:

"I thought a lot about my time on Desperate Housewives in crafting the show this season. You know, with that show, it really started with that sharp commentary coming from women who had, you know, the seemingly perfect life on the surface, and then there was a lot of darkness underneath. So it's really playing in that same territory, and then also that balance of mystery stories, friendship stories, and romance is definitely the same kind of approach that we have with Based on a True Story. So it was a helpful experience to bring to this new story."

Adding Motherhood into the Murder Mix for Season 2

Meanwhile, the big news heading into Season 2 was the departure of the series’ creator/showrunner Craig Rosenberg. Weisman was eager to steer the series into the future. “It was a lot of fun jumping on a show that I was already a fan of,” she said. “And the goal was to continue that really boundary-pushing tone that was established in Season 1, that kind of fearlessness, the social commentary, that kind of scary mystery storytelling.” Weisman added:

“With Season 2, we had the challenge of adding to it motherhood, because both our actress and our character [Kaley Cuoco and character Ava] had a new baby to contend with. And then really wanting to start a new mystery story… that could be an engine pulling us through the season.”

Look for the rest of the season to unfold with great hilarity. Expect bold splashes of blood and a gaggle of clever plot twists. With a tease for Season 3, one wonders about the possibilities. Looks like Ava and Nathan’s baby may take a stab at true crime, too. Stay tuned. Season 2 of Based on a True Story is streaming on Peacock. Watch the trailer below.