Based on a True Story

Ava Bartlett is a high-energy realtor whose public polish masks private strain, Nathan Bartlett is a practical plumber with a lot to hide, and Tory Thompson is a former tennis star trying to remake her life. When a local death draws them into the same orbit, neighborhood gossip and media curiosity amplify every small choice. The series follows how ordinary routines and home comforts get caught up in rumor, suspicion, and the peculiarities of suburban life, including a running joke about slow-close toilet seats. Tone shifts between dark comedy and intimate drama, keeping plot threads open rather than wrapping everything up neatly.

Based on a True Story premiered in 2023, created by Craig Rosenberg, and features Kaley Cuoco, Chris Messina, Tom Bateman, and Liana Liberato in central roles, blending comic beats with serialized drama across its first season.

As of the show's initial release there were no widely reported major award wins or high-profile nominations. It did generate attention for strong performances from the principal cast, but that attention did not translate into notable awards season recognition.

The series spurred online conversation about America’s appetite for true crime entertainment and amateur sleuthing, with the slow-close toilet seat gag becoming a recurring reference on social feeds. Viewers often shared clips and theories, and the show popped up in memes and thread discussions about suburban eccentricities and how small details can take on outsized meaning.

Audience response has skewed positive, reflected in an approximate 7.06/10 user rating from a modest sample of votes. Critics tended to praise the cast chemistry and the tonal blend of comedy and drama, while noting the show’s interest in themes like media sensationalism, privacy erosion, and the odd ways everyday comforts interact with fear and rumor.