‘Based on a true story’ questions after the Season 1 finale: Was the killer caught?

Warning: This story contains spoilers about the plot of Based on a true story season 1.

Only the beginning. Based on a true story surprised viewers and characters alike with the plot twist that propelled the Peacock series into a second season.

The dark comedy, which began streaming on Thursday, June 8, followed Ava (Kaley Cuoco) and Nathan (Chris Messina) while working with serial killer Matt (Tom Batman) to start a podcast to monetize the true crime trend.

During the season 1 finale, Ava and Nathan try to reconnect with. Matt took an unexpected turn when Ruby’s (Priscilla Quintana) corpse appeared on their doorstep.

Matt – who is also the West Side Ripper – refused to help his fellow podcast cohosts dispose of the body. The couple, expecting their first child, figured out a way to bury Ruby’s body and reconnected as a result. However, Ava and Nathan’s troubles were far from over when Ruby’s husband Simon showed up at their house and saw them wipe her blood off their floor.

Prior to the show’s premiere, creator Craig Rosenberg teased the inspiration behind the campy true crime series.

“In the past decade, a true crime phenomenon has swept America. Podcasts, documentaries, fictional shows based on true stories – they dominate the culture. Killers have become celebrities and celebrities have become murderers, which inspired me to create this show,” he said in a May statement.

Rosenberg continued, “I became fascinated with the idea of a relatable married couple whose childhood dreams had come true and who saw the tidal wave of true crime as an opportunity to turn their lives around and save their marriage. Our setting in Los Angeles – the city where everyone wants to be famous – became a vibrant backdrop for our story of fame, ambition, aspiration and murder.”

Meanwhile, Cuoco defended the decisions her character makes after going into business with Matt. “It happens all the time,” the actress said ABC earlier this month. “That’s why this seemed very believable to me. They find themselves in a desperate situation, make a really ridiculous choice out of desperation and end up in a very bad place. In my opinion, by the end of this, they’re just as bad as the killer.

For his part, Messina said that through his role in the series he had developed a better understanding of the public’s interest in true crime, adding, “I can see the addiction to it.” [with shows like Dateline]. For me, it’s always a fun puzzle to figure out how people got into this situation and how I didn’t. And if I do, how can I be saved?”

Scroll down to see what questions remain to be answered after the Season 1 finale of Based on a true story: