I imagine Based on a True Story was pitched as “Only Murders in the Building, but younger and hipper!” since it mixes Only Murders with Santa Clarita Diet vibes. Overall, it’s a fairly mediocre series, with the only thing worth mentioning being Tom Bateman, who plays his character with a devilish coolness. However, that doesn’t mean the series is a waste of time. It’s just that, as a satire on the true crime genre and true crime diehards, it already feels a bit stale, while the rest is merely surface-level serviceable. Still, as a half-hour summer diversion, it’s good enough up until the unsatisfying ending.