Editor's Note: The following contains full spoilers for Season 1 of Based on a True Story.Peacock’s Based on a True Story follows married couple Ava (Kaley Cuoco) and Nathan Bartlett (Chris Messina) as their lives are flipped upside down — and not just because they have a baby on the way. After discovering that the infamous serial killer rampaging their city, the Westside Ripper, is none other than their new plumber and friend Matt (Tom Bateman), Ava proposes that they use this to their advantage instead of turning him over to the cops. Their plan? Start a true crime podcast where Matt recounts his story, earn millions of dollars, and live the lavish life they deserve (like their rich friends are). The duo sets boundaries with Matt, forcing him to play by their rules. Only, selling their soul to the devil has a cost, and they quickly lose control of the situation. Matt takes over the podcast, determined to make sure it is a hit.
He’s ready to tell his story and become the nation’s next fixation, earning him a slew of fans and giving him cash that his career as a plumber cannot. Though Ava and Nathan have threatened to turn him in if he kills another person, it’s clear he is not willing to stay true to that directive. He’s not necessarily afraid of them turning him in either, as he can easily bring both Ava and Nathan down with him now. He’s already partially set Nathan up for the murder of Chloe Lake (Natalia Dyer), and their ties to him already paint them as accomplices in the Westside Ripper’s crimes. But, as if things couldn’t get worse, Ava’s friend Ruby (Priscilla Quintana) discovers Matt’s identity, using it to try to worm her way into the podcast. They try to keep her out and to keep Matt from finding out she knows, but considering she ends up dead on their doorstep to close out the penultimate episode, they were unsuccessful. How do Ava and Nathan cope with this new twist in the story? Let’s break down the shocking season finale.
Matt Is Five Steps Ahead
The episode begins with Matt on a Zoom call with a group of other serial killers from around the country, all with their faces blurred. He is looking for the star of their podcast’s spin-off, someone with a sad story that is marginalized and will win sympathy with the “woke police.” However, their chat is interrupted when Ava and Nathan call him, shocked and on edge after discovering Ruby’s body. Now that they’ve brought Ruby’s body inside their new house, they lash out at him for killing someone despite saying he wouldn’t. Matt explains that they’re going to have to get rid of her; when accused of trying to frame Nathan with the dart in Ruby’s neck, Matt explains that if he was trying to frame Nathan he wouldn’t have left the body with them. It’s clear that his ultimate goal is to make sure that their podcast can continue, he won’t go to jail (as he says Ruby was prepared to go to the cops), and to make sure Ava and Nathan are unable to quit. They’re just as culpable as he is now. Nonetheless, Matt hangs up on them mid-rant, only for them to call him back and ask for his help in disposing of Ruby’s body. He tells them to meet him at their (other) house, grimly teasing that he’ll be hanging out with Ava’s younger sister Tory (Liana Liberato) until they arrive.
Ava and Nathan Are Once Again Taken By Surprise
So, reluctantly, Ava and Nathan shove Ruby’s body into their trunk and drive home, worried Matt is going to kill Tory. But, they aren’t expecting a surprise anniversary party when they walk inside, especially as some of Ruby’s blood is on their clothes. They go into their room to change, wondering about how Matt discovered Ruby was in on the secret, but he interrupts to propose his idea for a spin-off. They fight back, unwilling to get deeper into this mess, but Matt declares he will do it himself. When they demand he takes care of Ruby’s body, he explains that he’s leaving the mess for them to clean up, leaving our beloved duo even more frazzled than before. That is until Ruby’s husband Simon crashes the party.
Nathan takes Simon outside and demands he leaves, still rightfully upset over Simon literally shooting his dog in a fit of rage and then pointing the gun at him. Simon tries to make a case for himself, explaining that the open marriage and Ruby’s antics drove him crazy, but that he and Ruby made things right and got things back on track. To make things “right,” Simon proposes they get the gang together for a trip, but Nathan has had enough. He begins to tell Simon to leave again, but a cell phone ringing from the trunk of the car — Ruby’s cell phone — interrupts their conversation. Simon is very curious, but to get him to let it go, Nathan says he and Simon are all good and invites him back inside to the party.
A Shocking Revelation
Nathan brings Ava outside to deal with the cell phone, opening the trunk and grabbing the phone. He tries to turn it off, but Ava explains that they need to turn it on and figure out how to dispose of it later — as it has surely been pinging off of every cell tower since they discovered her body. Instead, they use Face ID to unlock her phone, listening to the voicemail she received only minutes prior. To their surprise, it is a voicemail from a detective on the Westside Ripper Task Force, who says it sounds like she has very relevant information, and he would love to get in touch, leaving his personal number for Ruby to contact. However, Ava and Nathan begin to spiral, not having a clue as to what Ruby told the police. When Tory comes outside to get their attention, Ava tells Nathan to turn off the phone as he throws it into the trunk. Back inside the house, Tory gathers everyone for a speech as Ava and Nathan talk with Matt. They accuse Matt of leaving the phone in Ruby’s pocket on purpose, which he gleefully confesses to, explaining he wanted to throw them into the deep end and see if they could swim. Nathan tells him that Simon nearly discovered the truth, and Matt said they would have to take care of Simon if he does. Shocked and disgusted, Nathan asks Matt when this will end, and he gives a truthful answer: Never.
Next Steps in Murder and Life
Tory tells the group about how Ava and Nathan saved her life as a kid. When their mom died, Tory was only 10, sent to live with her father and “step-monster,” where she was deeply unhappy. So, she came to live with Ava and Nathan who tried their hardest to give her the best life, home, and family. Later, after the party ends and everyone leaves, Matt gives them a pair of booties to cover their shoes as their “anniversary present” to help get rid of Ruby’s body. Moved by Tory’s speech and seeing no other options, the two move forward and head to the club where Nathan works to bury Ruby’s body under the pickleball court, where it will be covered with cement the following day. (Thank God for Ava's true crime obsession.) Nathan begins to dig a hole, while Ava decides it’s the perfect time for a heart-to-heart conversation.
Ava asks Nathan why they never talk about the baby. They haven’t bought anything for the baby, picked out a name, or really discussed the future whatsoever. Nathan admits he’s super excited, only now realizing that what Ava says is true, but he’s also terrified. He talks about how Ava is full of life and especially has been over the last few months, and he finally feels like they’re getting somewhere. But, Ava says it isn’t about getting somewhere, but that all she wants is to be together and connect, as they have been over the last few months. Thus, after spending the entire season at odds, the pair are finally on the same page, prepared to be a family and bring their baby into the world.
How Does ‘Based on a True Story’ Season 1 End?
With the hole dug, Ava recounts how she met Ruby at a party for Taylor Lautner. She remembers how Ruby was the coolest girl in the room, how everyone was drawn to her. Before she gets too upset, though, Nathan reminds her about Ruby’s plans to turn them in. Looking at the body again, Ava notices the dart in Ruby’s neck is gone, and after a moment Ruby wakes up and shoves the dart into Nathan. She pushes him into the hole, then attacks Ava with the shovel, hitting her in the face and back into the hole. Ruby screams out a battle cry before it’s revealed that was one of the series’ unique fake-out moments. Nathan rolls Ruby into the hole and begins to fill it, then the two begin to clean up the mess of blood.
Meanwhile, back at their old house, Tory is cleaning up the mess from the anniversary party. Matt lurks behind her, walking up and putting his hand on her shoulder. She turns around and Matt begins to run his fingers through her hair, and then the two start to kiss. She pushes him against the wall where he removes his shirt. He asks how long they have, and Tory tells him that Ava and Nathan are having a sexy hotel night, so they’re good. She then tells Matt that they’re going to have to tell Ava and Nathan at some point, making it clear that this is not the first time they’ve hooked up. In short, Ava’s sister is sleeping with a serial killer. At their new house, Ava and Nathan mop up the blood on the floor as they discuss baby names. Ava suggests the name Jack, which Nathan loves as well. If it’s a girl, they like the name Ellie. However, they are startled when Ruby’s husband Simon barges into the house. He pauses for a moment before asking whose blood is on the floor, and Ava and Nathan uncomfortably smile and laugh before the episode fades to black.
There’s Plenty of Potential for Season 2
The story has, clearly, only begun on Based on a True Story. Tory is in obvious danger, as we’ve suspected since we discovered Matt’s identity. Simon is one moment away from realizing that Ava and Nathan are tied to Ruby’s murder, and we have to ask what made him show up and let himself into Ava and Nathan’s new house in the middle of the night to begin with. Is this another trick from Matt? Until the cement is poured, there’s no guarantee Ruby’s body will stay hidden either. Plus, Ava and Nathan still have their baby on the way and a serial killer messing up their lives. Their living nightmare is only going to get much, much worse — but hopefully, the cash from their popular podcast will ease the blow next season (if the show is renewed).
Every episode of Based on a True Story is now streaming on Peacock.