A Kaley Cuoco crime show has been cancelled after two seasons. Before playing Penny in The Big Bang Theory, Cuoco played Bridget Hennessy in the ABC sitcom 8 Simple Rules, which aired for three seasons from 2003-2005. In 2007, she made her debut as Penny, which remains the defining role of her career. She continued to play Penny throughout the series and all the way to The Big Bang Theory's series finale.
Cuoco has done a wide variety of projects outside the beloved sitcom, which includes voicing the titular character in Max's animated Harley Quinn show. She played Cassie Bowden in the dark comedy mystery series The Flight Attendant, which ran for two seasons and was well-received by critics. In the 2024 action comedy movie Role Play, she portrayed assassin Emma Brackett, whose husband Dave (David Oyelowo) does not know what his wife actually does for a living. She also starred in the Peacock series Based on a True Story.
Based On A True Story Has Been Cancelled
It Ran For 2 Seasons
Cuoco's crime show Based on a True Story has now been cancelled. The dark comedy thriller features Cuoco as the true-crime-obsessed Ava Bartlett. When she and her husband, Nathan (Chris Messina), realize that their plumber, Matt Pierce (Tom Bateman), is a serial killer, it becomes the perfect story for a true-crime podcast. Based on a True Story's sophomore season was released in November 2024 and was well-received, earning an 83% Tomatometer score and 74% Popcornmeter score. The overall show has a 79% Tomatometer score.
|
Based on a True Story Season |
Tomatometer Score |
Popcornmeter Score |
|---|---|---|
|
Season 1 |
76% |
77% |
|
Season 2 |
83% |
74% |
According to Variety, Peacock has now cancelled Based on a True Story after season 2. Peacock does not publicly release viewership data, but viewership is likely the reason for the cancellation since Based on a True Story season 2 received mostly positive reviews. The Cuoco-led and executive-produced show is not the only comedy that has just been cancelled at Peacock, with the streamer also bringing an end to Mr. Throwback, which featured NBA star Steph Curry playing himself.
Our Take On Based On A True Story's Cancellation
The Cancellation Is Premature
The cancellation is deeply disappointing after Based on a True Story season 2's ending. The identity of the West Side Ripper copycat killer was revealed, only for Matt to kidnap the killer, and to frame Nathan as the West Side Ripper. This opened the door for a thrilling season 3, with Matt potentially teaming up with the copycat killer, Nathan having to prove his innocence, Ava's sister Tory (Liana Liberato) in trouble, and Ava needing to figure out a way to solve these many problems.
While I enjoyed season 1, I found Based on a True Story season 2 to be funnier and more unpredictable. I was hoping to see the show continue to get better with each season and was excited by the many story possibilities left open after season 2. It is frustrating to see another promising and enjoyable show cancelled, especially for a story that felt like it had just begun to hit its stride.
Source: Variety
