‘Based on a True Story’ Recap: ‘BDE’

Written by John Edward Betancourt

BASED ON A TRUE STORY -- "BDE" Episode 102 -- Pictured: Chris Messina as Nathan -- (Photo by: PEACOCK)

Caution: This article contains spoilers for Episode Two of ‘Based on a True Story’. To revisit the Series Premiere, click here.
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One particular act that each and every one of us take part in when life is giving us the business, is to make a plan of attack. One that will get us out of our current quandary and get our lives back in a good place and it makes sense as to why we all gravitate to this. Because it gives us control at a time, when we have zero control, and that is comforting for certain. Plus, it really does give us something to focus upon when the world is falling to pieces around us and when the plan is sound… it does in fact, get us out of the ugly stuff and allows for us to begin to claw our way back into the light and find peace. But what’s fascinating about this process and plans of this sort in general… is that sometimes… we’re so lost and so out of sorts and desperate to control a bad moment, that we assemble, a downright stupid plan. 
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The kind that actually manages to cause more trouble for us and harm us in ways we never thought possible when it blows up, and it will, and well… when that happens, we simply don’t know what to do or how to function, and it would seem that the Peacock series Based on a True Story is going to explore the next steps of what we do when that happens. Since the grand plan that Ava and Chris put together to save their lives and perhaps their marriage… blew up in their faces in next episode of this fascinating story. Which is funny because at first glance… it really didn’t seem as though that was going to be case, and that they might have gotten everything wrong. For ‘BDE’ picked up immediately after the end of ‘The Great American Art Form’, wherein Chris told Matt he knew what was going on and it was Matt’s response that made it seem as though… Chris and Ava were looking at the wrong guy.

Simply because Matt was shocked that anyone would believe him to be the Westside Ripper. To the point where he basically laughed in Chris’ face and tried to blow the whole thing off as one hell of a prank. But Chris pressed, and threatened and gave Matt 48 hours to decide on going in on the podcast, and well… his silence and decision to go surf, really did deject this duo. Because Matt brushed everything off with minimal fuss, forcing this duo to return to their lives without anything to show for it. Not to mention, since the police said hello to Chris and had an understanding that Matt was around the bar where Chloe worked before, she died… it seemed as though there would be no hope of changing their lives by solving this grand crime and truly… it appeared they had it wrong, since the police didn’t have much on Matt either. 

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BASED ON A TRUE STORY -- "BDE" Episode 102 -- Pictured: Tom Bateman as Matt -- (Photo by: PEACOCK)

But little did they know… they really did stumble onto something big here and that their plan was about to explode in their faces. For the audience was able to learn in this story that Matt… was indeed a monster. For he ran into Chloe via chance encounter in the supermarket with his son, and he did indeed become obsessed with her, and he did indeed track her and follow her and eventually… he broke into her apartment and stabbed her to death. Which meant… the Bartletts didn’t get the wrong guy, oh no… they picked the right one. He just didn’t respond because he didn’t expect anyone to catch onto him like this and he needed a little time to process his next move and when he decided what that was going to be, that’s when the plan that Ava and Chris put together to save their future, blew up in their faces big time. 
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Because suddenly, Matt was chatty and ready to discuss his crimes, but he was definitely not the chill plumber that Chris was spending hours drinking with and playing darts. Oh no… this Matt, had a real darkside to him. One that was flush with that certain cockiness that overpowers a person and puts fear into their heart, and he expressed that darkside to Chris and that allowed for the deal to be sealed and for a stunning moment to take place. One where Matt just decided to show up and greet Ava since he made it clear he knew this was all her idea and well… that outright demonstrated… that this couple screwed up and screwed up bad. To the point where now… they have exposed a killer and are at severe risk and well, how they come back from that and how they fix their lives after this… who knows.

But the bottom line, is that they put together an awful plan to salvage their future and their lives and now they are indeed paying the price, and this was… a brilliant direction to take this story in. Because it was unconventional and refreshing and it made sure to stick with the show’s central theme of looking at the dangers of using pop-culture and obsession as a healing tool or a guiding principle. Since it has brought this couple face to face with an entity that would be happy to end them to keep dark secrets buried deep, and well… this definitely compels one to continue the journey to see… what comes next for a desperate pair of people that have awakened something evil, in the name of fame and fortune. Until next time.

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