Matt and Tory’s relationship is finally out in the open, but not everyone’s happy about it, inBased on a True Storyseason 2. Played byMagpie’s Tom Bateman andScream VI’s Liana Liberato, Matt is introduced in the first season of the dark comedy thriller as a plumber for true crime-obsessed couple, Ava and Nathan, who they quickly determine is the local serial killer known as The Westside Ripper and convince to make a podcast together. Tory, on the other hand, is Ava’s younger sister that lives with her, with theBased on a True Storyseason 1 endingrevealing the two are sleeping together.
Picking up three months after the cliffhanger finale,Based on a True Storyseason 2 finds Ava and Nathan surprised to learn that not only have Tory and Matt been dating behind their backs for some time, but that they’re getting married. This comes around the time of a new murder in the area seemingly pointing to The Westside Ripper’s resurgence, therefore breaking the agreement the trio made in season 1. However, with Tory assuring Matt is working to rid himself of his serial killer tendencies, Ava and Nathan must work through their suspicions and determine whether to support the new couple or break them apart.
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Alongside Bateman and Liberato, theensembleBased on a True Storyseason 2 castincludes Kaley Cuoco and Chris Messina as Ava and Nathan, as well as recurring appearances from Priscilla Quintana as Ruby, Annabelle Dexter-Jones, Aisha Alfa, June Diane Raphael, Jessica St. Clair and the introduction ofBrooklyn Nine-Ninealum Melissa Fumero as Drew. Expanding on Matt’s backstory while also delivering chilling new kills and twists and keeping the stakes high, season 2 proves to be even better than it’s already great first season.
In anticipation of the show’s return,Screen Rantinterviewed Liana Liberato and Tom Bateman to discussBased on a True Storyseason 2, how they were both surprised by the direction their characters are taking, particularly their relationship after the season 1 cliffhanger ending, as well as the bloody kill scenes this season, and Matt’s manipulation of Nathan.
Liberato Found Matt & Tory’s New Relationship “Challenging” In Season 2
Screen Rant: It’s great to see you both again in the chat aboutBased on a True Storyseason 2, I am so thrilled by what happens this season. Liana, I’d love to start with you, because season 1 left off on quite the cliffhanger, in that we see you’re with Tom here. But, as we find out, in season 2, you’ve learned a lot in between the two seasons. What was it like taking that journey and that step forward with her, and really expanding on that side of things?
Liana Liberato: Challenging. When I read the first episode, I was like, “Wow, I could have thought of a lot of different directions Tory would go,” and this was not one of them, which I think will be exciting for the audience. And it was exciting for me to read, and I think that I had a hard time in the beginning trying to justify how Tory got there, and ultimately, what I landed on is she loves him.
Also, you know, this is a comedy, and it’s supposed to be fun, and I think that it wasn’t really until we got on set, and I was working across from Tom, and we got to play, and we were in our very fun retreat outfits, and talking about being zen, and meditation and all of the things that I really started to settle into Tory, and it was really fun. It was really fun. It was not what I expected, and I’m excited for the audience to see where we’ve taken Tory.
Bateman Was “Thrown” When He First Saw The Direction Season 2 Would Take Matt
“…also offers up a whole gamut of comedic possibilities…”
I’m also excited for them to see where they’ve taken where you guys have taken Matt, because Tom, I’ll turn to you next. It is so funny watching you have to balance your instincts, let’s say, with your desire to want to grow. What is that like, from the performance side of things, capturing that mental struggle that he has?
Tom Bateman: It was super interesting. I was very, well, thrown when I first read the first couple of episodes. But as I heard their overarching idea for where that leads us, I thought, “That’s a super interesting road to go down,” so I just lent really into it. But that tug of like, “I’m trying to be, or at least present myself as, this better person who’s trying to control this side of him, and then everything being triggered by that, and having to really wrestle with that.” It was super interesting, and it’s something that we kind of touched upon in season 1.
You know, “You’re not allowed to do this anymore, and you really struggle with it,” but we really lean into that. And I think it was super smart, and it’s very funny, but also quite a smart direction to go down that he tries to apply the rules of an AA alcoholic to his own recovery. “How am I going to live without this huge thing in my life? What am I going to replace it with?” It was very interesting, and also offers up a whole gamut of comedic possibilities too.
Season 2’s Bloodier Sequences “Feels Like Home” For Liberato & Bateman
“…but I won’t go into details.”
That it does, and a few bloody ones at the same time, whichI’d actually love to hear about from both of you, because, without necessarily any spoilers, you do both get involved in a few bloodier sequences this season. Liana, you obviously come fromScream VI’s cast, what was it like getting into that side of things, versus just playing up the comedy or the intense character work?
Liana Liberato: Feels like home. [Laughs] I love it. I was definitely hoping to see Tory, you know, if we were going to lean into Tory getting on board with Matt, I was like, “I kind of want to see her in the action a little bit more, and I want her to fully be aware of the levity of what’s happening.” And I’m happy that we got to explore that, but I won’t go into details.
And then Tom, what was it like for you, since you get a few more bloodier sequences this season than even last season?
Tom Bateman: I do, yeah. What I kind of loved was that, I’m not going to say a number of episodes, as I don’t want to spoil" it for anyone, but working our way through, when it came to the first one of me killing someone, I thought, “Oh, I haven’t done this for a while.” I was like, “Oh, my God, let’s remember how,” because we did it quite a lot in season 1. And like Liana said, it felt like coming home. I thought, “Yeah, this is who this character is.”
In a way, without getting too meta about it, this is the journey he’s been on, denying yourself this thing, and to give into it felt like, “Oh, man, it’s inevitable. This is who this character is. A leopard can’t change its spots.” And it kind of reminded me of the parable of the bird and the scorpion across the river, and the scorpion stings the bird. He goes, “I’m a scorpion, it’s what I do.” It was like that, I thought, “What did you expect? This guy was never going to just come around and have a bowl of pasta in your house and talk about the weather.” [Chuckles]
Nathan Is Like Matt’s “Puppet” Throughout Season 2
“…he’s a true psychopath in that he knows just the right buttons to push.”
I think I’ve got enough time for one more quick question, so I’d also love to hear, Tom, about you and Chris playing together this season, since this season, it feels a lot more like Matt’s really goading Nathan on to push him towards the darker side of things.
Tom Bateman: It’s super fun. I love Chris as a person, as we all do, so working with him is always a joy. But it was really another interesting [layer], because Matt is trying to fix himself in one way, and then on the other, Nathan’s like his puppet, and he’s just making him dance. He’s sort of like, “Let’s see how far I can push this guy.” And he’s a true psychopath in that he knows just the right buttons to push. One of my favorite moments is when he loses the tennis match and Kayley’s character manages to cool him down, and he goes, “See? She loves me, she forgives me.”
I’m like, “No, she doesn’t. She’s telling you what you want to hear to stop embarrassing her.” It’s such a great little twist of the knife, and that was super fun to play. But Chris is so many beautiful things, and he’s just this heart that you’re just watching this evil — I felt like the dentist in Little Shop of Horrors, just messing with him, and seeing how far I could push him, which is super fun. I love that whole story arc, because they’re kind of best friends, in a way. They need each other, but he ends up loathing him. It was lovely.
AboutBased On A True StorySeason 2
Season 2 finds new parents Ava and Nathan Bartlett three months into parenthood. Focused on taking care of her family, Ava is determined to resist her true crime obsession and return to work as a real estate agent while Nathan trains private tennis clients. But a series of new murders pulls her back in – is Matt behind the slayings? Is Tory, now entangled in a relationship with Matt, in danger? For a while, life is good – Ava’s TikTok habit and her new friend Drew provide a welcome distraction, and Nathan’s all in on reigniting his tennis career as well as his friendship with Matt – until danger comes knocking, literally.
Stay tuned for our otherBased on a True Storyseason 2 interviews with:
Based on a True Storyseason 2 premieres on Peacock on November 21.
Based on a True Story
Cast
Based on a True Story is a Peacock original crime thriller starring Kaley Cuoco and Chris Messina as a married couple who starts their own True Crime podcast. Ava and Nathan Bartlett are expecting their first child despite marital troubles as their finances continue to plummet, and their decision to hire a charming plumber to install a new toilet leaves them stuck in a true crime story of their own.
