Spoiler-Free Review of “Based on a True Story” on Peacock: A Real Treat!

**This is a spoiler-free review so feel free to read on!**

“Do we have to wake up to murder every morning?”

Based on a True Story premiered on Peacock on June 8th 2023 with all eight episodes available to stream now. The comedy crime thriller stars Kaley Cuoco, Chris Messina, Tom Bateman, Priscilla Quintana, Liana Liberato, and Natalia Dyer. Each episode runs for approximately 25-35 minutes.

Ava and Nathan are expecting a baby and feel like their marriage is becoming very mundane, but when Ava realizes that their plumber may be the Westside Ripper serial killer, she teams up with her husband to blackmail him into creating a true crime podcast with them from the killer’s perspective.

Here is the trailer:

Based On a True Story is the perfect mix of The Flight Attendant and Only Murders in the Building with a unique voice of its own. Is it worthy of your next watch? Let’s find out…

The Pros:

Great chemistry between characters!

I honestly haven’t seen such good chemistry between a married couple on TV since Santa Clarita Diet. Kaley Cuoco and Chris Messina are hilarious on screen, but also very believable as a couple. They are very relatable and the real moments between them give this series an edge.

I was worried that this series would feel like a rip-off of The Flight Attendant and Only Murders in the Building, but it channeled the quirky take on the true crime craze flawlessly while branching off into something truly exceptional of its own.

Stand-out performance goes to Tom Bateman as Matt. Think Joe Goldberg from You without all of the whiny psychobabble. He is charming and entertaining and he absolutely steals the show!

Short episodes make it easy to binge-watch.

I got through this series very quickly. The episodes are super short and it’s so addicting! If you’re looking for a quick and easy binge-watch for the weekend, this is the show for you.

There are also some really fantastic blood-soaked moments for slasher fans. The series is more of a comedic thriller, but I personally liked that it wasn’t afraid to get a little bit messy here. After all, they are dealing with a serial killer…

The Cons:

Forced crude dialogue at times…

The opening episode felt a little awkward at times because of the forced and explicit dialogue. I don’t know if the series was trying to be extra shocking, but people in real life don’t talk like this and it just felt unnatural. This calmed down as the episodes continued, however. The show was a lot more entertaining when it wasn’t trying so hard.

I also wasn’t a fan of some of the trippy daydreams/hallucinations. They felt mostly filler to me.

What happened in episode 6 (no spoilers) was completely unnecessary. It almost ruined the entire show for me, but I tried to move past it…

I also wanted more of a pop from the ending. Sure, it left things open for a new season if it gets picked up, but I guess I was looking for something a little more jaw-dropping to seal the deal.

So am I in or out?

I’m in!

Based on a True Story is a lot of fun and very easy to binge-watch. The chemistry between our three main leads is bloody magic and well worth your time.

I hope you enjoyed the review and feel free to post your own thoughts and theories on Based on a True Story in the comments section below. Thanks so much for reading and happy viewing!

Best,

Amy Koto, TV Fanatic Girl

DON’T TAKE THE JOB…

It was only supposed to be temporary…but when Olivia Crewe accepts a new position that seems too good to be true, she soon discovers that twelve other girls previously had the same job as her. Only none of them lasted for more than thirty days. No notice. Nothing…right before they mysteriously disappeared without a trace.

My supernatural thriller Girl Number Thirteen is out now! I hope you enjoy!

Girl Number Thirteen is available here!

**If you enjoyed this blog, I would love it if you would click the follow button on your way out to subscribe. Thanks for your support!

Spoiler-Free Review of “Poker Face” on Peacock: Quirky Sleuth Mystery Series is a Delight

*This is a spoiler-free review so feel free to read on!*

“You’ve got this gift…”

Poker Face released on January 26th 2023 on Peacock with the first four episodes available to stream now. There will be ten episodes in total that will air weekly. The whodunnit mystery series stars Natasha Lyonne, Benjamin Bratt, Adrien Brody, and Dascha Polanco. Each episode runs for approximately 50-60 minutes.

Each week, Charlie ends up in the middle of a new murder mystery, as she uses her gift of reading people to help solve the case.

Here is the trailer:

Poker Face is very much Veronica Mars meets Lie to Me with its own voice, featuring a unique mystery to unlock each episode. Is it worthy of your next watch? Let’s find out…

The Pros:

The “case of the week” style works!

I don’t usually like this kind of approach because I find myself wanting more in these types of shows, but some of them really flourish and Poker Face is already one of them. Each episode features a different mystery and cast, but it always connects back to Natasha Lyonne’s character and gift.

So far episode two has been my absolute favorite, but I think that each one has brought something unique to the table and I like that it is also still connecting to a larger mystery involving Charlie so that things don’t become too stale.

I can’t wait to watch next week’s episode!

Natasha Lyonne is fantastic!

I was already a fan, but I absolutely love her offbeat humor and sarcasm. She has had me laughing out loud already several times and I think that she has elevated this series into something truly exceptional. I can’t wait to see what she does next.

The Cons:

The episodes are on the long side…

This isn’t a major con, but this did make the pacing feel a little sluggish at times. That being said, I think that this is the type of series that you actually shouldn’t binge-watch. Since each episode has a different mystery and feel, you can watch it over time and it actually translates better that way in my opinion.

So am I in or out?

I’m in 100 percent!

I haven’t been this excited about a series in a while. The episodes have a great vibe and this might be my favorite role by Natasha Lyonne yet!

I hope you enjoyed the review and feel free to post your own thoughts and theories on Poker Face in the comments section below. Thanks so much for reading and happy viewing!

Best,

Amy Koto, TV Fanatic Girl

This competition is killer…

When former friends, Shay and Adriana team up to participate in a Halloween scavenger hunt with a cash prize, they temporarily put their differences aside to outsmart their opponents. However, they soon start to realize that a dangerous threat is playing their own version of the game, stalking them during each hunt.

Winning is now a necessity as their lives are at stake. As old wounds and memories re-surface, Shay and Adriana attempt to unmask the threat before the night is over, but soon learn that Scream Hunt is not done with them just yet…

My young adult horror thriller is out now! I hope you enjoy!

Scream Hunt is available here!

**If you enjoyed this blog, I would love it if you would click the follow button on your way out to subscribe. Thanks for your support!

Spoiler-Free Review of “Pitch Perfect: Bumper in Berlin” on Peacock: Sarah Hyland and Adam DeVine prove to be a dynamic duo on screen once again!

*This is a spoiler-free review so feel free to read on!*

“‘Aca Serious?”

Pitch Perfect: Bumper in Berlin premiered on Peacock on November 23rd 2022 with all six episodes available to stream now. The comedy-musical series stars Adam DeVine, Sarah Hyland, Flula Borg, Jameela Jamil, and Lera Abova. Each episode runs for approximately 26-30 minutes.

Ten years after college, Pitch Perfect’s Bumper decides to move to Berlin to become a pop star.

Here is the trailer:

Pitch Perfect: Bumper in Berlin is the continuation of the Pitch Perfect franchise I didn’t know I needed and yet it was surprisingly entertaining, thanks to the chemistry between Hyland and DeVine. Is it worthy of your next watch? Let’s find out…

The Pros:

Undeniable chemistry…

I absolutely loved these two together on Modern Family and was bummed when DeVine left the show. Well, they have been reunited once again in Bumper in Berlin and they were a dream to watch together. The chemistry was so believable and natural, which elevated this series in so many ways.

Bumper was always a scene-stealer in the Pitch Perfect films, but I was worried that an entire series about him would feel forced and exhausting. Hyland helped balance this out along with the other supporting characters, which made this such an enjoyable treat.

Solid balance of humor and entertaining musical numbers.

It’s what Pitch Perfect did best and even though the humor had a slightly different feel this time around, it still worked. The supporting characters were actually hilarious and I loved all of the musical performances. This is what I expect when watching one of these movies and I was happy with the result. The episodes were also super short so I was able to binge-watch this one very easily.

The Cons:

It would have been fun to see a few more familiar faces…

I get that this was Bumper’s story, but I would have liked to have seen a few more cameos thrown in for fans of the films. Bumper was also an odd choice for a spin-off series. I can think of other characters that may have deserved the spotlight a little bit more, but I can’t complain too much because the execution worked a lot more than the idea.

So am I in or out?

I’m in!!!

Surprisingly entertaining with humor that actually landed and swoon-worthy chemistry to root for.

If you’re a fan of the film series, I think you’ll find plenty to enjoy with this new series.

I hope you enjoyed the review and feel free to post your own thoughts and theories on Pitch Perfect: Bumper in Berlin in the comments section below. Thanks so much for reading and happy viewing!

Best,

Amy Koto, TV Fanatic Girl

A VACATION TO DIE FOR…

When sisters, Nina and Gemma are vacationing in Hawaii with their friends, they get invited to an exclusive party on a private island that seems too good to be true. There’s only one rule…they can’t miss their ferry at midnight or they’ll have to wait until morning to leave the island. Only they didn’t realize that breaking this rule meant they would be hunted down on the island one by one.

Who will make it off the island alive?

I hope you enjoy my new island thriller!

Blood Rose Island is available here!

**If you enjoyed this blog, I would love it if you would click the follow button on your way out to subscribe. Thanks for your support!

Spoiler-Free Review of “Leopard Skin” on Peacock: Messy and Confusing

*This is a spoiler-free review so feel free to read on!*

“‘We’re not here to hurt you…”

Leopard Skin premiered on Peacock on November 17th 2022 with all eight episodes available to stream now. The crime thriller series stars Carla Gugino, Amelia Eve, Gaite Jansen, and Jeffrey Dean Morgan. Each episode runs for approximately 26-30 minutes.

A criminal gang seeks shelter at an island resort, holding two women captive while dangerous secrets are revealed.

Here is the trailer:

Leopard Skin has a fantastic cast to be excited about and a killer premise, but does it do enough to hold on to its audience? Let’s find out…

The Pros:

Fun cast.

I’m a huge fan of both Carla Gugino and Jeffrey Dean Morgan so I thought this series would be a slam dunk. They both lit up the screen in different ways and held their own. Some of the other characters were entertaining as well, but other performances left a lot to be desired…

Gets right into things…

There was almost no set-up in this series. In less than five minutes, the plot took off and I thought this worked in the show’s favor. The episodes were super short as well, which made binge-watching this a breeze. I also loved the concept.

The love stops there unfortunately….

The Cons:

Messy, unfocused plot with absolutely no point…

I was really disappointed with this series. It had all the ingredients to be spectacular and it fizzled out really quickly. The plot felt unsure of itself and I didn’t see the point of it. The time jumps were really confusing and there were so many random scenes that didn’t add to the series at all in any way. I was hoping for a unique gem here, but I just couldn’t get into this one the way I wanted to.

So am I in or out?

Unfortunately I’m out on this one…

This series had all the right components to be a hit, but it never quite found its identity.

I hope you enjoyed the review and feel free to post your own thoughts and theories on Leopard Skin in the comments section below. Thanks so much for reading and happy viewing!

Best,

Amy Koto, TV Fanatic Girl

A VACATION TO DIE FOR…

Who will make it off the island alive?

I hope you enjoy my new island thriller!

Blood Rose Island is available here!

**If you enjoyed this blog, I would love it if you would click the follow button on your way out to subscribe. Thanks for your support!

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