'Heartbreaking but hilarious' true story that inspired new Netflix comedy

A new Netflix show now streaming is actually based on a 'heart breaking but hilarious' true story.

Ted Danson stars in the new series A Man on the Inside, which sees him reunite with writer Mike Schur after the pair worked together on The Good Place, which was a previous hit on the streaming platform.

Retired professor Charles (Danson) feels life has nothing new in store for him a year after his wife’s death. He’s become stuck in his routine and grown distant from his daughter Emily, played by Mary Elizabeth Ellis.

However, when he spots a classified ad from private investigator in the newspaper, he’s inspired to roll the dice on a new adventure. Charles is handed an unusual mission: go undercover inside the Pacific View Retirement Home in San Francisco and solve the mystery of a stolen family heirloom.

Residents and staff are all potential suspects, and it’s up to Charles to solve the case without landing on the radar of the home's director Didi (Stephanie Beatriz).

While the premise might seem somewhat outlandish, it is actually based on real events, as shown in a documentary released in 2020 which was nominated for an Oscar in 2021.

The feature-length doc, called The Mole Agent, shows 83-year-old Sergio Chamy, who really did infiltrate a care home in Chile to investigate potential elder abuse. Chamy spent three months undercover, with a camera crew following his every move, who pretended not to know who he was or his real objective for being there.

It currently has a 95% score on Rotten Tomatoes with viewers and critics alike labelling it heart breaking but hilarious.

One reviewer said: "Funny, heart warming and sometimes heart breaking, we follow our spy as he struggles with the tech he needs to use for his mission and as he finds immerses himself in the lives of the various characters in the nursing home in this touching, insightful film."

A fan who watched the documentary also shared their opinion online as they posted: "A heart warming look at how connection feeds the human spirit. Some of the scenes HAD to be spontaneous. They were hilarious and genuine. Definitely worth watching!"

Creator of the Netflix show Mike Schur, who is also behind sitcoms including Parks and Recreation and Brooklyn Nine Nine has spoken about the moment the original documentary inspired him. Speaking to the LA Times, he said of the moment he watched the doc after his producing partner sent to him: "I watched it and very quickly I saw the whole show. Three weeks later, we had lunch with Ted (Danson).

"Sergio is a compelling and charismatic person. You can’t remake something unless you are sure you have someone who can re-create that performance, which in this case isn’t a performance — it’s just who he [Sergio] is. Only Ted could do this.”

While many moments make their way from real life to the series, such as the potential recruits being tasked with demonstrating their competence with technology, Schur knew it would only guide him so far.

He added: "We’re gonna have to change a bunch of stuff, we’re gonna have to expand a bunch of stuff, we’re going to create new characters that are not in the documentary, but the documentary is the North Star. That doesn’t mean the story as much as it means the feeling, which I don’t even know if I could describe, but I know what it is when I feel it.”

While Sergio is investigating throughout the documentary trying to uncover potential crimes, he ends up connecting with many of the residents. It is what has the biggest impact on its audience and a feeling that Schur was keen to replicate.

“Every single person who saw the documentary had the same feeling: ‘I need to call my mom, I need to call my dad, I need to call my grandma, grandpa; I need to spend more time with my kids.’ It is a remarkably universal feeling that comes out of the documentary, and I hope this same is true of the show, because that was the goal.”

A Man on the Inside is streaming on Netflix while The Mole Agent is available to rent on digital storefronts including Amazon Prime Video

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