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Los Angeles has two serial killers on the loose, but one of them is “sober” from murder. That’s what fans can expect to see in Peacock’s Based on a True Story season 2, which premiered on the streaming service on November 21, 2024. In season 1, fans saw married couple Ava (Kaley Cuoco) and Nathan (Chris Messina) team up with the West Side Ripper on their new true crime podcast. But there’s a new killer in the city now, and it’s up to Ava, Nathan and the allegedly reformed West Side Ripper to figure out who it is.
Spoiler alert: The following story contains spoilers for Based on a True Story season 2.
Who Is the West Side Ripper in ‘Based on a True Story’ Season 1?
The West Side Ripper was revealed early on in Based on a True Story season 1 as L.A. plumber Matt Pierce (Tom Bateman). Matt befriended Nathan and Ava, but Ava — a true crime enthusiast — quickly figured out that he was responsible for the murders of multiple young women in the area.
Instead of turning Matt in, Ava and Nathan approached him with the idea of starting a true crime podcast where they interviewed the West Side Ripper. Matt revealed on the “Based on a True Story” podcast that he killed around 20 women, both in L.A. and in his hometown of Pomona.
Despite having an irresistible urge to kill, Matt seemingly changed when he fell in love with Ava’s sister, Tory (Liana Liberato). He claimed in season 2 that he was reformed and on a path to complete “sobriety.” So, when more murders started happening in L.A., Matt did not appear to be the culprit — but then, who was it?
Who Is the Copycat Killer in ‘Based on a True Story’ Season 2?
A copycat of the West Side Ripper was on the loose in season 2, which lured Matt out of his retirement. Ava and Nathan became determined to find the Copycat Killer and ended up in some hairy situations, including one where they were kidnapped by the Lipinski sisters, a.k.a. the duo behind the “Sisters in Crime” podcast. They wanted to force Ava and Nathan to give them an exclusive on how they landed an interview with an actual serial killer. However, before they could get anything, the Copycat Killer came in and brutally murdered the Lipinski sisters.
The Copycat Killer finally had Ava and Nathan to herself — that’s right, it was a woman. She was the sister of Chloe Lake (Natalia Dyer), one of Matt’s victims from season 1, and she wanted revenge on all of the people who profit from true crime.
“You figured out why I target sick, twisted, pathetic people like you, who enjoy listening to other people’s pain,” Chloe’s sister told Ava once the podcaster discovered her motive.
Matt came to Ava and Nathan’s rescue and came face to face with his copycat, applauding her “craft.” Nathan managed to escape from his zip ties and knock out Chloe’s sister, although she later escaped before police could get to her.
How Does ‘Based on a True Story’ Season 2 End?
In the finale, Matt claimed to Ava and Nathan that he was done killing for good and planned to turn himself in. However, he escaped with the Copycat Killer, and Nathan realized that all along Matt had been setting him up to be framed for the murder of Matt’s ex-wife, Olivia (Melissa Fumero), who was actually killed by Tory. Nathan was arrested, leaving Ava feeling lost and confused.
English (US) ·