Podcasts and murders combine for fun (again)

(This is an updated version of the “Based on a True Story” review)
In the modern media world, two genres have entwined.
There are true-crime podcasts and there are streaming networks’ comedy-dramas. Mix them together and you have a delight.
First was “Only Murders in the Building,” the Steve Martin gem that starts its third season Aug. 8 on Hulu. Now comes Peacock’s “Based on a True Story” (shown here) with its entire first season Thursday (June 8).
“Based” has eight episodes, but most are 30 minutes or less; the show will propel you right along. At the end, you might wish there had been a clever wrap-up, instead of pointing things toward a second season. You also might wish there were fewer scenes that turn out to be sheer imagination.
But mostly, you’ll be glad you went along for the wild (and fun) ride.
Kaley Cuoco (“Big Bang Theory”) and Chris Messina (“The Mindy Project”) star. She plays a real-estate agent who’s not very good at it; he plays a tennis player who was once great at it. Now, long after an injury, he’s a tennis teacher, wallowing in regret.
They meet a handsome plumber (really). He’s played by Tom Bateman, an Englishman who’s known to PBS viewers as the “Beecham House” star and a “Vanity Fair” co-star, to moviegoers as a co-star of the recent Poirot films and to “Star Wars” fans as the husband of actress Daisy Ridley.
Soon, a scheme is born – an unwieldy one that promptly wobbles, Along the way, the film has:
— Crisp, clever writing. All of the scripts are by Craig Rosenberg, who previously wrote for “The Boys” and “Preacher.” There’s great dialog, especially when Cuoco and Messina go full-throttle.
— Strong directors, including Alexander Buono and Anu Valia. There’s an overdose of blood and gore, but this has a sharp movie look.
— And an ideal cast. Cuoco – whose own pregnancy was added to the script – is especially good, Her face and voice provide a deep catalog of comedy moves.
Other streaming services have big-deal fantasy franchises to lean on – “Star Wars,” “Star Trek,” Marvel, “Game of Thrones,” “Lord of the Rings.” Lacking those, Peacock has often gone for laughs. Many of its key shows have ranged only from OK (“Bupkis,” “Pitch Perfect: Bumper in Berlin”) to fairly good (“Girls5Eva”). But it has already had one excellent drama-comedy – the delightful “Poker Face,” which will be back for a second season. Now it has another.