Truth Be Told is one of those shows that streaming services don't build their brand around or advertise a great deal, but do spend a bit of money on as they bolster their roster of shows. I'll be honest I'd never heard of it when I stumbled upon it on Apple TV.
The show centres on Poppy Parnell (Octavia Spencer) a podcast host who shot to fame for her coverage of a murder trial that saw teenage suspect Warren Cave (Aaron Paul) tried as an adult for the murder of his neighbour. Years later she begins to doubt if the correct man was sent down and begins to investigate the case once again to try and ensure justice is served.
Running for 3 seasons, Truth Be Told almost feels like 2 shows. The first season, while not perfect, stands up quite well. Largely thanks to the solid cast. The 2 leads are supported by Mekhi Phifer as Poppy's former lover turned PI and sidekick, Lizzy Caplan in a dual role as the twin sisters whose testimony sent Cave away and Tracie Thoms, Haneefah Wood, Ron Cephas Jones and Michael Beach as Poppy's sisters, father and husband.
Season 1 is one of those shows where it's not overly big or clever, and I managed to call where it was going to end pretty early on, but it's well made and acted so a fairly entertaining way to pass time.
Season 2 loses Paul and Caplan, but gains Kate Hudson as Micah Keith, a childhood friend of Poppy's who is thrust into the middle of a murder investigation when her husband is found dead with a mystery man. The lead cop on the case is Detective Aames (David Lyons) who must overcome his suspicions of Poppy.
Hudson leaves for season 3, but is replaced by Gabrielle Union's Eva, a former prostitute turned high school principal as they look to take down a human trafficking ring.
2 and 3 kind of merge into one, partly because the case 3 is based on has roots in a subplot of 2, but also because they both lack the direction of the first series, which felt like a properly written story, these feel quickly cobbled together and a lot more soap operatic.
They also aren't aided by poor writing that leaves a lot of the characters making mind-numbingly stupid decisions at every turn, with our lead Poppy being fairly selfish and unlikable at times. I'm not sure if it's a flaw with the character or the bizarro universe that this is set in, but this show seems to think Podcasts are a LOT bigger a deal than they are. When Poppy isn't accusing people of murder when there's an ongoing investigation, she's doing podcasts so the suspects, sometimes on the run, can hear her message. This reaches its zenith, or nadir depending on how you want to look at it, in an episode where the protagonists need the police to intervene at a crime scene. They know that the police won't respond to what's going on, but will if an important missing person is involved. Instead of just calling the police, Poppy does a live podcast, just on the off chance the cops are listening. I mean, it turns out they are, obviously, but this was the point suspension of disbelief crashed and burned.
The worst thing is, Season 3 did get my hopes up with the introduction of Eva. She's not only a character with some depth, but actually calls Poppy out for her nonsense. Given how this is resolved it becomes clear we're not actually meant to have been on her side.
Overall, this isn't a terrible show, but it's not really one I'd go out of my way to recommend. It's solidly made, I've no complaints with any of the cast, but instantly forgettable beyond a sense of missed opportunity. Not really worth seeking out, but a passable enough way to waste some time. Just brace for the drop in quality after season 1.
The show centres on Poppy Parnell (Octavia Spencer) a podcast host who shot to fame for her coverage of a murder trial that saw teenage suspect Warren Cave (Aaron Paul) tried as an adult for the murder of his neighbour. Years later she begins to doubt if the correct man was sent down and begins to investigate the case once again to try and ensure justice is served.
Running for 3 seasons, Truth Be Told almost feels like 2 shows. The first season, while not perfect, stands up quite well. Largely thanks to the solid cast. The 2 leads are supported by Mekhi Phifer as Poppy's former lover turned PI and sidekick, Lizzy Caplan in a dual role as the twin sisters whose testimony sent Cave away and Tracie Thoms, Haneefah Wood, Ron Cephas Jones and Michael Beach as Poppy's sisters, father and husband.
Season 1 is one of those shows where it's not overly big or clever, and I managed to call where it was going to end pretty early on, but it's well made and acted so a fairly entertaining way to pass time.
Season 2 loses Paul and Caplan, but gains Kate Hudson as Micah Keith, a childhood friend of Poppy's who is thrust into the middle of a murder investigation when her husband is found dead with a mystery man. The lead cop on the case is Detective Aames (David Lyons) who must overcome his suspicions of Poppy.
Hudson leaves for season 3, but is replaced by Gabrielle Union's Eva, a former prostitute turned high school principal as they look to take down a human trafficking ring.
2 and 3 kind of merge into one, partly because the case 3 is based on has roots in a subplot of 2, but also because they both lack the direction of the first series, which felt like a properly written story, these feel quickly cobbled together and a lot more soap operatic.
They also aren't aided by poor writing that leaves a lot of the characters making mind-numbingly stupid decisions at every turn, with our lead Poppy being fairly selfish and unlikable at times. I'm not sure if it's a flaw with the character or the bizarro universe that this is set in, but this show seems to think Podcasts are a LOT bigger a deal than they are. When Poppy isn't accusing people of murder when there's an ongoing investigation, she's doing podcasts so the suspects, sometimes on the run, can hear her message. This reaches its zenith, or nadir depending on how you want to look at it, in an episode where the protagonists need the police to intervene at a crime scene. They know that the police won't respond to what's going on, but will if an important missing person is involved. Instead of just calling the police, Poppy does a live podcast, just on the off chance the cops are listening. I mean, it turns out they are, obviously, but this was the point suspension of disbelief crashed and burned.
The worst thing is, Season 3 did get my hopes up with the introduction of Eva. She's not only a character with some depth, but actually calls Poppy out for her nonsense. Given how this is resolved it becomes clear we're not actually meant to have been on her side.
Overall, this isn't a terrible show, but it's not really one I'd go out of my way to recommend. It's solidly made, I've no complaints with any of the cast, but instantly forgettable beyond a sense of missed opportunity. Not really worth seeking out, but a passable enough way to waste some time. Just brace for the drop in quality after season 1.