Truth Be Told takes crime podcasts in a killer new direction

Truth Be Told will appeal to TV crime drama viewers and true crime fans alike as Octavia Spencer and Aaron Paul are killer in the Apple TV+ series.

Truth Be Told is a TV crime drama fan’s dream. The new Apple TV+ drama features jaw-dropping performances from Aaron Paul and Octavia Spencer, a cast full of crime drama veterans, and a plot that mixes true crime with scripted drama.

You can’t ask for much more than that.

The series is based on the novel Are You Sleeping, and has a plot that will appeal to everyone who has an interest in the crime genre. That’s because the plot centers around a true crime podcast, as Poppy Parnell (Spencer) used it to help put a serial killer away.

One problem: she now believes the killer (Paul) may be innocent. Can she clear his name? And if she does, what’s that going to do to her reputation?

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That’s an intriguing plot, and the show gets the absolute most out of it. It’s not just a murder mystery; it also shines a light on the developing true crime podcast genre and the concerns that come with seeking justice on a public platform.

But that’s not all Truth Be Told has to offer. So many of its cast members have been in other TV crime dramas, so it’s full of familiar faces.

The main cast includes Mekhi Phifer (Chicago PD, Homicide: Life on the Street), Michael Beach (Third Watch, Chicago PD) and Tracie Thoms (Cold Case, Gone).

In the recurring cast, you’ll find Nic Bishop (Body of Proof) and Annabella Sciorra (Law & Order: Criminal Intent).

And it’s the ensemble that’s the biggest reason to watch. The mystery is entertaining and will keep viewers in suspense, but if you’ve watched a lot of crime shows, you’ll find a few familiar elements. Those get overlooked, though, because of the wonderful performances.

Spencer is a perfect lead in her first TV role since Red Band Society, walking the necessarily line between someone who is passionate about finding justice—and realizing that goes both ways. She’s appropriately recalcitrant at the idea that she may have helped put away an innocent man, and we see the toll that takes on her.

And Paul, who’s magnetic in everything, is equally brilliant as Warren Cave. He, too, has to walk a fine line between being disturbing enough that you think he could have killed someone, and being engaging enough that the audience cares about Warren’s fate. It’s genuinely uncomfortable to watch him, because he’s so intense in the role but at the same time, shows us how being behind bars and being the subject of podcast scrutiny has affected Warren.

Add in people like Phifer and Beach who always turn in good performances and this is a home run for the newly launched Apple TV+. TV crime drama fans can’t miss it.

Truth Be Told is now streaming exclusively on Apple TV+. New users can sign up for a 7-day free trial.