Based on a True Story‘s second season has kept viewers guessing at every turn. In episode 5, “Double Fault,” we learn something shocking about Drew (or should we say, Olivia?). Also, the complicated relationships between Ava, Nathan, and Matt keep falling apart. At the same time, the copycat killer steps up their game and challenges the Westside Ripper with chilling accuracy. Let’s dive into this exciting episode’s chaos and surprises.
Previously on Based on a True Story (Episode 4 Recap)
As Ava and Nathan tried to balance their personal lives with the growing murder investigations in Episode 4, “Y’all Ready for This?” the tension rose. Nathan, who was having problems with his self-esteem and felt insecure, found comfort in coaching sessions with Matt, but he didn’t know about Matt’s bad side. When it came to Ava, she loved her online persona as Murder Bunny, a TikTok true-crime influencer.
People were arguing about whether the copycat killer was trying to be like the Westside Ripper or competing with him. Under the guise of a murder detective, Drew seemed determined to keep Ava safe, but her story started to fall apart. The strange code told Ava, Nathan, and Matt that there would be more murders at the end of the episode.
Based on a True Story Season 2 Episode 5 Recap: “Double Fault”
The episode opens with a flashback of Nathan (Chris Messina) during his tennis glory days. We see him confidently hit the court, but then a loose ball hits Ava (Kaley Cuoco) in the head, which is the start of their terrible first meeting. This funny and a little crazy moment sets the tone for their relationship, which is a tangled web.
Now we’re in the present, and Nathan tells Ava the very bad news: he used $20,000 of their savings to pay for a second fight with Danny Merrick (Josh Stamberg). Ava is angry and distracted at the same time. Suddenly, she hears that the copycat killer has killed another person: actor Jared Leto, who will soon play Dr. Fauci in a movie.
Ava’s Murder Bunny TikTok has a lot of fans, and she starts to figure out what the copycat killer meant by the code she sent. Nathan, on the other hand, is totally focused on his tennis match and has asked Matt to help him get ready. The positive tone of Matt’s words changes when Nathan talks about his violent past, which Matt quickly brushes off without giving it much thought.
The Cipher and Its Dangerous Games
At the bar, Ava meets Drew (Melissa Fumero), who is upset about how popular Murder Bunny is getting and how the investigation is being thrown out. Ava’s phone buzzes with cipher-related alerts, and Drew becomes more interested in what Ava is doing online. Drew storms off as things get worse, leaving Ava to deal with her rising fame and the fact that she has to solve the killer’s puzzle.
The code gives Ava 24 hours to find the next victim, or she will have to kill someone else. With Matt’s help, they figure out the code piece by piece and realize it refers to a Bible verse. They get a Bible from an old woman by chance, which leads them to Psalm 94:3: “Lord, how long shall the wicked triumph?” This verse gives us a new clue: “Chief Nye on the Mount,” which refers to Cedars-Sinai Medical Center and Dr. Samuel Nye, who is in charge of surgery there.
Ava posts her findings online with great excitement, hoping to warn the person who might be harmed. But as the killer’s deadline draws nearer, the pressure builds on her.
Tensions in a Tennis Match
While Ava and Matt work on the code, Nathan plays his second match against Danny Merrick on the court. Nathan has a lot at stake because his professional career ended when he lost to Danny in 2007. Nathan is determined to prove himself, and he gets very angry when he realizes that Danny is letting him win on purpose. At the end of their heated argument, Nathan loses it, breaks his racket, and attacks Danny.
Ava tries to make Nathan feel better, but it doesn’t work. Matt, who is always looking for ways to cause trouble, feeds Nathan’s insecurity by asking Ava if she really forgives him. Nathan is arrested at the end of the fight, leaving Ava to work on the cipher by herself.
The Truth About Killers
Ava tries very hard, but she mistakes the victim for someone else, which leads to another murder. This failure keeps coming back to haunt her, as TikTok users make fun of her mistake in a dreamlike scene. The last clue in the cipher shows a scary truth: the copycat killer is talking to Matt directly, not Ava. “Hey, Ripper, I’m better than you,” they taunt Matt with a message.
Ava asks Drew for help while Nathan is stuck in jail. But when she gets to where Drew’s office is supposed to be, a male detective says he is Drew Stephens. Ava figures out she was lied to—“Drew” is actually Olivia, a woman who is living under a fake name.
At the end of the episode, Olivia gets a package at her home in the suburbs. She talks to the delivery driver and tells him not to trust strangers. The scary implication is clear: Olivia has been hiding in plain sight, walking around with possible killers—or maybe she is one of them.
What’s Next?
As the story falls apart, there are a lot of questions. Who is Olivia, and how does she really have anything to do with the murders? Nathan had a temper tantrum. Will it cost him his freedom or his relationship with Ava? And what will Matt do when the copycat killer goes after him?
For the next part of Based on a True Story, more twists are on the way. Watch it, because the truth is always stranger than fiction on this show.
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