Truth Be Told (2019 TV series)

Truth Be Told is an American legal/crime drama television series. The series was created by Nichelle Tramble Spellman for Apple TV+ and is based on Kathleen Barber's 2017 debut novel Are You Sleeping. Spellman also acts as executive producer and writes for the show. Unlike the book, Poppy Parnell (Octavia Spencer) plays the main role, as a podcaster who revisits the case that made her famous with the hope of finally getting to the truth.

The series premiered on December 6, 2019. The soundtrack, composed by John Paesano, was released by Lakeshore Records on the same day. New York's Paley Center also aired episodes of the show.

The second season began in August 2021. In December 2021, the series was renewed for a third season, which premiered on January 20, 2023 and concluded on March 24, 2023. In April 2023, the series was canceled after three seasons.

Premise
In season 1, Oakland journalist Poppy Parnell restarts the true crime podcast that made her famous and reopens the 1999 murder case of Stanford professor Chuck Buhrman after new evidence suggests Warren Cave, the man she helped put behind bars, was wrongly convicted.

In season 2, Poppy investigates the murder of a photographer/filmmaker at the request of his wife Micah, an equally controversial wellness guru whose friendship with Poppy compromises her judgment.

In season 3, Poppy works with a high school principal to investigate the disappearances of several young black girls in Oakland whose cases lack mainstream media attention. Meanwhile, a mayoral candidate uses a white girl's disappearance for his campaign.

Main

 * Octavia Spencer as Poppy Parnell, an investigative reporter behind a hit true-crime podcast. She uses the last name "Scoville" in Season 3, in which she learns she is, in actuality, the illegitimate daughter of Alexander Michael Troy and the late Elinor Parnell. Desiree and Cydie are her maternal half-sisters.
 * Aaron Paul as Warren Cave (season 1), a convicted murderer and subject of Poppy's podcasts
 * Hunter Doohan as young Warren Cave (season 1)
 * Lizzy Caplan as Josie and Lanie Buhrman (season 1), identical twin sisters whose father was allegedly murdered by Warren Cave
 * Elizabeth Perkins as Melanie Cave (season 1), Warren's mother who has been afflicted with lung cancer.
 * Michael Beach as Ingram Rhoades (season 1 - 2), Poppy's husband
 * Mekhi Phifer as Markus Killebrew, a former detective and long time friend of Poppy
 * Merle Dandridge as Zarina Killebrew, Markus' wife
 * Tracie Thoms as Desiree Scoville, Poppy's younger maternal half-sister
 * Haneefah Wood as Cydie Scoville, Poppy's youngest maternal half-sister
 * Ron Cephas Jones as Leander "Shreve" Scoville, Poppy's father, who had confronted her biological father Alexander Michael Troy when his wife Elinor had left him for the former when Poppy was four years old.
 * Kate Hudson as Micah Keith (season 2), Poppy's childhood friend and famous writer
 * David Lyons as Inspector Aames (season 2 - 3), the inspector assigned to investigate Micah's husband's death
 * Katherine LaNasa as Noa Havilland (season 2; recurring season 1; guest season 3), the producer of Poppy's podcast
 * Tami Roman as Lillian "Lily" Scoville (season 2 - 3; recurring season 1), Poppy's stepmother
 * Gabrielle Union as Eva Pierre (season 3), a school principal
 * Mychala Faith Lee as Trini Killebrew (season 3; recurring season 2), Markus' daughter
 * Rico E. Anderson as Herbie, manages the biker bar, 'The Knock'.

Recurring

 * Nic Bishop as Chuck Buhrman (season 1), Josie and Lanie's father
 * Annabella Sciorra as Erin Buhrman (season 1), Josie and Lanie's mother
 * Molly Hagan as Susan Carver (season 1), Josie and Lanie's aunt
 * Billy Miller as Alex Dunn (season 1), Lanie's husband
 * Everleigh McDonell as Ella Dunn (season 1), Lanie's daughter
 * Brett Cullen as Owen Cave (season 1), Warren's father
 * Lyndon Smith as Chandra Willets (season 1)
 * Michael Franklin as Young Lukather "Shreve" Scoville (season 1)
 * Christopher Backus as Holt Rollins (season 2), a mysterious man, linked to both Poppy and Micah Keith, who was the latter's lover.
 * Alona Tal as Ivy Abbott (season 2), Micah Keith's right-hand woman
 * Peter Gallagher as Andrew Finney (season 3), a man who is running for Mayor of Oakland
 * Ricardo Chavira as Vince (season 3)

Season 3 (2023)
The titles are from a poem.

Development
On January 3, 2018, Apple announced that it was developing a television series based on the novel Are You Sleeping by Kathleen Barber. The show was created by Nichelle Tramble Spellman who also wrote and executive produced the series as well. Other executive producers include Octavia Spencer via her Orit Entertainment, Reese Witherspoon and Lauren Neustadter for their company Hello Sunshine, and Peter Chernin, Jenno Topping and Kristen Campo for Chernin Entertainment. On May 2, 2018, Apple announced that they had given the production a series order for a first season consisting of ten episodes. On June 13, 2018, it was reported that Anna Foerster would direct the series' first episode. A featurette from the series was released on November 26, 2019. On March 5, 2020, Apple renewed the series for a second season, which premiered on August 20, 2021. On December 7, 2021, Apple renewed the series for a third season which premiered on January 20, 2023. On April 24, 2023, Apple canceled the series after three seasons.

Casting
Simultaneously with reports of the series' development, it was confirmed that Octavia Spencer has been cast in the series' lead role. In June 2018, it was announced that Lizzy Caplan, Aaron Paul, Elizabeth Perkins, Mekhi Phifer, Michael Beach, Tracie Thoms, Haneefah Wood, and Ron Cephas Jones had joined the main cast. Caplan, Paul, and Perkins all reportedly signed one-year deals for the series. In July 2018, it was reported that Tami Roman and Moon Bloodgood had joined the main cast and that Nic Bishop, Annabella Sciorra, Molly Hagan, Billy Miller, Brett Cullen, and Hunter Doohan would appear in recurring roles. In August 2018, it was announced that Lyndon Smith had joined the cast in a recurring capacity. Additionally, it was reported that Bloodgood had dropped out of the role of Cath Min after filming of the first four episodes had been completed. The role was expected to be recast and her already-filmed scenes to be reshot. On October 8, 2018, it was announced that Katherine LaNasa had been cast to replace Bloodgood, and her character Cath Min, in the newly devised recurring role of Noa Havilland.

In October 2020, it was announced that Kate Hudson would be starring in the second season of Truth Be Told. The next month, it was reported that Merle Dandridge, Jason O’Mara, Alona Tal, David Lyons, Christopher Backus, Cranston Johnson, Hale Appleman, Anthony Lee Medina and Mychala Lee has been cast for the second season of the series. On March 23, 2022, Gabrielle Union was reportedly cast as a lead role in the third season. On April 5, 2022, it was announced that Ana Ayora had joined the cast in the third season.

Filming
Principal photography for the series commenced on June 25, 2018 in Los Angeles, California. Filming reportedly concluded on December 12, 2018. Production for the second season began in Los Angeles on October 26, 2020, after being briefly delayed due to the COVID-19 pandemic. In February 2021, Leimert Park was planned to be a filming location for the second season but was delayed due to protesting against the filming. Filming moved to the Arts District in Los Angeles for the duration of April 2021 and wrapped by the end of the month. It was announced by Apple that third season has begun filming on April 15, 2022.

Critical response
On the review aggregator Rotten Tomatoes, the series has a score of 31%, based on 29 reviews, with an average rating of 5.72/10. The site's critical consensus reads, "A twisty thriller that never quite comes together, Truth Be Told's commitment to the true crime at its center is less interesting or engaging than the family drama orbiting in the periphery." On Metacritic, it has a weighted average score of 46 out of 100, based on 14 critics, indicating "mixed or average reviews".