TV Shows Based on True Stories

The Right Stuff Series: History vs. Hollywood

Drama | Does the Disney+ astronaut TV series leave the truth on the launchpad?

Mrs. America: History vs. Hollywood

Political | Hollywood takes aim at conservative activist Phyllis Schlafly, but is its depiction the truth?

For Life: History vs. Hollywood

Drama | We reveal which parts of this courtroom drama are fictional.

Chernobyl: History vs. Hollywood

Drama | This nuclear disaster miniseries delivers a higher dose of fear than fact.

I Am the Night: History vs. Hollywood

Crime | Are the shocking revelations in this noir miniseries rooted in fact?

The Crown: History vs. Hollywood

Political | We separate fact from fiction in this Netflix series about Queen Elizabeth II.

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Netflix Takes on Pablo Escobar and the Medellín Cartel

Crime | New series focuses on the drug kingpin and the DEA agent assigned to take him down.

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HBO Miniseries Looks at Rise and Fall of Yonkers Mayor Nick Wasicsko

Political | The mayor's efforts to see that federally-mandated public housing be built in a white neighborhood cost him his career.

Waco: History vs. Hollywood

Crime | Is this miniseries about the Waco siege factual or fictional?

Tiger King: Fact vs. Fiction

Crime | The Netflix documentary is arguably filled with as much fiction as most biopics. Find out what's true and what's not.

When They See Us: History vs. Hollywood

Crime | The miniseries tells a one-sided story of the Central Park 5. We examine both sides.

The Act: History vs. Hollywood

Crime | How much of this story of a mother who lies and convinces the world her child is gravely ill is true?

Benedict Cumberbatch "Brexit" Movie Targets Dominic Cummings

Political | Cummings was the campaign manager for Vote Leave.

The People v. O.J. Simpson: History vs. Hollywood

Crime | The verdict on what's fact and what's fiction in the TV show.

Meet the Real People Behind the "Entourage" Characters

Comedy | We pit Entourage vs. Mark Wahlberg's entourage.

Texas Rising: History vs. Hollywood

War | We do battle with the fiction in this 10-hour miniseries.

ALL TRUE STORY TV Shows

While most people are familiar with Lifetime made-for-TV movies, many don't realize that quite a few of their favorite TV shows are also based on true stories. This includes Boardwalk Empire, Orange is the New Black, Deadwood and The Goldbergs, to name a few. Here, we not only research such TV shows, we also explore various history-based components of some of the most popular TV series, answering many questions that you've probably wondered at one point or another. Oh, and we also research made-for-TV movies based on true stories. Tune in and enjoy.

The Right Stuff

How accurate is this Disney+ TV adaptation of Tom Wolfe's book about John Glenn and the space race?

Mrs. America

Hollywood finds the villain in conservative activist Phyllis Schlafly, but is it the truth?

Tiger King

This wildly popular Netflix documentary tells the at-times exaggerated story of big-cat zoo operator Joe Exotic.

For Life

How much of the ABC TV series For Life is rooted in fact?

When They See Us

The Netflix miniseries presents a searing tale of racial injustice while distorting the truth.

Chernobyl

Does this HBO miniseries about the Chernobyl disaster deliver a heavy does of fiction or fact?

The Act

How accurate is this story of a mother who keeps her daughter captive by fake illnesses?

I Am the Night

A ruined reporter helps a young woman investigate the mystery of her birth, but how much really happened?

Waco

Authorities lay siege to religious leader David Koresh's Branch Davidian compound in 1993.

The Crown

Meet the real people behind more than 16 characters from the Netflix series and find out how much is fiction.

The People v. O.J. Simpson

Meet 27 characters and their real-life O.J. Simpson trial counterparts.

Entourage

Meet actor Mark Wahlberg's real-life posse who inspired the Entourage TV show characters.

Texas Rising

Does Texas Rising retell or rewrite the rise of the Texas Rangers?

Bessie

Queen Latifah portrays bisexual blues singer Bessie Smith, who rose to fame in the 1920s.

Manhattan

We compare the Manhattan TV show to real life at Los Alamos during the Manhattan Project.

The Goldbergs

Meet the real-life Goldbergs and learn how much of the show is true.