True crime podcaster Poppy Parnell is called to investigate the case of convicted killer Warren Cave, a man she painted as the murderer of the father of identical twins. Soon, Parnell must decide where the lines between guilt and innocence lie when Cave claims that he was framed for the crime.
Cast and characters
Main
Octavia Spencer as Poppy Parnell, an investigative reporter behind a hit true-crime podcast.
Aaron Paul as Warren Cave, a convicted murderer and subject of Poppy’s podcasts.
Hunter Doohan as young Warren Cave.
Lizzy Caplan as Josie and Lanie Buhrman, a pair of twin sisters whose father was allegedly murdered by Warren Cave.
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 is also set to write and executive produce 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.
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.
On the review aggregator Rotten Tomatoes, the series has a score of 32%, based on 28 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 Tolds commitment to the true crime at its center is less interesting or engaging than the family drama orbiting in the periphery."
