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Truth Be Told

  • TV Series
  • 2019–2023
  • TV-MA
  • 45m
IMDb RATING
7.1/10
18K
YOUR RATING
POPULARITY
2,569
62
Gabrielle Union and Octavia Spencer in Truth Be Told (2019)
A true-crime podcaster tries to solve the mystery surrounding a family patriarch's death.
Play trailer2:15
20 Videos
75 Photos
Legal DramaSuspense MysteryCrimeDramaMysteryThriller

A true-crime podcaster tries to solve the mystery surrounding a family patriarch's death.A true-crime podcaster tries to solve the mystery surrounding a family patriarch's death.A true-crime podcaster tries to solve the mystery surrounding a family patriarch's death.

  • Creator
    • Nichelle D. Tramble
  • Stars
    • Octavia Spencer
    • Mekhi Phifer
    • Ron Cephas Jones
  • See production info at IMDbPro
  • IMDb RATING
    7.1/10
    18K
    YOUR RATING
    POPULARITY
    2,569
    62
    • Creator
      • Nichelle D. Tramble
    • Stars
      • Octavia Spencer
      • Mekhi Phifer
      • Ron Cephas Jones
    • 200User reviews
    • 9Critic reviews
  • See production info at IMDbPro
    • Awards
      • 3 wins & 5 nominations total

    Episodes28

    Browse episodes
    TopTop-rated

    Videos20

    Lizzy Caplan on the Perks of Apple TV+ and the Importance of Character Underwear
    Video 8:07
    Lizzy Caplan on the Perks of Apple TV+ and the Importance of Character Underwear
    The Rise of Gabrielle Union
    Clip 3:30
    The Rise of Gabrielle Union
    The Rise of Gabrielle Union
    Clip 3:30
    The Rise of Gabrielle Union
    Season 3 Official Trailer
    Trailer 2:15
    Season 3 Official Trailer
    Watch Now on Apple TV+
    Trailer 1:44
    Watch Now on Apple TV+
    Season 2 Official Trailer
    Trailer 1:44
    Season 2 Official Trailer
    Truth Be Told: An Intimate Portrait: Gabrielle Union
    Trailer 0:52
    Truth Be Told: An Intimate Portrait: Gabrielle Union

    Photos75

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    + 68
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    Top cast99+

    Edit
    Octavia Spencer
    Octavia Spencer
    • Poppy Scoville-Parnell…
    • 2019–2023
    Mekhi Phifer
    Mekhi Phifer
    • Markus Knox…
    • 2019–2023
    Ron Cephas Jones
    Ron Cephas Jones
    • Leander 'Shreve' Scoville
    • 2019–2023
    Tracie Thoms
    Tracie Thoms
    • Desiree Scoville
    • 2019–2023
    Haneefah Wood
    Haneefah Wood
    • Cydie Scoville
    • 2019–2023
    David Lyons
    David Lyons
    • Detective Aames
    • 2021–2023
    Merle Dandridge
    Merle Dandridge
    • Zarina Killebrew
    • 2021–2023
    Mychala Lee
    Mychala Lee
    • Trini Killebrew
    • 2021–2023
    Tami Roman
    Tami Roman
    • Lillian Scoville
    • 2019–2023
    Katherine LaNasa
    Katherine LaNasa
    • Noa Havilland
    • 2019–2023
    Michael Beach
    Michael Beach
    • Ingram Rhoades
    • 2019–2021
    Rico E. Anderson
    Rico E. Anderson
    • Herbie
    • 2019–2023
    Christopher Backus
    Christopher Backus
    • Holt Redding
    • 2021
    Alona Tal
    Alona Tal
    • Ivy Abbott
    • 2021
    Gabrielle Union
    Gabrielle Union
    • Eva
    • 2023
    Andre Royo
    Andre Royo
    • Demetrius
    • 2021
    Kate Hudson
    Kate Hudson
    • Micah Keith
    • 2021
    Billy Miller
    Billy Miller
    • Alex Dunn
    • 2019–2021
    • Creator
      • Nichelle D. Tramble
    • All cast & crew
    • Production, box office & more at IMDbPro

    User reviews200

    7.117.9K
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    Featured reviews

    9riverqueen16

    Interesting show, keeps my attention

    I don't understand the negative reviews. I find the acting by Octavia Spencer and Aaron Paul (who I love) to be superb. My attention span is not what it used to be so I cannot watch slow moving shows. This one has kept my attention and I don't find myself wandering off because the story line is not just about the plot but also about the characters.
    6Just-A-Girl-14

    Not good!

    The idea of the show is not bad but the writing is just not good! The characters are all unlikable and there's no flow to the show. I'm not a fan of Octavia Spencer but I actually don't think it's her fault. The characters are written in a way that makes them look weak. One minute they have faith and care all about truth and justice and then all of a sudden they couldn't care less. In one scene they talk about how it's impossible to find a certain witness and in the next scene they're talking to that exact witness (just out of the blue). Not to mention that people seem to remember things that happened twenty years ago like it was yesterday. It's not believable.

    Another thing that really bother me, is that the main character starts the show worrying her actions may have contributed to the destruction of a young man's life but to get him out of it she has no problem ruining other people's lives on the most faint evidences (if you can even call it that) or stupid speculations.

    The acting is mostly ok (although not always) but it feels like they are trying way to hard to sell it. There were scenes that should have made me cry but I felt nothing. It felt forced. It just didn't have a true feel to it and by the end of the season we are left with plenty of unanswered questions. There's "closure" (or something of a sort), we learned what really happened but it doesn't make a lot of sense and if you really think about it, there's just a lot that doesn't add up. Also, the dialogue is not good. I found myself wondering many times "who would say that" or "who talks like that".

    Can't recommend it, sorry.
    5errant-52785

    Giving up on this

    Plot is good, scripts are not. Great cast squandered.

    Thought it was passable to start. I just find myself being less and less engaged each episode. It's getting more and more ridiculous as it goes on, and not in an entertaining way.
    712101968kaw

    Decent Show

    I really liked season 1 and season 2 of Truth Be Told. I thought season 2 was better than 1. Season 3 has me feeling like "I'm good!". The premise of this show is a good one. Poppy Scoville is a true crime podcaster. Some of the episodes leave me scratching my head like why would the police give her info like that. I liken her to a modern day version of Jessica Fletcher on Murder, She wrote. The busy body who gets all the scoops and figures things out before the cops do. Season 3 is dragging on and is holding no interest for me. I think I have 1 episode to go. The writing has to get better if I'm going to watch again.
    7nancyldraper

    Premise both interesting and problematic

    This is an interesting take on a current phenomenon, the crime podcast. Poppy Parnell (Academy Award Winner Octavia Spencer) is an investigative crime reporter turned podcaster. So the premise of the series is untangling a mystery per season. The cast and performances are solid. The tone and music are evocative. My biggest problem was with how the series is held hostage to its premise. Because each episode contains portions of a podcast, the pace is dampened by heavy handed moralizations and narrative. The first season's mystery was compelling enough to compensate for it (I consistently rated those episodes 8/great) but, despite the addition of Kate Hudson to the second season, the podcast narrative ground the series to a slow crawl. Overall, I give this series only a 7 (okay) out of 10. {Mystery Drama}

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    Storyline

    Edit

    Did you know

    Edit
    • Trivia
      Ron Cephas Jones plays Octavia Spencer's father, "Poppy", although he is only 13 years her senior.
    • Goofs
      Mekhi Phifer's New York (Harlem) accent is too strong for it to be believable that his character is from Oakland, CA.
    • Connections
      Featured in The Late Show with Stephen Colbert: Aaron Paul/Idina Menzel (2019)

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    FAQ17

    • How many seasons does Truth Be Told have?Powered by Alexa

    Details

    Edit
    • Release date
      • December 6, 2019 (United States)
    • Country of origin
      • United States
    • Language
      • English
    • Also known as
      • Are You Sleeping
    • Filming locations
      • Paramount Studios - 5555 Melrose Avenue, Hollywood, Los Angeles, California, USA(Studio)
    • Production companies
      • Apple Studios
      • Chernin Entertainment
      • Fifth Season
    • See more company credits at IMDbPro

    Tech specs

    Edit
    • Runtime
      45 minutes
    • Color
      • Color
    • Sound mix
      • Stereo
    • Aspect ratio
      • 16:9 HD

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