# True Story (2021)

> A famous comedian scrambles to escape the fallout of a night in Philadelphia with his brother that threatens his career.

Canonical page: https://ember.film/tv/110659

## Facts

- Seasons: 1
- Episodes: 7
- Episode runtime: 36 min
- Status: Ended
- Genres: crime, drama
- Created by: Eric Newman
- Network: Netflix
- Cast: Kevin Hart, Wesley Snipes, Paul Adelstein, William Catlett, Tawny Newsome, Ash Santos, Lauren London, Theo Rossi
- TMDB rating: 7.4/10
- IMDb: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt13655456/

## Ember's analysis

- Pacing: brisk
- Intensity: moderate
- Complexity: accessible
- Violence: moderate
- Tone: tense, darkly comic, paranoid, claustrophobic, breezy

## What critics say

Audiences rated this Netflix miniseries positively, with praise centered on its premise and lead performance.

## Synopsis

True Story (2021) is an American limited series created by Eric Newman for Netflix. Kevin Hart plays Kid, a world-famous comedian whose glamorous life starts to unravel after a night in Philadelphia with his brother threatens to sabotage more than his success. Wesley Snipes plays Carlton, a figure whose presence deepens the danger, while William Catlett, Tawny Newsome and Lauren London round out a supporting ensemble bound to the protagonist's frantic efforts to find a way out. The engine of the story is a man trying to protect his public image and his freedom at once, with every choice making the trap tighter. Across seven episodes of roughly thirty-six minutes each, the tension builds in a single continuous arc rather than case-of-the-week episodes. The series blends the sharp rhythms of a comedian's world with a gritty crime-thriller edge, creating a tone that is tense, darkly comic and morally slippery. Its violence and profanity are unsparing, and the mood is paranoid and claustrophobic. Fans of Atlanta, Ozark and Barry will find resonance in its mix of celebrity satire and criminal dread.

## Shows like True Story

- [Florida Man (2023)](https://ember.film/tv/102864)
- [The Last O.G. (2018)](https://ember.film/tv/67028)
- [Parish (2024)](https://ember.film/tv/121159)
- [Atlanta (2016)](https://ember.film/tv/57846)
- [Task (2025)](https://ember.film/tv/146513)
- [Thief (2006)](https://ember.film/tv/3739)
- [Woke (2020)](https://ember.film/tv/88492)
- [Dope Thief (2025)](https://ember.film/tv/131556)
- [Seven Seconds (2018)](https://ember.film/tv/65511)
- [Long Bright River (2025)](https://ember.film/tv/160480)

---

Site overview: https://ember.film/llms.txt