The phrase ‘Inspired by true events’ is often thrown around to give credit to a media product that may or may not accurately reflect the historical narrative it’s trying to tell. Thus it becomes a self-fulfilling prophecy if a TV show that claims to be based on real events takes liberties.
With that said, not every show that falsely makes this statement isn’t completely without merit as they may get most of the events they depict right. Even if they’re honest about not being entirely accurate, that’s still better than the shows that say they’re true but actually are not.
Inspired By True Events - Manhattan
Even though this show mostly focuses on a group of fictional characters, the Manhattan TV series does take place in a real setting. Namely, Los Alamos where the first true atomic bomb was secretly developed by the US government with the intention to end World War II.
It also has historical figures show up like Robert Oppenheimer and addresses some of the difficulties of developing the bomb from spies to radiation poisoning. So arguably, the fictional characters serve as a vehicle for the audience to get invested. There are even some who say it captures the spirit of what it was like in that time period.
Claimed To Be Inspired By True Events - The Tudors
The story of the Tudor family is not only complicated but it’s also among the historical sagas that people never seem to get tired of, apparently. Particularly the life of Henry VIII, who had multiple wives during his reign as King of England during the Renaissance era.
But The Tudors show that ran on Showtime for a total of four seasons during the mid-to-late 2000s doesn’t do the actual history justice. In fact, much of what happens is actually a condensed version of the historical events with several changes made for the sake of drama and sex appeal.
Inspired By True Events - I Am The Night
Given a limited release on TNT last year, this show was inspired by the memoir of Fauna Hodel who was the granddaughter of a suspect in the infamous Black Dahlia murder case. The majority of the series, though, is Fauna uncovering who she really is.
While Hodel’s story is accurately portrayed in the show, there were some liberties taken. For instance, the detective that aids Hodel (played by Chris Pine) is fictional and they combined two events that Hodel’s grandfather was involved in besides the Black Dahlia case. Now because the latter remains unsolved, one could argue this series is more or less a one-sided story.
Claimed To Be Inspired By True Events - Texas Rising
When most people think of Texas, the first thing that usually comes to mind is the Alamo. Here, a group of Americans that illegally claimed land took a futile stand against the Mexican army. The story itself, though, has usually been one-sided and the History Channel miniseries Texas Rising is another example.
But when this series premiered, many Texans took offense to its historical inaccuracies. These included making up people like Ray Liotta’s “Lorca” Tom Mitchell to changing real ones. Among the latter includes Emily D. West, an African-American woman who reputedly inspired “The Yellow Rose of Texas” folk song.
Inspired By True Events - The Act
With strong performances and a disturbing progression of events, it’s no wonder Hulu’s The Act got a lot of attention upon release. But what’s even crazier is the actual events that inspired the show, where a girl named Gypsy Rose Blanchard was deliberately misdiagnosed by her mother.
This eventually led to Gypsy murdering her and is now in prison for it. While the show gets most of the events right, being based on a detailed BuzzFeed article, there was some controversy involved. Particularly from Gypsy herself, who wasn’t consulted before the show came out, and the conflicted stance that some of Gypsy’s other family members have on her story.
Claimed To Be Inspired By True Events - Spartacus
Not to be confused with the movie of the same name, this Starz show takes inspiration from the legendary gladiator who led a revolt against the Roman Empire (which was real). But while the first season was somewhat accurate despite the liberties taken, the following seasons became more fabricated.
Some of these inaccuracies include the exaggerated involvement of Julius Caesar, though he was around at the time of the rebellion, to Spartacus’ death. This, in turn, shows the problem with adapting legends, which are stories that have kernels of truth but not much historical evidence. Plus, the show is clearly more interested in being entertaining than accurate.
Inspired By True Events - The Crown
One of Netflix’s flagship shows, The Crown depicts the early years of Queen Elizabeth II’s rule and is currently in its third season which takes place during the 1960s and 70s. Though it’s critically acclaimed and praised for its performances, how historically accurate is it?
For the most part, it seems to get many of the major events right though some liberties are taken on intimate details such as exact dates and exchanges between certain individuals. On top of that, the show does play up the drama between members of the royal family for entertainment. After all, it’s more focused on character studies than telling a documentary.
Claimed To Be Inspired By True Events - Vikings
While Spartacus was at least somewhat rooted in a historical event, Vikings is largely based on legends and vague accounts left by other people except those who were involved. This is especially the case for the show’s main character Ragnar Lothbrok, who may have been based on several historical figures.
Now, this wouldn’t be a problem if the show wasn’t on the History Channel, which has gained a notorious reputation for fudging with historical narratives. So even if Vikings isn’t meant to be accurate, all it does is perpetuate the common stereotypes that surround this misunderstood group of real people.
Inspired By True Events - Narcos
Before The Crown, Netflix gave us a show called Narcos which ran for three reasons and now has a spinoff known as Narcos: Mexico. Set in Columbia, it tells the story of Pablo Escobar who controlled most of the cocaine trade in the 80s and 90s through his cartel.
As for the historical accuracy of Narcos, “Some aspects have been heightened to add drama” according to Bustlemagazine. Otherwise, it does get various things right including a few things that seem far-fetched like Escobar’s charity work. But this notion is further complicated by Escobar’s real son Sebastian Marroquin who didn’t like Narcos’ portrayal of his father.
Claimed To Be Inspired By True Events - Da Vinci’s Demons
Among the most hilariously inaccurate historical TV dramas, Da Vinci’s Demons is definitely up there. Created by David S. Goyer, who wrote the screenplays for many superhero movies like the Blade trilogy, it tells the story of Leonardo da Vinci getting caught up in political schemes and inventing cool stuff.
If this sounds far-fetched, then the aesthetic of the show further proves it by starring a young (mostly shirtless) Leonardo with an equally attractive cast. While there are nods to history such as drawings of Leonardo’s actual inventions, which were never realized in his time, the rest is mostly made up.
