Season 3 of Truth Be Told follows Poppy Scoville as she investigates the rising number of the disappearance of young black girls in the Oakland area and the lack of media attention on their cases. The series is streaming on Apple TV+.
Season 1 of Truth Be Told was based on the novel Are You Sleeping written by Kathleen Barber which shines a light on America’s obsession with true crime podcasts and how they can impact the way certain cases are approached by the authorities or focused on by the news media.
One major shift from the novel is that the focus is on Poppy Parnell (now Poppy Scoville), the investigative reporter turned true crime podcaster, to provide the perspective of someone on the outside of the case looking in.
In season 3, Poppy investigates the disappearance of young black girls in the area with the help of the local school principal Eva as the media barely provides coverage of these cases.
Heavily inspired but not actually true
The narrative in season 3 may not be true but it is deeply rooted in the culture of America and society in the modern world. Poppy is speaking up against the discrimination African Americans face from the authorities and their complicated relationship with the police.
While several girls from minority communities have gone missing, it is only when a young white girl goes missing that the police and the news media ramps up their efforts to bring her back and that is what Poppy is trying to change with some help from her community.
On a broader level, the series showcases how these crimes affect the people closely attached to the victims and how they might react when an outsider questions them during a difficult time.
There is a lot of raw emotion involved and the social commentary is extensive as Octavia Spencer’s Poppy dives deeper into her cases to find the truth behind the mystery.
Also Read: Truth be Told season 3 episode 1 recap & review: Unto the Sweet Bird’s Throat