One of the burning questions that the viewers of the new Netflix series A Man on the Inside have is whether it is based on a true story.
After all, its source material is based on an award-winning documentary. Considering the bizarre circumstances that the story explored, it still made viewers wonder how truthful the events are, or if the idea was still mostly fictionalized.
Let's explore the origins of the new Netflix series below.
Is A Man on the Inside Based on a True Story?
Netflix's new comedy series A Man on the Inside is based on the Oscar-nominated Chilean documentary The Mole Agent.
The Mole Agent explores a true story in Chile where an elderly man named Sergio was hired by a private investigator to work as a mole at a retirement home after a client suspects the caretakers of elder abuse.
A Man on the Inside took the concept of the documentary and turned it into an American scripted series that is set in San Francisco.
In other words, the new Netflix series is inspired by a true story that was documented in The Mole Agent, but the events are still partly fictionalized to fit into the scripted storytelling mold.
While the events might sound bizarre and out of the ordinary, it is a true story that happened some years back in Chile which makes it a compelling story to watch in both the documentary and the American scripted series adaptation.
What Does The Mole Agent Director Think of A Man on the Inside?
Fortunately, The Mole Agent director Maite Alberdi was supportive when the idea of adapting his documentary into an American scripted series came about.
He knew from his first meeting with A Man on the Inside executive producers Michael Schur and Morgan Sackett that they would be respectful of the source material.
"From the first meeting, they were very understanding of the sense of the film in a very profound way. Their goal was to be respectful, and to work in the same tone, with the same topics that we have," he said in an interview.
Producer Marcela Santibañez was also a fan of Schur's The Good Place which made them more supportive of the Netflix series and knew that the remake was in the right hands.
"The Good Place had that amazing combination of being heartwarming, but also being a lot of fun and with humor. When we were approached by them, I thought this is perfect," she said.
"And then when they said that Ted Danson was gonna be Sergio, it was like, wow. That’s a dream come true. Like, who could be better than Ted Danson?"
Have you watched the series? Let us know in the comments!
Make sure to follow our official Facebook page for more news and explainer articles about your favorite films and TV shows!