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Is 'City on Fire' based on true events? Apple TV+ crime drama unfolds in a turbulent, post-9/11 New York

Apple TV+'s crime drama 'City on Fire' is based on the 2015 novel of the same name by Garth Risk Hallberg

NEW YORK CITY, NEW YORK: Apple TV+'s new mystery crime drama, ‘City on Fire', will leave you exhilarated with its thrilling storyline. The TV show is the adaptation of a 2015 novel with a similar title by Garth Risk Hallberg. Produced by the creators of some excellent drama shows like 'Gossip Girl' and 'The OC', Josh Schwartz and Stephanie Savage give their audience a mind-boggling show with 'City on Fire'.

‘City of Fire’ revolves around love, lies, changing fortunes, and deaths spanning 8 episodes starring Wyatt Oleff as Charlie, Chase Sui Wonders as Samantha, Xavier Clyde as Mercer, Jemima Kirke as Regan, Nico Tortorella as William, Ashley Zukerman as Keith, Alexandra Doke as Sewer Girl, Kathleen Munroe as Detective PJ McFadden, Omid Abtahi as Detective Ali Parsa, and John Cameron Mitchell as Amory.

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Is 'City on Fire' based on true events?

For those who don’t know, ‘City on Fire’ is based on Garth Risk Hallberg’s 2015 novel, portraying crime, drama, love, murder, mystery, and thrilling adventures. The synopsis of the show refers to the murder of a young woman named Samantha. As the show unfolds, viewers will be left stirred as the story uncovers a mind-blowing connection between the death of Samantha, a series of inexplicable fires in New York City, the downtown music scene, and a wealthy family trying hard to keep dangerous secrets.

How is 'City on Fire' different from the novel?

While Hallberg's novel deals with the New York of the 1970s and highlights widespread panic due to the financial crisis and shootings, Josh and Stephanie place their show in an entirely different era altogether. The show unfolds in the early 2000s, focusing on similar turbulence after 9/11 and Occupy Wall Street. However, the story remains the same - Samantha is brutally murdered with no witnesses and little physical evidence in both scenarios.

‘City on Fire’ arrives on Apple TV+ on Friday, May 12, 2023, with the first three episodes. The subsequent episodes will air weekly on Fridays from June 16, 2023.