The true crime genre is filled with a plethora of movies and TV shows (mostly the latter) — from docuseries to fictionalized takes of true stories, like Paramount+’s new series Happy Face, which follows the titular Happy Face Killer, aka Keith Jesperson (Dennis Quaid), and his daughter Melissa (Annaleigh Ashford). The eight-episode series, which was screened for review, offers a semi-scathing look at the glamorization of serial killers by underscoring the effect they have on those around them.
At one point, Melissa becomes frustrated with herself because she is so focused on her father that she completely neglects his final victim, Heather, whose murder Keith is finally taking credit for despite Heather’s friend Elijah (Damon Gupton) being charged as her killer 30 years prior. That’s just the start of Melissa’s unraveling. After marrying Ben (James Wolk) and having two children, Melissa thought she had finally moved on from her traumatic past, in which she discovered her father was the Happy Face Killer after he was arrested for eight murders.
Happy Face Is Suitably Tense & Layered Thanks To A Focus On Melissa
Annaleigh Ashford Is Fantastic
Happy Face is like a game of cat-and-mouse as much as it is a mystery. Keith gives Melissa and Ivy (Tamera Tomakili), the producer on Dr. Greg’s (David Harewood) true-crime show, morsels of information about how he killed Heather. Melissa initially doesn’t believe his claims, but the more research they do, she and Ivy discover a web of lies that goes well beyond Keith. As a series, Happy Face is a gripping watch. The pacing is excellent, offering us a bit of information in every episode without being overwhelming.
The final reveal is deliciously tense because the show doesn’t play all its cards at once. Happy Face is as driven by its plot as it is by character development, which is deeply tied to its storyline. This is what ultimately strengthens the show, especially as Melissa, who despises her father, can’t shake the feeling that, somewhere deep down, he still loves her. Her actions — born of wanting to do right by Elijah, who may have been wrongly convicted — send her world and her family life into a spiral.
It’s an extensive, emotional role... and Ashford delivers a thoroughly moving and thoughtful performance.
It’s a big part of what makes the series so addictive to watch. From the start, I was pulled into Melissa’s world and her journey is one of the series’ strengths. As she transitions from wanting to live anonymously to being thrown into the spotlight because of her dad, Melissa’s storyline is deeply analyzed from various angles. It’s elevated even further by Annaleigh Ashford’s layered performance. The actress says so much with her eyes before the rest of her face even reacts. It’s an extensive, emotional role, to be sure, and Ashford delivers a thoroughly moving and thoughtful performance.
While Melissa is at the center of the story, Dennis Quaid, in a more limited role underscores the Happy Face Killer’s charm and lethal demeanor, sometimes within the same scene. The actor weaponizes both just as his character does and you want so badly to believe, like Melissa, that there’s some good in him somewhere. His nuanced, manipulative performance is key to the show’s story.
This is also where Happy Face excels as we’re put in Melissa’s shoes. We know that Keith is a killer and the series takes advantage of the way we might see him — with perhaps a bit more fascination than disgust. Of course, the series makes sure to pull back to focus on the harm Keith has caused — to his victims, their families, and his own — whenever characters, like Melissa’s 15-year-old daughter Hazel (Khiyla Aynne), become too engrossed by him.
Happy Face Has A Couple Of Storylines That Don’t Gel
At the same time, Happy Face can fall victim to the very things it critiques. The series takes a stance about serial killers being sensationalized, even as its own story adds fictitious elements to add excitement to an already interesting story. Of course, this also gives the show a bit more depth in terms of the unfairness of the justice system and the frustrating way cases can just be shoved into the corner without a second glance despite someone’s life being on the line.
Perhaps the series’ most frustrating element is Hazel becoming a non-violent victim of Keith’s plot to get Melissa’s attention. Hazel’s shift from bullied teen to loosely befriending her bullies, because they’re interested in her serial killer father, is an odd one. It doesn’t hold the weight the show thinks it does and most of that subplot comes off as flat. Hazel is a frustrating character who only grows more so. Her storyline is meant to showcase how someone can fall into the Happy Face Killer’s web of manipulation, but I certainly wanted more from it.
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The same goes for James Wolk’s Ben, who is in more of a reactionary role until the last third of the season. Happy Face takes too long before giving him something interesting to do, highlighting him as a stereotypical nice guy before certain revelations and actions change that. The series teases another season and, while I’m interested to see where the story might go, I also don’t think it needs one. Season 1 is pretty strong on its own.
Not everything works, but Happy Face is a largely intriguing and intense show. The suspense alone is enough to keep watching, but its focus on Melissa, specifically as she navigates her feelings about her father and a case with multiple twists, makes for a riveting viewing experience that I wanted to see all the way through to the end.
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Happy Face
7/10
- Release Date
- March 20, 2025
Happy Face is a TV Show that explores the true-life story of Melissa Moore, who discovers at fifteen that her father is the notorious serial killer known as "Happy Face." The narrative follows Melissa as she navigates the impact of her father's crimes on both the victims' families and her own identity.
- Network
- Paramount+
- Cast
- Dennis Quaid, Annaleigh Ashford, James Wolk, Tamera Tomakili, Khiyla Aynne, Benjamin Mackey
Pros & Cons
- The story is suspenseful and layered
- Annaleigh Ashford and Dennis Quaid are fantastic
- The twists and red herrings are great
- The subplot involving Hazel is not very strong
- Ben's story evolves but it starts off really slow
