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Happy Face (TV series)

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Not to be confused with Happy Face Killer (film).

Happy Face
Promotional poster
GenreCrime drama
Created byJennifer Cacicio
Based on
  • Happy Face
    by Melissa Moore
  • Shattered Silence
    by Moore and M. Bridget Cook
ShowrunnerJennifer Cacicio
Starring
ComposerAriel Marx
Country of originUnited States
Original languageEnglish
No. of seasons1
No. of episodes8
Production
Executive producers
CinematographyBrendan Steacy
Running time47–57 minutes
Production companies
Original release
NetworkParamount+
ReleaseMarch 20, 2025 (2025-03-20) –
present

Happy Face is an American crime drama television series. It was adapted from the 2018 podcast Happy Face by Melissa Moore, and her 2009 autobiography Shattered Silence, co-written with M. Bridget Cook. The series stars Annaleigh Ashford, James Wolk, Tamera Tomakili, Khiyla Aynne, Benjamin Mackey, and Dennis Quaid.

It premiered on Paramount+ on March 20, 2025.

Cast and characters

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Main

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  • Annaleigh Ashford as Melissa Reed, Keith's daughter and makeup artist on The Dr. Greg Show
  • James Wolk as Ben Reed, Melissa's husband
  • Tamera Tomakili as Ivy Campbell, a producer on the show and Melissa's friend
  • Khiyla Aynne as Hazel Reed, Melissa and Ben's 15-year-old daughter
  • Benjamin Mackey as Max Reed, Melissa and Ben's 9-year-old son
  • Dennis Quaid as Keith Hunter Jesperson, the Happy Face killer

Recurring

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  • Kathleen Duborg as June Jesperson, Melissa's mother and Keith's ex-wife
  • Jennifer Spence as Renee
  • Charles Zuckermann as Bassett, a correctional officer
  • David Harewood as Dr. Greg, host of the daytime health and talk show, The Dr. Greg Show
  • Patrick Gilmore as Cody O'Neill
  • Michael O'Neill as Craig Calloway, a district attorney
  • Connor Paton as Tyler
  • Marci T. House as Joyce
  • Teach Grant as Ashton McBride, the son of Keith's final victim Louise Nelson
  • River Codack as Josh
  • Zara Nikou Sichani as Victoria
  • Ava Telek as Summer

Guest

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Episodes

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No.Title [2]Directed byWritten by [3]Original release date [2]
1"The Confession"Michael ShowalterJennifer CacicioMarch 20, 2025 (2025-03-20)
Melissa Reed is the daughter of incarcerated serial killer Keith Jesperson, the "Happy Face killer", a connection that Melissa has hidden from her children and coworkers. One day Keith calls Melissa's boss, Dr. Greg, the host of a true crime television show, claiming that he wants to confess to an additional murder, but will only reveal information to Melissa in person. Melissa and the show's producer, Ivy Campbell, visit Keith in prison but he refuses to share any details beyond that he gifted a trampoline to Melissa after the murder. Melissa brings Ivy to her childhood home to visit her mother, June, who claims that Keith has sent people to harass her over the years. Ivy finds the trampoline, which was purchased in Texas. They question Keith again, and he describes the full murder sans the victim's name. Using details of Keith's story, Melissa and Ivy identify the victim as Heather Richmond, but learn that Heather's boyfriend Elijah has been convicted for the murder and is on death row. Melissa's daughter Hazel overhears her father Ben on the phone and learns that her grandfather is the Happy Face killer.
2"Killing Shame"Jennifer GetzingerAndrew Gettens & Lauren MackenzieMarch 20, 2025 (2025-03-20)
Melissa and Ivy travel to Texas and meet Elijah's lawyer, Gabriela, who hopes to reopen Elijah's case. Melissa is reluctant to testify in court as a witness, recalling the bullying she suffered when her father was arrested, but she changes her mind when District Attorney Callaway is dismissive of their arguments. Melissa asks Ben and Hazel if they will support her if she goes public. Hazel is supportive, as she has already told a friend about her connection to Keith, and true crime is popular at her school. Ben fears the consequences but is supportive when Melissa appears on Dr. Greg's show to talk about her father. Dr. Greg's questioning brings Melissa to tears when she admit her fears that she's like her father. In Oregon, a man reads a news article about Melissa's appearance on television.
3"Was it Worth It?"Steven PietAdam Toltzis & Sal CallerosMarch 27, 2025 (2025-03-27)
Melissa is uncomfortable when Dr. Greg encourages her to use her newfound celebrity for financial gain. Ashton McBride, son of Keith's final victim, is upset by Melissa's representation of his mother in her television appearance, and harasses her at her house. Hazel breaks into Melissa's safe to get one of Keith's drawings, which she sells online. Ivy and Melissa learn that Elijah wrote a song that seems to be a confession, but Elijah claims that Heather wrote it. Melissa and Ivy speak to Heather's mother, Denise, and her best friend Jackie, to learn more about Heather. Callaway tells Melissa and Ivy that Keith had previously confessed to a murder he didn't commit after being paid to do so, so reopening Elijah's case requires hard evidence. Keith's contraband cellphone is confiscated when Melissa reports it to the warden; Keith later calls someone to ask for a new phone. Melissa is shaken when an op-ed critical about her reveals that she had an abortion at 15. Ivy and Melissa find a church where the pastor remembers that Keith visited around the time of Heather's murder, and that Keith had his son, Shane, with him.
4"Controlled Burn"Laurel ParmetSarah BeckettApril 3, 2025 (2025-04-03)
Melissa, Ivy and their cameraman Tyler travel to Shane's house where they meet Gillian, Keith's new girlfriend. Gillian is excited to be interviewed for Dr. Greg's show, but Shane forbids filming in his house. Shane at first refuses to answer Melissa's questions relating to Heather's murder, and is upset at Melissa's going public. The siblings reconcile when they confess that they're both guilt-ridden for not stopping Keith: Melissa saw blood in Keith's house, and Shane saved Keith from a suicide attempt prior to Heather's murder. Melissa realizes Keith sold information of her abortion to the press, and she confronts him, telling him that she was raped, just like his victims. Melissa attempts to say goodbye to Keith for good, but stops when he tells her where to find the murder weapon he used on Heather. Melissa's son, Max, faces ostracization due to his connection with Keith. Keith makes contact with Hazel.
5"Don't Dream"Ramaa MosleyErica Saleh & Inda Craig-GalvánApril 10, 2025 (2025-04-10)
Keith's wrench, the supposed murder weapon, is sent for testing but attempts to match DNA are confounded when all evidence relating to Elijah's case is destroyed on Calloway's order. Calloway offers Elijah a deal: if he pleads guilty, the death penalty will be dropped and his sentence reduced to life with parole, but Elijah rejects it. Melissa talks to Denise in the hopes of getting familial DNA, but Denise refuses to help until Melissa arranges for Denise to talk to Joyce, Elijah's sister. The DNA on Keith's wrench is a match to Heather, but Calloway announces that the state now believes that Elijah and Keith worked together. Keith informs Melissa that her rapist ex-boyfriend has been beaten up. Hazel buys a burner phone that she uses to call Keith, and the pair connect. Ben is comforted by Renee, their neighbor, while Melissa is away.
6"Lorelai"Darren GrantStory by : Andrew Gettens & Lauren Mackenzie
Teleplay by : Bam Johnson		April 17, 2025 (2025-04-17)
Calloway threatens Keith to get him to implicate Elijah, but Keith refuses. Melisa and Ivy find video footage that Heather was still alive at the time Elijah supposedly murdered her. Joyce confesses to Melissa and Ivy that Keith contacted her three months earlier claiming that he murdered Heather and asking for the case files. Melissa is dismayed that Keith may have been lying all along, but Ivy insists that they keep going for Elijah's sake. Elijah gets a new hearing, where Calloway doesn't rebut the new evidence, and the judge allows Elijah to go free. Hazel, her crush Josh, and a few other schoolmates travel to an abandoned motel to search for Keith's things, but they are unable to find anything and the others leave Hazel behind. Hazel calls Keith for help, and he arranges for his friend, Ennis, to send her home. Ben faces trouble at work, and discovers that Hazel has been calling Keith.
7"My Jesperson Girls"Samira RadsiTiffany Ezuma & Brandi Nicole PayneApril 24, 2025 (2025-04-24)
8"The Star"TBAJennifer CacicioMay 1, 2025 (2025-05-01)

Production

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In September 2020, it was reported that Jennifer Cacicio, Robert and Michelle King were developing for CBS All Access a series based on Melissa Moore's true-crime podcast Happy Face, and her autobiography Shattered Silence, co-written with M. Bridget Cook. Moore is the daughter of Keith Hunter Jesperson, the Happy Face killer.[4]

In October 2021, Paramount+ greenlit the series written by Jennifer Cacicio and produced by CBS Studios in association with King Size Productions, iHeartPodcasts and Semi-Formal Productions.[5] Michael Showalter also served as an executive producer and directed the first episode.[6]

In February 2024, Dennis Quaid signed on to play the Happy Face killer and Annaleigh Ashford to play his daughter Melissa Moore.[6] The following month, James Wolk and Tamera Tomakili were cast to play Melissa's husband and Ivy, respectively.[7][8] David Harewood signed on to play Dr. Greg, star of the fictional daytime health and talk show The Dr. Greg Show.[9]

Principal photography took place in Vancouver between March 19 and June 19, 2024.[9][10] Some scenes were shot in May at New Westminster City Hall, in place of Texas.[11]

Release

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Happy Face was released with eight episodes globally on March 20, 2025, and with two episodes, with weekly drops thereafter, on Paramount+ through Paramount Global Content Distribution.[6][12]

Reception

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On the review aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes, 58% of 19 critics' reviews are positive, with an average rating of 6.5/10. The website's critics consensus reads, "Annaleigh Ashford and Dennis Quaid have a memorable dynamic in Happy Face, but tonal uncertainty keeps this true crime thriller from measuring up to the high bar set by creators Michelle and Robert King's previous work."[13] Metacritic, which uses a weighted average, assigned the first season a score of 58 out of 100, based on 9 reviews, indicating "mixed or average" reviews.[14]

References

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  1. ^ a b Petski, Denise (May 9, 2024). "Happy Face Adds Damon Gupton & Momona Tamada As Recurring". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved May 9, 2024.
  2. ^ a b "Happy Face on Paramount Plus". The Futon Critic. Retrieved January 28, 2025.
  3. ^ "Happy Face". Writers Guild of America West. August 20, 2024. Retrieved January 28, 2025.
  4. ^ Otterson, Joe (September 16, 2020). "CBS All Access to Develop Happy Face True Crime Podcast as Series, Robert and Michelle King to Produce". Variety. Archived from the original on February 16, 2024. Retrieved February 16, 2024.
  5. ^ Goldberg, Lesley (November 10, 2021). "Robert and Michelle King Set Happy Face Drama at Paramount+". The Hollywood Reporter. Archived from the original on November 10, 2021. Retrieved November 10, 2021.
  6. ^ a b c Andreeva, Nellie (February 16, 2024). "Happy Face: Dennis Quaid To Play Titular Character In Paramount+ Series From Robert & Michelle King". Deadline Hollywood. Archived from the original on February 16, 2024. Retrieved February 16, 2024.
  7. ^ Andreeva, Nellie (March 8, 2024). "Happy Face: James Wolk Joins Paramount+ Series From Robert & Michelle King". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved March 8, 2024.
  8. ^ Petski, Denise (March 14, 2024). "Happy Face: Tamera Tomakili Joins Paramount+ Series". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved March 15, 2024.
  9. ^ a b Petski, Denise (March 20, 2024). "Happy Face: Khiyla Aynne & Benjamin Mackey Round Out Series Regular Cast As Production Begins; David Harewood To Recur". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved March 20, 2024.
  10. ^ "In Production". Creative BC Film Commission. February 12, 2024. Archived from the original on February 23, 2024. Retrieved February 23, 2024.
  11. ^ McManus, Theresa (May 10, 2024). "Protesters and police at New West city hall — for filming". New West Record. Glacier Media. Retrieved June 20, 2024.
  12. ^ "'Happy Face' Trailer: Dennis Quaid Plays a Notorious Serial Killer in True-Crime Drama From Paramount+". Variety. Retrieved January 28, 2025.
  13. ^ "Happy Face: Season 1". Rotten Tomatoes. Retrieved March 22, 2025.
  14. ^ "Happy Face: Season 1". Metacritic. Retrieved March 21, 2025.
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