Warning: This review contains spoilers for Happy Face Episodes 1 & 2
Can Annaleigh Ashford’s Melissa Moore break the cycle of games and trauma that her father created inHappy Face? The first two episodes of Paramount+’s new true-crime TV show suggest she’s not so sure.The series features lead performances from Ashford and Dennis Quaid as her terrifying father,the real killer, Keith Hunter Jesperson. True-crime buffs everywhere will be interested to see howHappy Facetakes the life of Melissa Moore, who has widely discussed her experience and heightens, fictionalizes, and mines it for all the drama and mystery it can provide.
True crime media, both documentaries and fictionalizations, are lightning rods for controversy, as they inherently take advantage of the stories of people whose lives were shattered. However,Happy Facebrings this angle into the fold, letting the audience know that the series doesn’t want to exploit anyone.The real Moore serves as an executive producer,and the fact that she’s so openly discussed these events in the past makes me think that she’s all too aware of what media attention can do. So, the real question is howHappy Facewill surprise us and maintain interest.
Happy Face Tackles The Question Of True Crime
With Increased Self-Awareness, Happy Face Tackles Another Real-Life Mystery
Quaid has the easy job of being the scary, off-putting serial killer, and the actor is having the time of his life playing the villain. Conversely, Ashford has it tough as Melissa, a woman pushed to her emotional limits by the end of episode one and ready to change the world by the end of episode two. TheHappy Facepremiere,“The Confession,” drops us right into the story, getting a glimpse of Melissa’s normal family lifeand hinting that she is hiding her light under a bushel, along with some other bombshells.
There’s an element of self-awareness that I appreciate aboutHappy Faceas it derives its story from true crime; there are conversations about what our cultural obsession with this means. Melissa’s young daughter, Hazel (Khiyla Aynne), comes face-to-face with the true crime world, which introduces her to a world all too ready to take advantage of her past and get some kind of satisfaction out of it. The parallel experiences of Jesperson, Melissa, and Hazel are neatly laid out byHappy Face, another series that will grapple with generational trauma. How well it will handle it is still unknown.
With Jesperson already in jail and out of Melissa’s life,Happy Facebends over backward to inform us that there’s still danger out there and that the stakes are higher than ever.
The producer with whom Melissa works closely, Ivy (Tamera Tomakili), is an intriguing figure in the show, and I hopeHappy Facedoesn’t squander her character. She’s already walking a line between pushing Melissa too far for her own benefit while also being fueled by a genuine desire to make a difference. The added layer of Melissa’s TV show,a thinly veiledDr. Philstand-in, has emotional exploitation and manipulation coming out of its ears.We can bet this will be a central theme inHappy Face. Melissa might have inherited this talent, but maybe she’ll use it for good.
By the end of episode two, “Killing Shame,” the game is on, and the wants and needs of our central characters are apparent, but I wishHappy Facehad kicked into gear a little sooner. The series wanted to develop a semblance of the status quo, butHappy Facedrags. With Jesperson already in jail and out of Melissa’s life,Happy Facebends over backward to inform us that there’s still danger out there and that the stakes are higher than ever. I don’t fully believe this yet.
Happy Face Unfolds Like Other Crime Dramas, But It Might Still Distinguish Itself
I’m Interested To See Where The Series Is Heading
Sometimes, the biggest issue with true crime is that the writers have to adhere to the actual events. While this isn’t the case forHappy Faceyet, I’m only two episodes in, and it will be intriguing to see whatHappy Facehas in store for Melissa and her family.Flashbacks to Melissa’s past ramp up in “Killing Shame,“which gives me insight into her character but might end up being a weakness. The series has to work hard to catch us up on Melissa’s past and it seems nervous we won’t be able to keep up.
Happy Face Review: I Was Deeply Engrossed In Paramount+’s Thoroughly Suspenseful & Twisted True Crime Thriller Series
The eight-episode series offers a semi-scathing look at the glamorization of serial killers by underscoring the effect they have on those around them.
As much asHappy Facetries to distinguish itself from typical true crime fare, it relies heavily on classic tropes of the mystery genre and is pretty heavy-handed with its foreshadowing. Loud conversations over the phone on speaker, obvious dialogue, and a general disregard for safety will doubtlessly lead to violence and ruin for many involved. However,Happy Facemakes me willing to be led down this well-worn path, even if I know what’s coming. Since everyone’s a true crime buff these days, the job of mystery shows isn’t to surprise us but to ensure we have fun on the journey.
New episodes ofHappy Faceare available to stream each Thursday on Paramount+.
Happy Face Episodes 1 and 2
Happy Face, set for release on July 17, 2025, centers on Melissa Reed, daughter of the infamous Happy Face Killer, Keith Jesperson. After years apart, Melissa is drawn into a tense investigation to exonerate an innocent man, confronting her father’s legacy and her own identity.
