Dennis Quaid Is a Convincingly Creepy ‘Happy Face’ Killer, but Paramount’s True Crime Drama Misses the Mark: TV Review

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In essence, television shows are frequently referred to as a writer’s medium due to the crucial role plots play in them. Even if a show has intriguing themes, it needs a solid structure and momentum to carry the narrative across several episodes. To adapt Melissa Moore’s story, played by Annaleigh Ashford, who is an author, podcaster, and the daughter of Keith Jesperson, the ‘Happy Face Killer‘, into a series, showrunner Jennifer Cacicio (of “Your Honor” and “Sexy Beast”) and executive producers Robert and Michelle King (of “The Good Fight” and “Elsbeth”) couldn’t rely solely on the past. When Melissa was a teenager, she discovered that her father had murdered at least eight women across the country while working as a truck driver. In adulthood, Cacicio and the Kings need to introduce more pressing conflicts in Melissa’s present, which is a necessary tactic but can sometimes overshadow the heaviest ideas presented in the series, simply titled “Happy Face.

The Kings are renowned for their proficiency in contemporary procedurals, skillfully incorporating religious symbolism (“Evil”) or political intrigue (“The Good Wife”) into brief, under-50-minute episodes that exude a sense of richness without being overly dense. However, their partnership with Cacicio prolongs a single case across eight episodes. This elongation seems to have affected the show’s characteristic agile, lighthearted, and dynamic tone, often seen in Kings productions, even those centered around serial killings. (It’s worth noting that Michael Showalter, the producing director, has a background in comedy, which has influenced series like “The Dropout,” but “Happy Face” is undeniably a drama.) Consequently, the series adds additional storylines to Melissa’s journey of confronting her past, some more successful at revealing her internal struggles than others.

As I settle into “Happy Face,” I find myself nestled within the tranquil, long-coveted family life I never had, residing in a roomy Seattle abode with my unassuming spouse Ben (James Wolk), our teenage daughter Hazel (Khiyla Anne) and young son Max (Benjamin Mackey). Despite his incarceration merely a few hours away, I’ve kept my father Keith at arm’s length for the majority of three decades. However, when he manages to breach this barrier by reaching out to me through my role as a makeup artist on a local talk show hosted by popular figure Dr. “Not Phil” Greg (David Harewood), it stirs something within me I can’t ignore. When Keith makes a direct call to Greg revealing a murder conviction he claims another man was wrongly charged with in the ’90s, it’s like catnip to both the show’s producers and my own lingering feelings of guilt.

Clearing Elijah (Damon Gumpton), who could legally be Keith’s executioner, provides Melissa and producer Ivy (Tamera Tomakili) – as well as “Happy Face” itself – a solid lead to concentrate on amidst Melissa’s murky feelings about her possible involvement in Keith’s crimes. This includes questioning whether she and her family are victims, and the lingering affection she can’t suppress. Ashford, who has experience on Broadway and in the “Happy Face” universe (much like New York-area actors who have appeared in both “Evil” and “The Good Fight”), skillfully portrays a conflicted woman who acts on feelings she doesn’t fully comprehend. However, Melissa’s predicament is disturbingly authentic, but the resurrected cold case is a creation of the show, and unfortunately, the requirement to construct an engaging narrative and the aspiration to make a profound statement about true crime obsession don’t always coincide.

Happy Face” is primarily a true crime story that seeks to challenge or at least complement other works within the genre. Quaid expands upon his role from last year’s “The Substance,” portraying an even more sinister embodiment of predatory masculinity. However, “Happy Face” ensures that Melissa, Elijah, and the families affected by Keith’s actions remain at the center. Despite Ivy’s request to shift away from cases involving missing girls and mourning mothers, we find ourselves immersed in a series that encompasses both these themes. Interestingly, it employs a real-life murderer as a means to draw viewers in.

In the narrative of “Happy Face,” both characters Hazel and Ben receive individual subplots to enrich the story. Ben’s predicament, initially mild and insignificant, undergoes a dramatic and unexpected intensification towards the end. Hazel’s predicament serves as another perspective on the true-crime obsession, with an additional layer of teenage girls inflicting emotional harm upon each other, which they pass off as friendship. However, neither of these storylines surpass the central tension between Melissa and Keith, always remaining secondary to that main conflict.

As a devoted cinephile, I must say that the dance sequence in this film is mesmerizingly complex. The protagonist, Keith, seems to view both Melissa and the media as pawns to be maneuvered for attention and power. Meanwhile, Melissa begins to realize that there’s little to understand about her estranged relative that wasn’t already known.

However, the intricate tapestry of their relationship sometimes feels out of sync with the straightforward quest to clear Elijah’s name. At times, the narrative strays from being a two-person drama and expands into a broader ensemble, which can make it slightly less compelling.

In essence, “Happy Face” is intriguing, yet its structure sometimes seems at odds with its purpose, leaving me yearning for a more harmonious blend of form and function.

Currently, the initial pair of “Happy Face” episodes can be found streaming on Paramount+. The subsequent episodes will be released every Thursday moving forward.

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2025-03-20 16:18