The first trailer for Happy Face has been released, revealing Dennis Quaid as a serial killer in a Paramount+ show inspired by a true crime podcast. The upcoming true crime TV show pulls from the 2018 podcast Happy Face by Melissa Moore, the real-life daughter of the Happy Face killer, Keith Hunter Jesperson (Quaid). The series was developed by Robert and Michelle King, best known for their work on The Good Wife and Evil, alongside Jennifer Cacicio, a writer on Showtime’s legal drama Your Honor.
Now, Paramount+ has released a trailer for Happy Face, teasing what to expect as Quaid portrays an incarcerated Jesperson. The preview sees Melissa (Annaleigh Ashford), a makeup artist for a talk show, getting told by her boss that a man claiming to be the Happy Face killer called in, and will only talk to her about a victim he never told police about. She reveals he’s her father, as the trailer indicates many flashback sequences to her in her youth will be part of the story.
She ends up visiting him in prison for answers, where he strings her along without offering much information. Melissa starts investigating on her own, feeling like it’s her responsibility to make sure a family gets justice for what happened to their daughter. The trailer teases a death, a house fire, and the main character grappling with the case as she tries to uncover the truth behind her father’s claims. The trailer ends with its release date of March 20, 2025. Check out the full trailer below:
What Happy Face’s Trailer Says About The Upcoming True Crime Drama
Melissa Is Forced To Grapple With The Sins Of Her Father
Happy Face is the first new show the Kings have developed since Evil was cancelled in 2024, the horror drama often considered one of the best original shows on Paramount+. Unlike the supernatural series, this crime drama is rooted in reality, pulling from both the aforementioned podcast and Moore’s 2009 autobiography Shattered Silence, co-authored by M. Bridget Cook. The real Moore also serves as an executive producer on the eight-episode series, which will be released weekly on the streaming platform after a two-episode premiere.
Related
10 Shows Like Evil To Watch If You’re Annoyed About Season 5 Not Happening
Though Evil won’t be getting a season 5, there are still plenty of great TV shows that have similar supernatural mysteries & fantasy storylines.
In addition to Quaid and Ashford, other stars include James Wolk as Ben Moore, Melissa’s husband, alongside Khiyla Aynne and Benjamin Mackey as her children, Hazel and Max. More cast members include David Harewood as Dr. Greg, Melissa’s boss and host of The Dr. Greg Show, Tamera Tomakili as show producer Ivy, Damon Gupton as death row convict Elijah, and Momona Tamada as Eva, Hazel’s friend and a true crime enthusiast. These cast members signal the talent behind the show will have plenty of importance as the father-daughter dynamic takes center stage.
Our Take On Happy Face’s New Trailer
A Disturbing Real-Life Case Will Unravel
Despite Evil getting cancelled, the Kings are clearly still bringing their talent to new and exciting Paramount+ shows like the true crime drama. The trailer emphasizes the Melissa’s fears after being contacted by her serial killer father, while also exploring her determination to get justice for a girl whose death has gone unnoticed. With the series premiering in just a few weeks, it won’t be long until Happy Face starts delivering clues to its answers.
Robert and Michelle King are also executive producers for Elsbeth, a spinoff of The Good Wife they also created.
Source: Paramount+/YouTube
Happy Face
- Release Date
-
March 20, 2025
- Network
-
Paramount+
- Directors
-
Michael Showalter
-
-
Annaleigh Ashford
Melissa Moore
-
-
