Happy Face

I can't express how badly Annaleigh Ashford was for the lead! She is not convincing in a single scene and I think the show could have easily been an 8/10 (or maybe higher) rather than a 6/10 with a stronger female lead. She has basically one stone face expression throughout the series and provides no depth to the show. Just absolutely so bland. I felt like I was watching daytime TV anytime she was on screen.

It's a decent whodunnit but if we're being honest the only actor who really carried their weight was Dennis Quad. Honorable mention to the actor that played the daughter.

It's not a terrible experience but it also difficult to recommend 🤷‍♂️

Some actors I find a bit questionable and cringe but everytime Dennis is on the screen he nails his character and I even sometimes get chills. He does the creepiness and the quick change of emotions really well. You can tell he really took the time to prepare for his character. I think the actress playing Melissa can feel unserious and quirky at times but in a good way if that's the role she was meant to play.

Definitely give this show a chance - it feels alot lighter than other true crime series and i was hesitant at first but I'm glad I started the first episode and then after I was hooked!

This series starts with a promising concept and an engaging atmosphere. However, the overall experience is significantly undermined by the illogical and inconsistent behavior of the main characters - they often make decisions that feel forced or completely unreasonable. On top of that, the constant use of shaky hand-held camera work becomes genuinely irritating. It's not used to enhance realism or tension, but rather seems to be a stylistic choice that adds nothing and only distracts. These two major issues prevent the show from reaching its full potential, despite the good premise and decent acting.

The title pulled me in. The premise - a serial killer's daughter hiding her identity - had weight, tension, something dark and promising. And with Analeigh Ashford in the lead, I figured it had the bones to go somewhere. Episode 1 delivered. It leaned into the paranoia, the fear, the secrets.

Then the show took a wrong turn. The original premise faded, replaced by a routine detective drama padded with forgettable side characters and even more forgettable subplots. Melissa, once a compelling center, spirals into something shrill and exhausting. Her husband - a blank. Her daughter - unbearable.

But Dennis Quaid. He does something almost supernatural. As the serial killer - the actual murderer - he becomes the only one you want to watch. Charming, calm, and razor-sharp, he commands every scene with a twisted campy elegance. Somehow, he turns the monster into the magnet. You don't just understand him. You root for him.

It's a masterclass in subversion. The killer becomes the hero. Everyone else fades. And by the end, you realize the most dangerous man in the story is the only one worth following.

It was an interesting perspective from the vantage point of a serial killer's family member. There is a plethora of true crime serial killer shows out there but very little about being related to one of them and the impact that has. I don't feel that the storyline's intention was to depict the serial killer's story, it was about his actions and the impact that had on those closest to him. In that instance, the series delivered. Quaid does a wonderful job of bringing the narcissistic, manipulative mind of a killer to the viewer and keeps it suspenseful. The show did have a lot of peaks and valleys with regard to maintaining the viewer's interest. Annaleigh Ashford also does excellent work in her portrayal of Melissa. I feel that the story line doesn't dig deep enough into her character to allow it to fully develop. The remaining characters were rather pedestrian and underdeveloped as well. Maybe there will deeper insights into them in further seasons should there be any. One major observation I had that was not addressed in the show was Jesperson's stature. Keith Jesperson was a MASSIVE individual standing 6'8". I discovered this just prior to watching the series and couldn't help but feel how much more intense his character would have been portrayed had this been addressed. The show is good, it's worth watching. It left me wanting a bit more than I was given. Maybe that was the point.