Happy Face

It's not bad, but I think it tries to do a lot of things at once, and as result does not get particular good at any of them. There are multiple plotlines (which is fine, of course), and they do make sense considering the circumstances, but most of them feel quite shallow. And investigation bits are not that compelling.

On one hand, that's all understandable, since it's based on real life, and real life is not that "dramatic" most of the time, but this is a TV show, so some extra dramatization could be beneficial. As is it feels more like they had specific points in a plan, that needed to be checked off, and they did just that.

On the other hand, the show has moments when it tries to be almost like a "thriller", especially with some choices in music, and with some camera shots. As if there is some mystery, but there actually is no mystery at all. If the same tension was applied to the whole series, especially to parts related to relationships inside the family - it probably would have had more impact.

This is still a decent watch, though. Annaleigh was great, other actors were not far behind most of the times as well. "The Cranberries" in the soundtrack? And it is way more cohesive compared to "Good American Family", that started around the same time and is also based on true events.

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.

The show itself is based on a true story but the story portrayed takes liberties to make it interesting. It's not meant to be a documentary. The "politics" people complain about is not a bad thing; rather it's to highlight the REAL injustices that happen across our beautiful country and it's also worth highlighting how corrupt our justice system can be, why complain? We simply cannot live in a bubble of our own making and then get mad others have different experiences. ANYWAYS, the show is a tad dry, there def should be more Quaid time.. who knew he was so good at acting maniacal! The characters are kind of cheesy, typical but also portrayed in a way that feels more natural for what humans go through in tough situations. The show sets you up to dislike the daughter, and yet empathy (which some of us still have) allows you to see how complex being his daughter was and still is, and that navigating life is never easy or obvious. Some people do not go to therapy despite trauma and that's another part worth noting too. Didn't even notice the pronoun thing, but I also don't let things bother me when they shouldn't. Show is overall worth watching, even if its not the best. The scenes are done well, the transitions are captivating, characters are solid enough and the story will keep you interested (just not the binge worthy type everyone seeks out).

The story of the Happy Face Killer was interesting enough without making up some BS.

While I know that most movies based on true stories embellish, I found watching the fictional side story and subsequent "investigation" distracting and I watched only 3 episodes before I just had had enough.

Merging characters and events for time constraints or to try to provide clarity I can understand, but making up the side quest out of whole cloth really detracted from the show, and really felt quite exploitative.

I'm pretty offended on behalf of the real victims and their families; this smacks of totally tone-deaf cashgrab.

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.