Happy Face on Paramount+ drew me in from the start. The series, which premiered March 20, 2025, is inspired by Melissa Moore, the daughter of Keith Hunter Jesperson, the so‑called Happy Face Killer. It dives into the dark intersections of family and trauma, and I found myself googling details long after I finished an episode. I wanted to write this review, just as I have for other true‑crime shows.
When Melissa was 15, she learned that her father was the infamous killer, a revelation that upturned her world. Based on her memoir Shattered Silence and the Happy Face podcast, the show follows Melissa (Annaleigh Ashford) as she confronts her past when her father (Dennis Quaid) reaches out from prison with new information about a murder he hadn’t disclosed before. The premise sets up a gripping narrative that blends personal struggle with a search for justice.
The series also follows Melissa’s life beyond the case—her career, her family, and the struggle to understand her father. Seeing how her daughter processes it, and the pull to see him again, hits close to home. I can relate in some ways, having only met my own father in my late twenties.
I’m drawn to the other central thread: Melissa’s passion to free a man who remains jailed, driven by her father’s confession. The twists feel deliberate—some crafted for drama, others rooted in what actually happened.
Check out the Happy Face podcast and the book Shattered Silence by Melissa G. Moore!
Happy Face is more than a true‑crime series; it’s a heartfelt look at a daughter reclaiming her life from the shadows of her father’s crimes. For fans of the genre, it offers suspense and emotional depth. I’ll be reading Melissa’s book and listening to her podcast as part of the journey she’s shared through dark times.
