Paramount+ is delivering a swath of thriller/crime shows geared toward an adult audience with TV guru Taylor Sheridan (“Yellowstone,” “Landman,” “King of Tulsa,” “Mayor of Kingstown,” “Lioness”) spearheading a batch of ongoing projects there, Guy Ritchie‘s upcoming “MobLand,” and a new eight-episode true-crime series, “Happy Face,” continues that trend on the streamer.
Inspired by the acclaimed true-crime podcast of the same name, “Happy Face” explores the insane events of Melissa G. Moore’s life. As a teenager, she discovers her beloved father is a prolific serial killer (known as Happy Face, hence the title), and Moore needs to reconnect with him after decades to find out if an innocent man will be put to death for a crime that her father committed.
READ MORE: ‘MobLand’ First Look: Guy Ritchie’s New Crime Series With Tom Hardy, Helen Mirren & Pierce Brosnan Hits Paramount+ On March 30
Jennifer Cacicio (“Your Honor”) serves as showrunner, and the first episode was directed by filmmaker/comedian Michael Showalter (“The Big Sick”). The show’s call sheet includes names such as Annaleigh Ashford (“B Positive,” “American Crime Story”), Dennis Quaid (“The Substance”), James Wolk (“Watchmen”), Tamera Tomakili (“Opus”), Khiyla Aynne, and Benjamin Mackey.
An official logline for “Happy Face” from Paramount+ reads:
At 15, Moore discovered that her beloved father was the prolific serial killer known as Happy Face. As an adult, she has changed her name and guarded her secret while her father has been serving life in prison. Jumping off from Moore’s true-life story, the Paramount+ Original Series follows Melissa (Ashford) and her incarcerated father, known as the Happy Face Killer (Quaid). After decades of no contact, he finally finds a way to force himself back into his daughter’s life. In a race against the clock, Melissa must find out if an innocent man is going to be put to death for a crime her father committed. Throughout, she discovers the impact her father had on his victims’ families and must face a reckoning of her own identity.
We’ve also learned that Paramount+ is set to release the season finale on May 1.
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That two-episode premiere kicks off “Happy Face” on March 20, and you can watch that new series trailer below.