The highly anticipated original drama series HAPPY FACE. The eight-episode season will premiere on Thursday, March 20 with two episodes, exclusively on Paramount+ in the U.S. and international markets where the service is available. Following the premiere, new episodes will drop weekly on Thursdays, with the season finale on May 1.
HAPPY FACE features a star-studded cast, including Emmy-nominated and Tony Award-winning actress Annaleigh Ashford, Emmy Award and two-time Golden Globe-nominated actor Dennis Quaid and series regulars James Wolk, Tamera Tomakili, Khiyla Aynne and Benjamin Mackey.
HAPPY FACE is inspired by the true-life story of Melissa G. Moore; the critically acclaimed Happy Face podcast from iHeartPodcasts and Moore; and the autobiography Shattered Silence, written by Moore with M. Bridget Cook. 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.
HAPPY FACE is produced by CBS Studios in association with King Size Productions, iHeartPodcasts and Semi-Formal Productions. Jennifer Cacicio (Your Honor, Shooter) serves as showrunner for the series and executive producer alongside Robert and Michelle King, Liz Glotzer, Melissa G. Moore, Conal Byrne, Will Pearson, Michael Showalter and Jordana Mollick. Michael Showalter (The Dropout, The Eyes of Tammy Faye) also directed the first episode. The series is distributed by Paramount Global Content Distribution.
About Paramount+
Paramount+, part of Paramount’s (Nasdaq: PARA, PARAA) global portfolio of multimedia entertainment and news brands, is a direct-to-consumer digital subscription video on-demand and live streaming service, combining live sports, breaking news and A Mountain of Entertainment™. The streaming service features an expansive library of original series, hit shows and popular movies across every genre from world-renowned brands and production studios, including BET, CBS, Comedy Central, MTV, Nickelodeon, Paramount Pictures and the Smithsonian Channel. Paramount+ with SHOWTIME, the service’s cornerstone plan, is also home to SHOWTIME® content, including scripted hits and critically acclaimed nonfiction projects and films. This premium plan includes unmatched events and sports programming through the local live CBS stream, including golf, basketball and more. All Paramount+ subscribers have streaming access to CBS News Network for 24/7 news and CBS Sports HQ for sports news and analysis.
