'Happy Face' TV Series Explores Serial Killer's Legacy and Familial Trauma

The Paramount+ drama examines Melissa Moore's journey as the daughter of the 'Happy Face Killer,' blending fact and fiction to address justice, true crime culture, and healing.

The series, which premiered on March 20, 2025, dramatizes Melissa Moore's life as the daughter of serial killer Keith Hunter Jesperson, who murdered at least eight women between 1990 and 1995.
Melissa Moore, who discovered her father's crimes at age 15, has since become a true-crime journalist and advocate for victims' families, a role reflected in the series.
The show incorporates fictional elements, such as Melissa's role as a talk show makeup artist, to heighten narrative tension while addressing themes of trauma and justice.
Critical reception has been mixed, with some praising its exploration of true crime ethics and others criticizing its pacing and dramatization of real events.
The series has sparked conversations about the portrayal of real-life tragedies in media and the balance between storytelling and respecting victims' families.