If you think you know Dennis Quaid, you probably picture the charming dad from The Parent Trap or the gritty hero in The Right Stuff. He’s got that signature grin, right? Well, forget it. In his latest television project, Quaid is trading the "good guy" persona for something genuinely skin-crawling.
He's playing a serial killer.
The Dennis Quaid new TV show is titled Happy Face, and it’s currently streaming on Paramount+. This isn't just another procedurals-by-numbers drama you'd find on network TV at 8:00 PM. It’s a dark, psychological dive into the real-life story of Keith Hunter Jesperson, the man notoriously dubbed the "Happy Face Killer."
The Gory Reality Behind the Screen
Keith Jesperson wasn't just a murderer; he was a narcissist who was frustrated that he wasn't getting enough credit for his crimes. He started drawing smiley faces on letters to the media and authorities, bragging about his kills. Honestly, it's the kind of ego-driven horror that makes your stomach turn.
In Happy Face, Quaid portrays Jesperson as he sits behind bars. The show doesn't focus solely on the crimes themselves, which honestly, we’ve seen enough of in the true crime genre. Instead, it centers on the wreckage left behind—specifically the relationship between Jesperson and his daughter, Melissa Moore.
Annaleigh Ashford stars as Melissa. She’s the one who has to carry the weight of her father’s legacy while trying to live a "normal" life. It’s heavy stuff. You’ve got this woman who discovered as a teenager that her dad was a monster, and now, years later, he’s forcing his way back into her psyche.
Why This Role Is a Career Pivot
People are talking about this performance because it’s a total 180 for Quaid. Usually, he’s the moral compass of a movie. Here? He’s the void.
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He recently told Parade that if you’re a fan of Dateline, this show is basically your new obsession. But it feels more personal than a news segment. The series "jumps off" from Melissa Moore’s actual life, using her autobiography Shattered Silence and her popular iHeartPodcast as the foundation.
- The Premise: Melissa is forced to investigate whether her father actually committed a crime that another man is currently on death row for.
- The Conflict: To save an innocent man, she has to talk to the one person she never wanted to see again.
- The Twist: As the investigation unfolds, she has to figure out if she’s more like her father than she’d ever care to admit.
The show is produced by some heavy hitters, too. Jennifer Cacicio is the showrunner, and the executive producer list includes Robert and Michelle King (the minds behind The Good Fight and Evil). You can feel that influence—it’s got that slightly off-kilter, intellectual edge that they’re famous for.
Is This Part of the Yellowstone Universe?
There’s been some confusion online because Quaid has been working with Taylor Sheridan lately. He was a standout as Deputy U.S. Marshal Sherrill Lynn in Lawmen: Bass Reeves.
But let’s be clear: Happy Face is its own beast.
While Bass Reeves was originally marketed as an 1883 spinoff, it eventually became a standalone anthology. There’s no cowboy hats or horses here. This is modern-day Oregon, grey skies, and prison visitation rooms. If you’re looking for Quaid in a Western, you’re better off rewatching Bass Reeves or looking for his upcoming documentary series, Saving Yellowstone, which explores the actual national park.
What the Critics Are Saying (and What They're Getting Wrong)
Reviews have been a bit of a mixed bag, to be honest. Some viewers on places like Reddit have complained that the show fictionalizes too much. They point out that the real Melissa Moore is an executive producer, yet the show adds dramatic layers—like a subplot about an innocent man on death row—that didn't necessarily happen in real life.
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That’s a fair critique. If you want a 100% factual documentary, watch the podcast.
But as a piece of television? Quaid is magnetic. He plays Jesperson with a chilling mix of fatherly warmth and cold, calculated manipulation. It makes you realize how someone like that could hide in plain sight for so long.
The pacing is also wild. One episode feels like a slow-burn family drama, and the next is a race-against-the-clock thriller. It’s not "comfortable" TV. It’s designed to make you feel a little bit of that "killing shame" the title of the second episode refers to.
Essential Details for Your Watchlist
If you're planning to binge this, here's the quick breakdown of what you need to know.
- Where to watch: Paramount+ exclusively.
- Episode count: Season 1 consists of 8 episodes.
- Primary Cast: Dennis Quaid, Annaleigh Ashford, James Wolk, and Tamera Tomakili.
- Rating: TV-MA (for obvious reasons—it's about a serial killer).
Beyond the Screen: Quaid's 2026 Takeover
The Dennis Quaid new TV show is just the tip of the iceberg for the actor this year. He’s currently in a massive career resurgence. Besides Happy Face, he's starring in the Netflix sci-fi action flick War Machine (releasing March 2026) alongside Alan Ritchson.
He’s also leaning into his "statesman" era. Following his portrayal of Ronald Reagan, he’s becoming the go-to guy for projects that require a certain American gravitas. But Happy Face is the one that proves he still has the range to be dangerous.
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It’s easy to dismiss celebrity-led crime shows as "just another' entry in a crowded market. But there is something deeply unsettling about watching a man who looks like Dennis Quaid—someone we’ve "trusted" for forty years on screen—play a man who can kill without a second thought.
Actionable Insights for True Crime Fans
If you’re going to dive into Happy Face, do yourself a favor and listen to a few episodes of the original podcast first. It provides the context that the TV show sometimes skips over for the sake of drama. Understanding the real Melissa Moore’s voice makes Annaleigh Ashford’s performance even more impressive.
Also, keep an eye on the background details in the prison scenes. The production design is intentionally claustrophobic. It mirrors the way Melissa feels trapped by her DNA.
Ultimately, this show isn't just about a killer. It’s about the survivors. It’s about what happens when the "happy face" drops and you’re forced to look at what’s underneath.
To get the most out of your viewing experience, start with the first two episodes, which were released as a double-premiere. They set the tone for the investigation in Texas and the psychological warfare between father and daughter that carries the rest of the season.