True crime has all the time solid a perverse spell over society’s creativeness, however the matter’s modern reputation growth has propelled it right into a constant limelight. For some, devouring leisure dedicated to crime circumstances offers a secure avenue for them to discover their primal fears. For others, their fascination morbidly exploits real-life tragedies on the expense of respecting the victims’ recollections and the privateness of their grieving family members. Though Paramount+’s upcoming drama Comfortable Face is born from this ecosystem, the collection voices a not often seen perspective. Comfortable Face relies on the podcast of the identical title by host Melissa Moore, the daughter of Keith Hunter Jesperson, the serial killer dubbed “the Comfortable Face Killer.” In 2021, Moore instructed Marie Claire why she determined to come back ahead after a long time of avoiding any affiliation together with her vile father: “My intent is to inform these tales that we predict we all know, however from a distinct perspective, the perspective of a survivor, any individual who’s associated to or lived with the killer or the sufferer.”

Created by showrunner Jennifer Cacicio in addition to the powerhouse government producing duo Robert and Michelle King (Evil, The Good Spouse), Comfortable Face strikes a powerful blow in opposition to our tradition’s routine glorification of serial killers. This fictionalized chronicle of Moore’s life is the subsequent step in her awareness-raising and community-building advocacy, and Comfortable Face principally accomplishes its purpose, however not with out some rocky bumps alongside the best way.

What Is ‘Comfortable Face’ About?

As Melissa Moore (Annaleigh Ashford) prepares for her daughter’s birthday celebration, she experiences a visceral response to particular objects within the grocery retailer: a roll of duct tape, a package deal of zip ties. The innocuous objects carry horrifying recollections — when Melissa was 15 years previous, she found the daddy who doted on her was a rapist and a serial killer accountable for the brutal deaths of no less than eight confirmed girls. In accordance with his confession letters, Keith Hunter Jesperson (Dennis Quaid), a long-haul truck driver, started killing in 1990 and went undetected till he turned himself in. Earlier than the courtroom sentenced him to serve three consecutive life sentences, his signature on those self same letters was a boastful, haunting smiley face.

Together with the eight households thrown into eternally devastating upheaval, studying about Jesperson’s sadism left Melissa’s Pacific Northwest childhood in ruins. The person who brought about such hurt wasn’t the daddy she knew, although she witnessed so-called warning indicators. Now an grownup, Melissa nonetheless carries the burden of guilt and disgrace. She will be able to’t assist however really feel accountable, questioning if she may have stopped her father if she acted upon her uneasy suspicions. However Melissa was a toddler dwelling with an emotionally manipulative and abusive mother or father; it was unfathomable to contemplate that Jesperson’s inconsistencies hinted at a heinous fact.

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By the point Comfortable Face opens, Melissa has lower all ties with Jesperson, modified her final title, and married Ben Moore (James Wolk), with whom she has two youngsters, excessive schooler Hazel (Khiyla Aynne) and nine-year-old Max (Benjamin Mackey). She’s additionally grow to be a make-up artist for The Dr. Greg Present, a daytime well being and wellness speak present. When her father efficiently reaches Melissa, he captures her unwilling consideration by dangling a stunning admission like a cat taking part in with a mouse – Jesperson claims he killed a ninth girl, Heather (Leah Jacksties), and has lastly determined to come back ahead.

The timing of Jesperson’s confession is essential, as the person convicted of Heather’s homicide, her boyfriend Elijah (Damon Gupton), is a Black man on dying row with lower than 50 days left earlier than his execution. To show Elijah’s innocence and ensure her father’s involvement, in addition to supply fellow survivors a sympathetic lifeline, Melissa broadcasts her connection to Jesperson by way of The Dr. Greg Present. Opening up on nationwide tv makes her weak to harassment from members of the family of Jesperson’s victims, however it additionally hyperlinks her to individuals in related conditions who’re looking for solace. And the extra Melissa speaks together with her father, the extra their precarious conversations shatter the preconceptions she as soon as used as safeguards in opposition to her trauma.

‘Comfortable Face’ Places Its Concentrate on the Victims

When the collection begins, Melissa insists her father exhibited some caring, optimistic qualities. That sentiment might not maintain by the top of Comfortable Face‘s eight episodes (all of which had been offered for evaluation). Not like different crime dramas primarily based on true tales, like Netflix’s Mindhunter or Apple TV+’s Black Chicken, this collection is not making an attempt to probe the depths of a serial killer’s psychology. Comfortable Face‘s dramatic impetus stems from exploring a really particular form of trauma: being the kid of a vicious mass assassin whom you as soon as beloved, in addition to the life-shattering anguish felt by these associated to his victims. Moms grieving their daughters, a son left alone on the planet with out his mom, siblings desperately looking for justice — when a serial killer strikes, the ripple results stain every thing in sight.

For Melissa particularly, Jesperson’s confession and her subsequent investigation causes friction inside her in any other case loving household. Generational trauma proves inconceivable to keep away from and almost inconceivable to navigate. In spite of everything, grief by no means leaves; it merely transforms earlier than sneaking up on you want a thief within the night time. Past this uncomfortable truth, Melissa herself can not deny her best worry — that she inherited her father’s darkness.

‘Comfortable Face’ Refuses To Glorify Serial Killers

Specializing in the victims doesn’t suggest Comfortable Face ignores Jesperson’s psyche, however it does demystify the celebrification of serial killers. Hazel’s finest pal Eva (Momona Tamada) self-describes herself as a “murderino,” a time period for the fanbase of the My Favourite Homicide podcast, and eagerly drags Hazel to a museum exhibit dedicated to serial killers, together with Jesperson. Folks go round trivia and promote artwork concerning the man who brutally ended eight lives, however cannot be bothered to honor his victims’ names.

As for Jesperson, he sometimes demonstrates what seems like tenderness on the floor. But when Melissa utters a single phrase he dislikes, he turns visceral and venomous on a dime. A strolling instance of narcissism, every thing he does is to satiate his ravenous ego. It is regular to battle our means by means of understanding how anybody may commit such heinous acts, and a part of that psychological excavation is questioning whether or not a person like Jesperson can really feel love. With out revealing any spoilers, Comfortable Face undoubtedly solutions that query — and even when it chooses to stay ambiguous, Jesperson undeniably gaslights Melissa and weaponizes their recollections in opposition to her. No hunt for the slimmest of redemptive qualities is well worth the scrutiny these males obtain.

‘Comfortable Face’s Tone Doesn’t Solidify Till Its Again Half

With this survivor-first focus in thoughts, Comfortable Face winds up as extra of a household drama fused with investigative journalism than a typical crime-based collection. General, the present is not as sinister as one may anticipate. The writing and directing group emphasizes a dryly ironic facet — a tactic that does make the subject material simpler to swallow, but additionally raises an emotional barrier in opposition to the viewers. For a subject so fraught, intimate, and misunderstood, Comfortable Face‘s tonal consistency and thematic authenticity imply that the collection does not actually discover itself till the midway mark. As a result of it does not absolutely decide to both a black comedy temper or the grime-infested toxicity of a collection like True Detective, its early episodes really feel disconnected from the required gravitas. Key emotional moments fizzle out moderately than burn the constructing down. Though its items do solidify right into a coherent and satisfying complete across the halfway level, combining that preliminary take away with generic dialogue and performances that learn a bit too synthetic throughout the board makes Comfortable Face‘s first half tough to know.

As for these performances, Quaid’s Jesperson is half-menacing and half-kooky in a way that calls to thoughts an off-brand Joker. Whether or not that is an correct portrait of Jesperson’s demeanor or not, one can not help however surprise if a calmer, much less unraveled interpretation would have produced a extra chilling end result. Quaid is neither fairly excessive nor diabolical sufficient to the purpose of feeling miscast. His finest second happens when one other character confronts him about his actions, and as an alternative of hanging out with one in every of his deplorable rants, he crumbles, mumbling his means by means of nugatory, self-serving apologies. Jesperson’s manipulative energy may lengthen past the jail partitions, however he is nothing greater than a pathetic man who kills for pleasure.

Ashford, in the meantime, takes a second to settle into her function; the collection’ uneven tone appears to restrain her talents. As soon as the collection ranges out, so does Ashford, and she or he sells the manifold nuances of Melissa’s existence. As a household drama in the beginning, Comfortable Face indulges in a number of candy, quiet, and vital moments, like Melissa mendacity on Hazel’s mattress as they share an intimate dialog or Ashford pretending she isn’t a Tony Award-winning singer on the karaoke microphone. When Melissa weeps, her face streaked with moist mascara, the scene rings out as shattering and cathartic.

‘Comfortable Face’ Shines a Flawed however Profitable Gentle on True Crime Tradition

Comfortable Face‘s ultimate scene leaves the door open for a possible Season 2. If that renewal happens, the collection should not backslide Melissa’s growth. The character’s journey hinges upon her reconciling with the ghosts of her previous and re-seizing management from her scheming and loathsome father. Regardless of the collection’ future could also be, although Comfortable Face‘s preliminary tonal and dialogue weaknesses contribute to it falling simply wanting its potential, its complete message — dwelling with intricate wounds, elevating the scum of the earth whereas abandoning the victims, America’s profoundly flawed justice system, and the racist incarceration system — slices by means of the noise loud and clear.

Comfortable Face premieres March 20 on Paramount+, with new episodes airing Thursdays.

Comfortable Face

Comfortable Face takes a shot at our tradition’s obsession with serial killers, although not with out some bumps alongside the best way.

Launch Date

March 20, 2025

Community

Paramount+

Administrators

Michael Showalter

Execs & Cons

• Comfortable Face shifts focus away from the serial killer onto the individuals harmed by his violence.
• The collection addresses quite a few tough and well timed matters.
• Annaleigh Ashford and the remainder of the ensemble ship excellence within the again half.

• Comfortable Face’s first half fails to strike a transparent tone.
• The primary half’s inconsistences lead to some initially stiff and compelled performances.
• Dennis Quaid feels miscast as Keith Jesperson.