I was excited to finally meet Melissa’s brother inHappy Faceepisode 4, and I was right to think that his appearance would give additional insight into her character. Shane, played by Philip Ettinger, is a strong foil to Melissa, as he’s been able to find a kind of equilibrium and peace with his father, if not his legacy. After Melissa was emotionally rocked by the emotional conclusion ofHappy Faceepisode 3,“Controlled Burn” sees her drift further from her family but closer to self-acceptancein a well-paced episode.
Happy Faceepisode 4 gives us another piece of the murderous puzzle Keith has laid outfor Melissa, but the investigation takes a backseat in “Controlled Burn.” Though there’s some progression with Hazel and her confused teenage feelings, as well as the clear deterioration of Melissa’s marriage, it’s her relationship with Shane that takes precedence. The siblings grapple with the guilt and shame they’ve carried their whole lives, opening up in ways we haven’t yet seen from Melissa, which helps us empathize and connect.
Keith Makes Plans In Happy Face Episode 4, But His Endgame Isn’t Clear
The Series Is Using Him As Its Central Mystery
It will be interesting to see what Keith’s endgame is inHappy Face, as it’s clear he wants to worm his way into both Melissa and Hazel’s lives, but why he does isn’t clear. To manipulate them and have control is too easy, too obvious. He’s a man who has no trouble getting what he wants from people, so it could just be the satisfaction of bending Melissa to his will. As much as she says she’s different from Keith,Melissa keeps proving that her will is just as strong and that she refuses to be someone who’s pushed around.
Unfortunately, this self-actualization is coming at the cost of her marriage and family. Melissa only briefly thinks about what her journey is doing to her loved ones, andit won’t be long until her husband is fed up.However, it could be a good thing for Melissa to leave this part of her life behind. She won’t abandon her children, but the family life she created helped her shed the difficult childhood she experienced and prove just how normal and happy her life can be. The investigation has lit a spark inside her that will grow throughoutHappy Face.
Happy Facehas already shown all of its cards and driven home the point that the central conflict of the series will be Melissa proving to herself that she isn’t her father.
How Melissa responds to this emotional development is still on the table, but her journey is all too apparent.Happy Facehas already shown all of its cards and driven home the point that the central conflict of the series will be Melissa proving to herself that she isn’t her father. She’s said it many times already, and many more in “Controlled Burn,” but she doesn’t quite believe it yet. However, waiting for her to show the same compassion to herself that she showed Shane isn’t enough of a plot to propelHappy Facethrough its remaining episodes.
The series doesn’t leave me much room to imagine what will happen next for the characters or how further explored their emotional journeys will be. It’s easy to predict what will happen next and how Melissa will have to heal, maybe leaving behind the life she’s built for herself. This is likely whyHappy Facespends so much time building up the murder mystery and the ominous threats and vague pieces of evidencethat Keith drops in his wake.
I Liked Getting To Know Melissa In “Controlled Burn”
Seeing The Juxtaposition Between Hazel & Melissa Is Compelling
I felt for Hazel throughout “Controlled Burn.“Even though many of the choices she’s making are more than inadvisable, I understand why she’s making them and why she’s so angry at Melissa. It’s not the parallels between Keith and Melissa that interest me the most, but the parallels between Melissa and Hazel. Whenever we get a flashback scene with young Melissa,Happy Faceopens the door for us to connect more deeply with the show. We know that the last thing Melissa wants is for Hazel to go through what she did.
Happy Facetakes a stab at larger social and cultural commentary in “Controlled Burn,” and though the message isn’t particularly fresh or new, it’s still one worth hearing and remembering. Melissa confronting her abusive ex-boyfriend gives her the power to then set new boundaries with Keith, even if this doesn’t go exactly as planned. It’s exciting to see her in control of her life, even as some parts of it slip away from her. ThoughHappy Faceepisode 4 didn’t give us many mysteries to uncover, this break in the tension for character development was necessary.
New episodes ofHappy Faceare available to stream each Thursday on Paramount+.
Happy Face
Happy Face, set for release on August 03, 2025, centers on Melissa Reed, daughter of the infamous Happy Face Killer, Keith Jesperson. After years apart, Melissa is drawn into a tense investigation to exonerate an innocent man, confronting her father’s legacy and her own identity.
