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Happy Town

  • TV Series
  • 2010
IMDb RATING
7.0/10
3.5K
YOUR RATING
Happy Town (2010)
DramaFantasyMysteryThriller

A deputy sheriff is confronted with the unsolved mystery of a half-dozen child kidnappings over the past decade in a small town in Minnesota.A deputy sheriff is confronted with the unsolved mystery of a half-dozen child kidnappings over the past decade in a small town in Minnesota.A deputy sheriff is confronted with the unsolved mystery of a half-dozen child kidnappings over the past decade in a small town in Minnesota.

  • Creators
    • Josh Appelbaum
    • André Nemec
    • Scott Rosenberg
  • Stars
    • Geoff Stults
    • Lauren German
    • Amy Acker
  • See production info at IMDbPro
  • IMDb RATING
    7.0/10
    3.5K
    YOUR RATING
    • Creators
      • Josh Appelbaum
      • André Nemec
      • Scott Rosenberg
    • Stars
      • Geoff Stults
      • Lauren German
      • Amy Acker
    • 30User reviews
    • 6Critic reviews
  • See production info at IMDbPro
  • See production info at IMDbPro
    • Awards
      • 1 nomination total

    Episodes8

    Browse episodes
    TopTop-rated1 season2010

    Photos42

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    Top cast70

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    Geoff Stults
    Geoff Stults
    • Tommy Conroy
    • 2010
    Lauren German
    Lauren German
    • Henley Boone…
    • 2010
    Amy Acker
    Amy Acker
    • Rachel Conroy
    • 2010
    Robert Wisdom
    Robert Wisdom
    • Roger Hobbs
    • 2010
    Sarah Gadon
    Sarah Gadon
    • Georgia Bravin
    • 2010
    Jay Paulson
    Jay Paulson
    • Eli 'Root Beer' Rogers
    • 2010
    Ben Schnetzer
    Ben Schnetzer
    • Andrew Haplin
    • 2010
    Steven Weber
    Steven Weber
    • John Haplin
    • 2010
    Sam Neill
    Sam Neill
    • Merritt Grieves
    • 2010
    Frances Conroy
    Frances Conroy
    • Peggy Haplin
    • 2010
    Maxwell McCabe-Lokos
    Maxwell McCabe-Lokos
    • Lincoln Stiviletto
    • 2010
    Matt Hopkins
    • Womper Stiviletto
    • 2010
    Marcia Bennett
    Marcia Bennett
    • Rose Perkins
    • 2010
    Stephen Arbuckle
    Stephen Arbuckle
    • Baby Boy Stiviletto
    • 2010
    Deborah Grover
    Deborah Grover
    • Joanie Jenkins
    • 2010
    Kedar Brown
    Kedar Brown
    • Kelvin Tolliver
    • 2010
    Dan Petronijevic
    Dan Petronijevic
    • Ronald Stiviletto
    • 2010
    Sophia Ewaniuk
    Sophia Ewaniuk
    • Emma Conroy
    • 2010
    • Creators
      • Josh Appelbaum
      • André Nemec
      • Scott Rosenberg
    • All cast & crew
    • Production, box office & more at IMDbPro

    User reviews30

    7.03.4K
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    Featured reviews

    7cadillac20

    A quirky, could-be-fun genre show with potential

    For those sad about the retirement of LOST and a hankering for some Twin Peaks-like action, Happy Town may fill that gap. It certainly doesn't hold anything back as far as serving its inspirations. It's a strange, humorous, and quirky affair with mysteries abound. The town has its own personality and one that is Lottery-esquire (in reference to the short story) and quite two faced. However, you'll know how interested you are in the series once they start to talk about The Magic Man and M.C. Gainey starts spouting off some weird mumbo jumbo that no one seems to be able to make sense of. You'll either take to the Twin Peak aspirations and obvious mysteries, or you'll want something much more grounded.

    However, with genre shows having their peak at the moment, Happy Town may be worth sticking around for. The pilot is entertaining enough and the actors all do a fairly decent job of playing their respective parts. Hats off to Gainey and Sam Neill, both of whom stand out, with Gainey being a REAL Mr. Friendly here (with a seeming split in personality that I'm sure will be explained) and Sam pulling off being creepily British oh so well. For Sam alone and to see what they do with his character alone, it may be worth sticking around. As far as everything else, it's an ABC show with a slight Steven King, David Lynch twist (of which the creators stated was a huge inspiration for the show anyway). So, you can expect some gruesome details, although only two particular appeared in the pilot.

    So, if you've got a soft spot for Twin Peaks and want something to get going with as LOST winds down, Happy Town may be your cup of Chamomile Tea, or whatever tea you prefer.
    akingofcomedy

    Welcome to Hacky Town

    Overly written dialogue, campy characters and multiple mysteries inhabit Haplin, Minnesota (where everyone has a secret, and a silly nickname.) Reminiscent of CBS's recent 'Harper's Island,' this plays as only the latest 'Lost'-inspired darkly-woven tale which may or may not include something supernatural.

    'Twin Peaks' did this far better before it de-evolved into weirdness for the sake of weirdness. This one has trouble with its tongue-in-cheek humor simply because too much of it is spent trying to be funny.

    It could easily improve, as many shows struggle in their early episodes. But it could fall prey to the same fate as 'Harper's Island.' A quick death from lack of sustainable viewers.
    7Spaceham

    Wasted Potential

    HAPPY TOWN had no small amount of potential. The setting was great, the plot was fairly strong, or at least layered enough to create the solid beginning to a mystery, and there were some interesting, well played characters, specifically Same Neill and M.C. Gainey. Oh, and the guy who played Root Beer. Love him.

    That's about it. The dialogue in this show is atrocious. I mean really, really bad. Just about everyone speaks in total clichés. Sometimes, in order to sound "mysterious" and "quirky" the writers will give someone a line so cryptic that it's just silly. Example: "Just call me Gazpacho. 'Cause I like my soup cold." Huh? I know the show was cancelled in midstream, but the ending is terrible. Obviously it would be impossible to wrap up multiple seasons worth of loose ends in a single episode, but there was in ton of extraneous garbage in the last episode that could have been spent on something worthwhile. Instead they chose to blindside the audience with a bizarre, unsatisfying ending.

    In the end, HAPPY TOWN desperately tries to be unique and original, something in the vein of the excellent TWIN PEAKS, but succeeds only in being derivative and silly.

    Still, I watched every episode and was then motivated enough to write a long winded review. So, if you like dark mystery shows with hints of comedy (even when it doesn't totally work), check it out. You'll be no more disappointed than if you just watched TWO AND A HALF MEN instead.
    7candlemansa

    a brilliant new murder mystery better than Harpers Island

    Billed as the new 'Twin Peaks' but with more on par with 'Harpers Island' comes the eerie 'Happy Town'.

    The town of Haplin is named after the Haplin family who own the Bakery that employs most of the town inhabitants. Five years earlier the Haplins 8 year old daughter vanished, believed to be the last victim of a serial killer called the Magic Man. For five years in the aftermath of the last disappearance the town has managed to perfect its manners and idyllic setting creating a welcoming facade. Two things happen that begin to tear apart this weak illusion, a vicious murder which opens the show and the arrival of a young woman intent on opening up a candle shop in the town yet clearly has another agenda.

    As we become woven into the plot and introduced to some of the towns inhabitants many freaky characters begin to emerge mainly the owner of the boarding house in which reside a group of 'golden girls'. On the outskirts of town are a family of rednecks with a simpleton brother (definitely influenced by Twin Peaks) but the most creepy character is that of an English gentleman Merritt Grieves played by Sam Neill. With his character they could move away from serial killer land established in 'Harpers Island' and go more with the weird and wonderful that was Twin Peaks. The pilot raises interesting questions, is the blue door significant, what lies on the forbidden top floor of the boarding house, what is Chloe up to and is the magic man a supernatural killer as opposed to a human one.

    As well as the acting talents of Sam Neill we have the beautiful star of 'Angel and Dollhouse' Amy Acker with Steven Webber and 'Men in Trees' star Abraham Benrubi.

    Filmed in Canada this is definitely one to keep watching.
    8aladinsyne

    traces of NEEDFUL THINGS..

    Happy Town came as a pleasant surprise, however I just could not help but wonder if the writers dipped their hands into one of Stephen King's creepy classic "NEEDFUL THINGS". Sam Neil's role as "Merritt Grieves", is so seemly similar with Max Von Sydow's sinister "Leland Gaunt". Hey, as long as the formula produces a creepy yet delicious dish for TV. M.C. Gainey who played the Town Sheriff (he also played as the pilot in the movie CON-AIR) was my MVP for the 1st episode, great acting, I would have given it to Sam, but, his role in this series looks wickedly good.The pilot episode started slow BUT soon picked up pace, I am looking forward to next week's show....The ladies living in the B&B resembles a coven, don't you think?

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    Related interests

    Mahershala Ali and Alex R. Hibbert in Moonlight (2016)
    Drama
    Elijah Wood in The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring (2001)
    Fantasy
    Jack Nicholson and Faye Dunaway in Chinatown (1974)
    Mystery
    Cho Yeo-jeong in Parasite (2019)
    Thriller

    Storyline

    Edit

    Did you know

    Edit
    • Trivia
      Dean Winters and John Patrick Amedori were originally cast in the roles of John and Andrew Haplin in the first pilot. They were later replaced by Steven Weber and Ben Schnetzer.
    • Connections
      Referenced in Séries express: Episode #2.39 (2009)

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    FAQ19

    • How many seasons does Happy Town have?Powered by Alexa
    • Is there any chance of this making a return or has it gone the way of Moonlight?

    Details

    Edit
    • Release date
      • April 28, 2010 (United States)
    • Country of origin
      • United States
    • Official site
      • Official site
    • Language
      • English
    • Also known as
      • Идилични град
    • Filming locations
      • Penetanguishene, Ontario, Canada
    • Production companies
      • Space Floor
      • ABC Signature
    • See more company credits at IMDbPro

    Tech specs

    Edit
    • Color
      • Color
    • Sound mix
      • Stereo
    • Aspect ratio
      • 1.78 : 1

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