One project we’ve kind of shyed away from talking about here at AITH is ABC’s upcoming series “Happy Town.” There’s no real reason for our lack of interest… Maybe it’s because some of us had high hopes for “Harper’s Island” and we know how that turned out. Or maybe “Happy Town” just isn’t looking that appealing? Scope out the details and decide for yourself!
“Happy Town” is coming from producers Josh Appelbaum, André Nemec and Scott Rosenberg. Now this one actually happens to sport an interesting list of cast members including Sam Neill, Steven Weber and Lauren German. Also starring in “Happy Town” are Amy Acker (below), Jay Paulson, Ben Schnetzer, Geoff Stults, Sarah Gadon and Robert Wisdom. Scope out the very lengthly synopsis:
Haplin, Minnesota, “Happy Town,” has enjoyed an uneasy peace for five years, but all that is about to change. Still haunted by a number of unsolved kidnappings, the small town now faces a dark new crime that brings all its unresolved fears to the surface. Has the elusive “Magic Man” — who many believe is responsible for the bizarre abductions — returned to claim another victim? As Haplin’s mysteries are revealed, many of its prominent citizens’ motives come under scrutiny as their own secrets and personalities are peeled back one layer at a time.
Dragged away from his idyllic family life to investigate the new spate of crimes, Tommy Conroy (Geoff Stults), a small town deputy under the wing of his dad, long-time popular Sheriff Griffin Conroy (“Lost”‘s M.C. Gainey), has never had to take charge of Haplin’s law enforcement. His comfortable lifestyle is suddenly turned upside down by a bizarre set of circumstances, and he must learn to pool his smarts — without the necessary training and tools — to rally the residents, as well as to keep his wife, Rachel (Amy Acker), daughter, Emma (Sophia Ewaniuk), and the rest of Haplin safe.
On the other side of town, the long shadow of the Haplin founding family, represented by mysterious matriarch Peggy Haplin (Frances Conroy from “Six Feet Under”) and her son, John (Steven Weber), who runs the local bread factory, “Our Daily” Bakery and Confectionery, try to maintain control. John’s daughter was one of the “Magic Man”‘s victims, and he has not given up hope of finding her and seeing justice done. Little does he know that his son, Andrew (Ben Schnetzer), has been carrying on a hot, secret romance with the Conroys’ babysitter, Georgia Bravin (Sarah Gadon), who is definitely from the other side of the tracks.
When Henley Boone (Lauren German) drops in on Haplin, she is struck by the purple mountain majesty of this sun-splashed town, tempered by a recurring bit of curious graffiti — a halo with a question mark under it. Henley’s mother used to spend time vacationing here, and while looking to uncover information about her family’s past, Henley finds herself drawn into a web of romance and intrigue she never could have foreseen. What’s she really here for, and can she be trusted?
But Henley isn’t the only outsider to make a home in Haplin. From his charming but irrelevant film memorabilia shop, The House of Ushers, to his way with the lively widows residing at the Meadows Boarding House with him, the ever-dapper Merritt Grieves (Sam Neill) seems strangely sinister… or is he? What does he have to hide?
Haplin is full of colorful characters, including Big Dave Duncan (“ER” regular Abraham Benrubi) and the nefarious Stiviletto brothers, but many in this small town in middle America have skeletons in their closets. Who will step up and help unearth the secrets that have festered under Haplin’s cheery exterior? How will its citizens deal with the revelations? And who is the “Magic Man”? Does he really exist, and can he be stopped?
But that’s not all! Stay with me here folks. Below I’ve thrown up a trailer for “Happy Town” for you all the check out. For more videos and loads of other goods be sure to check out “Happy Town” at ABC.com. Also if you head over to TV Fanatic you’ll be able to check out a couple more videos, these being from the “Happy Town” premiere. All caught up? Good.
Seriously though, that’s a lot to take in. After looking it all over do you think you’d be interested in visiting “Happy Town?” Well if the answer to that question is ‘Yes’ then I’ve got some more good news for you! Over at Eventful, which you folks may remember as the site that helped PARANORMAL ACTIVITY become huge, they’ve got a new ‘Demand It!’ gimmick going on for “Happy Town!” All you have to do is head on over HERE and Demand It! Once the count reaches 50,000 (it’s just north of 26,000 as of this article) you’ll be able to check out the first epsiode before it airs on April 28th! Not too shabby huh? So if you’re interested at all in “Happy Town” be sure to Demand It!
The comment section exists to allow readers to discuss the article constructively and respectfully, focused on the topic at hand.
What’s Not Allowed