Happy Town

Network: ABC
Episodes: Eight, with two released online only (hour)
Seasons: One

TV show dates: April 28, — June 16, 2010
Series status: Cancelled

Performers include: Amy Acker, Ben Schnetzer, Geoff Stults, Jay Paulson, Lauren German, Robert Wisdom, Sam Neill, Sarah Gadon, Steven Weber, Abraham Benrubi, Frances Conroy, M.C. Gainey, Peter Outerbridge, Sophia Ewaniuk, and Warren Christie.

TV show description:
Josh Appelbaum, Andre Nemec, and Scott Rosenberg created this drama about the small, sleepy town of Haplin, Minnesota (nicknamed “Happy Town”). Years ago, there was a series of unsolved kidnappings committed by the mysterious “Magic Man.” Now, a new crime has stirred up strong feelings and fears from the past.

Merritt Grieves (Sam Neill) is originally from Manchester, England, and is one of Haplin’s newest residents. He lives at Dot Meadow’s Boarding House, delighting the female tenants there. He has opened a movie memorabilia store that the townspeople don’t care too much about. He doesn’t seem to mind that his store doesn’t do well financially and seems to know a lot about the Magic Man.

Another new resident to the town is Henley Boone (Lauren German). She’s come to be closer to her mother who vacationed there, but recently passed away. Her plans are to use her inheritance to start a candle shop in Haplin. She might know more about the town than she admits.

Tommy Conroy (Geoff Stults) is a deputy and son of the Sheriff of Haplin. Until recently, it’s been an easy life, considering the lack of crime there in Haplin. But, after the town’s first murder in five years, the whole town starts looking to him to solve the crime. In his investigation, he’s finding out some of his hometown’s darkest secrets. His wife, Rachel (Amy Acker), is employed at the local industrial bakery, Our Daily Bread, and finds herself involved in her husband’s investigation.

Eli “Root Beer” Rogers (Jay Paulson) is Tommy’s fellow deputy and a best friend. He means well, but doesn’t always have what it takes to do the job. Still, he’s an asset to Tommy in the current investigation. Roger Hobbs (Roberty Wisdom) is the head detective at the Sheriff Department, yet is passed over for the job of sheriff when it becomes vacant.

John Haplin (Steven Weber) is Rachel’s boss at the bread factory that employs twelve percent of Haplin. The heir to the family fortune, his mom never wants him to come to a place of power in town, yet is trying to mold him into the man he needs to be to do the job. His daughter, Addie, was the Magic Man’s seventh victim, and it constantly eats away at him. His son, Andrew (Ben Schnetzer), is seen as the town’s Golden Boy. He doesn’t want to have anything to do with the town or the family name.

Tommy and Rachel’s babysitter, Georgia Bravin (Sarah Gadon), is from the wrong side of the tracks in Cooks Ridge. She’s a high school junior who does the best she can considering where she lives, her father, and having an illicit romance with Andrew Haplin.