Project Canceled: "Happy Town"

"Happy Town" is a show that premiered on ABC in the summer of 2010, a mid-season replacement created by Andre' Nemec and Josh Appelbaum, two producers who continue to work on TV shows that just don't seem to strike a chord with audiences, not entirely their own fault either, bad timing, half-baked concepts, awful lead ins, and maybe not the strongest cast seem to work against them. It's shocking how much I actually remember "Happy Town" even YEARS after having watched it, 15 to be exact. But here we are, now if you know me, you know I LOVE a good small town mystery, one of the reasons I was drawn to "Pretty Little Liars" and "Ravenswood", and while those were written for pre-teens and the young adult crowd, "Happy Town" was set for prime time viewing and had a quiet maturity about it that makes this quaint little show kind of endearing.

"Happy Town" tells the story of Haplin, Minnesota, a town known for its bread factory, a small town where everyone knows everyone and everyone's got secrets. During a period of time that has at the start of the series long since passed, the town was terrorized by a serial kidnapper simply known as "The Magic Man". "The Magic Man" had an ability to make people disappear in crowded spaces, and bodies were never found, almost as if the people just blipped out of existence and then leaving those left behind a bouquet of dead flowers on their doorstep. Of course, this is simply the backdrop to our little mystery (which gets solved by the finale episode...we'll get to that), there is much more going on in Haplin, and our key players seem to know more than meets the eye. The series does boast some decent star power; Sam Niel (unfortunately, television cancer), Peter Outerbridge (who just so happens to have one of the best lines in this show) Lauren German (currently and unfortunately starring in "Lucifer"), Sarah Gadon, Robert Wisdom, and the only reason anyone would watch "Angel", Amy Acker.

When I originally watched "Happy Town," I was less than impressed, despite the show making an undeniable impression on me. Once again, this is due to my love of small-town mysteries. But I found the characters to be a bit...stupid, and the plot more or less getting muddled. Now that I've rewatched it, I can honestly say that I enjoyed it for the most part and can identify a few moments where the narrative and the story break down. "Happy Town" was canceled after 6 episodes aired, with the last 2 only being available on ABC. With all that said, let's dive into "Happy Town.";