The Thing About Pam

Did You Know?

• First-look images and a trailer were released in early February 2022.
• The series held a premiere in Los Angeles on February 28, 2022.
• A spin-off, The Thing About Tommy, is in development.

Premise

This true-crime story centers on the December 2011 death of Betsy Faria, a woman battling cancer, discovered in her Missouri home. Her acquaintance, Pam Hupp, claimed she had driven Betsy home that night and was the final person to see her alive. Law enforcement focused on Betsy’s husband, Russ, leading to his arrest. However, after his conviction was later thrown out, inconsistencies in Pam’s statements emerged, exposing a sinister plot. The case gained attention through multiple Dateline NBC episodes, which investigated Pam’s history and ultimately turned suspicion toward her.

Cast

Renée Zellweger steps into the role of Pam Hupp, a woman who called herself a businesswoman and was later taken into custody for killing Betsy Faria. Josh Duhamel plays Joel Schwartz, the lawyer defending Russ Faria. Judy Greer appears as Leah Askey, the Lincoln County prosecutor who brought Russ to trial twice for his wife's murder. Gideon Adlon is Mariah Day, the teenage daughter of Betsy and Russ. Sean Bridgers plays Mark Hupp, Pam's husband. Suanne Spoke portrays Janet, Betsy's mother. Mac Brandt takes on Detective McCarrick, the investigator on Betsy's case. Katy Mixon is Betsy Faria, the victim. Glenn Fleshler plays Russ Faria. Olivia Luccardi is Lily Day, the couple's other daughter. Patricia French plays Minnie, Pam's neighbor. Ben Chase is Nate Swanson, a fellow defense attorney. Drew Scheid plays Travis Hupp, Pam and Mark's son. Celia Weston is Shirley Neumann, Pam's mother. Alice Barrett-Mitchell plays Cathy Singer, a Dateline journalist and producer. Dane Davenport is Mike Wood. Jeff Ryan Baker plays Louis Gumpenberger, a man Pam shot and killed. Keith Morrison narrates.

Production

In January 2020, NBC announced plans to shut down Peacock Productions, citing the rise of streaming services and a need for higher-quality productions. NBC News Studios was launched later that month, with Liz Cole, former president of Peacock Productions, as its president. The studio aimed to produce content for emerging platforms, documentaries, docu-series, and select scripted programming. NBC News Studios had already partnered with Blumhouse Television and Focus Features. In May 2020, NBC News Studios and Blumhouse Television announced development of an untitled scripted series based on Dateline coverage of Pam Hupp's involvement in Betsy Faria's murder. Dateline had assigned multiple episodes to the story since 2014 and created a podcast titled The Thing About Pam in 2019. Cole executive produced alongside Jason Blum, Marci Wiseman, and Jeremy Gold. Filming took place in New Orleans.

Reception

The series received mixed reviews from critics. Metacritic assigned a score of 55 out of 100 based on 18 critics, indicating mixed or average reviews. Zellweger's performance divided critics: some praised her vinegary exuberance, while others called it exaggerated or cartoonish. The comedic tone was criticized as a failed attempt to be the next Fargo, though some found it deliciously satisfying. The premiere episode increased its viewership by 205% after seven days, from 2.9 million to 8.7 million viewers across linear, DVR, and streaming platforms. By the end of its run, The Thing About Pam became NBC's highest-rated freshman series of the 2021–2022 television season. It also positively impacted viewership of Dateline episodes about Hupp.