Overview of The Thing About “The Thing About Pam”
This episode from NBC News features an interview about the new six-episode scripted miniseries The Thing About Pam (streaming on Peacock), starring and executive-produced by Renée Zellweger. The conversation centers on how the Dateline/NBC podcast The Thing About Pam inspired the dramatized series, Zellweger’s process becoming Pam Hupp, and the ethical responsibilities of portraying real people involved in the 2011 murder of Betsy Faria.
Key topics & themes
- Origin: The scripted series grew out of the popular Dateline podcast The Thing About Pam, which has been downloaded over 20 million times.
- Central case: The 2011 murder of Missouri mother Betsy Faria and the role of Pam Hupp (the woman who drove Betsy home the night she was killed).
- Main theme: How social bias, appearances, and assumptions can mislead people and affect the criminal justice system.
- Tone/approach: The series mixes dark comedy and true-crime drama to highlight the absurdity and contradictions in the real events.
Production, casting, and credits
- Produced by Blumhouse Television and NBC News Studios; available on Peacock.
- Renée Zellweger: star (Pam Hupp) and executive producer, actively involved in script, casting, and day-to-day production decisions.
- Key cast:
- Katy Mixon as Betsy Faria
- Josh Duhamel as Joel Schwartz (Russ Faria’s attorney)
- Glenn Fleshler as Russ Faria
- Judy Greer appears in a cameo (and a Dateline cameo is noted)
- The producers consulted extensively with people close to the case (including Betsy’s husband, Russ Faria) to inform casting and depiction.
Renée Zellweger’s preparation & performance
- Source material: Zellweger used the Dateline podcast and public records (interviews, court appearances) as foundations to build the character.
- Physical transformation: Full-body and facial prosthetics were used; she discussed the challenges of conveying internal thought and emotion when much of the face is covered—requiring larger, stage-like expression while keeping it natural on camera.
- Performance choices: Zellweger leaned into the character as an exploration of human behavior, using subtle exaggeration and dark comedic elements to show Pam’s absurd and disturbing qualities.
Responsibility to real people
- Sensitivity: The team prioritized representing Betsy Faria respectfully, especially given her reputation as a warm, generous person. Casting Katy Mixon was deliberate to preserve that portrayal.
- Living subjects: Playing and depicting living people (and their families) weighs on creative choices; cast and producers spoke with those involved to gather information and minimize harm.
Notable quotes
- Renée Zellweger on why she took the project: “Your telling of the story and the podcast was so compelling that I listened to the entire thing from the first episode till the final in one sitting on a road trip.”
- On the case’s pull: “It begs the question, how? How?” — highlighting disbelief and curiosity that carry through the story.
- On Pam Hupp’s public persona: “She’s winning…she looks warm and friendly. The things she does and the choices she makes…would make you easily draw certain conclusions about the kind of person she is—and that asterisk is the ‘see below.’ Way below.”
Where to watch & related media
- The scripted miniseries The Thing About Pam is available to stream on Peacock.
- The original Dateline/NBC podcast The Thing About Pam remains a primary source and is recommended for listeners who want the investigative and documentary context that inspired the series.
Notes
- The transcript includes promotional material (CNN streaming promo and an ad for Zinn nicotine pouches); the summary focuses on the interview content and series details.