New Bob Ross Doc Trailer Hints at Darkness Behind Those ‘Happy Little Trees’

Netflix teased an eyebrow-raising mystery lurking behind the famously easygoing painter Bob Ross in a new trailer for the documentary, Bob Ross: Happy Accidents, Betrayal and Greed.

The new clip is just 20 seconds long and is completely upfront about the fact that it won’t provide a single detail about what the documentary is about. Accompanying a photo of Ross, text appears on the screen that reads: “We want to show you the trailer for Bob Ross: Happy Accidents, Betrayal and Greed. But we can’t.” An unidentified voice then chimes in, “I’ve been wanting to get this story out for all these years.”

A synopsis from Netflix is equally vague, highlighting Ross’ storied career as television’s kindest artist — the big-haired cultural phenomenon who assured viewers that there were no such things as mistakes, just happy accidents. But, the synopsis ends, “Beyond the iconic hair, soothing voice and nostalgic paintings lies a mystery that many have yet to discover.”

Bob Ross: Happy Accidents, Betrayal and Greed was directed by Joshua Rofé and is set to premiere on August 25th.