FBI Agents Cooper Madsen (Evan Peters) and Jordan Bennett (Rebecca Hall) investigate a sexually transmitted virus that transforms people into the perfect version of themselves. But when those infected start dying in horrific fashion, a wider conspiracy unfolds with tech billionaire Byron Forst (Ashton Kutcher) at its centre.
Streaming on: Disney+
Episodes viewed: 11 of 11
The Beauty starts with a bang, and not the horned-up kind you’d usually expect from series creator Ryan Murphy. Sex is intrinsic to this story, but the opening foregoes it in favour of the consequences that follow in a world where chlamydia should be the very least of your worries. Without spoiling too much, the first scene is a bloody, explosive affair that sets the stage for gruesome thrills in the pursuit of so-called “perfection”.
How the busiest guy in TV found time to create a mix of The X-Files and American Horror Story meets The Substance is almost as implausible as the show itself. Yet here we are with Murphy’s commentary on ‘Ozempic culture’, which is almost as vapid as those caught up in it. What other show would consider naming characters the Corporation (Ashton Kutcher) and the Assassin (Anthony Ramos)? Or preface every episode title with the word “Beautiful”? To be fair, no-one’s coming into the ‘Beautiful Pilot’ expecting depth or rigour. The show’s appeal lies in the grotesque extremes that come amid supermodel quips and the noir-esque mystery at its heart.
Said mystery is led by Evan Peters and Rebecca Hall, two of the best actors to ever work within the Murphy stable. Here they bring plenty of gravitas, continuing to play it serious even as the story becomes increasingly absurd. At times, it feels like they’ve been pulled in from another show entirely.
But unlike All’s Fair, Murphy’s even trashier recent hit, this clash of camp and (somewhat) serious artistry alchemises into something undeniably entertaining (even if there will be inevitable pushback against Murphy’s less-than delicate approach to discussions around beauty). Unlikely supporting turns from Meghan Trainor and the almighty Isabella Rossellini feed into this further, as do the flamboyantly vile prosthetics and make-upeffects used throughout. Prepare to be sickened by The Beauty (and yourself, too, for enjoying this stupidly fun show in the first place).
Expanding on earlier themes from Nip/Tuck, Murphy’s repellent comic-book adaptation is an absolute riot yet lacks the substance of a recent horror film that goes by the exact same name.