Ryan Murphy delivers yet another high-profile project with Love Story: John F. Kennedy Jr. & Carolyn Bessette, the premiere installment of a new anthology series inspired by his American Horror and American Crime franchises. Now streaming on Disney+, the drama captures the intense public fascination with America’s golden couple, often likened to a modern-day Charles and Diana.
Who Were John F. Kennedy Jr. and Carolyn Bessette?
John F. Kennedy Jr., the sole surviving son of President John F. Kennedy and Jackie Kennedy Onassis, embodied the nation’s ideal bachelor. His marriage to Carolyn Bessette, a rising star at Calvin Klein who defined 1990s minimalist fashion, drew relentless media attention. Their relationship featured public arguments, yet they secured a private wedding on a remote island in 1996. The pressure of constant scrutiny led Bessette to leave her job, impacting her well-being profoundly. Tragedy struck in 1999 when the couple, along with Bessette’s sister Lauren, perished in a plane crash near Martha’s Vineyard, with John Jr. at the controls.
Episode Breakdown: Starting with the End
The opening episode, titled ‘Pilot,’ begins near the fatal flight. Carolyn Bessette (Sarah Pidgeon) worries about her bold red manicure amid paparazzi outside a salon. Running late, the group arrives at the airstrip to find John Jr. (Paul Anthony Kelly) has ditched his crutches from a recent ankle injury and flies solo without an instructor. Tension rises with an argument, eased by Lauren (Sydney Lemmon), before a reconciliatory kiss and takeoff into the horizon. The scene flashes back to 1992, just before their paths crossed: Bessette grabs Vogue en route to Calvin Klein, while John Jr. bikes through New York, frustrated by headlines mocking his second bar exam failure.
Impeccable Production Details
The series shines in authenticity. Pidgeon’s hairstyle matches Bessette’s signature toffee-blond highlights, styled with deliberate imperfection. Costumes evoke the era perfectly, enhanced by filters for a late-1990s glow. Indoor smoking, detailed props like black paper clips at Calvin Klein and silver-striped Diet Coke cans, and evocative sets ground the story. Naomi Watts portrays Jackie Kennedy in a meticulously styled wig, murmuring about Camelot’s legacy, while Alessandro Nivola embodies the fashion mogul. Jackie’s traditional East Coast home contrasts Bessette’s sleek, modern world.
Strengths and Shortcomings
Love Story weaves in real historical moments, satisfying fans of Bessette’s story. Yet it idealizes its leads excessively, spelling out family dynamics and public pressures too explicitly, echoing The Crown but softening flaws. John Jr. appears as a charming, shirtless everyman, lingering with girlfriend Daryl Hannah (Dree Hemingway) despite tensions, rather than revealing his real-life arrogance in piloting. Bessette emerges more nuanced—ambitious, messy, with a sharp edge—but her fashion instincts border on supernatural. For a Murphy production, the tone stays restrained, with romance more tender than turbulent. Heavy foreshadowing of doom feels forced, undermining the lived-in imperfection that fueled public obsession.
Ultimately, the series captures beauty and tragedy but plays it safe. Greater risks could have amplified its impact.
Love Story streams now on Disney+.
