The Streaming Show Everyone Is Suddenly Bingeing (And Why It Exploded)

Nothing captures the hearts and attention of an American audience like a good old fashioned romance. Love story It’s the latest obsession sweeping the Internet. From executive producer Ryan Murphy and creator Connor Hines comes Love storyan FX limited series about the tragic relationship between John F. Kennedy Jr. and Carolyn Bessette.

At the time of this publication, six episodes of Love story have aired on FX and FX on Hulu. The first five episodes racked up more than 25 million hours on Hulu and Disney+, a record for an FX limited series. Despite knowing the tragedy that awaits him, Love story is a compelling exploration of a doomed romance whose ripple effects are still felt in today’s culture.

The strength of Love Story is the chemistry between the two protagonists.

The show doesn’t work without Paul Anthony Kelly and Sarah Pidgeon

As someone born in the early 1990s, I did not experience the height of the courtship between JFK Jr. and Carolyn Bessette. My relationship with these two figures is quite new, which means I am experiencing their relationship for the first time. I remember hearing about the news of the catastrophic plane crash that caused their deaths. Love story begins in the moments before John and Carolyn board the plane in 1999.

The show then flashes back seven years earlier, to the early 1990s. Fresh from his on-off relationship with actress Darryl Hannah (Dree Hemingway), John (Paul Anthony Kelly) positions himself as the most eligible bachelor in town. From his shirtless soccer games in Central Park to his casual bike rides through midtown Manhattan, John is the apple of the public’s eye. His every move, particularly his love life, is closely watched as the world waits for the son of a former president to find his girlfriend.

The way the show positions Carolyn Bessette (Sarah Pidgeon), you wouldn’t think of her as the woman who would marry JFK Jr. Carolyn is an ambitious employee who quickly rises up Calvin Klein’s corporate ladder, to the point of becoming an integral employee of the iconic designer (Alessandro Nivola). Carolyn values ​​her independence and privacy, the latter of which drives much of the story that follows.

Once John and Carolyn look at each other for the first time at a fundraiser, it’s all over: these two are destined to interact. It helps that Pidgeon and Kelly, especially the latter, look like their characters. The actors’ chemistry is palpable, especially during the early days of their relationship. Admittedly, Pidgeon’s performance convinces the duo due to Kelly’s inexperience as an actor. Kelly’s performance is tough in the Battery Park episode, as Pidgeon does the heavy lifting. Still, Carolyn’s mystery combined with John’s charm creates an interesting dynamic.

Love Story makes the most of its ’90s setting

Fashion, music and sensational culture on display

Did you know that Love story Does it take place in the 1990s? Sarcasm aside, Love story It hits viewers with 90s nostalgia. It starts with fashion, which can be described in one word: elegance. John and Carolyn may come from two different backgrounds, but they both enter New York high society. John is the walking embodiment of perfection, from his hairline and smile to his suits and shoes. Once the weather changes in New York City, I expect to see JFK Jr. impersonators wearing backwards newsboy caps while riding bikes in Tribeca.

Like John, Carolyn had her own fashion brand, which makes sense, considering she worked for Calvin Klein. Carolyn clearly embraced simplicity: button-down shirts, jeans, and headbands. Outside of work, Carolyn in an elegant black dress turned heads and caught the attention of The sexiest man alive according to people. I’m warning everyone now: Get ready to see several JFK Jr. and Carolyn Bessette costumes this Halloween.

Love story He did not skimp on the musical budget. The show’s needle drops feature some of the decade’s biggest artists, including the Beastie Boys, Mazzy Star, the Goo Goo Dolls and Madonna. I’m a sucker for “Linger” by The Cranberries, so I’m more than willing to give this show the benefit of the doubt.

Credit: FX

New York City is always the best character. John spends his time in Manhattan’s famous Fifth Avenue apartment row and his immaculate loft in Tribeca, while Carolyn resides in the East Village. Panna II, the East Village Indian restaurant where John and Carolyn went on a date, has Now we have seen a resurgence thanks to the program.

The Big Apple also rears its ugly head in the form of tabloid culture. Love story captures how the paparazzi drove a wedge between JFK Jr. and Carolyn. Once Carolyn became John’s girlfriend and wife, she sadly lost her privacy. Carolyn’s seclusion becomes a fascinating development in later episodes, as she shakes off the pressures of being a Kennedy and a celebrity. This idea of ​​idolizing famous people and chronicling their accidents is something we see over and over again in today’s world.

Most of Ryan Murphy’s influence works.

The prominent creator produced Love Story

Credit: FX

Ryan Murphy wants your attention. outside pinch/fold, Glee and American Horror Story, the prominent television creator is at his best when dramatizing high-profile scandals, true crime storiesand lewd headlines, with The people against OJ Simpson being his best work. They are their original stories.the politician, Hollywood, grotesqueand Everything’s finethat are plagued with problems.

Murphy is only an executive producer on Love story, but his fingerprints are all over this series. Naomi Watts as Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis is the quintessential Ryan Murphy role: a flashy performance made to appeal to Emmy voters that walks the line of parody. Watts is much better at Feud: Capote vs. The Swans. Frankly, I’m more interested in John’s older sister Caroline (Grace Gummer) and her struggles with John than I am in Jackie O.

Like many of Murphy’s shows, they are more entertaining than critically acclaimed. For this particular topic, I prefer it this way. He still captures the romantic moments, like John riding his bike to Carolyn in the rain. For a few moments you forget that this story does not have a happy ending. Despite its flaws, I’m enjoying my time in 90s New York City.

Love story

Release date

February 12, 2026

Grid

FX, Hulu

Directors

Max Winkler, Anthony Hemingway, Crystle Roberson Dorsey, Gillian Robespierre, Jesse Peretz

Love Story is three shows in one.

The show, fittingly, focuses on a romance that dominated media conversation for a decade. That’s just one part of the equation. Love story There are three shows combined into one. The first is the romance between John and Carolyn. The second is John as Kennedy trying to make a name for himself. The third is Carolyn and her rise at Calvin Klein. I’m more interested in the last two than the romance. For now, I’ll live with a romantic drama at the Kennedy Complex.

Love Story: John F. Kennedy Jr. and Carolyn Bessette airs weekly Thursdays on FX and streaming on Hulu.

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