Review: Ryan Murphy’s ‘The Beauty’ Delivers Stunning, Unrestrained Ridiculousness
Ryan Murphy’s latest series, “The Beauty,” promises an outlandish mix of horror and dark comedy. It unfolds in a world rife with surreal chaos, where beauty transforms into a weapon and a curse.
Overview of “The Beauty”
The series begins with Bella Hadid portraying Ruby, a supermodel caught in a body horror nightmare. Ruby struts through a muddy catwalk in Paris while suffering from an alarming affliction, leading to gruesome calamities in her quest for hydration.
- Ruby’s journey includes motorcycle chases and grotesque transformations.
- She ultimately meets a gory fate, which sparks laughter and disbelief.
Key Characters
The show features FBI agents Cooper Madsen (Evan Peters) and Jordan Bennett (Rebecca Hall). They investigate a terrifying virus responsible for a series of bizarre deaths among models.
This virus, dubbed “the Beauty,” is a painful transformation that turns individuals into stunning, albeit grotesque versions of themselves.
The Corporation and Its Horrific Creation
At the heart of the series lies a powerful figure known as the Corporation, played by Ashton Kutcher. The Corporation initially engineered the virus as a beauty serum for the rich, hoping to market it as a life-changing product.
Story Origins
“The Beauty” draws inspiration from a graphic novel series created by Jeremy Haun and Jason A. Hurley that began in 2015. While the show shares some concepts with other media like “The Substance,” it uniquely explores the social implications of beauty standards.
Transformations and Effects
The series excels in its portrayal of body horror, featuring innovative prosthetics and shocking visual effects. Each transformation reveals disturbing bodily changes, keeping the audience both horrified and intrigued.
- Transformations include extreme bodily convulsions.
- Each new episode introduces a fresh wave of unsettling mutations.
Commentary on Beauty Standards
“The Beauty” ambitiously attempts to spark conversations about societal expectations regarding attractiveness. While it often features on-the-nose dialogue, it also touches on deeper issues, such as gender-affirming care and the influence of social media on self-esteem.
Some story arcs gracefully connect with contemporary discussions without being overly preachy, touching the lives of high school girls navigating a world obsessed with appearances.
Release Details
The first three episodes of “The Beauty” are set to premiere on FX and Hulu at 9 p.m. ET on January 21, with subsequent episodes releasing every Wednesday. This launch promises a blend of absurdity and dark introspection, characteristic of Ryan Murphy’s storytelling style.
