Nothing captures the hearts and attention of an American audience like a good old-fashioned romance. Love Story is the latest obsession sweeping the internet. From executive producer Ryan Murphy and creator Connor Hines comes Love Story, an FX limited series about the tragic relationship between John F. Kennedy Jr. and Carolyn Bessette.
At the time of this post, six episodes of Love Story have aired on FX and FX on Hulu. The first five episodes accumulated well over 25 million hours on Hulu and Disney+, a record for an FX limited series. Despite knowing the tragedy that awaits, Love Story is a compelling exploration of a doomed romance whose ripple effects are still felt in today’s culture.
Love Story’s strength is the chemistry between the two leads
The show doesn’t work without Paul Anthony Kelly and Sarah Pidgeon
As someone born during the early 1990s, I didn’t experience the height of the JFK Jr. and Carolyn Bessette courtship. My relationship with these two figures is fairly new, meaning I’m living out their relationship for the first time. I do remember hearing about the news of the catastrophic plane crash that resulted in their deaths. Love Story opens in the moments leading up to John and Carolyn boarding the plane in 1999.
The show then flashes back seven years earlier to the early 1990s. Fresh off his on-and-off relationship with actress Darryl Hannah (Dree Hemingway), John (Paul Anthony Kelly) is positioned as the most eligible bachelor in the city. From his shirtless football games in Central Park to his casual bike rides through downtown Manhattan, John is the apple of the public’s eyes. His every move, particularly his love life, is viewed with a fine-tooth comb as the world waits for the son of a former president to find his bride.
The way the show positions Carolyn Bessette (Sarah Pidgeon), you wouldn’t think of her as the woman to marry JFK Jr. Carolyn is an ambitious employee who quickly climbs the corporate ladder at Calvin Klein, so much so that she becomes an integral employee for the iconic designer (Alessandro Nivola). Carolyn values her independence and privacy, with the latter driving much of the story that follows.
Once John and Carolyn first lock eyes at a fundraiser, it’s a wrap—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 carries the duo due to Kelly’s inexperience as an actor. Kelly’s acting is rough in the Battery Park episode, as Pidgeon does the heavy lifting. Still, Carolyn’s mysteriousness combined with John’s charm makes for an interesting dynamic.
Love Story takes full advantage of its 1990s setting
Fashion, music, and tabloid culture are on display
Did you know that Love Story takes place in the 1990s? Sarcasm aside, Love Story hits viewers over the head with 1990s nostalgia. It starts with fashion, which can be described with one word: elegance. John and Carolyn might come from two different backgrounds, but they both enter New York’s high society. John is the walking embodiment of perfection, from his hairline and smile to his suits and shoes. Once the weather turns in New York City, I expect to see JFK Jr. copycats wearing backwards newsboy hats as they ride their bikes in Tribeca.
Like John, Carolyn had her own brand of fashion, which makes sense, considering she worked for Calvin Klein. Carolyn clearly embraced simplicity—button-up shirts, jeans, and headbands. Outside of work, Carolyn in a chic black dress turned heads and caught the attention of People’s Sexiest Man Alive. I’m warning everyone now: Prepare to see multiple JFK Jr. and Carolyn Bessette costumes this Halloween.
Love Story did not skimp out on the music budget. The show’s needle drops feature some of the decade’s defining artists, including the Beastie Boys, Mazzy Star, the Goo Goo Dolls, and Madonna. I am a fool for “Linger” by The Cranberries, so I’m more than willing to give this show the benefit of the doubt.
New York City is always the best character. John spends his time in Manhattan’s famous Fifth Avenue row of apartments 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 seen a resurgence thanks to the show.
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 unfortunately lost her privacy. Carolyn’s reclusiveness becomes a fascinating development in the later episodes, as she breaks down from the pressures of being a Kennedy and a celebrity. This idea of idolizing famous people and chronicling their crash-outs is something we see time and time again in today’s world.
Most of Ryan Murphy’s influence works
The prominent creator produced Love Story
Ryan Murphy wants your attention. Outside of Nip/Tuck, Glee, and American Horror Story, the prominent television creator is at his best when he dramatizes high-profile scandals, true crime stories, and salacious headlines, with The People v. O.J. Simpson being his best work. It’s his original stories—The Politician, Hollywood, Grotesquerie, and All’s Fair—that 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 part—a showy performance made to attract Emmy voters that toes the line of parody. Watts is much better in 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 topic in particular, I prefer it that way. It still captures the romantic moments, such as John biking 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 1990s New York City.
Love Story
- Release Date
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February 12, 2026
- Network
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FX, Hulu
- Directors
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Max Winkler, Anthony Hemingway, Crystle Roberson Dorsey, Gillian Robespierre, Jesse Peretz
Love Story is three shows in one
The show rightly focuses on a romance that dominated the media conversation for a decade. That’s only one part of the equation. Love Story is three shows combined into one. The first is the romance between John and Carolyn. The second is John as a Kennedy trying to make a name for himself. The third is Carolyn and her rise at Calvin Klein. I’m more interested in the latter two than the romance. For now, I’ll live with some romantic drama at the Kennedy compound.
Love Story: John F. Kennedy Jr. & Carolyn Bessette airs weekly on Thursday on FX and streams on Hulu.
- Subscription with ads
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Yes, $10/month
- Live TV
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Yes, various plans available
