Ryan Murphy’s new FX series, The Beauty, dives into the unsettling world of physical transformation through a sexually transmitted disease. Co-created and co-written by Matt Hodgson, the show presents a premise that entices viewers with the allure of beauty but carries deadly consequences. In this fictional narrative, those infected with The Beauty undergo a dramatic metamorphosis into their ideal physical form, all while remaining blissfully unaware of the dangers that accompany the infection.
The series draws parallels to the 2024 horror film The Substance, which also explores themes of beauty and transformation. Featuring Demi Moore‘s ex-husband, Ashton Kutcher, in a pivotal role, The Beauty embraces these comparisons while standing on its own as an adaptation of the comic book series published by Image Comics from 2015 to 2021.
Understanding the Source Material
In the original comic, created by Jeremy Haun and Jason A. Hurley, a sexually transmitted disease known as The Beauty has taken hold of society. It is described as a highly sought-after infection that transforms individuals into conventionally attractive versions of themselves. The changes are significant: excess fat disappears, hair returns, and skin imperfections vanish. The comic suggests that approximately half the population, including around 200 million Americans, may be infected.
This phenomenon has led to societal divisions, with some viewing The Beauty as a status symbol while others see it as a betrayal of human nature. Activist groups have formed on both sides, resulting in increased violence and crime as tensions rise. Notably, one character in the comics is exceptionally attractive without having The Beauty, illustrating that the disease does not guarantee universal appeal.
In the television adaptation, the transformation process is depicted with greater intensity. While the comics show characters falling asleep and waking up changed, the series portrays a more graphic and frightening transformation involving body contortions and a goo-like secretion. This visual approach raises the stakes, as characters emerge as entirely new individuals—an innovation that diverges from the source material, where transformations are merely enhancements of existing features.
Plot Developments in the Show
The initial episodes of The Beauty reveal a world where the disease is not yet widely known. The first episode opens dramatically, featuring a model, played by Bella Hadid, who combusts on the streets of Paris. FBI agents Cooper Madsen (portrayed by Evan Peters) and Jordan Bennett (played by Rebecca Hall) are dispatched to investigate a string of similar deaths among models across Europe, all linked to The Beauty.
The narrative also shifts focus to a character named Jeremy, played by Jaquel Spivey, who embodies the frustrations of an incel seeking physical change. His journey leads him to a plastic surgeon, whose unsuccessful procedure results in a violent outburst. However, the surgeon offers Jeremy a transformative solution involving a woman infected with The Beauty, a twist that deviates from the comic’s narrative.
The series further complicates the story by introducing a corporate antagonist known as The Corporation, played by Ashton Kutcher. This character develops a version of The Beauty that is injected rather than transmitted sexually, aiming to profit from the chaos caused by the STI. As the detectives pursue answers, they find themselves embroiled in a battle against corporate interests that threaten to overshadow the truth about the disease.
With only three of the planned eleven episodes released, The Beauty promises to unravel more mysteries and explore the implications of beauty, desire, and the cost of transformation in the episodes to come. As the series progresses, viewers will witness a deeper examination of the human experience, balanced against the backdrop of a society grappling with its obsession with beauty.
