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The Beauty (TV series)

The Beauty
Genre
Created byRyan Murphy
&
Matthew Hodgson
Based on
The Beauty
by
Starring
Music byMac Quayle
Country of originUnited States
Original languageEnglish
No. of seasons1
No. of episodes6
Production
Executive producers
ProducerKip Davis Myers
Cinematography
  • Jason McCormick
  • Stanley Fernandez
Editors
  • Peggy Tachdjian
  • Julia Franklin
  • Travis Weaver
  • Shannon Baker Davis
Running time24–52 minutes
Production companies
Original release
Network
ReleaseJanuary 21, 2026 (2026-01-21) –
present

The Beauty is an American science fiction body horror television series created by Ryan Murphy and Matthew Hodgson. It is based on the comic book The Beauty, written by Jeremy Haun and Jason A. Hurley,[2] and stars Evan Peters, Anthony Ramos, Jeremy Pope, Rebecca Hall, and Ashton Kutcher. The series premiered on FX and Hulu on January 21, 2026.[3]

Premise

A sexually transmitted treatment known as "the Beauty" spreads rapidly, granting users physical attractiveness through aesthetic-based genetic makeup while concealing lethal side effects that begin to overtake their lives. As deaths and public panic escalate, an FBI investigation and competing interests converge on the forces behind the drug and the epidemic it sparks.[4][1][3][5]

Cast and characters

Main

  • Evan Peters as Cooper Madsen, a former Navy SEAL and FBI agent investigating deaths linked to "the Beauty"[3][5]
  • Anthony Ramos as the Assassin, an enforcer working for "the Corporation"[3][5] who took the drug soon after it was invented. He is 65 years old in a 30-something-old's body.
  • Jeremy Pope as Jeremy, an outsider drawn into the chaos surrounding the epidemic[3][5]
  • Rebecca Hall as Jordan Bennett, an FBI agent partnering with Cooper[3][5]
  • Ashton Kutcher as Byron Forst / the Corporation, a tech billionaire tied to the Beauty drug[3][6] who took the drug three years ago to keep himself from aging

Recurring

Guest

Episodes

No.TitleDirected byWritten by [7]Original release date [8]
1"Beautiful Pilot"Ryan MurphyRyan Murphy & Matthew HodgsonJanuary 21, 2026 (2026-01-21)
Amidst a Balenciaga fashion show in Paris, supermodel Ruby Rossdale suddenly goes on a rampage throughout the city, during which she exhibits erratically violent behavior, superhuman strength and resilience, and a fixation towards water before spontaneously combusting. While investigating the case, FBI agents Cooper Madsen and Jordan Bennett discover Rossdale, among other models who died under similar circumstances, all began their careers two years prior, had no social media presence beforehand, and all tested positive for a highly virulent sexually transmitted virus. Meanwhile, a lonely and directionless young man named Jeremy seeks to become more attractive, leading him to follow an internet chatroom recommendation for a mysterious "solution". He heads to a plastic surgery center called ANUU, where a specialist named Dr. Dilegre gives him a new facial structure. After being tricked into paying three women's bar tab, an incensed Jeremy returns to ANUU and shoots several employees until Dilegre agrees to give him an experimental treatment. Traveling to a hotel, Jeremy has intercourse with a mysterious woman named Claire, after which he undergoes a violent transformation and gains a new body.
2"Beautiful Jordan"Alexis Martin WoodallRyan Murphy & Matthew HodgsonJanuary 21, 2026 (2026-01-21)
Cooper and Jordan head to Venice to investigate a death connected to the virus. There, they find the Egyptian hieroglyph "Nefer", meaning "beauty", painted in blood on a wall near the victim, who they theorized was killed as part of an organized operation. They later uncover a video posted by a previous victim in which she repeatedly says "Don't do it" before learning an assistant editor for Vogue combusted in New York. During their last night in Italy, the pair discuss their sexual relationship, with Jordan clarifying her desire for it to remain casual and Cooper expressing his nihilistic belief that all human behavior is driven by sex and his disinterest in traditional monogamy or commitment; offending her. Later that evening, she has a sexual encounter with a mysterious man. Afterward, she undergoes a similar transformation as Jeremy; gaining a new body. Elsewhere, Cooper prepares to leave for New York. Though he is attacked by two unknown assailants, he eventually kills them. Meanwhile, in Rome, an assassin eliminates people on behalf of billionaire tech mogul Byron "The Corporation" Forst.
3"Beautiful Christopher Cross"Ryan MurphyRyan Murphy & Matthew HodgsonJanuary 21, 2026 (2026-01-21)
In New York City, Harper Rose, an assistant editor for Vogue, goes on a rampage before infecting numerous bystanders, such as Manny, while combusting. In Venice, Cooper is detained by Italian police before FBI Chief Meyer has him released and sent to New York after he tests negative for the virus. In Rome, the Assassin tortures a "runner" who spread the virus without authorization before Byron tasks him with killing Dilegre for treating a contaminated client. Byron's partner informs him that his estranged son Tig relapsed and is in a methadone clinic, but Byron refuses to visit him. Upon reaching him, the Assassin forces Dilegre to help him locate Jeremy before killing the former. The Assassin captures Jeremy and forces him to help him locate Marcy, a maid Jeremy had infected. While driving to her home, the Assassin tells Jeremy his belief that the world is cruel to those who are not beautiful before revealing he was hired by Byron to kill people for spreading the virus before his company's IPO. Upon their arrival, the pair subdue Marcy before the Assassin prepares to kill Jeremy. Seeing the latter's submissive behavior, the Assassin decides to recruit him as an apprentice instead.
4"Beautiful Chimp Face"Alexis Martin WoodallRyan Murphy & Matthew HodgsonJanuary 28, 2026 (2026-01-28)
In a flashback, Cooper and Jordan go on a date in Rome, during which they hint at sharing romantic feelings for each other. In the present, Cooper probes two survivors of Harper's rampage: her boyfriend Ashley Sanders, who is believed to have had unprotected sex with her beforehand and is potentially infected; and Manny, who Ashley claims is a sexual predator. Manny takes an interest in Cooper before going on his own rampage. Cooper pursues him to a high-security room containing full human skins donated by "beautiful" people before their deaths, where Manny transforms and attacks Cooper, blaming him for what happened. Cooper gains backup and subdues Manny. Sometime later, Jordan reunites with Cooper. Concurrently, the Assassin coaches an eager Jeremy while Byron takes booster shots to maintain his body's stability and declares "World Beauty Day" will be the official public launch of his new drug, dismisses concerns from a scientist named Dr. Ray Lee about lack of testing and third-party mutated variants, and orders production to be doubled.
5"Beautiful Billionaires"Alexis Martin WoodallRyan Murphy & Matthew HodgsonFebruary 4, 2026 (2026-02-04)
In a flashback, Byron joins a group of fellow billionaires in gathering for an exclusive trial of an experimental gene therapy developed by Ray. After transforming, Byron kills the other billionaires and witnesses before kidnapping Ray to ensure he becomes the sole proprietor of Ray's work. In the present, Cooper verifies Jordan's identity and embraces her. Upon learning what happened to her, he promises to help her avert the infection's side effects, insisting she eschews contact with the authorities to avoid being quarantined. Meanwhile, the Assassin and Jeremy torture a man named Nate for information, who contracted the virus from a sex worker and spread it to several people, before Byron orders the Assassin to eliminate Cooper. As Cooper and Jordan return to the former's apartment, they find Nate's corpse and the "Nefer" hieroglyph on the wall.
6"Beautiful Patient Zero"Michael UppendahlRyan Murphy & Matthew HodgsonFebruary 11, 2026 (2026-02-11)
In a flashback, shortly after kidnapping Ray, Byron notices side effects and agrees to let him live to perfect the formula while killing anyone who has the virus to prevent it from becoming a street drug. Byron later attempts to convince his wife Franny to take the drug, outlining his plan to use himself and the extreme cosmetic appeal it grants to amass power and circumvent the FDA's laws, but she declines and threatens to expose him. Ray discovers the virus causes "ignition ketosis" after 855 days and promises to find a treatment that Byron can sell alongside it. Meanwhile, Ray's colleagues Mike and Clara bond over insecurities related to their appearances and confidence. Following an experiment with a chimpanzee, Mike steals two vials and administers them to himself and Clara. Two years later, the Assassin executes Mike to prevent the virus from spreading beyond Byron's control.
7"Beautiful Living Rooms"[9]Michael UppendahlRyan Murphy & Matthew HodgsonFebruary 18, 2026 (2026-02-18)
8"Beautiful Brothers"[10]Michael UppendahlRyan Murphy & Matthew HodgsonFebruary 25, 2026 (2026-02-25)
9"Beautiful Evolution"[10]Crystle RobersonRyan Murphy & Matthew HodgsonFebruary 25, 2026 (2026-02-25)
10"Beautiful Beauty Day"[11]Michael UppendahlRyan Murphy & Matthew HodgsonMarch 4, 2026 (2026-03-04)
11"Beautiful Betrayal"[11]Michael UppendahlRyan Murphy & Matthew HodgsonMarch 4, 2026 (2026-03-04)

Production

Development

On September 30, 2024, FX gave the project an 11-episode series order. The series is based on The Beauty, a creator-owned comic book written by Jeremy Haun and Jason A. Hurley and published by Image Comics.[2][4] The original comic follows two detectives investigating a sexually transmitted disease that makes those infected physically beautiful but ultimately proves fatal due to side effects.[4][12]

Mac Quayle, a frequent collaborator with Murphy, composed the score for the series.[13]

Casting

Upon the series order announcement, Peters, Ramos, Pope, and Ashton Kutcher were cast in starring roles.[2] Rebecca Hall was cast as part of the main cast by the time the series had begun production.[14] In February 2025, it was reported that Isabella Rossellini had joined the cast in a recurring role.[15]

Filming

Filming began on December 2, 2024, in New York City.[14][16] The production filmed in Pearl River, New York, in late January 2025.[17] Filming ended on June 2025.

Themes

Murphy has described The Beauty as a commentary on "Ozempic culture" and the broader social fixation on rapid, drug-assisted physical transformation.[18] In promotional interviews, Murphy framed the story around the question of how much people would be willing to sacrifice in pursuit of beauty, positioning the series as an extension of themes explored in his earlier work Nip/Tuck while emphasizing its science fiction and body-horror elements.[19][1]

Release

The trailer for The Beauty was released on January 5, 2026.[20] Within seven days, it amassed nearly 190 million views across social media platforms, making it FX's most-viewed trailer to date.[21][22] The Beauty premiered on January 21, on FX, Hulu, and Hulu on Disney+, with the first three episodes released immediately and the remaining episodes released weekly in the United States.[23] Internationally, the series is also set to be released on Disney+.[24]

Reception

The series holds a 70% approval rating on review aggregator Rotten Tomatoes, based on 60 critic reviews. The website's critics consensus reads, "Caking on visceral splatter over an engaging takedown of modern beauty standards, Ryan Murphy's gonzo sci-fi horror is a disgustingly good time, even if its cultural commentary only goes skin deep."[25] Metacritic, which uses a weighted average, assigned a score of 64 out of 100 based on 31 critics, indicating "generally favorable" reviews.[26]

References

  1. ^ a b c d Travis, Emlyn (October 11, 2025). "Ryan Murphy previews The Beauty: 'Exploding supermodels' and 'a lot of body horror'". Entertainment Weekly. Retrieved December 11, 2025.
  2. ^ a b c Andreeva, Nellie (September 30, 2024). "FX Orders Ryan Murphy Series 'The Beauty' Starring Evan Peters, Anthony Ramos, Jeremy Pope & Ashton Kutcher". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved September 30, 2024.
  3. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v w x y Campione, Katie (December 3, 2025). "'The Beauty' Guest Cast Revealed Including Bella Hadid, Vincent D'Onofrio, More; FX Shares First Look & Premiere Date for Ryan Murphy Series". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved December 3, 2025.
  4. ^ a b c Romano, Nick (September 30, 2024). "Ryan Murphy STD show casts Evan Peters, Ashton Kutcher, Anthony Ramos, and Jeremy Pope". Entertainment Weekly. Retrieved January 5, 2026.
  5. ^ a b c d e f "FX's The Beauty: Release Date, Cast & Everything We Know". Disney+. Retrieved January 5, 2026.
  6. ^ Young, Courtney (January 21, 2026). "Your Guide to the Cast and Characters of 'The Beauty'". Cosmopolitan. Retrieved January 22, 2026.
  7. ^ "The Beauty". Writers Guild of America. Retrieved January 26, 2026.
  8. ^ "Shows A–Z – The Beauty on FX". The Futon Critic. Retrieved January 26, 2026.
  9. ^ "Episode Title: (#107) "Beautiful Living Rooms"". The Futon Critic. Retrieved January 20, 2026.
  10. ^ a b "Episode Title: (#108/109) "Beautiful Brothers / Beautiful Evolution"". The Futon Critic. Retrieved February 7, 2026.
  11. ^ a b "Episode Title: (#110/111) "Beautiful Beauty Day / Beautiful Betrayal". The Futon Critic. Retrieved February 7, 2026.
  12. ^ "The Beauty". Image Comics. Retrieved January 5, 2026.
  13. ^ "Mac Quayle Scoring FX's 'The Beauty'". Film Music Reporter. December 3, 2025. Retrieved December 8, 2025.
  14. ^ a b Otterson, Joe (December 12, 2024). "Evan Peters, Ryan Murphy FX Series The Beauty Casts Rebecca Hall (Exclusive)". Variety. Retrieved December 12, 2024.
  15. ^ Shanfeld, Ethan (February 15, 2025). "Isabella Rossellini Joins Ryan Murphy's 'The Beauty' (Exclusive)". Variety. Retrieved October 13, 2025.
  16. ^ "The Beauty". Production List | Film & Television Industry Alliance. October 21, 2024. Retrieved December 12, 2024.
  17. ^ Muchnick, Jeanne (February 4, 2025). "When FX drama 'The Beauty' filmed in Rockland, Walter's Hot Dogs was there". lohud | Rockland/Westchester Journal News. Retrieved February 14, 2025.
  18. ^ Longeretta, Emily (September 30, 2024). "Ryan Murphy: Evan Peters' 'The Beauty' Dives Into 'Ozempic Culture'". Variety. Retrieved January 5, 2026.
  19. ^ "Ryan Murphy's "The Beauty" Set to Premiere on FX: A Sci-Fi Medical..." Edge Media Network. December 31, 2024. Retrieved January 5, 2026.
  20. ^ Vlessing, Etan (January 5, 2026). "Ashton Kutcher Is a Sinister Tech Billionaire With a Deadly Super Drug in 'The Beauty' Trailer". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved January 18, 2026.
  21. ^ DiVincenzo, Alex (January 13, 2026). "Ryan Murphy's 'The Beauty' Trailer Sets FX Record with 190 Million Views in First Week". Bloody Disgusting!. Retrieved January 18, 2026.
  22. ^ Campione, Katie (January 13, 2026). "'The Beauty' Trailer Sets Record For FX With 190M Views In 7 Days". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved January 18, 2026.
  23. ^ Maldonado, Ryder (December 3, 2025). "Supermodel mystery deaths and high-profile stars collide in Ryan Murphy's new high-fashion thriller". ABC7 Los Angeles. Retrieved January 18, 2026.
  24. ^ Sayre, Will (January 14, 2026). "New Trailer for 'The Beauty' With Ashton Kutcher Has Fans Obsessed — And Sets a Record". Parade. Retrieved January 18, 2026.
  25. ^ "The Beauty: Season 1". Rotten Tomatoes. Retrieved February 11, 2026.
  26. ^ "The Beauty: Season 1". Metacritic. Retrieved February 11, 2026.
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