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The plane vanishes. Families are told. Ashes are scattered. So ends Love Story, Ryan Murphy’s schlocky, glossy nine-part melodrama about the doomed marriage between Carolyn Bessette and John F Kennedy Jr. Yet one thing is clear: the myth of Camelot – or at least this version – still captivates.
This week, Disney+ confirmed Love Story is now the most streamed drama in the platform’s history. A rare sleeper hit, later episodes drew 50% more global viewers than February’s pilot, boosted by “social reach” and word of mouth.
According to FX, which created the show, social media searches for JFK Jr and Bessette grew by more than 9,100% in the past month.
Its success has inevitably prompted speculation about Murphy’s next subject, which is reportedly in the works.
The showrunner behind somevery successful if controversial recent TV, such as American Horror Story and legal drama All’s Fair, tends towards a familiar pattern: camp nostalgia, paparazzi exposure and cultural symbolism, according to TV critic Scott Bryan: “Forget historical accuracy. No one can turn controversy into a way to publicise their show like Ryan Murphy.”
Among the names being floated on Reddit and social media are Brad Pitt and Jennifer Aniston; John Lennon and Yoko Ono; Liz Taylor and Richard Burton; David and Victoria Beckham; Kurt Cobain and Courtney Love – “and Liza Minnelli with almost any of her husbands”, Bryan added.
The other decisive factors are tragic backstories and workable legal margins which in practice means the longer they have been dead, the smoother the adaptation.
This formula may explain why Love Story has been such a hit. The series begins as a Cinderella romance between a Kennedy scion and a Calvin Klein publicist who became the most famous and scrutinised couple in the US – and evolves into a lesson in what happens when marriage becomes a form of branding.
To that end, said Bryan, “if it hadn’t been done so recently, I’d say Diana has all the ingredients for the Murphy treatment”.
Comparisons between Bessette and Diana, Princess of Wales, are longstanding, so much so that the penultimate episode tracks the royal’s death in 1997. Yet for some viewers, the parallels feel more contemporary.
“I hear the Diana comparisons but for me, it’s as relevant now in relation to the schism between William, and Harry and Meghan,” said Dan, a 38-year-old charity director in east London who binged the show this month.
“I’d never heard of them before I watched it. I understand they’re something like American royalty. But as I have no emotional connection to them it’s probably easier for me, as a Brit, to watch.”
That distance may be the point. For British audiences, the story simply functions as a modern fairytale with universal dating themes, great hair and a wardrobe full of Prada and Kangol caps worn backwards. American audiences received The Crown with equal enthusiasm.
“I think a lot of the reason why Love Story resonates, especially with [gen Z women], is because it’s still just a story about a young wealthy couple who are stylish and good-looking – but still with all their flaws,” said Mika Proctor, an 18-year-old student.
In one early episode, a character suggests Bessette has read The Rules, the notorious 1990s dating manual advising women to let men do the chasing. Even though we know these two get together, Bessette’s elusive courting strategy has been seen as emblematic of dating in a pre-digital world by some viewers.
Equally, there are moments of relatability: a fight over loading the dishwasher, what to watch on TV and, of course, mothers-in-law. “It’s a reminder that no matter who you are, your social background, relationships are always difficult,” added Proctor.
Bryan, who also came to the show without prior knowledge, sees its success as part of a broader shift in what we consume.
“Dropping the show each week instead of in one go works,” he said. “TV makers have realised that if you do a whole box set run it can drop out of the cultural conversation quite quickly.”
And knowing the ending doesn’t matter. “In fact we can almost lean into its predictability,” he added. Their death is established from the start, but the suspense lies in how we get there.
“This is prestige television without the usual weight,” he added, comparing it to recent hits such as Succession. “Most high-end dramas end up as po-faced reflections on politics or society. Love Story is unapologetically schmaltzy, and doesn’t try to be anything more than a show that looks the part.”
