Should we have watched Love Story?
If your “For You Page” is anything like mine, for the past month, you’ve been spammed with constant paparazzi pictures, think pieces, and fan edits all regarding one topic: Love Story: John F. Kennedy Jr. & Carolyn Bessette. Ryan Murphy’s new show has taken audiences by storm, amassing a record-breaking 25 million hours of viewing in its first five episodes alone. The ‘90s New York nostalgia, effortless charisma of JFK Jr., and the “CBK-effect” make this show helplessly addicting.
At the center, former Broadway starlette Sarah Pidgeon delivers a powerhouse performance as Bessette, emerging as one of the most exciting new actors in Hollywood. Every choice is sharply restrained but gives just enough to pierce the heart with every strained plea (especially in the final episodes). However, with its massive success come critiques on its depiction of the couple. Notoriously private, Bessette was known for her minimalist fashion, but we could never quite get to what was behind those tiny black sunglasses. The couple grappled with life in the public eye and everything that the Kennedy family name entails. Since they had a disdain for public perception, many have questioned the ethicality of the show putting their personal lives on such a large scale once again.
Based on Elizabeth Beller’s biography Once Upon a Time: The Captivating Life of Carolyn Bessette-Kennedy, Murphy takes us from flipping through pages of People Magazine and into the walls of their Tribeca apartment. Their infamous Battery park fight is recreated in episode 5. Their stunningly intimate wedding in Cumberland Island takes up all of episode 6. All of these moments that have not been physically or creatively imagined until now. What was to them a real moment in their lives became a public spectacle captured and sold to people like you and me.
Bessette and Kennedy’s relationship was laden with relentless tabloid scrutiny and sensationalized all over the country. Kennedy, having been a public figure since birth, was more well-equipped to deal with the attention, however Bessette avoided it at all costs. So, what does it mean to restage these moments? Voyeuristic in nature, we enter a relationship that infamously resisted being seen.
It's easy to get swept up in the romance. CBK’s replicable fashion moments make the character feel less like a person and more like a moodboard come to life. But as the episodes continue, the irony is hard to ignore. For example, episode 7 features a knock-out scene of Pidgeon sobbing over the constant presence of the paparazzi outside their apartment, following her every move. You can’t help but feel an enormous amount of sympathy for what Bessette is experiencing, however the only reason we are experiencing this sympathy is because we are participating in an example of this intrusion.
America's longstanding fascination with the Kennedys cannot be understated. They are the closest thing we have to a royal family. For over 75 years, at least one member of the Kennedy clan has held political office. Their family is riddled with tragedy, however each member carries the same public intrigue.
The critiques of the show are similar to those of the Netflix hit The Crown, which showcases the events of the British royal period from 1947-2005. Both shows portray some of the most infamous public figures and are subjected to critiques regarding the accuracy of these depictions. The shows beg the question of the ethicality of putting real people into a cultural spectacle. The discomfort is sharpened by its poor timing. JFK Jr.’s niece, Tatiana Schlossberg, passed away after a battle with cancer in December 2025. This reminds us that the show does not display a distant history we can view from a modern perspective, but an ongoing portrayal of privilege and tragedy.
