Love Story: John F. Kennedy Jr. & Carolyn Bessette [2026] on Disney Plus / Hulu

Love Story introduces this tragedy to young audiences, including myself, in a respectable way while barely scratching the surface of the 1990s paparazzi culture.

Starring Sarah Pidgeon as Carolyn Bessette, and Paul Anthony Kelly as John F. Kennedy Jr., this show is an elegant and yet restrained take on a highly public romance, that ended in a public tragedy.

To be honest, you’ll know right from the pilot that it’s a Ryan Murphy production. In his typical style, his shows are very good at telling historical stories, while sprinkling some subplots for dramatic effect.

While I’m not very familiar with the actual details and story of this couple, my review is based just on what I saw. Considering this could have been sassier than other Ryan Murphy productions, “Love Story” is quite tame. Yes, its pacing can feel stretched, too stretched. However, the series captures successfully the tension between intimacy and fame with a melancholic, compelling tone, elevated by its two stars.

Going safe seems to be the objective here. The result? The show never truly cracks the surface of what made John and Carolyn’s romance so compelling to so many, instead serving up a paint-by-numbers recreation of memorable moments without giving their relationship real depth. Ryan Murphy needs to start delivering powerful shows for his super talented cast.

Pidgeon and Kelly deliver stunning performances that elevate the show into semi-cultural status. You will forget that it’s based on real persons. If it wasn’t for them, the show would have easily crashed and burmed.

Should You Watch It?

The show does a really good job of creating an entire world around its 90s setting with stunning performances by its cast. However, it barely scratches the surface explaining to us what made the couple special, including their personal and public problems.

Where Can I Watch It?

You can stream Love Story: John F. Kennedy Jr. & Carolyn Bessette on Disney Plus.