Sun Jan 25 08:20:00 UTC 2026: ### “The Beauty” Reflects and Exploits Societal Anxieties in the Ozempic Era
The Story:
Ryan Murphy’s new FX horror thriller, “The Beauty,” capitalizes on contemporary anxieties surrounding beauty standards and the increasing malleability of appearances in the age of GLP-1 drugs like Ozempic and Mounjaro. Loosely based on a 2016 graphic novel, the series centers on a virus that transforms individuals into perfect physical specimens, with the deadly side effect of spontaneous combustion after two years. Two FBI agents investigate model deaths in Paris and Venice, uncovering the dark side of this transformative “injectable Instagram filter” marketed by a biotech CEO played by Ashton Kutcher.
Key Points:
- “The Beauty” draws heavily from current cultural trends like the resurgence of thinness fueled by Ozempic and the increasing acceptance of cosmetic procedures and digital alterations.
- The show critiques celebrity usage of GLP-1 drugs, targeting “off-label A-list users” with self-righteous mockery. Meghan Trainor, who faced criticism for her own weight loss, plays a character who suffers a gruesome fate.
- The series also explores the motivations of young, alienated men within the manosphere who seek aesthetic transformations as a means of gaining purpose and connection.
- “The Beauty” mirrors the real-world competition for access to appearance-altering treatments, contrasting the experiences of affluent clients with those who resort to cheaper, unregulated alternatives.
- The show relies heavily on stunt casting and shock value, prioritizing viral moments over narrative coherence, a signature characteristic of Ryan Murphy’s recent work.
Key Takeaways:
- “The Beauty” reflects the current societal obsession with beauty and the extreme measures people are willing to take to achieve it.
- The show critiques the normalization of cosmetic procedures and the impact of GLP-1 drugs on body image and beauty standards.
- The series exploits the anxieties surrounding beauty, aging, and social validation, using body horror as a means of social commentary.
- The casting choices and narrative devices prioritize shock value and viral potential, potentially sacrificing depth and coherence.
Impact Analysis:
The success of “The Beauty,” despite mixed reviews, suggests that audiences are drawn to narratives that reflect and amplify their anxieties about beauty and social validation. This trend may lead to more television shows that explore the dark side of beauty standards, potentially impacting how viewers perceive and internalize these standards. The reliance on stunt casting and viral moments may also influence the future of television storytelling, prioritizing short-form, attention-grabbing content over long-form narratives.
First Piper 