When The Crown premiered its final season, it felt like the end of an era. The Netflix series created by Peter Morgan dove deep into the British monarchy through the lens of Queen Elizabeth II and her immediate family, while also taking creative liberties with crafted dialogue that reflected what may or may not have happened behind closed doors. Although the U.S. doesn’t have a royal family, per se, the Kennedys are the closest there is — even if John F. Kennedy Jr. (Paul Anthony Kelly) begs to differ in FX’s Love Story. Ryan Murphy’s latest anthology endeavor recounts JFK Jr. and Carolyn Bessette Kennedy’s (Sarah Pidgeon) highly-publicized romance and the tragic plane crash that led to their demise. It recreates the moments that made headlines while building on the couple’s relationship outside the public eye, giving in to the allure of who they were when the paparazzi weren’t snapping shots of them leaving their loft apartment in New York or fueling rumors of an imminent divorce. Similar to The Crown, Love Story thrives on a balance of historical accuracy with fictional elements, painting a never-before-seen picture of the famed couple.
What Is ‘Love Story: John F. Kennedy Jr. & Carolyn Bessette’ About?

The series opens with a glimpse into JFK Jr. and Carolyn Bessette Kennedy’s final day, with him leaving the office of George magazine and her at the nail salon getting her polish swapped from bold red to dull beige. It’s clear the couple isn’t on good terms before boarding their plane to Hyannis Port, but before tragedy ensues, Love Story rewinds by seven years. The former U.S. president’s son is getting skewered in the headlines for failing the New York bar exam, while Carolyn picks up her copy of a fashion magazine on the way to Calvin Klein’s headquarters. Here, a clear difference between their lifestyles is established, with John seemingly used to media attention and Carolyn helping models like Kate Moss get discovered while living in relative anonymity. When Calvin Klein (Alessandro Nivola) introduces Carolyn to John, they are instantly attracted to each other, but he is still in an on-and-off relationship with actress Daryl Hannah (Dree Hemingway), and she seems to be just fine keeping it casual with model Michael Bergin (Noah Fearnley). Still, their first encounter will certainly not be their last. Murphy’s Love Story follows those early days and the natural progression of the main couple’s romance, offering a distinct portrayal of their private outings while they were still dating and a clear shift in dynamics once Carolyn accepts John’s marriage proposal. In addition to a focus on the titular love story, the series also examines the burden of being a public figure, with John and his sister Caroline (Grace Gummer) struggling to figure out who they are outside their parents’ legacy, as Carolyn gets forced into a spotlight she’d always sought to avoid. As these two people from opposite worlds fall for each other, his reality remains the same while hers changes overnight, which impacts their ultimately short-lived marriage.

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Sarah Pidgeon and Paul Anthony Kelly Are Captivating in ‘Love Story’

Paul Anthony Kelly as John F. Kennedy Jr. and Sarah Pidgeon as Carolyn Bessette in Love Story.Image via FX

As far as Love Story’s casting is concerned, newcomers Paul Anthony Kelly and Sarah Pidgeon seamlessly embody JFK Jr. and Carolyn Bessette. Although Kelly had ample material to pull from in order to grasp both accent and mannerisms, he does go beyond the archives to offer his own take. In Love Story, JFK Jr. is both a confident spokesperson and unable to shake off the expectations that others have of him. Throughout the series, he jumps from failing the bar exam to starting his own magazine, unsure of how to find success without support from his business partner, Michael Berman (Michael Nathanson). Compared to Kelly, however, Pidgeon only had images and videos to inform her performance, given how private the real-life Carolyn was. The version we see in Love Story encompasses both the carefree personality she had before becoming a public figure and the more guarded demeanor that she reverts to after being scrutinized and chased by paparazzi at every waking moment. Although viewers have less of an opportunity to witness the couple evolve as individuals, Love Story takes time to examine both their relationship with the media and with each other.
‘Love Story’ Successfully Balances Historical Accuracy and Creative Liberty

Love Story does recreate the publicly documented instances of John and Carolyn’s relationship, including their infamous screaming match in Central Park and their wedding day photos. Yet, the FX drama actually thrives in its efforts to depict moments that lived beyond the headlines. Scenes in Episode 8, in particular, are some of the most dialogue-heavy in the series, allowing Kelly and Pidgeon to elevate their portrayals further.

Although showrunner Connor Hines and the writing team juggle fact and fiction, Love Story’s costume design is fairly faithful to the real-life couple’s style. After early images of the series left many viewers outraged over Pidgeon’s styling, costume designer Rudy Mance joined the production and was able to rectify the looks. The series’ fashion, paired with lush cinematography from DPs Jason McCormick and Pepe Avila del Pino, succeeds in visually transporting audiences to the ’90s era that the story is rooted in. Even though some of Murphy’s past true crime productions have missed the mark, Love Story focuses on far more than the tragic plane crash that resulted in the deaths of JFK Jr., Carolyn, and her sister, Lauren Bessette. It puts one of America’s most famous romances into perspective, using both fact and fiction to result in a more empathetic portrayal. Kelly and Pidgeon effectively tap into their roles, and their onscreen chemistry helps the viewer fall for them and root for them even when John and Carolyn’s marriage is going through a rough patch. Despite only eight of the series’ nine episodes being made available for review, Love Story strikes a balance between historical accuracy and creative liberty to offer a fresh perspective on events that many viewers remember all too vividly.

Release Date

February 12, 2026

Directors

Max Winkler, Anthony Hemingway, Crystle Roberson Dorsey, Gillian Robespierre, Jesse Peretz

Writers

Connor Hines, D.V. DeVincentis, Juli Weiner, Kim Rosenstock

Pros & Cons

Paul Anthony Kelly and Sarah Pidgeon channel the mannerisms and accents, while giving their own spin on JFK Jr. and Carolyn Bessette Kennedy.
The series effectively balances fact and fiction, with some of the scenes behind closed doors among the show’s best.
The costume design and cinematography help make the show an immersive viewing experience.
The series doesn’t glamorize tragedy, unlike previous Ryan Murphy projects.

The main characters don’t get as much development outside of their romantic arc.