Ryan Murphy's Latest 'Unhinged' Horror Series Leaves Viewers Deeply Disturbed
Ryan Murphy, the prolific creator behind cultural phenomena like American Horror Story and Netflix's Monster, has unleashed his newest television creation – and it's already generating intense reactions from audiences. The Beauty, a genre-defying series that blends body horror, sci-fi, and dark comedy thriller elements, premiered its first three episodes on Disney+ this week, with fans taking to social media to describe feeling 'disturbed', 'uncomfortable', and primed for nightmares.
A Virus of Perfection with Deadly Consequences
The series centres on a chilling premise: a sexually transmitted virus that transforms ordinary individuals into visions of physical perfection. However, this apparent blessing quickly reveals itself as a curse, as the newly created supermodels begin dying in gruesome and mysterious ways. This alarming pattern catches the attention of the FBI, which dispatches two agents – portrayed by Evan Peters and Rebecca Hall – to investigate the escalating crisis.
Their investigation leads them to a shadowy tech billionaire known only as 'The Corporation', played by Ashton Kutcher. This enigmatic figure is revealed to have secretly engineered a so-called miracle drug named 'The Beauty', which is at the heart of the unfolding horror. The narrative uses its shocking body horror elements to launch a searing critique of modern beauty standards and the extreme lengths to which society will go in their pursuit.
Critical Reception and Star-Studded Cast
The Beauty marks Murphy's latest project following the critically panned All's Fair, and represents a reunion with frequent collaborator Evan Peters. The series has debuted with a mixed-to-positive critical response, currently holding a 69% score on Rotten Tomatoes. The Guardian offered strong praise, branding the show "so delicious you could just pass out" and declaring it features "carnage, exploding supermodels, Isabella Rossellini – Ryan Murphy is back at his best."
The Hollywood Reporter provided a more measured assessment, noting that while the series "isn't smart or original, it's a gory good-enough time." The show's themes and execution have drawn comparisons to other works examining bodily transformation, notably the Demi Moore film The Substance and the iconic body horror of director David Cronenberg.
Beyond its leading players, the 11-part series boasts an impressively stacked roster of guest stars. The ensemble includes supermodel Bella Hadid, actress Nicola Peltz Beckham, comedian Billy Eichner, screen legend Isabella Rossellini, and actors John Carroll Lynch, Lux Pascal, Meghan Trainor, and Vincent D'Onofrio.
Streaming Availability and Fan Reactions
The first three episodes of The Beauty are available to stream now exclusively on Disney+. The platform is currently running a promotional offer, providing a subscription to its Standard with Ads plan for just £3.99 per month for three months, with the deal expiring on January 28. Disney+ has also reduced the price of its Standard plan to £6.99 (down from £9.99) and its Premium plan to £9.99 (down from £14.99) as part of the same limited-time promotion.
Since the show's debut, viewer reactions on social media platforms like X have been visceral. One fan wrote, "That first episode was wild. I'm so disturbed yet intrigued." Another viewer reported, "Seven minutes in and I'm already gonna have a nightmare about this," while a third simply stated, "Watching The Beauty and I am very uncomfortable."
Many have described the series as 'unhinged', with one commenter summarising the sentiment: "Just when you think Ryan Murphy's mind couldn't get any weirder, it does." The release of The Beauty comes during a competitive period for streaming services, with Netflix preparing to launch the fourth season of Bridgerton on January 29 and Prime Video set to debut its new mystery thriller Vanished, starring Kaley Cuoco and Sam Claflin, on February 1.
