The latest television offering from prolific creator Ryan Murphy has landed with a resounding thud among critics, with his new science fiction body horror series 'The Beauty' being widely panned as offensive, unhinged, and intellectually shallow. Despite boasting a glittering ensemble cast, the show has ignited a firestorm of negative reviews, with many commentators drawing unfavourable comparisons to recent acclaimed works in the genre.
A High-Concept Premise Meets Critical Dismay
Premiering on FX and Hulu in the United States on January 21, 2026, before arriving on Disney+ in the UK a day later, 'The Beauty' plunges viewers into a dark world of high fashion and viral horror. The narrative follows FBI agents Cooper Madsen (Evan Peters) and Jordan Bennett (Rebecca Hall) as they investigate a series of gruesome deaths among international supermodels. Their investigation uncovers a sexually transmitted virus, engineered by a shadowy tech billionaire known as The Corporation (Ashton Kutcher), which transforms people into visions of physical perfection—but with catastrophic, often lethal, consequences.
Scathing Reviews and Unfavourable Comparisons
The critical reception has been overwhelmingly harsh. Metro's reviewer awarded the series a solitary star, branding it 'offensive new TV show is nearly unwatchable' and 'shameless claptrap'. A common thread in the criticism is the show's perceived lack of originality, with multiple critics accusing it of ripping off the award-winning 2024 body horror film 'The Substance'.
The Independent noted the show's 'genetic make-up is spliced from superior stock', identifying traces of 'The Substance' and the horror film 'It Follows', but concluded 'The Beauty is not a patch on either of them'. Similarly, the Irish Independent was brutally dismissive, stating the defining difference is that 'one is great and the other is muck'.
A Star-Studded Cast Cannot Save the Show
The series features an undeniably impressive roster of talent, including Bella Hadid, Jeremy Pope, John Carroll Lynch, and cameos from figures like Meghan Trainor and Nicola Peltz Beckham. However, critics argue that this star power is wasted on a flawed product. Roger Ebert's critic highlighted the show's 'excess—particularly around sex and violence' paired with 'half-baked ideas'.
Even reviews that found minor positives were damning with faint praise. The Financial Times suggested that while the jokes fall flat, the series works 'more successfully as a gruesome horror', feeling like an amalgamation of Murphy's past hits 'Nip/Tuck' and 'American Horror Story'. The Hollywood Reporter called it one of Murphy's 'most thought-full (if not thoughtful) shows in years', but questioned the originality of its ideas.
Glimmers of Praise Amidst the Backlash
Not every notice was entirely negative. The Guardian offered a more favourable perspective, calling the show 'a return to bingeable Murphy goodness' and awarding it four stars. The Radio Times praised the 'visually stunning' production and 'great cast', particularly highlighting the performances of Rebecca Hall and Evan Peters.
Ultimately, 'The Beauty' presents a starkly divided critical landscape. For every reviewer who found it a stylish, entertaining romp, several more have condemned it as a derivative and excessive misfire. The series poses a provocative question about the cost of perfection, but for many critics, the artistic sacrifice was far too great.
