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Ryan Murphy's The Beauty Premieres on FX, Hulu

Published 25 January 2026

Ryan Murphy's latest television series, "The Beauty," premiered on January 21 in the United States on FX and Hulu, with the first three episodes available immediately, drawing viewers into a tale of body horror and societal obsession. The 11-episode season, co-created by Murphy and Matthew Hodgson and adapted from a 2015 comic book by Jeremy Haun and Jason A. Hurley, follows FBI agents investigating a wave of gruesome deaths among supermodels linked to a mysterious treatment that promises physical perfection at a deadly cost.

The story centers on a sexually transmissible substance known as the Beauty, which transforms users into ideals of attractiveness through rapid physical changes, including aesthetic enhancements that conceal fatal side effects such as overheating and explosive disintegration. As the epidemic spreads, causing public panic and escalating deaths, the investigation uncovers ties to a secretive tech billionaire, played by Ashton Kutcher, who has developed the drug in pursuit of anti-aging solutions. The narrative blends elements of thriller, dark comedy, and science fiction, exploring themes of vanity, desire, and the risks of cosmetic enhancement.

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