Prominent director Ryan Murphy is under fire again for his latest TV show, Love Story.
The show, which began airing in February, depicts the tragic relationship of John F. Kennedy Jr., and his wife Carolyn Bessette Kennedy. It received attention on social media, reigniting the media fascination with the Kennedy family.
Love Story does its job in representing the stylish couple accurately. Carolyn’s portrayal is chic and intelligent in face of the cruel public treatment she received for her marriage.
Viewers receive insight into the beloved couple who tragically lost their lives in a plane crash in 1999. The showrunners do well to capture Bessette’s mysterious demeanor and Kennedy’s charisma and even showcase their marriage with romantic dates and public fights.
However, the show misses one thing—permission from the Kennedy family.
John F. Kennedy Jr.’s nephew, Jack Schlossberg, said that Murphy did not reach out to the Kennedy family regarding the show or think to put some of his profit toward the causes his uncle fought for.
As a response to this critique, Murphy expressed on the Gavin Newsom podcast that it is an “odd choice to be mad about your relative that you really don’t remember.”
Murphy, who created American Horror Story and Glee, is no stranger to public scrutiny.He received backlash for his Monster anthology where the lives of infamous killers are reenacted.
He’s often accused of profiting off of the traumas of those affected by the real life stories he tells. Despite that, his work consistently pulls in millions of viewers.
That raises the question of if Murphy has abandoned ethicality in portraying a true event and instead prioritized the dramatization of some of America’s most grievous stories.
His most notable critics came about after the release of the first season of Monster. Released in 2022, the season chronicled the real-life murders of serial killer Jeffrey Dahmer.
The show was a hit the moment it dropped on Netflix. It played into the intense fascination that comes with the true crime genre and was augmented by the fact that the story was told from the perspective of the victims.
However, it was immediately subject to controversy after it was revealed that neither Murphy or Netflix received permission from the family of the victims to create the show.
The backlash for Murphy only intensified after the launch of the second season of the show, The Lyle and Erik Menendez Story.
Released in 2024, it showcased the events leading up to brothers Lyle and Erik Menendez murdering their parents who allegedly sexually abused them.
The season received praise for the emotionally grueling performances and intense cinematography that includes a one-shot take episode.
However, one of the brothers did not agree with the show’s recounting of their lives.
In September of 2024, Erik Menendez shared a statement through his wife’s account on X, stating “…Netflix’s dishonest portrayal of the tragedies surrounding our crime have taken the painful truths several steps backward.”
Even in the face of the outrage Murphy faces, he’s persistent in the storylines he wants to present and never fails to gain audience attention—his latest series proves that.
There is no doubt that whether he chooses shocking American crimes or devastating romances, the producer has the ability to create some of the most captivating media in the industry.
While his compelling directorial decisions often come at the expense of others’ grief and comfort, he believes that he is giving a voice to stories that deserve to be heard.
The 60-year-old has shown that he is more than willing to bear public scrutiny and sacrifice ethical storytelling in order to stand behind his artistic decisions, overstepping a boundary that many are afraid to.
Love Story is currently streaming on FX and FX Hulu.
