Pop Culture Happy Hour – "The Beauty" (January 27, 2026)

Episode Overview

This episode features a lively roundtable discussion about the new Ryan Murphy series, The Beauty, a body horror drama exploring beauty standards, biotech, class issues, and more through the lens of a fantastical new “fountain of youth” drug. Host Aisha Harris is joined by TV critic Roxanna Hadadi and journalist/podcast host Tre’vell Anderson to break down the show's themes, performances, and overall effectiveness, with plenty of insight and sharp humor.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Premise and Context of "The Beauty"

• The series is described as a “lavish body horror” that explores what happens when a new drug can make conventionally “ugly” people into “supermodels”—with catastrophic consequences (“consequences are messy” – [02:22]).
• Main characters include FBI agents Cooper and Jordan (Evan Peters and Rebecca Hall), and a tech billionaire antagonist played by Ashton Kutcher.
• Themes include social media, Ozempic culture, body image, pharma, male loneliness, misogyny, and the commodification of beauty.

2. Is the Show Astute Commentary or Crass Exploitation?

• The panel immediately notes the signature Ryan Murphy blend of “astute commentary” and “crass exploitation”—maybe both.
• Roxanna praises the show for being “atypical within Murphy’s world and really, really gross,” especially as body horror ([04:42]).

3. Reactions to the Show’s Execution

• Roxanna Hadadi: Finds the show thought-provoking and more resonant than many Murphy projects, particularly in its commentary on beauty standards, big pharma, male loneliness, and incel culture.
• Tre’vell Anderson: Argues the show is overloaded: “It’s too much. … He added a little of this on top. It’s just too much for me” ([06:26]). Anderson also notes that the body horror aspects quickly become repetitive and lose impact.
• Aisha Harris: Highlights structural problems—too many ideas and themes, unwieldy episode lengths, and a lack of narrative focus. “It will often sidetrack to show a different character being affected by this giant web of the beauty…” ([09:10]).
• All agree Jeremy Pope’s storyline and performance are standout elements, especially in his “protege” relationship with Anthony Ramos’s character.

4. Characters and Relationships

• The romance/partnership between the leads (Evan Peters and Rebecca Hall) comes across as uninteresting and ineffective as an emotional through-line.
• Roxanna and Tre’vell argue the more compelling dynamic is between Jeremy Pope and Anthony Ramos—“the best part of this whole thing” ([08:48], Tre’vell).
• The show tries to diversify motivations for transformation, but ultimately, almost all characters share the same desire for beauty, which begins to feel tired and repetitive.

5. Deeper Themes and Limitations

• Critiques are made about how the show reinforces rather than critiques beauty norms.
  • Roxanna observes, “the show itself is fetishizing what they look like now, which you could argue is, implicitly, they look better” ([14:29]).
• Tre’vell notes the show brings up new perspectives—like a Black incel character—but doesn’t dig deep enough: “That was something … different and fresh and unique. But … there are so many characters here who are all ultimately motivated by the same thing” ([12:10]).
• There’s a nod to the show’s attempt at an AIDS allegory, with the transmissibility of the beauty drug as a stand-in for the way diseases and social stigma circulate ([17:11]).

6. Show Structure and Editing

• The consensus is that the show is too long and would have worked better as a tighter, limited series: “This could have been a tight five, six episodes, and it would have been way, way more effective” ([17:11], Aisha).
• Tre’vell jokes, “I wish there was, like, an editor, like a story editor. …Take this out, put that over there and give us a nice, you know, targeted limited series” ([16:17]).

7. Performances & Casting

• Jeremy Pope and Anthony Ramos are praised as “understanding the tone of the project” ([19:49], Roxanna).
• Ashton Kutcher’s casting does not resonate with the panel; both his suitability as a “tech billionaire” and his on-screen presence are questioned. Roxanna jokes, “Bless him. I don't think Ashton Kutcher can hold all of that. And I still think that he was cast just because his ex, Demi Moore, was the lead of The Substance. That's my conspiracy theory, and you can't make me unthink it.” ([19:49]).

8. Tone, Style, and Lasting Impressions

• The show is at least “entertaining …absurd and kitschy and gross enough” that each episode has some provocation or over-the-top moment ([18:22], Roxanna).
• The dramatic, body-focused transformation scenes are both repellent and hypocritically glamorizing.
• Despite major criticisms, Roxanna is “slightly curious for season two … not enough to forgive the ludicrous cliffhanger, but at least enough to maybe check out the season premiere” ([18:22]).
• Tre’vell, less convinced: “Y’all will be watching by yourself” ([19:21]).

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments (with Timestamps)

• Aisha Harris ([04:21]): “So much pseudo science. There’s a lot going on. So much of that kind of talk. And that’s only the beginning.”
• Roxanna Hadadi ([04:42]): “I would not take the Beauty. I’m perfectly fine with my aggressive features. Did it work for me? This is always a loaded question with a Ryan Murphy show… I was compelled by some things, repulsed by other things, but largely impressed that it felt atypical within Murphy’s world and really, really gross. I say that as praise.”
• Tre’vell Anderson ([06:20]): “I think Ryan Murphy should be held accountable for his crimes. … There is so much here, but I think it’s too much.”
• Roxanna ([10:35]): “I think it’s hard because I don’t think the show actually has anything larger to say than just, isn’t it unfortunate that social media has made it so plentiful that we all hate ourselves? Like, that’s like the baseline point, which we all know… That’s not new.”
• Tre’vell ([12:10]): “The fact that Jeremy Pope slash Jaquel's character is an incel. But they're Black. We don't talk about the Black incels. … But to your point, there are so many characters here who are all ultimately motivated by the same thing. …I do think that gets a little tired at a point…”
• Roxanna ([14:29]): “After these grotesque transformation sequences and the new versions of these characters emerge from these pulsing egg sacs or whatever, the show always switches into a slow motion panning reveal of their body… The show itself is fetishizing what they look like now… It’s like a limitation built into the show…”
• Tre’vell ([16:17]): “I wish there was… a story editor. And I’m sure they had one, no shade. But I wish there was somebody who was like, take this out, put that in a different show.”
• Aisha ([17:11]): “…It just does feel like this could have been a tight five, six episodes, and it would have been way, way more effective.”
• Roxanna ([19:49]): “They are just really understanding the tone of the project. … I don’t think Ashton Kutcher can hold all of that. And I still think that he was cast just because his ex, Demi Moore, was the lead of The Substance. That’s my conspiracy theory, and you can’t make me unthink it.”
• Tre’vell ([19:21]): “Y’all will be watching by yourself. Okay.”

Important Segment Timestamps

• Premise & Summary: [03:14]–[04:21]
• First Reactions (Roxanna, Tre’vell, Aisha): [04:42]–[09:58]
• Best & Worst Elements, Structural Critique: [08:48]–[10:35]
• Deeper Themes (Incels, Motivations, Social Media Critique): [10:35]–[12:52], [14:29]–[16:17]
• Commentary on Casting & Tone: [19:29]–[20:58]
• Season 2 Prospects / Episode Wrap: [18:22]–[21:10]

Conclusion

The Beauty is ambitious, provocative, and very Ryan Murphy—overflowing with ideas and body horror flourishes, but ultimately undercut by bloated structure, inconsistent tone, and incomplete commentary. Jeremy Pope’s storyline emerges as a highlight, but the show’s attempts at satire and critique fall into the same traps it seeks to explore. The hosts are divided on whether it’s worth continuing, but agree it offers plenty to discuss and, true to Murphy form, is never boring.