In more ways than one, Ryan Murphy‘s upcoming horror thriller series seems reminiscent of one of the most underrated episodes from American Horror Stories.
Although many of Ryan Murphy’s recent shows have been wrapped in controversy, he is considered a visionary in the horror genre because of his work in American Horror Story and its follow-ups. AHS, too, experienced many ebbs and flows in quality because of its anthology format. However, some of its episodes still have incredible rewatch value and are appreciated as brilliant additions to the horror genre.
Interestingly, even though Ryan Murphy’s upcoming horror show is based on an original comic, it seems to have the narrative traces of a forgotten American Horror Stories episode.
Ryan Murphy’s The Beauty Seems Like The Perfect Follow-Up To American Horror Stories’ “Facelift”
American Horror Stories “Facelift” episode is a deeply disturbing cautionary tale about vanity. It follows the story of a socialite who falls into the trap of becoming obsessed with youth and beauty after her marriage falls apart. With what follows, she resorts to experimenting with extreme cosmetic surgeries that consume her identity and turn her into something monstrous.
In more ways than one, Ryan Murphy’s upcoming show, The Beauty, seems similar to “Facelift.”
The upcoming show is based on a comic of the same name in which a sexually transmitted disease helps the infected achieve youthful, flawless skin. While the infected initially celebrate their newfound physical perfection, the illusion soon shatters as the disease comes with disastrous, fatal symptoms. Murphy’s take on the comic will feature a beauty-enhancing drug instead of the STD from the original comic.
This change from the source material will make it even more similar to American Horror Stories‘ “Facelift” as it will walk through a similar story about the maddening pursuit of beauty and the psychological rot it leaves behind.
“Facelift” Is One Of American Horror Stories’ Most Underrated Episodes
“Facelift” is not often ranked among AHS‘ best installments and even holds an underwhelming IMDB score of 5.9/10. Although the episode is not perfect, its warnings about obsession with vanity are hard-hitting, and Judith Light’s incredible performance as its lead ensures that viewers truly relate to her character’s inner turmoil and gradual descend.
Even from a body horror perspective, “Facelift” seems reminiscent of one of The Twilight Zone‘s best episodes, “Eye of the Beholder.”
Although “Facelift” still has its flaws and is weighed down by pacing issues, it deserves more appreciation than it initially received. Hopefully, if Ryan Murphy‘s The Beauty succeeds, it will prompt viewers to return to the American Horror Stories episode and reconsider what they think about it.
