FX's The Beauty Is Now No. 1 On Streaming Worldwide

1 week ago 19

Published Jan 25, 2026, 5:18 PM EST

Jennifer is a TV News Editor at ScreenRant. She started her journey in entertainment media in 2022 when she first joined Valnet at CBR before coming to ScreenRant.

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FX’s new science fiction horror show, The Beauty, has surged to the top of the worldwide streaming chart on Disney Plus, becoming the platform’s most-watched series at the time of this article's publication.

Based on the Image Comics series, The Beauty mixes the glamour of the fashion industry with body horror and science fiction. Its rapid ascent to number one suggests that comic book adaptations beyond just mainstream Marvel and DC franchises have always been just as good. The Beauty is just one of several popular shows based on independent comics throughout the years, such as The Walking Dead and Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles.

The Ryan Murphy series has only been out for 4 days at the time of this article's publication, but the series surging to the top spot on Disney Plus' streaming charts is still pretty impressive. This could be attributed to the hype that has surrounded the series for several months and FX's refusal to reveal many details, boosting the anticipation for The Beauty. However, since it hasn't even been a week since its release, the initial rise in attention and views might fade after the initial excitement wears off.

FX's adaptation revolves around the fashion industry and its horrifying views on beauty standards. One day, a disturbing new trend begins that draws the attention of law enforcement. Famous supermodels start turning up dead under shocking and unexplainable circumstances.

With the number of deaths escalating, the FBI sends agents Cooper Madsen (Evan Peters) and Jordan Bennett (Rebecca Hall) to Paris to investigate what appears to be an international conspiracy. The duo quickly discover something far more disturbing, a virus capable of changing people's physical appearance to become what they would consider "beautiful."

Created by Jeremy Haun and Jason A. Hurle, the comic books the show is based on have a few major differences. The models' transformations in Murphy's TV series are far more grotesque than the source material. While both iterations of The Beauty's virus are sexually transmitted, the transformation process in the show is much more violent. The models suffer from a high fever, severe pain, and contortions. Whereas in the books, they just have a fever and wake up changed the next day.

The less disturbing differences are the characters themselves. The names of the detectives are different: detectives Drew Foster and Kara Vaughn. The models in the FX series turn into completely different people, while the comics just have them become more attractive versions of themselves.

The Beauty airs new episodes on Wednesdays at 9:00 PM ET and 6:00 PM PT on FX. New episodes are available to watch the following day on Hulu and Disney Plus (if viewers have the bundle).