Saagar Kote
FX’s ‘The Beauty’ revolves around the actions of tech billionaire Byron Forst (Ashton Kutcher), who invents a revolutionary new drug to make people beautiful. However, the drug is an STD that leads to behavioral changes and other unforeseen side effects. As the drug is tried on people, some of them start exhibiting violent behavior, leading to social chaos. Despite the known dangers, Byron hopes to make the drug more popular for mass consumption. An FBI agent, Cooper Madsen (Evan Peters), and his colleague, Jordan Bennett (Rebecca Hall), investigate the case, which seems to be spiraling out of control.
Created by Ryan Murphy and Matt Hodgson, the science fiction series chronicles various challenges faced by the inventor and the investigators as they try to achieve their objectives. Based on the eponymous comic book written by Jeremy Haun and Jason A. Hurley, the horror show is a nuanced exploration of people’s obsession with beauty. If you are looking for more shows that capture the essence of ‘The Beauty,’ this list is for you.
12. Black Mirror (2011-)
Netflix’s ‘Black Mirror’ deals with several stories, set in a futuristic world, where technology has advanced beyond the point of control. The British anthology series uses elements of science fiction to convey intricate tales of technology controlling human behavior. From stories related to revolutionary gaming systems, realistic dating apps, surveillance systems, and social credits, the show sheds light on multiple themes. Created by Charlie Brooker, it features commentary on artificial intelligence, robotics, body transformation, and more. Akin to ‘The Beauty, ‘ it involves the alteration of the human body for various purposes. Both shows are spiritually connected due to their futuristic scenarios, the element of body horror, and the exploration of human behavior.
11. Orphan Black (2013-2017)
Created by Graeme Manson and John Fawcett, ‘Orphan Black’ follows Sarah Manning (Tatiana Maslany) as her life is upended after she witnesses the suicide of a woman named Beth Childs, who looks exactly like her. Assuming Beth’s identity to delve deeper into the case, Sarah uncovers a shocking truth that challenges her understanding of reality and the nature of power worldwide. As Sarah finds out that there are more people in the world who have doppelgängers, she also realizes that a mysterious force is trying to eliminate all of them. To find the truth, Sarah must risk it all against uncertain forces and survive. The Canadian science-fiction thriller series, like ‘The Beauty,’ is a commentary on body transformation, secrets, powerful individuals, and social reality.
10. Dietland (2018)
‘Dietland,’ created by Marti Noxon, is the story of a woman named Plum Kettle (Joy Nash) who struggles with social awkwardness and low self-esteem due to her body-image issues. She works as a ghostwriter for Kitty Montgomery (Julianna Margulies), the editor of a popular magazine in NYC. As she navigates professional and personal challenges, she also finds herself caught up in a weird situation in the city.
Unexplained deaths of men accused of sexual assault rock the city, which makes Plum curious about the reality that she is living in. With her demanding job already draining her and social expectations pressuring her to lose weight, she must discover her own truth and the reality of the people around her. Based on Sarai Walker’s eponymous novel, the AMC comedy-drama series reflects the themes of body image, social realities, and the morally twisted characters of ‘The Beauty.’
9. Altered Carbon (2018-2020)
Created by Laeta Kalogridis, ‘Altered Carbon’ is set in a technological future where human bodies are disposable, and death is a temporary state. A rich man named Laurens Bancroft (James Purefoy) now lives with a new body after his previous body dies. However, the circumstances of the death still trouble him, and he assumes it was a murder. He wishes to solve the murder through a dangerous plan. He proposes to restore Takeshi Kovacs’ (Joel Kinnaman) consciousness in a new body.
Kovacs was the only surviving member of an elite interstellar warrior force that was destroyed during a revolt against this new technological dominance. The murder investigation leads to uncomfortable truths and shocking revelations about the world. Based on the novel of the same name by Richard K. Morgan, the Netflix sci-fi series resembles ‘The Beauty’ due to its focus on body, consciousness, power, and secrets.
8. Grotesquerie (2024)
FX’s ‘Grotesquerie’ follows the actions of Detective Lois Tryon (Niecy Nash-Betts), who gets involved in mysterious occurrences in her neighborhood. She is a family woman who is an important member of the community, which also adds a sense of responsibility. Lois believes that certain violent local crimes are somehow connected and personal. At home, she struggles with mental health issues, her daughter, and her husband’s bad health.
In her efforts to find the truth, she teams up with a local nun named Sister Megan Duval (Micaela Diamond). As the community gets increasingly difficult to decipher, Lois and Megan are pushed to the limits by unexpected forces. Created by Ryan Murphy, Jon Robin Baitz, and Joe Baken, the horror drama show sheds light on deception and secrets. These themes, along with the show’s focus on body imagery and violence, connect it to ‘The Beauty’ and its characters.
7. Brand New Cherry Flavor (2021)
Netflix’s ‘Brand New Cherry Flavor’ revolves around the life of Lisa Nova (Rosa Salazar), who wants to direct movies in Hollywood. To pursue her dream, she tries to impress a producer named Lou Barke (Eric Lange) with her skills. Despite her talent, she is dropped from the film project after refusing to have sex with the predatory Lou. She hopes to seek revenge against the man and destroy his life forever. However, for this dangerous mission, she takes the help of Boro (Catherine Keener), a mysterious witch.
As the pursuit of revenge intensifies and becomes more violent in the horror-drama series, Lisa is forced to come to terms with her puzzling reality. Based on the novel of the same name by Todd Grimson, the Nick Antosca and Lenore Zion creation sheds light on hidden emotions. On the lines of ‘The Beauty,’ it features darker visuals, body-horror elements, and unpredictable mysteries involving elite individuals.
6. Pluribus (2025-)
Apple TV+’s ‘Pluribus’ (stylized as PLUR1BUS) explores a post-apocalyptic world radically transformed by an alien virus. This global event forces humanity into a state of collective consciousness, a hive mind where only peace and happiness exist, effectively ending government and individual identity. The science fiction series centers on an author named Carol Sturka (Rhea Seehorn), one of thirteen individuals worldwide who are inexplicably immune to the virus and thus excluded from the hive mind. Carol retains the full spectrum of human emotions, including fear, doubt, and rage.
Her mission is to navigate this new reality and find a way to counter the virus, aiming to restore humanity to its previous state. This endeavor tests her resolve as she grapples with the difficult task of saving the world from a state of forced happiness. Created by Vince Gilligan, the show is similar to ‘The Beauty’ as it explores human consciousness, behavioral aspects, and the potential dangers of the future.
5. Savage Beauty (2022-)
Created by Lebogang Mogashoa, ‘Savage Beauty’ delves into the experiences of Zinhle Manzini (Rosemary Zimu), who is a model hired by the elite fashion company Bhengu Beauty, run by the members of the Bhengu family. Despite being the face of the brand, she is violently harmed through a skin-lightening product and forsaken by the business family. To seek revenge against the powerful family and expose their dirty truth to the world, she re-emerges after a few years. Zinhle hopes to find the secrets and weaknesses of the family to destroy it step by step. However, going up against powerful people may come with its own consequences. The Netflix drama series is a South African show that sheds light on the secrets of the beauty industry through individual experiences, in ways similar to ‘The Beauty.’
4. The Fall of the House of Usher (2023)
Netflix’s ‘The Fall of the House of Usher,’ based on the eponymous short story and other works by Edgar Allan Poe, deals with the trials and tribulations of the Usher family, headed by siblings Roderick Usher (Bruce Greenwood) and Madeline Usher (Mary McDonnell). They run a pharmaceutical company, giving them wealth and power. A mysterious woman named Verna (Carla Gugino) starts haunting the Usher family members, putting them in danger. As Roderick and Madeline come to terms with the horrors visiting their family, terrible secrets lurk in the background. With the fall of their house seeming imminent, only the truth can set the Ushers free. Created by Mike Flanagan, the horror series is a nuanced exploration of power, legacy, body horror, and secrets, which spiritually connects it to the world of ‘The Beauty’ and its characters.
3. American Horror Story (2011-)
‘American Horror Story’ chronicles multiple stories that delve into different aspects of horror. One of the many stories is that of Ben Harmon (Dylan McDermott) and other members of the Harmon family who move to a house in LA, without realizing that it hides deadly secrets. The family faces overwhelming odds that test their survival skills. The FX anthology horror series focuses on a range of stories, from witchcraft to terrifying hotels, cults, and more. Created by Ryan Murphy and Brad Falchuk, the Emmy-winning drama also sheds light on serial killers, vampires, isolated houses, and potential apocalyptic scenarios. Through its layered tales, it also delves into the mysteries of human nature in all its complexities. These themes, fantastical storylines, and body-horror imagery connect the show to ‘The Beauty’ and its characters.
2. Dead Ringers (2023)
Created by Alice Birch, Amazon Prime Video’s ‘Dead Ringers’ chronicles the complex lives of twin sisters Beverly Mantle and Elliot Mantle (Rachel Weisz), who are both gynecologists. The psychological thriller series focuses on their dangerous quest to revolutionize childbirth and cure infertility among women through a new system, a journey that involves increasingly perilous methods. However, this technological and medical innovation may come at the cost of their own souls and those of the individuals giving birth, revealing a web of dark, consequential secrets about human fragility. Inspired by the novel ‘Twins’ by Bari Wood and Jack Geasland and based on the eponymous film directed by David Cronenberg, the narrative delves into themes of love, loyalty, bodily autonomy, and lust, just like ‘The Beauty.’
1. Nip/Tuck (2003-2010)
In ‘Nip/Tuck,’ Sean McNamara (Dylan Walsh) and Christian Troy (Julian McMahon) are plastic surgeons in Miami with contrasting lives. Sean is a family man who uses work to escape his dysfunctional home life with his wife, Julia, and son, Matt. On the other hand, Christian is a playboy and a free man who does not care much about the consequences of his behavior. Despite their differences, the two men forge a strong professional relationship.
However, working in the field of plastic surgery introduces them to darker truths about society, the levels that people go to in order to achieve beauty, and the true cost of body alteration. Created by Ryan Murphy, the FX drama series is complementary to ‘The Beauty’ as it deals with the elements of the beauty industry and raises questions about its morality. Both shows feature similar visual tones related to body horror and secretive characters.
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