The first magazine subscription I ever bought for myself – with my own money – was George. I had no interest in politic, but like most women, I thought the world of John F. Kennedy Junior. Like William and Harry were for the United Kingdom, JFK was truly the prince in the states. Someone to admire, to think was handsome, but untouchable. Yet, for me I was as captivated by him as I was Princess Diana.
Royalty in a different time.
As I have grown up, I have seen that the way that the media and the paps were back then was something that shouldn’t have been. I was raised to believe that the Kennedys are American royalty – untouchable by the world around them. I’ve seen countless documentaries, shows, and movies about them. But I don’t think that I have ever seen anything like this.
As a matter of fact, I know I haven’t.
Sarah Pidgeon brings to life Carolyn Bessette and Paul Anthony Kelly brings to life JFK Jr. TBH, I had to take a second look, because the Carolyn and John that I remember – you couldn’t have gotten any closer. Don’t get me wrong – I know that this isn’t their story – it’s based on their story. But what this episode made me do was stop and think about the human element of JFK and Carolyn.
Because that’s what they were and will forever be.
Human beings.
And I tell you, you won’t be able to stop watching them.
I had a hard time wanting to watch this show because I had seen so many things about how this was a show that the Kennedy’s didn’t want made. There was also this fascination that the public has with the family – to this day. Ultimately, it wasn’t learning about the family that made me turn it on. It wasn’t to disrespect the family at all. It was to relive a moment in my life where I was filled with hope.
And to remember that as humans we are ultimately flawed. No one is perfect. We can all hope to be perfect and think of the celebrities that we see as perfect – but inherently everyone is flawed.
Is Love Story perfect? No. It’s not because there will be a lot of misperceptions that come from watching this. Ultimately I don’t think that any of it can be worse than what we are seeing come from that one Kennedy that shall not be named but we’re forced to see all the time on TV. It’s an escape from that. But could it have come with better timing? Yes.
Why would I say that? Well, it doesn’t take long before you remember that the Kennedy that has suffered and experienced the most pain is is Caroline Kennedy. She just buried her daughter and I don’t think that having to face the story of her brother and his passing should be anything that she has to hear about… again.
As a viewer I can say that I was hooked pretty quickly and became invested in the show. It wasn’t long before Carolyn Bessette became a person to me and not just a picture or a video of her and JFK fighting on some city street corner or park in New York.
But what this show does is recreate an iconic and timeless love story. At least that’s what we all believed it was. It humanizes two people that were seen and continues to be seen as icons/celebrities/royalty. It reminds us that nothing is what it seems.
The decision to open with what I can assume is their last day – the day that they left New York to go to the Vineyard and their plane crashed. The two had been fighting – apparently JFK sleeping at hotel and her sister was with them to play interference. Carolyn was cold and distant with him and he reminds her that he loves her and he’s just anxious.
And then we go back seven years.
We see them living their lives – him being what is quite possibly the most active person on the face of the earth and her a rising star at Calvin Klein. She’s making an impression and he’s failing the bar examine. He’s got dinner and his Mom strongly voicing her disapproval over his relationship with Darryl Hannah. Her sneaking into an Amazon fundraiser, where Calvin Klein introduces her to the uncrowned prince, JFK.
Carolyn didn’t seem to want anything to do with him – or you know maybe she mastered the art of playing hard to get. He was taken with her – even going as far to buy a new suit just to spend time with her. She agrees to go out with him and he’s thirty minutes late to dinner – conveniently arriving as she’s had it and is leaving.
But she stays and vets him like he’s running for office. We quickly see how much she’s trying to play distant and I think that she thinks its going to work. Obviously it does to a point, but when he asks to see her again, she doesn’t say a word. Girl, you may have his number, but you have to throw him a bone.
Especially because you don’t know what is right around the corner. Apparently that is his ex – Darryl Hannah shows up at his apartment. He’s instantly trying again – when I think this should have been a moment that he listened to his Mom. She didn’t like Hannah and he should realize that his Mama knows best.
It’s quite frankly his conversation with his Mom in the garden that is one of the most powerful scenes in the first episode. Naomi Watts shines as Jackie O – a mom that just wanted to protect her son. She reminded him that she knows what it is like to marry in the Kennedy family and how it is not easy. Her openness and bluntness with her son, I believe, probably opened his eyes.
At least in the show.
We leave off this episode with Carolyn finding out the he’s gone back to Hannah. I woulda never spoken to him again, but we all know that is not what happens.
Do I understand why making this show is controversial? Yes. Do I also love this show? Yes. I know, I know – that is wrong. I’ve never had a show make me feel weird watching it, but also addicted to it. Maybe that means that it was done well and I should appreciate that. I am not sure what it means, but I know I am sat for all nine episodes.
Love Story: John F. Kennedy Jr. & Carolyn Bessette airs Thursdays on FX.
OTHER THOUGHTS
- Carolyn’s boy toy is hot
- I honestly didn’t think that Carolyn was gonna be so distant and mean
- What the hell – why is Jackies or Carolines garden so overgrown
- The way that the media affected JFK Jr – I feel bad. Like really bad
- Clickbait has been around even before it was online, I guess
- JFK not locking up his bike… sir…
- The subtle moment when JFK is like am I going to be able to lead this convo – establishes Carolyn as more of the “in charge” one
- I really miss the days of JFK JR
- These people need to stop smoking – seriously
- I wanna know if Carolyn every brushed her hair
- Carolyn’s friend at Calvin Klein – girl stop with the drugs
- NYC Clubs give me a headache
- Michael just wanting any time with Carolyn – she had him wrapped around her finger
