If you had the chance to be beautiful, would you take it? We’re not talking about mere attractiveness, but a near-immediate physical metamorphosis into a perfect human specimen. Sounds tempting, but of course there’s a catch. That’s the premise of Ryan Murphy’s new FX show, The Beauty, co-created and co-written by Matt Hodgson. In the show, The Beauty is an STI that transforms a person into someone physically perfect, but with deadly consequences. Except nobody who has The Beauty knows that.

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It’s almost impossible not to draw comparisons to The Substance, the 2024 horror movie that became a breakaway box-office smash and multi-Oscar nominee. It also spawned countless reactions (positive and negative) about its depictions of what a woman (played by Demi Moore) will do in the pursuit of a younger, more beautiful version of herself. The Beauty gleefully leans into these comparisons with Coralie Fargeat’s film, even casting Demi Moore’s ex-husband, Ashton Kutcher, in a key role. 

But The Beauty is not a rip-off of The Substance. It’s actually based on a comic book of the same name by Image Comics, which ran from 2015-2021. Here’s what to know about the source material for the new series, which has drawn solid reviews since its three-episode premiere.

What happens in “The Beauty” comics?

At the start of the comics, created by Jeremy Haun and Jason A. Hurley, two years have elapsed since The Beauty took over the world. It’s a rampant and sought after sexually transmitted disease, capable of transforming those infected with it into someone conventionally, well, beautiful. As the comic describes, changes to people with The Beauty include “fat melted away, thinning hair returned, skin blemishes faded, and their facial features slimmed.” Unlike other diseases, people covet The Beauty. It’s believed that half the world has the disease, including around 200 million Americans. 

The Beauty has caused enormous division between those who have it and those who don’t. For some, it’s the ultimate status symbol; for others, a complete and utter betrayal of humankind. Activist groups that are both pro- and anti-Beauty have emerged, with hate crimes, homicides, and bombings on the rise as divisions deepen. 

The disease doesn’t make a person impossibly attractive, as evidenced by one man who’s struggling to get a date. Because he is exceedingly naturally attractive, everyone he encounters wants to sleep with him, assuming he has The Beauty, but he doesn’t—he’s just a very handsome man. In Murphy’s show, it transforms you into a completely different person physically. And while there are people who do actively try to get infected with The Beauty, there are plenty more who wake up the next morning transformed, unaware that they had slept with someone who has it. 

How does the show differ from the source material?

The disease itself manifests differently in the television series. In both versions, getting the disease puts the person under extreme physical duress as they suffer a high fever. In the comic, people fall asleep and wake up transformed, but the TV version is much more intense. There, they go through frightening body contortions and secrete a sort of goo. They wind up in what can be best described as a mucus cocoon, before emerging as an entirely different—and more beautiful—person. In the show, people come out as a whole new actor (a clever move that ups the stakes on television), but in the comics, they are just a more attractive version of themselves.  

Similar to the show, the comic features a pair of detectives trying to connect the dots behind a strain of explosive deaths, and everyone who’s spontaneously combusted has The Beauty. Soon, it becomes clear that just about everyone who has The Beauty will die roughly two years after they get infected. The detectives discover a possible cure, but a ruthless masked enforcer, Mr. Calaveras, is out to stop them—no matter how many people he has to kill. He’s protecting the shadowy interests who created the disease and helped it go global, and a cure risks bringing their contributions to light.

After a violent clash, Mr. Calaveras is defeated, and those still alive begin to disseminate the cure to The Beauty across the world. In the final issue, published in 2021, The Beauty has been eradicated. Those who remain are left to process their new selves (the cure allows people to survive, but can leave them with severe scarring all over their bodies) while considering the cost of their pursuit of beauty. 

What happens in the first three episodes of The Beauty?

While the comics start with the disease in full swing and known worldwide, The Beauty is very much under wraps at the beginning of the show. The first episode opens with a model (Bella Hadid) wreaking havoc on the streets of Paris before she shockingly combusts. Two FBI agents, Cooper Madsen (Evan Peters) and Jordan Bennett (Rebecca Hall), are sent to investigate and uncover a string of models dying in a similar fashion across Europe. 

They discover that before these models died, they underwent extraordinary physical changes, and none of them are recognizable compared to photos taken a few years prior. That’s because they have The Beauty, a disease transmitted through sex, as in the comics, that turns you into a new, incredibly attractive person. 

The first episode largely focuses on the male perspective through the eyes of the angry, lonely, and depressed Jeremy (Jaquel Spivey). An incel, Jeremy is desperate for change and sick of feeling that he’s repulsive to women. On an online message board, he finds out about a plastic surgeon. But that surgery goes poorly, and he’s still unable to attract women. A furious Jeremy shoots up the surgeon’s office. But before he kills the surgeon, the latter offers Jeremy a miracle solution. The surgeon brings Jeremy a woman, who carries The Beauty, who has sex with Jeremy, turning him into a whole new man (literally, as he’s played by Jeremy Pope post-transformation). 

We also discover that The Beauty was never designed to be sexually transmitted—something entirely different than the comics. There’s another strain of The Beauty, one developed by an exorbitantly wealthy man who calls himself The Corporation (Ashton Kutcher). He created The Beauty, an injection that not only transforms people physically, but also seems to have stable long-term effects. He’s determined to do whatever it takes to stop the STI, as it threatens to destroy his vast profit margins. It doesn’t help that the sexually transmitted version of The Beauty seems to kill its victims in horrifying ways after just two years. So while the detectives are on a mission to figure out what The Beauty is, The Corporation is doing whatever he can (including using his assassin, played by Anthony Ramos) to get answers.

That’s what we know so far. As only three of the eleven episodes have aired, there’s plenty more mystery to unfold in The Beauty.

Warning: Spoilers ahead for Steal

Zara (Sophie Turner) is having a run-of-the-mill bad day, hungover from yet another night out and tasked with showing the new intern around at her dead-end job at London’s (fictional) Lochmill Capital, a pension investment company. But things are about to go from bad to nightmare, as a group of armed robbers wearing unsettling facial prosthetics descend upon Lochmill. Zara finds herself at the center of the heist, and is forced at gunpoint to transfer a staggering £4 billion in people’s pension monies into the robbers’ accounts.

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That’s largely what happens in the electric first episode of Prime Video’s Steal, created by S.A. Nikias. Though there’s a twist: Zara actually knew this was coming. She was recruited by her co-worker Luke (Archie Madekwe) and embroiled in a scandal she couldn’t have prepared for. Zara was told it would only be a hack, not a full-blown heist that would attract national attention. Through the final five episodes of Steal, Zara finds herself at great risk. She’s determined to clear her name, stay alive, and uncover who the mastermind of this grand heist is.

Let’s break down the twists and turns of Steal’s ending.

Zara’s discovery

Zara has long suspected someone else at Lochmill besides herself and Luke was involved in the heist. In the penultimate episode, she discovers it’s Milo (Harry Michell), who recruited Luke, who in turn recruited her. She was dragged into the heist because, according to Milo, Zara is “the biggest mess in the office,” stuck in her job and drinking every weekend. She’s deeply unhappy, he explains. Nobody would bat an eye if she were killed and staged to look like a suicide, as she’d buckle under the pressure of pulling off such a feat. In short, she’d make the perfect fall guy. The news crushes Zara, but she realizes Milo isn’t the mastermind behind it all—he’s only ever spoken to the person online. Milo was given £20 million, while she and Luke were given £5 million each.

In the finale of Steal, Zara finds Morgan (Andrew Howard), one of the armed robbers, in her house, with a tied-up Luke in her living room. To save their lives, Zara says she can get Morgan another £20 million to escape with. She just has to get it from Milo. They go to Milo’s, and he gives up the code wallet, but to access it, they need the codes for it, which he’s stashed at the Lochmill offices. Milo tries to be a hero, trying to use pepper spray on Morgan, but Morgan stabs and kills him.

At Lochmill, they get him everything he needs to get the money, but it’s not enough. He wants Luke and Zara dead, too. Luke attacks him, saving their lives. DCI Rhys (Jacob Fortune-Lloyd), who’s fallen for Zara, has arrived, but gets shot trying to help Zara. Chaos ensues as the other robbers show up to get Morgan. A firefight breaks out, and Morgan kills all of the other assailants. 

Zara could make her escape, but there’s a problem: Morgan has her codewallet with her £5 million. She sneaks up behind him with a taser and attacks him. But she also wants to know why the heist took place. Morgan tells her to ask her police friend, dismissing her as a “f-cking office girl.” Furious, she drives the taser into his neck, delivering a lethal amount of electricity. The police finally arrive, and Zara (along with Rhys and Luke) survives.

Later, a newscast reveals that Milo is now the fall guy. His death was framed as a suicide, the same plot they had planned for Zara. Luke is glad it’s all over, but Zara is still determined to uncover why it all happened. Meanwhile, she and Luke give their codewallets to MI5 in exchange for keeping them out of prison. 

The real mastermind behind the heist 

Zara tries to tie up loose ends, going to Rhys to ask if he was involved—she cannot get what Morgan said to her out of her mind. He vehemently denies any involvement, saying he’s unable to pay his spiralling gambling debts and he lost his job to boot. How could he have possibly engineered a multi-billion-pound heist with nothing to show from it? But when Zara leaves, Rhys races back to his house and goes through his files from the case. He looks stunned, as if he’s finally figured it all out. 

Zara goes to Lochmill to pick up her things as a final goodbye, and notices the police are there. The intern tells her that the money has been returned. Before she leaves, Rhys comes up the elevator, saying he knows who’s responsible.

The culprit and mastermind behind the heist is financial investigator Darren Yoshida (Andrew Koji). As Rhys explains, there was a pattern of Darren getting privileged information, and then the criminals just so happened to learn that same information. He also turned down two different cases to be assigned this heist—he had never turned down a case previously, Rhys discovered. Rhys believes that for Darren, it was just a twisted opportunity for Darren to test his own skills; “a fireworks show,” as he puts it. It was meant to be victimless, according to Darren, but people died in the process, nevermind the trauma inflicted on countless people.

More than just a test, Darren wanted to expose the deep-seated corruption in the financial industry. The heist was designed to expose tax havens and how things are rigged against the vast majority of people. “Our system doesn’t work for 99% of us,” says Darren, “yet we’re all forced to pay into it, except for the ones at the very top. The only ones who really benefit from all this are the ones who choose to opt out. And tax havens are how they do it.” 

He did return every penny to the pension, but Darren still has £10 million in a codewallet that he’s taken from tax havens. He implores Rhys to take the money, to pay off his spiralling debts, and to make the world a better place—as long as he doesn’t turn him in. Zara urges him to turn down the money and turn Darren in, which he does, regrettably.

Darren is devastated, but Zara has one last trick up her sleeve. In her box of work supplies is the codewallet that Darren used to pay Milo for the heist, with a staggering £20 million pounds. Though she gave her codewallet with the £5 million, Zara stashed Milo’s, since nobody knew it existed. It was a big risk, but it paid off big time. She reminds Rhys of advice he imparted to her: “Worry about losing and you’ll play badly. And then you’ll lose. This is our winnings, Rhys.” The two walk away from Lochmill Capital with a renewed sense of hope. What’s to come for them, he asks Zara.

“I don’t know,” Zara responds. “Something exciting.” For the first time in Zara’s life, there’s a sense of genuine calm. And with £20 million, there’s little doubt that there’s plenty of excitement in their future.

Before American Idol and America’s Got Talent, there was Star Search. Beginning in 1983, the series was the ultimate talent competition show, allowing artists to compete across select categories for a $100,000 prize. Hosted by Ed McMahon until 1994 (and co-hosted with Martha Quinn in 1995), it went off the air until the show was rebooted in 2003 for an additional season, hosted by Arsenio Hall. And Star Search is set to rise again, with Netflix launching a new version on Jan. 20.

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The format of Star Search was fairly simple. In various categories (including singing, comedy, spokesmodel, and dance), two different competitors would perform for a panel of judges, and whoever got a higher star rating would advance to the next episode. If they made the finals, they competed for the grand prize. The Netflix version will be live, and audiences can vote in real time for their favorite competitors, adding a new twist to the proceedings. The reboot will be hosted by Anthony Anderson, with the panel of judges including Sarah Michelle Gellar, Chrissy Teigen, and Jelly Roll.

Star Search birthed the careers of many legends, including Britney Spears, Dave Chappelle, Adam Sandler, and Beyoncé (who competed with Destiny’s Child, then known as Girl Tyme). While those are well-known examples, there are plenty of other actors, singers, and comedians who performed on Star Search early in their careers. As Netflix ushers in a new generation of competitors, let’s look back at some of the most notable names from the Star Search history.

Singers

Aaliyah

At age 10, Aaliyah appeared on Star Search, singing the Rodgers and Hart song “My Funny Valentine.” It’s a stunning rendition (especially for a 10-year-old) that reminds you what a powerhouse performer she was, eventually gaining the moniker of the “Princess of R&B” before she tragically died in an airplane crash at 22.

Alanis Morissette

The legendary Canadian alt-rocker Alanis Morissette, singer of classic tracks like “Ironic” and “You Oughta Know,” first appeared on Star Search at the age of 14 in 1990, performing under a stage name. After losing, she reverted to her real name, perhaps channeling some of that frustration into becoming the icon she is today.

Christina Aguilera

Five-time Grammy winner and singer of “Beautiful,” “Fighter,” and “Genie in a Bottle,” Christina Aguilera was on Star Search before her debut in the Mickey Mouse Club. At just 8 years old, Aguilera performed an impressive version of Etta James’ “Sunday Kind of Love,” though she didn’t go on to win.

Justin Timberlake

NSYNC boy band member and eventual solo pop superstar, Troll and frequent SNL host Justin Timberlake was first seen at age 11 on Star Search, performing as Justin Randall (using his middle name). It’s a very different number from what you’d expect from Timberlake, who donned full country regalia (including a cowboy hat), singing Alan Jackson’s “Love’s Got a Hold on You.”

LeAnn Rimes

LeAnn Rimes is the youngest ever individual recipient of a Grammy award, winning two when she was just 14. Years before that, when she was 8, she debuted on Star Search in 1991, performing “Don’t Worry” by Marty Robbins, winning her first round.

Pitbull

Before he became internationally recognized as rapper Pitbull (a.k.a. Mr. Worldwide), a young Armando Perez appeared on Star Search in 1994, when he was just 13 years old. He didn’t win the competition, but began honing his identity as Pitbull a few years later.

Usher

Though he didn’t win, Star Search proved pivotal for Usher Raymond IV. His performance of Boyz II Men’s “End of the Road” was so impactful that LA Reid, co-founder of LaFace Records, signed him to a contract. His first solo single came not long after: “Call Me A Mack,” recorded for the soundtrack of 1993’s Poetic Justice.

Billy Porter 

Actor and singer Billy Porter, best known for his Emmy-winning role on Pose, had enormous success on Star Search, winning the grand prize of $100,000 in the vocalist category in 1992 (though he filmed in 1991 on break from his Broadway debut in Miss Saigon). He was 21 at the time. 

Comedians

Brad Garrett

Best known for his role in Everybody Loves Raymond, Brad Garrett competed in the first ever comedy category in 1984. He didn’t just participate—Garrett won the finals at age 23, securing a $100,000 prize, providing a vital breakthrough for his long and fruitful career. 

Drew Carey

Star of Whose Line Is It Anyway? and host of The Price Is Right, Drew Carey launched his comedy career on Star Search in 1988. Though he didn’t win the grand prize, his performances on the show effectively announced him as a talent worth watching, and he landed his own HBO special just three years later.

Kevin James

Star of sitcom King of Queens and many films, including Paul Blart: Mall Cop, Kevin James won several rounds on Star Search in 1995, advancing to the semi-finals. The exposure likely helped him land a role on Everybody Loves Raymond, which led to his own sitcom in 1998.

Martin Lawrence

In 1987, comedian and future star of the Bad Boys franchise Martin Lawrence won his first round on Star Search. The set shows off much of his charm, and provided national attention that helped lead to his first acting role in What’s Happening Now!! that same year.

Norm Macdonald

The late stand-up comedian and Saturday Night Live Weekend Update anchor Norm Macdonald had a handful of appearances at comedy festivals before his appearance on Star Search in 1990. The Canadian appeared on an international-themed episode of the show, losing to a Liberian comic named Bushman. He wasn’t successful, but he managed a mighty fine career anyway.

Ray Romano

Unlike his Everybody Loves Raymond co-star Brad Garrett, Ray Romano did not win Star Search. But Romano has enjoyed a stellar career in comedy, including three Primetime Emmy trophies and an equally successful voice-acting stint, most notably in the Ice Age movies. 

Rosie O’Donnell

Actor and comedian Rosie O’Donnell is known best for her vibrant stand-up and movie career, which all began with her 1984 appearance on Star Search. She almost made it to the finals, and while she didn’t win the grand prize, she impressed audiences with her comic stylings, which helped launch her into stardom.

Roy Wood, Jr.

Roy Wood, Jr., who rose to fame with his regular appearances on The Daily Show, competed on the 2003 version of Star Search. He was successful on the revamped version of the show, reaching the semi-finals, which gave him a confidence boost to take his career to the next level.

Actors

Lauren Ambrose

Though the show is better known for singing, several actors got their start on Star Search. That group includes Lauren Ambrose, known for her roles in Six Feet Under, Servant, and Yellowjackets. At 11, Ambrose took to the stage, singing the up-tempo “Dancing in the Street” by Martha and the Vandellas. She lost, but in the quick interview portion, she said that one day she wanted to be a “great actress and wonderful performer,” which she’s certainly achieved.

Garcelle Beauvais

The actor, best known for The Jamie Foxx Show and her multi-year stint on The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills, competed in the Spokesmodel category in 1985, winning several rounds.

Sharon Stone

Oscar nominee Sharon Stone competed in the Spokesmodel category in 1984. She didn’t emerge victorious, but it helped launch her decades-long career in acting that’s still going strong, most recently appearing in Nobody 2, and with a role in the upcoming season of Euphoria.

Tatyana Ali

Fresh Prince of Bel Air star and singer Tatyana Ali got her start at the very young age of 7 in 1987 on Star Search. She won multiple rounds, performing numbers like “Ain’t No Mountain High Enough” and “Why Do Fools Fall in Love?” Ultimately, she lost to Alisan Porter, aged 5, who became a successful actor and singer in her own right, winning Season 10 of The Voice in 2016.