Predictably, the series “Love Story” became a resonant phenomenon in pop culture. Women are en masse becoming adherents of 1990s minimalism, men are wearing Kangol caps with the visor turned backwards, and the whole world is once again discussing the romance between Carolyn Bessette-Kennedy and John F. Kennedy Jr.
Sarah Pidgeon as Carolyn Bessette and Paul Anthony Kelly as John F. Kennedy Jr. in the TV series “Love Story”
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Although there is no official confirmation yet, there is a very high probability that the show “Love Story” will be renewed for a second season. The series is conceived as an anthology and is part of Ryan Murphy's large-scale franchise “American Story”. This means that the next episodes will be dedicated to a new couple. Therefore, the main question now is simple: who should the second season be about? Viewers don't just want beautiful people, but a story that has love, the pressure of fame, conflict, loss and cultural nerve. The showrunner should choose a couple that the whole world was talking about at one time. Below, we have collected our wishes and predictions about who could become the new heroes of the show.
King Charles and Princess Diana
This would be the most obvious choice. Granted, Charles and Diana were not American, so it's unclear whether such a story would fit into the franchise. But there's more than enough material here. And this story does have a lot of similarities to the lives of Carolyn Bessette and John F. Kennedy Jr.
Princess Diana and King Charles
Princess Diana died two years before Carolyn Bessette-Kennedy. Both women were relentlessly hounded by the press. Both lived under constant surveillance and had almost no privacy. In this sense, the parallel is obvious. The Netflix series The Crown has already told in detail about this relationship. However, interest in Princess Diana has not faded for decades. Along with it, interest in King Charles and Queen Camilla has not faded. That is why such a story could well become the basis for the second season of Love Story.
Jennifer Aniston, Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie
This option would be difficult to implement both for legal and ethical reasons. But as material for a large television anthology, this story is a win-win. In the zero years, the whole world watched this love triangle. At first, Brad Pitt and Jennifer Aniston seemed like the perfect couple. Then they began to perceive Brad and Angelina in the same way.
Brad Pitt and Jennifer Aniston
Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie met on the set of the film “Mr. & Mrs. Smith” in 2005. Later, both admitted that feelings between them arose even then. And this despite the fact that at that time Brad was married to Jennifer Aniston. That is why this story is so firmly embedded in the memory of society. It had everything: love, betrayal, a new union, fame and endless media attention. Over time, Brad and Angelina had six children, and then they divorced. For the second season of “Love Story”, this would be the perfect plot.
Jennifer Lopez and Ben Affleck
Jennifer Lopez and Ben Affleck's relationship would also be a perfect choice for the series. Their couple always seemed peculiar. She was a glamorous actress and a big pop star. He was a melancholic actor who loved cigarettes and looked thoughtfully into the distance. And yet, strong feelings flared up between them twice.
Jennifer Lopez and Ben Affleck
Jennifer Lopez sang about him in the song Dear Ben. Ben Affleck, for his part, showed affection in a less restrained way, especially while vacationing on a yacht. That's the power of this story. It's strange, vivid, very public, and at the same time, not completely solved. It would be especially interesting to see what really happened between them not only in the zero years, but also during the Bennifer 2.0 period almost twenty years later. It would be a story about second chances, about trying to get the past back, and about the fact that not all great romances stand the test of time.
Stevie Nicks and Lindsay Buckingham
In 2023, Daisy Jones & The Six, a fictional band with Fleetwood Mac-like features, was already released. But that doesn't change anything. Stevie Nicks and Lindsay Buckingham have long deserved their own film adaptation. For the second season of “Love Story,” this would be almost perfect.
Stevie Nicks and Lindsay Buckingham
Their story is known all over the world. They have been together and apart for years, and at the same time they have continued to work together, go on stage and write songs about each other. Their story has everything a strong series needs: stage, fame, passion, conflict and songs that sound like a continuation of personal quarrels.
Patti Smith and Robert Mapplethorpe
Back in 2015, Showtime announced that it was working on a miniseries based on Patti Smith's memoir “Just Kids.” Patti Smith herself was supposed to be the author of the project. More than a decade has passed, but the series has never been released. And it's really surprising, because this story has long deserved a film adaptation.
Patti Smith
The relationship between Patti Smith and Robert Mapplethorpe began as a youthful romance. Over time, they turned into a deep and very strong connection that no longer fit only within the boundaries of a love story. They were united by feelings, friendship, art and a common path of growing up. This is a story about two people who grew up side by side and at the same time shaped each other. This connection lasted until Robert's death in 1989 from complications caused by AIDS. In 2018, the film “Mapplethorpe” was already released, but this story is even better suited for the format of the series. It takes time and important nuances. This is a subtle, painful and very beautiful plot. And it definitely deserves a new reading.
Robert Mapplethorpe
Based on material from vogue.co.uk