Maureen Dowd reflects on the cultural resurgence of John F. Kennedy Jr. and Carolyn Bessette through Ryan Murphy's FX series 'Love Story,' which chronicles their romance and tragic death. The show has sparked a viral phenomenon among Gen Z viewers, who are captivated by the couple's 1990s aesthetic and relationship dynamics in an era before social media.

Dowd, who once declined an interview with Kennedy for his magazine George, examines how the Camelot myth has evolved. While the Kennedys' political dynasty has been tarnished by Robert F. Kennedy Jr.'s controversial role in Trump's orbit, Jack Schlossberg's congressional run and the 'Love Story' series have revived interest in the family's glamorous legacy. The show has triggered a fashion revival, with young women emulating Bessette's minimalist style and men copying Kennedy's casual New York look.

The series has faced criticism for its dramatic liberties, including its portrayal of Daryl Hannah and other real figures. Despite concerns about historical accuracy, the show's popularity reveals a cultural hunger for authentic human connection in an increasingly digital world. As viewers romanticize Kennedy and Bessette's relationship, the series demonstrates how aesthetic appeal has become an end in itself, reversing the Kennedys' original strategy of using glamour as a means to power.