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For the past month and a half, TikTok FYPs and headlines have been dominated by a particular TV series: “Love Story: John F. Kennedy Jr. and Carolyn Bessette,” part of producer Ryan Murphy’s expansive “American Story” franchise on FX. Since debuting to the tune of instant virality on February 12, “Love Story” has thrust one of the most talked-about couples of the 20th century — as close to royalty as you could get in America at the time — back into the spotlight, taking viewers on a journey through both the blissful and the turbulent moments in Bessette and Kennedy’s marriage.
Public feuds and rising pressures were the through line that connected “Love Story’s” past eight episodes, alongside the kind of ’90s-minimalism outfit inspiration that sent fans scrambling to find CBK-coded tortoise-shell headbands, slinky slip dresses, bootcut jeans, and wool coats (not to mention the exact eyewear donned by her beau).
It’s a well-known fact that, in 1999, the couple’s love story was cut tragically short when they both died in a plane crash off the coast of Martha’s Vineyard while flying in a private jet — manned by the Kennedy heir himself. This event is bound to be featured heavily in Episode 9 of “Love Story,” so prepare for an emotional season finale that puts into perspective just how fleeting, and precious, life is.
The marquee episode in question will air Thursday, March 26, at 9 p.m. EST/6 p.m. PST on FX, but you can stream it in real time without a cable subscription (only requirement: tissues) courtesy of DirecTV and Hulu + Live TV. Hulu, on the other hand, makes all “Love Story” episodes available the next day.
John F. Kennedy Jr. strolls in Tribeca with Carolyn Bessette-Kennedy on October 18, 1997.
Lawrence Schwartzwald/Sygma via Getty Images
How to Watch ‘Love Story: John F. Kennedy Jr. and Carolyn Bessette’ Finale Online for Free
Not only can you catch the widely discussed TV show’s final episode online sans cable, but there are a number of ways to do so for free. Below, we’ll be walking you through the top live TV services and their trial options, which will allow you to tune in to the ninth episode of “Love Story” — a dramatized portrayal of the circumstances that led up to the couple’s untimely demise — without paying a cent.
EDITOR’s CHOICE
DirecTV
Good news: FX and Hulu content is accessible through all major DirecTV packages, like Entertainment, Choice, Ultimate, and Premier. These channel bundles start at $59.99 a month (DirecTV gives new clients up to $35 off their first month of streaming), but you can also take advantage of the platform’s free five-day trial on all packages. Our recommendation? Sticking with your plan of choice for the long haul, so as to treat yourself to even more not-to-miss entertainment once “Love Story” wraps up its wildly successful run.
Hulu + Live TV
Hulu + Live TV is another streaming top pick that comes with a free trial (three days this time) and includes FX in its roster. “Love Story” can also be watched on Disney+, which is tacked onto the Hulu + Live TV plan alongside ESPN. After your trial ends, committing to the offering will cost $89.99 per month, and you can use Hulu + Live TV to continue bingeing the romance anthology series “Love Story” beyond JFK Jr. and CBK’s season.
Hulu
Alternatively, you can invest solely in a Hulu subscription, which has the most generous free trial period on this list (of 30 whole days, we’ll have you know). Without bells and whistles like Disney+ and ESPN, a Hulu plan becomes much more affordable, too — clocking in at a monthly price of $11.99 with ads and $18.99 for the premium, ad-free option. To lift your spirits after what promises to be a devastating “Love Story” ending, go on to watch more lighthearted Hulu titles like Pamela Anderson’s “Pamela’s Garden of Eden,” “America’s Next Top Model,” or “The Kardashians.”
What Will the ‘Love Story’ Finale Be About?
What we know so far about the ninth and final episode of “Love Story: John F. Kennedy Jr. and Carolyn Bessette” can be deduced from the way Season 1, Episode 8 unfolded. The duo begins fighting (as was their tendency at the time) after JFK Jr. comes back from a journalist’s book party and, shortly thereafter, news breaks that Princess Diana has been in a car crash. The fight is dishwasher-related (did she run it or did she not?), but really it’s about larger themes in the couple’s relationship.
The episode fast-forwards to a year later, with more raised voices and more loaded mentions of mothers. Notably, JFK Jr. is on crutches after a paragliding accident. He even calls his flight instructor at one point (being in the process of getting his pilot’s license), which feels like one of the show’s most direct foreshadowing maneuvers.
In Episode 9, then, audiences will be placed in the thick of disaster — summer 1999, with the couple and Bessette’s sister Lauren headed to Hyannis Port for a Kennedy wedding, but not before dropping the older Bessette off at Martha’s Vineyard. The plans never manifested, as the Piper Saratoga plane CBK’s husband was piloting crashed before reaching the island. Cause of crash? The pilot’s “spacial disorientation” that night, according to the National Transportation Safety Board.
Interestingly enough, a glimpse of these proceedings was already granted in the very first episode of the show, which opened with the two passengers and pilot heading to the airport together, JFK Jr. and his wife sharing a kiss, and the jet finally taking off.
“The world watches as tragedy strikes,” Episode 9’s synopsis additionally reveals in lieu of a more nitty-gritty preview, leading us to assume that it will showcase the public’s response to the traumatic nature of these deaths: more potential confirmation of the so-called “Kennedy curse.”
John F. Kennedy Jr. and his wife walk their dog on January 1, 1997, in New York City.
Courtesy Evan Agostini/Getty Images
Shop the Book That Inspired the TV Series
‘Once Upon a Time: The Captivating Life of Carolyn Bessette-Kennedy’
Price upon publish date of this article: $19
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Stacia Datskovska is a Senior Commerce Writer at WWD. Previously, she worked at ELLE DECOR as an assistant digital editor, covering all things luxury, culture, and lifestyle through a design lens. Her bylines over the past five years have appeared in USA Today, Baltimore Sun, Teen Vogue, Boston Globe, Food & Wine, and more. Prior to joining ELLE DECOR, Datskovska learned the ins and outs of e-commerce at Mashable, where she tested products, covered tentpole sales events, and curated gift guide roundups. She graduated from NYU with a bachelor’s degree in journalism and international relations. Datskovska regularly reports on trending TV shows and how to stream them online for free.
