The return from their honeymoon in Turkey is a harsh return to reality for Carolyn and John.

They are more in love than ever, but they both know the relative peace they experienced was only temporary. A swarm of photographers barely allows them to enter their own home.

Carolyn is frightened, irritated, and constantly on edge. John tries to convince her that if they pose for a few photos, the paparazzi will eventually leave them alone. She agrees, but she does not share his faith in the photographers’ goodwill. And, of course, she is right.

Excited about the possibility of returning to work at Ralph Lauren, Carolyn soon becomes frustrated when she realizes that, now that she is famous, her public image matters more than her professional qualifications. Leaving the interview, she is surrounded by photographers, which turns the situation into complete chaos.

At George magazine, John is also under pressure. His colleagues expect him to use his fame — and even more Carolyn’s — to help the publication. Later, during a conversation with his best friend and cousin, he learns that the friend’s cancer has returned. And this time it is more aggressive. The news deeply shakes him.

Nothing helps the mood at home. Carolyn is upset about losing the job she wanted. The constant harassment from photographers, the flashing cameras, and the pursuit in the streets escalates to the point that she falls in the middle of the street, making her even more frustrated.

At Caroline Kennedy’s house, family tensions explode. John argues with his sister and brother-in-law, both over the use of JFK’s legacy in a documentary he was supposed to narrate and over George magazine’s decision to put Drew Barrymore on the cover imitating Marilyn Monroe. Caroline and her husband accuse John of opportunism.

In a conversation with Lauren, Carolyn admits she never expected the paparazzi harassment to grow even worse after the wedding. The pressure to become a perfect socialite and philanthropist also begins to weigh on her. On John’s side, the pressure takes another form: many people keep insisting that he should enter politics, especially now that the magazine is struggling.

Caroline increasingly emerges as the antagonist of the series. She criticizes Carolyn for almost everything. When her sister-in-law asks for patience, Caroline coldly replies that she should have thought about that before choosing to marry a Kennedy. She also makes it clear she has no intention of making the situation easier.

The couple’s love cannot counterbalance all the negativity surrounding them. John insists that everything will pass. Two months later, Carolyn has become more paranoid — yet she is still trying to help John reconnect with Caroline. In Ryan Murphy’s version of the story, Carolyn is practically a saint.

Caroline, on the other hand, is portrayed as pure bitterness. John asks his sister to try to get closer to Carolyn, but she refuses.

Rumors about Carolyn’s mental health — which the series insists are lies — along with gossip about drug use, begin to worry friends and family. She complains that fame even makes it difficult to think about finding a new job. Lauren does not help much either, reminding her that because drama sells newspapers, she will always be the villain in John’s story.

The hostility from photographers only worsens the situation. As they constantly insult her, Carolyn becomes even more hostile in return. The next day, she reads everything written about her in the newspapers. The headlines grow increasingly cruel, suggesting she is unstable, depressed, and possibly addicted to drugs. Carolyn feels she has lost far more than she gained.

Even John — usually the charming one — begins to change. Now he reacts with anger.

At George magazine, Michael — another character clearly vilified by the series — keeps pressuring John in nearly every scene. Their conflict finally escalates into a physical fight. When he quits, Michael delivers a final blow: he hopes the world will one day discover what a joke John really is.

Ironically, that is exactly what John needed to hear to make a decision.

He decides to enter politics.

And at that point, the series almost starts to feel like unintentional comedy.

If it were not a true story.