Ryan Murphy's 'The Shards': a Dazzling yet Dull Thriller Adaptation
WHO:
theguardian.com - Brad Simpson, the executive producer of The Shards, stated, “This story is about a group of young, beautiful people who are about to embark on the world, and there is a killer that hunts them. There’s an obvious metaphor to Aids in the 1980s for that.”
theguardian.com - Hayes Warner, who plays Debbie Schaffer, described her character as “seethingly insecure” and related her feelings to her experiences in the oversaturated music industry.
theguardian.com - Jordan Roth, a seven-time Tony award-winning producer, plays personal assistant Steven Reinhardt, a character modeled after Roth himself.
theguardian.com - Homer Gere, son of Richard Gere, plays Robert Mallory, described as the irritatingly self-assured object of Ellis’s obsession.
theguardian.com - Kaia Gerber returns to Ryan Murphy’s world after appearances in the American Horror Story franchise, playing Susan Reynolds.
theguardian.com - Jordan Roth, a seven-time Tony award-winning producer, plays personal assistant Steven Reinhardt, described as a "kind of Lynchian version of Andy Warhol."
theguardian.com - Hayes Warner, primarily known as a musician, plays Debbie Schaffer, a character described as "seethingly insecure."
The Hollywood Reporter - The cast includes Igby Rigney, Kaia Gerber, Homer Gere, Hayes Warner, Graham Campbell, Evan Rachel Wood, Wes Bentley, and Jordan Roth.
theguardian.com - The character Bret Ellis is a thinly coded version of author Bret Easton Ellis.
theguardian.com - Jordan Roth plays personal assistant Steven Reinhardt.
theguardian.com - Homer Gere plays Robert Mallory.
WHAT:
The Hollywood Reporter - The series is described as nostalgic, over-the-top, and uneven, with a hit-filled soundtrack and boundary-pushing sexuality.
theguardian.com - The series is billed as an erotic thriller but is noted to be surprisingly chaste, with no explicit sexual acts depicted.
theguardian.com - The series is described as a combination of "American Horror Story" and "The Breakfast Club."
theguardian.com - The series features a character named Bret Ellis, a thinly coded version of the author, who narrates the series with a snooty affectation.
theguardian.com - The series includes a character named Terry Schaffer, a barely closeted producer preying on young men, played by Wes Bentley.
theguardian.com - The series is described as an erotic thriller but is noted to be surprisingly chaste, with no explicit sexual acts depicted.
theguardian.com - The cast underwent experiments with milk and coconut powders to simulate drug use, with Warner stating that the first trial with coconut powder “was too sticky.”
The Hollywood Reporter - The series features a character named Debbie, who is the spoiled daughter of Hollywood royalty and is determined to throw a party despite a city-wide curfew due to a serial killer.
theguardian.com - The character Susan proposes a party theme of Area 54, described as “like Studio 54, but in space.”
theguardian.com - The series includes a character named Thom, who is described as a puppy-dog friendly quarterback and high school alpha.
theguardian.com - The series features a character named Matt, who is described as the class pothead.
theguardian.com - The character Robert Mallory is described as "impossibly hunky and harboring secrets starting with his spell at an institution."
theguardian.com - The series includes a character named Terry, who is a barely closeted producer preying on young men.
theguardian.com - The series features a character named Liz, who is described as a puddle of anti-depressants and unfulfilled dreams.
theguardian.com - The series includes a character named Steven, who is described as a kind of Lynchian version of Andy Warhol.
theguardian.com - The series features a character named Ryan, who is the object of Bret's affection.
theguardian.com - The series includes a character named Robert, who is described as the irritatingly self-assured object of Ellis’s obsession.
The Hollywood Reporter - "The Shards" is a nine-episode drama adapted from Bret Easton Ellis's novel.
The Hollywood Reporter - The series is set in Halloween of 1981 and features a city-wide curfew due to a serial killer.
theguardian.com - The Shards was first released as a serialized podcast between 2020 and 2021 before being expanded into a novel in 2023.
theguardian.com - The series is described as an erotic thriller but is noted to be surprisingly chaste.
WHERE:
latimes.com - The series features iconic Los Angeles locations, including Trumps, a bygone West Hollywood restaurant, and the Sherman Oaks Galleria, which was "basically gutted" in the ‘90s.
The Hollywood Reporter - The setting is Los Angeles, specifically at The Buckley School in Sherman Oaks.
theguardian.com - The series depicts a vision of Los Angeles in 1981.
WHEN:
The Hollywood Reporter - The series airs at 9 p.m. on Wednesday, August 5 (FX and Hulu).
theguardian.com - Ryan Murphy joined the project in February 2025.
WHY:
theguardian.com - The series explores themes of youth, hidden identities, and the impact of the AIDS crisis on gay artists.
HOW:
theguardian.com - The cast underwent a series of experiments with milk and coconut powders to simulate drug use, with Warner stating that the first trial with coconut powder “was too sticky,” leading to a switch to milk powder for reshooting scenes.
theguardian.com - The production team used the exterior of the Bruin Theater and the interior of the adjacent Fox Theater to recreate a movie palace for the series.
theguardian.com - The cast underwent experiments with milk and coconut powders to simulate drug use, with Warner stating that the first trial with coconut powder “was too sticky.”
latimes.com - The production team used the exterior of the Bruin Theater and the interior of the adjacent Fox Theater to recreate a movie palace for the series.
theguardian.com - The cast underwent experiments with milk and coconut powders to simulate drug use, with Warner stating that the first trial with coconut powder “was too sticky.”
theguardian.com - The cast underwent various methods to simulate drug use, including using milk and coconut powders to represent cocaine.
theguardian.com - The series was adapted by Ryan Murphy, who is known for his extravagant style, contrasting with the original novel's tone.
(UPDATED August 6, 2026 08:16 UTC)
The upcoming series "The Shards" is an erotic thriller that follows a group of young, beautiful people facing a killer, with executive producer Brad Simpson drawing a metaphor to the AIDS crisis of the 1980s. Hayes Warner, who plays Debbie Schaffer, describes her character as “seethingly insecure,” reflecting her own experiences in the competitive music industry, while the show is characterized as nostalgic and boundary-pushing but surprisingly chaste, lacking explicit sexual acts. To enhance the realism of drug use in the series, the cast experimented with milk and coconut powders, with Warner recalling that the initial trial with coconut powder was too sticky, prompting a switch to milk powder for reshoots.
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(UPDATED August 6, 2026 01:15 UTC)
In an exciting new series that blends elements of "American Horror Story" and "The Breakfast Club," seven-time Tony award-winning producer Jordan Roth takes on the role of personal assistant Steven Reinhardt, while Homer Gere, son of Richard Gere, plays the self-assured Robert Mallory, the object of obsession for the character Bret Ellis, who narrates the series. Kaia Gerber returns to the world of Ryan Murphy, portraying Susan Reynolds, and Wes Bentley plays Terry Schaffer, a barely closeted producer with a predatory nature. To create the atmosphere of a classic movie palace, the production team transformed the Bruin Theater's exterior and the interior of the nearby Fox Theater, and the cast even experimented with milk and coconut powders to mimic drug use, although the initial trial with coconut powder proved to be too sticky.
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(UPDATED August 5, 2026 22:10 UTC)
In an exciting new series, seven-time Tony award-winning producer Jordan Roth takes on the role of personal assistant Steven Reinhardt, while musician Hayes Warner plays the character Debbie Schaffer, who is described as "seethingly insecure." Although the series is labeled as an erotic thriller, it surprisingly refrains from depicting explicit sexual acts, with the cast experimenting with milk and coconut powders to simulate drug use, which Warner noted was "too sticky" during their first trial. Set against the backdrop of iconic Los Angeles locations, the production team recreated a movie palace using the exterior of the Bruin Theater and the interior of the adjacent Fox Theater, alongside notable sites like the former West Hollywood restaurant Trumps and the Sherman Oaks Galleria.
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(UPDATED August 5, 2026 20:31 UTC)
A new series features a character named Debbie, the spoiled daughter of Hollywood royalty, who is determined to throw a party despite a city-wide curfew due to a serial killer. Among the colorful cast, there's Susan, who suggests a party theme called Area 54, and Thom, a friendly quarterback, while Matt is the class pothead and Robert Mallory is the impossibly hunky character with secrets. To create a realistic portrayal of drug use, the cast experimented with milk and coconut powders, with Warner noting that the initial trial with coconut powder was "too sticky."
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(UPDATED August 5, 2026 18:28 UTC)
The highly anticipated series "The Shards," adapted from Bret Easton Ellis's novel, features a star-studded cast including Evan Rachel Wood, Wes Bentley, and Kaia Gerber, and is set in Los Angeles during Halloween of 1981 amidst a city-wide curfew due to a serial killer. The show, which explores themes of youth and hidden identities while reflecting on the impact of the AIDS crisis on gay artists, will air at 9 p.m. on Wednesday, August 5, on FX and Hulu. Notably, the cast employed creative methods to simulate drug use for the series, while Ryan Murphy's adaptation brings a contrasting extravagant style to the original novel's tone.