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Season 1 – The Shards

Play trailer 4:35 Poster for Season 1 – The Shards Next Ep Aug 12 Crime Drama Mystery & Thriller Play Trailer Watchlist
Watchlist Tomatometer Popcornmeter
52% Tomatometer 27 Reviews Popcornmeter Fewer than 50 Ratings
FX's "The Shards" is a seductive drama series based on the acclaimed bestselling novel of the same name. Set against the vivid backdrop of 1980s Los Angeles, the series follows Bret, an aspiring writer and observant teenager at an elite prep school, and his glamorous social circle as they navigate identity, sex, jealousy, obsession and the dangers beneath American adolescence. Their privileged world of wealth, beauty, parties and excess begins to unravel with the arrival of Robert Mallory, a mysterious and magnetic new student whose appearance coincides with the terror of The Trawler, a serial killer targeting teenagers across the city.

Critics Reviews

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Robert Lloyd Los Angeles Times 2h
It’s often absurd and always melodramatic, but if you’re in the market for a slick miniseries about cocaine-sniffing kids (and adults), murder, animal mutilation, sex, and sports cars in New Wave L.A... you can’t do better than this. Go to Full Review John Anderson Wall Street Journal 5h
Crimes and hostages abound, but the hedonism of Hollywood offspring is really what the show is all about. So rich, so beautiful, so bored. It’s contagious. Go to Full Review Chris Barsanti Slant Magazine 7h
3/4
The series highlights the intoxicating, corrupting pull of Bret Easton Ellis’s world. Go to Full Review Lindsay Traves Pajiba 2h
The TV adaptation struggles to work with that, it ending up a vapid and hollow portrait of hot young people and a slasher killer. What else should we expect from Ryan Murphy? Go to Full Review Joe Lipsett Queer.Horror.Movies. 3h
1/5
The Shards isn’t fun enough or campy enough or weird enough or salacious enough. It’s pretty packaging standing in for actual substance and no amount of coke or 80s needle drops can save it. Go to Full Review Karina Adelgaard Heaven of Horror 4h
3/5
For me, THE SHARDS began as intriguing, became downright dull, and then picked up and became interesting again. Could it have been shorter than 10 episodes? Oh yes. Is it often about looking good rather than being good? Absolutely! But... Go to Full Review Read all reviews

Audience Reviews

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MARIANA R @RT56814439 4h It's nothing like the original. Not the atmosphere, not the main character, not the theme—nothing. They could have given it a different name, but since they wanted to ride on Bret Easton Ellis's coattails, they called it "The Shards." It's such a drag to watch the second season, huh? It's all poorly done—Glee-esque, woke, and just trying to cash in. And to think they announced it with such fanfare. See more Laura E @RT20811923 6h Unfortunately I tried, but it's a huge no See more Ren V @SusanWkin 7h Another typical Ryan Murphy horror show glamorozing teens played by 30+ somethings, excessive sex and drug use and a thin plot that goes nowhere. Im not sure why Kaia Geber has been advertised as the lead, shes a minor supporting role at best. Its a bunch of nepo babies with plastic surgery (and they're calling this a period piece?) The acting/line reading is so bad but I guess these kids are supposed to be so pretty, we forget that. The author of the book left the show and wasn't involved so let speaks for how well this show is going to be. I don't expect it to be renewed. See more Read all reviews
The Shards — Season 1

My Rating

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Cast & Crew

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Kaia Gerber

Actor

Wes Bentley

Actor

Evan Rachel Wood

Actor

Homer Gere

Actor

Graham Campbell

Thom Wright

Igby Rigney

Actor

Episodes

Episode 1 Airs Aug 5 Pilot It's the summer of 1981 in Los Angeles; a series of crimes coincides with the arrival of a new student in Bret's orbit. Details Episode 2 Airs Aug 5 Don't You Want Me Bret digs deeper into Robert's murky past and uncovers some evidence. Details Episode 3 Airs Aug 12 Help Me! Rhonda In the 1980s Los Angeles, aspiring writer Bret and his elite prep school circle navigate identity, desire and obsession as a magnetic new student arrives amid a serial killer's reign of terror. Details Episode 4 Airs Aug 12 Robert's Party Susan's welcome party for Robert is overshadowed by a violent incident. Details Episode 5 Airs Aug 19 Murder on the Dance Floor A televised dance competition culminates with a horrifying showstopper. Written for Television by Ryan Murphy & Charles Rogers. Directed by Ryan Murphy. Details Episode 6 Airs Aug 26 Homecoming Part One "Troubled" Debbie is galvanized by a new extracurricular. Details Episode 7 Airs Aug 26 Homecoming Part Two A surprising Homecoming King and Queen are crowned as the Trawler's killing spree continues. Details Episode 8 Airs Sep 2 Hamlet Something turns rotten in the state of California, as two blackmail plots reveal two devastating secrets. Written for Television by Lenore Zion & Charles Rogers & Juli Weiner. Directed by Max Minghella. Details Episode 9 Airs Sep 9 Stairway to Heaven In the 1980s Los Angeles, aspiring writer Bret and his elite prep school circle navigate identity, desire and obsession as a magnetic new student arrives amid a serial killer's reign of terror. Details Episode 10 Airs Sep 2 Episode 110 In the 1980s Los Angeles, aspiring writer Bret and his elite prep school circle navigate identity, desire and obsession as a magnetic new student arrives amid a serial killer's reign of terror. Details
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The Shards — Season 1

The Shards: Season 1 First Look - Best Kept Secrets The Shards: Season 1 First Look - Best Kept Secrets 4:35 The Shards: Season 1 Trailer 3 The Shards: Season 1 Trailer 3 2:03 The Shards: Season 1 Teaser 1 The Shards: Season 1 Teaser 1 0:45 The Shards: Season 1 Trailer The Shards: Season 1 Trailer 2:00 View more videos
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The Shards — Season 1

The Shards View more photos

Season Info

Director
Crystle Roberson Dorsey, Ryan Murphy
Executive Producer
Bret Easton Ellis, Max Winkler
Screenwriter
Charles Rogers, Ryan Murphy, Juli Weiner, Bret Easton Ellis
Network
FX
Genre
Crime, Drama, Mystery & Thriller
Original Language
English
Release Date
Aug 5, 2026
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