The Shards, the new nine-part series from Ryan Murphy and Bret Easton Ellis, premiering on Disney Plus on August 6, is an insufferable monstrosity that combines the worst excesses of both creators. Based on Ellis's sprawling, 600-page semi-autobiographical novel of the same name, the show was long considered unadaptable, and after watching, it's clear why.
A Nightmarish Collaboration
The series plunges viewers into the mind of Bret Ellis (Igby Rigney), a wealthy high school senior in 1980s Los Angeles. His voiceover, which dominates the narrative, is described as the inner monologue of the worst person you know. The story unfolds in flashback, as Bret and his privileged friends indulge in copious cocaine, Euphoria-style parties, and speeding down the Pacific Coast Highway to the sounds of Ultravox. The soundtrack is undeniably cracking, but it can't save the plot.
A serial killer dubbed The Trawler is on the rampage, first targeting pets, then making crank calls to students, and finally making them vanish. Bret is the only one alarmed; his friends would rather not let it spoil their fun. The characters are uniformly 'casually beautiful, all-American and from wealthy families,' as Bret describes two of his pals, a description that fits the entire group except for the enigmatic newbie Robert Mallory (Homer Gere), whom Bret is desperate to figure out and bed.
Mixed Acting Chops
The cast includes Kaia Gerber, and the two are being touted as the new wave of Hollywood, a label that rarely bodes well. Gere is surprisingly solid, and Gerber manages when all she has to do is pout and smoke. Rigney nails Bret if the note was 'be insufferable.' However, Hayes Warner, in her first acting role as Bret's girlfriend Debbie, struggles, though it may not be entirely her fault—the character makes no sense.
The plot is equally nonsensical. No one cares about the missing kids, and tricky conversations are abruptly resolved with a hot tub suggestion or Bret's monotone voiceover. Parents, when present, are as messed up as their offspring. Debbie's Hollywood producer dad (Wes Bentley) is grooming Bret, while his wife (Evan Rachel Wood, wasted here) retaliates by making porn.
Key Details of The Shards
- Creators: Ryan Murphy and Bret Easton Ellis
- Executive Producers: Ryan Murphy, Bret Easton Ellis, Max Winkler, Nick Hall, Kathleen McCaffrey, Brian Young, Alexis Martin Woodall, Nina Jacobson, Brad Simpson, Braxton Pope, Tanase Popa, Michael Uppendahl
- Cast: Igby Rigney, Homer Gere, Graham Campbell, Hayes Warner, Wes Bentley, Kaia Gerber, Evan Rachel Wood
- Where to Watch: Disney Plus
- Runtime: 9 episodes x 25-50 minutes
- Release Date: August 6
A Self-Indulgent Narrative
Bret, who both is and isn't the real Ellis, is writing his debut novel Less Than Zero, repeatedly telling us 'I was working on my novel' with a drawl. His friends seem as fed up as I am. The voiceover lacks the self-awareness of American Psycho, despite a highly specific morning routine. It evokes Catcher in the Rye, and J.D. Salinger's refusal to adapt his work comes to mind—right call.
The Shards feels like Gossip Girl with a serial killer. When that half of the show gets going, I initially marveled at the self-control. But Ryan Murphy knows that attractive people having sex and doing cocaine will always draw eyeballs. The first murder is spared, but when the teenage girl (because, of course, it's a woman) is discovered strung up on a tennis court, we see it from three angles. Later, the moments before Sharon Tate's murder are recreated, just for historical proximity.
One victim is a student with Tourette's, treated like a Make-A-Wish child by Bret and his friends. When she vanishes, they plaster her face on sparkling water bottles to raise awareness. I hope it's tongue-in-cheek, but the acting makes it hard to tell.
The Verdict
It's another Ryan Murphy monstrosity, but everyone and everything is gorgeous, so there's always something pleasant to look at. Ellis and Murphy might not know how to give us exactly what we want, but they serve up what we wish we didn't want. The amount of Disney dollars pumped into this has resulted in a beautiful, mediocre mess. The Shards is available to stream on Disney Plus from August 6.
