Season 1 – The Shards

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55%

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47 Reviews

35%

Popcornmeter

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.

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Critics Consensus

The combination of Ryan Murphy and Bret Easton Ellis should elicit magnanimously pulpy TV, but instead The Shards relegates itself to obtuse style with mildly entertaining substance.

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Melanie McFarland

Salon.com

Realism is not the point. Instead, think of “The Shards” as a View-Master reel designed to give Gen Z a glimpse at the lost age of excess they’re pining for.

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Jen Chaney

TV Guide

6.0/10

When it leans more toward wink-wink comedy that acknowledges the characters' narcissism, it's kinda fun. But the more it asks us to genuinely empathize with these impossibly privileged nepo babies, the more the series feels like a social experiment.

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Peter Travers

The Travers Take

1.5/4

Producer Ryan Murphy says he wanted his young Hollywood take on the 1980s sex and serial killers in the Bret Easton Ellis novel to be tasteful and palatable as a series. Well, I didn’t.

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Natalia Marcos

El Pais (Spain)

The Shards is far from being a good series, but that's not what we came here for. It is undeniably sexy, though, and, in a mysterious way, addictive, despite its flaws. [Full review in Spanish]

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Barbara Ellen

Observer (UK)

The dialogue is snappy, the music is groovy, and the cast pout it up, as if they’ve been sacked en masse from a John Hughes movie for having bad attitudes. The Shards is extremely pleased with itself, but there is no denying it’s a lot of fun.

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Bruce R. Miller

Sioux City Journal

2/4

Roth, a Broadway producer, is so good as the Warhol-like manipulator you long to see him pop up in any number of situations. He’s fairly compliant and watch-worthy. The rest of the series is reheated "Dynasty" as costumed by early-day Ralph Lauren.

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Harbour H

@RT88722576 18h

1981 period piece? Oh hell ya Bret Easton Ellis? Oh hell yea! Cliche tropes about a bunch nepo entitled dipshits with no character? Oh HELL NAH Wanted to love this and the show does look great with good production design and those blackwing7’s but man the characters are just insufferable. Hard to sit through

Young S

@YoungStevie 1d

As a huge fan of the book “less than zero “it pains me to say that this is just awful. Unwatchable do not waste your time.

Vic M

@vmrtbol 2d

curse you Ryan Murphy!!!!!!!!!!!

Dennis C

@RT48462531 2d

Costumes and sets are very visually interesting. But the writing is soooo boring and the characters are not intriguing. I gave up on it after an episode and a half. Won’t be watching the rest.

Slick R

@SlickReviewer 3d

For an early 80's throwback high school show about nepo babies it's just isn't exciting. I'm not sure what target audience Ryan Murphy was aiming for with this show but it's definitely not high school kids. And if he was aiming for 60+ year olds(who would have been the age of the kids in high school) I highly doubt they are watching this show.

Shawn K

@srk827 3d

Super fun show, love the cast

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Kaia Gerber

Actor

Wes Bentley

Actor

Evan Rachel Wood

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Homer Gere

Actor

Graham Campbell

Thom Wright

Igby Rigney

Actor

Episode 1

Aired Aug 5, 2026

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.

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Episode 2

Aired Aug 5, 2026

Don't You Want Me

Bret digs deeper into Robert's murky past and uncovers some evidence.

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Episode 3

Airs Aug 12

Help Me! Rhonda

A beloved student's sudden disappearance causes chaos for the senior class.

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Episode 4

Airs Aug 12

Robert's Party

Susan's welcome party for Robert is overshadowed by a violent incident.

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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 and Charles Rogers; directed by Ryan Murphy.

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Episode 6

Airs Aug 26

Homecoming Part One

"Troubled" Debbie is galvanized by a new extracurricular.

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Episode 7

Airs Aug 26

Homecoming Part Two

A surprising Homecoming King and Queen are crowned as the Trawler's killing spree continues.

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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.

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Episode 9

Airs Sep 9

Stairway to Heaven

With the city on lockdown, Debbie hosts a Halloween party that will change everything. Written for Television by Juli Weiner & Charles Rogers. Directed by Michael Uppendahl.

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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.

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The Shards: Season 1 Trailer - This Season On