Ryan Murphy’s latest project debuted last night after months of teasing fans with the promise of a new soapy queer drama from the king of soapy queer dramas.
The Shards premiered with its first two episodes on Aug. 5 and follows a group of privileged teens whose glamorous lives start to fall apart under the dual threats of a mysterious new student and a serial killer on the loose.
The steamy teen murder mystery is based on the 2023 novel of the same name by famed gay American Psycho author Bret Easton Ellis. The nine-episode first season is set in 1981 and delivers on all of the ‘80s fashion and hair viewers could want, along with a heavy dose of the kind of messy drama and sex appeal Murphy is known for.
Who is starring in ‘The Shards’?
The main cast of 'The Shards.'
FX
Igby Rigney (Midnight Mass, The Midnight Club) stars as Bret, a character very loosely based on Ellis. Cindy Crawford’s daughter Kaia Gerber (Overcompensating, Palm Royale) and Richard Gere’s son Homer Gere (Euphoria) play privileged teens Susan and Robert.
Veteran actors Wes Bentley (Yellowstone, American Horror Story), Evan Rachel Wood (Thirteen, Westworld), and Jordan Roth (I Think I Do) also star alongside newcomers Graham Campbell (Late Fame) and pop star Hayes Warner.
What is ‘The Shards’ about?
The Shards follows aspiring writer Bret whose life begins unraveling when he meets Robert, an enigmatic new student at his prep school, where his social circle is a "glamorous and deeply entangled group drawn into a life of wealth, beauty, parties and excess," according to the official synopsis.
But if you thought The Shards was going to be a simple coming-of-age high school drama, you’d be dead wrong. The synopsis continues, "Transferring in just before his senior year, Robert's appearance coincides with the growing terror of The Trawler, a serial killer targeting teenagers across the city."
How gay is ‘The Shards’?
Wes Bentley in 'The Shards.'
FX
If you haven’t had a chance to binge the first two episodes of The Shards, you’re probably wondering just how gay it is. Well, you’re in luck because the answer is very.
Main character Bret narrates the show and is a fictionalized younger version of Ellis, who came out publicly more than a decade ago. On the show, Bret is a closeted teen who is dating Debbie, but has secret hookups with male classmates at his prep school.
Almost all of the male characters are queer, and Wes Bentley plays a Hollywood mogul who tries to seduce Bret, who is his teen daughter’s boyfriend, with promises of hiring him as a screenwriter.
The fact that the show cast the children of two ‘80s heartthrobs and the sets are a total ‘80s throwback feels decidedly gay too.
The soundtrack is also full of ‘80s gay faves like Duran Duran, The Go-Go’s, Joan Jett, Fleetwood Mac, and Dionne Warwick. And to top it all off, the show also features original music from Troye Sivan and his frequent songwriting collaborator Leland.
Where can I watch 'The Shards'?
Igby Rigney and Hayes Warner in 'The Shards.'
FX
The first two episodes of The Shards were released on Aug. 5, and the rest of the season will drop weekly on Wednesdays until the finale on Sept. 9. New episodes will air on FX at 9 p.m. ET and stream on Hulu.
