Bret Easton Ellis Returns to the Screen
After American Psycho, Less Than Zero, and The Rules of Attraction, Bret Easton Ellis’s world is back on screen. This time, it’s his 2023 novel Les Éclats—released as The Shards—that has been adapted for TV. To bring the series to life, Disney+ turned to Ryan Murphy, the prolific creator behind American Horror Story, Pose, Monster, and American Crime Story. With his flair for turning dark material into must-watch television, Murphy was a natural fit for the project.
A Look Back at 1981 Los Angeles
The Shards transports viewers to 1981, following 17-year-old Bret Ellis in his final year at a prestigious private high school in Los Angeles. Alongside friends Susan, Thom, and Debbie, he moves through a glamorous world of huge mansions, flashy parties, drugs, and often-absent parents. Their routine is shaken by the arrival of Robert Mallory, a new student who is both attractive and unsettling.
At the same time, a serial killer nicknamed “the Trawler” begins targeting young people in the city. Convinced Robert is hiding something, Bret’s suspicion evolves into an obsession. But as his paranoia grows, questions arise about whether he can even trust his own perspective. The story mixes the author’s personal memories, fantasies, and pure fiction, blurring the line between reality and imagination. The main character shares Ellis’s name, school, and aspirations of becoming a writer, but Ellis has always said this book isn’t meant to be a faithful autobiography.
Young Hollywood, Familiar Names
The series features several young actors from well-known families. Kaia Gerber, daughter of Cindy Crawford, plays Susan, while Homer Gere, son of Richard Gere, portrays the mysterious Robert. The pairing draws extra attention because their parents were a high-profile couple back in the 1990s. Igby Rigney, known for Midnight Mass and The Fall of the House of Usher, takes the lead role.
The cast also includes Hayes Warner, Graham Campbell, Wes Bentley, and Evan Rachel Wood, who returned to television in this series after her acclaimed run on Westworld.
The Shards: Episode Release Schedule
The Shards comprises nine episodes. The series debuted on Thursday, August 6, with the first two episodes, and subsequent episodes were released weekly on Disney+ through September 10.
Whether you’ve already binged the show or are catching up now, The Shards offers a dark and glamorous journey through 1980s Los Angeles—with enough twists to keep you guessing until the very end.
