The Shards, the new nine-part Disney Plus series from Ryan Murphy and Bret Easton Ellis, based on Ellis's sprawling semi-autobiographical novel, has been dismissed by critics as an insufferable monstrosity. The show, which premieres on August 6, follows a group of wealthy high school seniors in 1980s Los Angeles as a serial killer named The Trawler threatens their hedonistic lifestyle.
A nightmarish link-up
The collaboration between Murphy and Ellis, two figures known for their lack of restraint, has resulted in a series that many feared was beyond adaptation. The story is told through the voiceover of protagonist Bret Ellis, played by Igby Rigney, whose inner monologue is described as asinine and insufferable. Bret and his friends, including the charismatic newcomer Robert Mallory (Homer Gere) and Debbie (Hayes Warner), spend their time doing cocaine, partying, and speeding down the Pacific Coast Highway to the tune of Ultravox.
Despite the serial killer on the loose, the characters seem largely unconcerned, with only Bret showing any real worry. The plot is criticized for its lack of coherence, with tricky conversations abruptly resolved by hot tub suggestions or Bret's monotone voiceover. The parents, when present, are just as messed up as their offspring, with Debbie's father grooming Bret and her mother making porn.
A mixed bag of acting
The cast delivers a mixed performance. Gere is surprisingly solid, while Gerber can get by when she only has to pout and smoke. Rigney has nailed Bret if the note was 'be insufferable,' but Warner, in her first acting role, struggles with a character that makes no sense. The series also features Wes Bentley and Evan Rachel Wood, the latter wasted in her role.
The show's violence is handled with a lack of restraint, showing a murdered teenage girl strung up on a tennis court from three different angles and recreating moments before Sharon Tate's murder. One victim with Tourette's is treated like a Make-A-Wish child, with her face plastered on sparkling water bottles to raise awareness.
A beautiful, mediocre mess
While the show is visually gorgeous and boasts a cracking soundtrack, it fails to deliver a compelling narrative. The voiceover lacks the self-awareness of Ellis's American Psycho, drawing comparisons to Catcher in the Rye, which JD Salinger refused to adapt because of its whiny internal monologue. The Shards has been described as 'Gossip Girl with a serial killer on the loose,' a beautiful but mediocre mess that leaves viewers questioning the amount of Disney dollars pumped into it.
The Shards is available to stream on Disney Plus from August 6.
