'Cruel Intentions' Meets 'You' in Ryan Murphy's New 9-Part Psychological Thriller

Published Aug 15, 2026, 7:47 AM EDT Erin Konrad's love for everything entertainment dates back to elementary school when she became obsessed with classic Hollywood musicals. When she's not catching up on all her favorite television shows, she's advising her friends and family on what they should binge watch next. She has her Bachelor's degree in Journalism and a Masters of Fine Arts in Creative Writing. Creating content for Collider gives her the opportunity to combine her writing skills with her passion for television and movies. She spends her free time trying to beat her personal record of reading 137 books in a year and cuddling with her dog, Gracie. Ryan Murphy knows a thing or two about creating addictive, psychological dramas. He's provided viewers with many seasons of the terrifying American Horror Story, true crime-inspired anthologies like American Crime Story and Monster, and teenage-focused satirical series like Popular and Glee. No matter the subject, Murphy excels at creating shows that are impossible to look away from. His new FX series, part erotic drama (à la Cruel Intentions) and part psychological thriller (in the vein of You), is just begging to be binge-watched. What Is 'The Shards' About? It makes sense that Murphy would team up with author Bret Easton Ellis, who, famous for novels like Less Than Zero and American Psycho, published a fictionalized memoir in 2023 called The Shards. Now, Murphy has adapted the novel, along with Ellis, into a nine-episode FX show. The series is told from the perspective of 17-year-old Bret (Igby Rigney), who is trying to survive his senior year of high school in 1981. He's writing his first novel while attending the fancy Buckley prep school in Southern California. The setting feels straight out of Cruel Intentions — tons of twisted secrets lie underneath the story's sunny facade. Bret's life is actually pretty complicated; he's hiding his sexuality while still sleeping with his glamorous girlfriend, Debbie Schaffer (Hayes Warner), and doing his best to avoid all the trappings of a privileged, drug-fueled lifestyle that his two best friends, Susan Reynolds (Kaia Garber) and Thom Wright (Graham Campbell), seem to be reveling in. Bret's life gets turned upside down when the intriguing Robert Mallory (Homer Gere) enrolls at Buckley. Bret is completely fascinated by the enigmatic, secretive newcomer and quickly becomes obsessed with him, while, simultaneously, a terrifying serial killer nicknamed The Trawler also begins targeting local teens. First, pets start to go missing in the area, and then their owners quickly follow. When the bodies are discovered, they're posed in incredibly disturbing and macabre ways. The viewer starts to wonder whether Robert's appearance at Buckley has something to do with the murders. What unfolds in the first few episodes of the series sets up one of Murphy's signature conceits: will all of these teens actually survive to the end? 'The Shards' Blends Coming-of-Age Drama With Serial Killer Scares It's super easy to get drawn into the world of The Shards, with its enviable Technicolor-infused parties and lavish mansions, but as you get to know the characters better, it's easy to notice the lies and betrayal around every corner. Murphy's brand of salacious, seductive drama perfectly pairs with Ellis's subversive writing, while the cast also ensures The Shards is instantly watchable. Each of the actors who play the teens effortlessly captures the abandon of being young (and rich), along with the uneasy fear that accompanies potentially being in a killer's sights. Evan Rachel Wood is fun to watch as Debbie's mother, while Wes Bentley also pops up as Debbie's creepy, predatory father, with the part offering him a delightfully insidious change of pace from his Yellowstone role. Cruel Intentions offered audiences a peek into the sordid lives of teens with way too much money and freedom on their hands, and The Shards lives up to that with its colorful, dizzying setting. With spot-on '80s fashion and music, the drama will definitely transport you back in time. Pair that with the stalker mind games similar to every season of You, and there's no way this campy, terrifying, and irresistible series won't hold your attention from start to finish. The Shards is available to stream on Hulu in the U.S. New episodes air Wednesdays on FX. The Shards Release Date August 5, 2026 Network FX, Hulu Cast Kaia Gerber Susan Reynolds