Ryan Murphy x Bret Easton Ellis: The Shards Brings 1980s Teen Nightmares to FX and Hulu This August

The Shards: Privilege, Paranoia, and Murder in 1981 L.A.

If you've been waiting for a show that's equal parts Euphoria and Mindhunter, The Shards is about to be your new obsession. The new drama series from Ryan Murphy, based on Bret Easton Ellis' bestselling novel of the same name, premieres on FX this August and streams on Hulu right after. It's Murphy at his most unhinged — and we mean that as a compliment.

For the uninitiated, Ellis is the author behind Less Than Zero and American Psycho — the guy who made a career out of exposing the rot beneath wealth and beauty. The Shards is his most personal novel, drawn from his own teenage years in Los Angeles, and it's been begging for a screen adaptation since it hit shelves. Murphy, fresh off his usual whirlwind of projects, turns out to be the perfect match for Ellis's particular brand of glamorous dread.

What's it about?

Set in early-'80s Los Angeles, The Shards follows a group of ultra-privileged high school seniors at an elite prep school. On the surface, they've got it all: money, parties, status. But beneath the designer sunglasses and poolside drama, something is very, very wrong. A new student arrives with a mysterious edge, a serial killer is terrorizing the city, and the group's carefully constructed world starts collapsing into paranoia, obsession, and murderous desire. It's Ellis's signature blend of glamour and dread, translated perfectly to screen.

The show just held its premiere in New York City, and early buzz is strong — critics are calling it one of Murphy's most confident swings in years. The 1981 setting gives everything a glossy, dangerous, American Psycho-adjacent vibe: less business cards, more teenage angst, and a soundtrack that'll make you nostalgic for a decade you may not even have lived through.

More on Hulu this August

The Shards isn't the only reason to keep your Hulu tab open this month. August also brings a fresh season of It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia (the Gang remains undefeated), the return of Adults for season 2, the arrival of The Christophers, and Futurama finally making its way onto the platform. Plus, Hulu ended July with a haute-couture bang by debuting The Devil Wears Prada 2 with Meryl Streep and Anne Hathaway.

Between the nostalgia lineup and Murphy's new nightmare fuel, August on Hulu is genuinely stacked. Start with The Shards — just maybe don't watch it alone at night.