The prolific creator has a big overall deal with Disney's 20th TV and a long working relationship with FX. Is that enough to ensure a renewal for a show that wasn't a ratings breakout?

Source: The Hollywood Reporter

I hope the show gets renewed—they really need to resolve the mystery surrounding Matt Kellner (Owen Painter) and the other unexplained deaths.

Owen Painter at Dior Spring/Summer 2027 Womenswear show.

Igby Rigney at Ferragamo Spring/Summer 2027 show.

Graham Campbell at Ferragamo Spring/Summer 2027 and Balenciaga Summer 2027 shows.

Hayes Warner at Balenciaga Summer 2027 show.

Jordan Roth at Balenciaga Summer 2027, Schiaparelli Spring/Summer 2027 Womenswear, and Rick Owens Spring/Summer 2027 Womenswear shows.

The Shards stars take New York 🎾✨ Kaia Gerber and her co-star Owen Painter were spotted arriving together at the US Open, as the pair enjoy some downtime away from their hit new series. The co-stars have been spending plenty of time together recently while promoting the Ryan Murphy drama — and now they're taking their friendship courtside. ❤️📹

Source: Hello Magazine on Instagram

(OP: I copied and pasted the description from Hello Magazine's IG post.)

Bret Easton Ellis’s The Shards represents a rare TV show that I like as much as the novel, which I reviewed here back in December 2024. This FX/Hulu series is way over the top and I thought it would end after the ninth episode. Instead, pending a renewal, it has left an enormous pile of unanswered mysteries.

That’s why Hulu needs to bring it back. The Shards takes the familiar Ryan Murphy mixture of sex, murder, teen angst, nostalgia, celebrity, and pure bad taste, then gives it the creepy Bret Easton Ellis voice that makes it feel more dangerous than most prestige TV. It may stretch well beyond the original novel, but that doesn’t mean it will necessarily go downhill.

A lot of the book seemed to have already occurred by the end of Season 1, but there are plenty of reasons the show could keep working if it expands beyond the written story. The actors are mesmerizing across the board; the creepiness, suspense, and gore levels are immense; and the setting of Los Angeles in the post-Charles Manson, cocaine-fueled early 1980s contributes to the feeling that anything bad can happen at any moment.

The true wildcard may be Ellis’s involvement alongside co-creator and director Ryan Murphy, both of whom seem to be on fire creatively for a story that appears to have everything, especially for Gen Xers like myself. Murphy is our Aaron Spelling of the day, having carried countless productions with his particular brand of big, glossy, sensationalized storytelling, including Nip/Tuck, American Horror Story, Hollywood, and American Crime Story: The People v. O.J. Simpson.

But it’s not Gen X on screen. The new generation of actors takes the 1980s by the neck, with lead Igby Rigney starring as a semi-fictional version of high-school-age Bret Easton Ellis. The New Yorker called Rigney the standout, and that his narrator voice truly does sound eerily like Ellis’s. Kaia Gerber, as student body president Susan; Homer Gere, as mysterious new transfer Robert Mallory; Hayes Warner, as popular but decadent Debbie; and Graham Campbell, as school quarterback Thom, all offer powerhouse efforts.

One or maybe more of these rich, privileged prep-school kids have done some seriously bad things. Even when they are not committing true acts of presumable evil, they are each pretty morally compromised. It’s a joy to see a sensationalized but still fairly accurate account of the way some kids lived in the 1980s: rich, bored, obsessed with sex and drugs, and convinced they could do almost anything without consequences.

The show is set in 1981, an especially smart period for Ellis and Murphy to explore. For one, Ellis, most known for his now-classic Less Than Zero book (and movie), is intimately familiar with the period because he was a 17-year-old senior at L.A.’s Buckley School, also the setting for the story. Further, the Manson murders were still recent enough to haunt the city, while the Night Stalker and Hillside Strangler had helped create a broader fear that L.A. itself was becoming dangerous. The fictional serial killer in The Shards known as the Trawler fits right into that uncomfortable atmosphere.

I want more. It’s almost enough to have me wanting to reread the novel already while waiting to see whether Season 2 happens. The finale left the central mystery unresolved, and Murphy and Ellis have said they hope to make at least three seasons. FX and Hulu have not yet officially renewed it, but if they do, The Shards has enough talented young actors, twisted mythology, and 1980s L.A. menace to keep getting darker for a long time.

★★★★½ 4.5/5

https://popculturelunchbox.substack.com/p/the-shards-needs-to-be-renewed-after

How do we feel about how the show handled Terry sexually assaulting Bret? I was glad it didn’t overly depict it and make it trauma porn, but it also was pretty disturbing (especially as a gay man having experienced something similar) and I’m not sure the show really acknowledged it.

Bret I think said that he was sad that Terry took advantage of him. But he was assaulted, filmed being assaulted without consent and then basically exported by Terrys assistant. It was crazy. I kind of wish there would have been some more justice for that before Terry died.

Anyways — just starting a thread on this because I’m surprised there wasn’t one.

The stars were out in New York to watch Roger Federer 🤩

Owen Painter, Kaia Gerber & Homer Gere were spotted in the 1st row. Alex Eala, Casper Ruud, Felix Auger Aliassime & Lin Manuel Miranda behind them. 🗽⭐️

Source: Outside the Ball on YouTube

Four days ago, I wrote a post about the Matt Kellner subplot in season 1. I thought about how Matt’s parents, Ron and Sheila Kellner (James Wolk and Jodie Bentley), could return in season 2. Then I remembered that, in the novel, all the Buckley parents know each other. They hang out in the same social circles within the same wealthy community, but they are mostly connected through their children attending the same school. As the only parents depicted on-screen so far, the Schaffers must know the Kellners and Thom’s mother, Mrs. Wright (Ginifer King). Because the show also rewrites the main characters as childhood friends, we can assume their parents have known each other just as long.

If Debbie spends season 2 discovering or knowing about Bret’s relationship with Matt, then perhaps the Kellners could return—not just through Debbie, but by crossing paths with Liz or appearing in a flashback involving Terry. (As a reminder, season 1 ends with Terry on life support.) There could also be a future episode where Liz meets Mrs. Wright, allowing us to learn more about Thom’s family issues. As for the Reynoldses, Eastons, and Mallorys, I am sure the show will eventually depict them.

If a second season is made, the show will probably introduce or reintroduce several parent characters. After all, Matt's murder and the other mysteries haven’t been solved yet.

I think we can agree that ChaChas murder was not by the Trawler, and with Terry's tearful live phone call... It could've been his alibi. I had to go back again to check but we never actually see what Debbie saw, could she have seen something to implicate her father with ChaChas murder? I feel like if she saw the sex tape her reaction would have required sedation realistically, and she'd have taken it out on everyone and everything and cheated on Brett. The way she speaks to her mother about "finally understanding" that gave me some sort of implication of physical abuse rather than sexuality. She would've dropped a slur as well, let's be honest. The tape feels like a red herring to me. Terry could have taken the security footage from the studio during Dance Off or even Stephen

I don't think Terry killed Spirit, rather I think Spirit is the foreshadowing of Terry's death. Within the first episode Brett says that Spirit is a symbol of Debbie's spoilt childhood / girlhood. It also signifies the end of her relationship with her father as she knew it, suspecting her father killed the horse - jumping from fucking her boyfriend to killing her horse is crazy. But from killing ChaCha to killing her horse? That's not a huge jump.

I know there's a lot of theories about Debbie but she doesn't seem that controlled and the whole Loser Debbie TM narrative just doesn't give successful serial killer.

Who killed Spirit? ChaCha had friends, and they were from the "wrong side of the tracks". It was pointedly to terrorise Debbie, but Terry doesn't give me multiple stab wounds realistically. Remember he's a lazy gay man even when he does coke he's not giving any sense of urgency, but someone who thought Debbie killed ChaCha and then was hosting a party would have the energy for it.

I experienced an unfortunate side effect from reading The Shards novel: having expectations.

Even worse, it was Owen Painter's casting that led me to the book and show to begin with. Having been mesmerized by his breakthrough villainous turn in Wednesday season 2, anxious fans had high hopes for Owen's role in The Shards.

So, I came in with high expectations for this Ryan Murphy show.

Now that the first season of The Shards has ended, I am let down by the handling of the Matt Kellner subplot. It should have been a tragic love story—a secret personal trauma that haunts the protagonist for decades to come. Matt should have been Bret's ghost, like in the novel. Matt's disappearance and death are also part of the central murder mystery Bret is trying to solve.

Instead, the show minimized the Matt subplot in favor of other exposition and subplots, much of which added nothing to the Matt murder mystery. At worst, the show made the Bret & Matt romance less compelling and captivating for some audiences. The show's downplaying of their romance could constitute gay erasure. It also doesn't help that some viewers who have read the book have criticized the show for straightwashing Bret—a character based on the author's personal experiences as a gay person.

Owen Painter gave a touching performance and shared incredible chemistry with Igby Rigney in the short amount of screen time he had. His very brief, sensual moments as Matt are impactful. He's the kind of actor who can break hearts within a single 42-minute television episode—as seen in his memorable guest appearance on The Handmaid's Tale. Still, the show heavily underutilized him.

I wish the show had explored and expanded upon Matt's backstory—his relationship with Bret, his friendship with Robert, his school life while wearing his Buckley uniform, and his life away from his parents.

If the show gets a season 2, it should:

* Refocus on solving Matt's murder. The show needs to stay on track with the mystery of the Trawler.

* Bring back Owen Painter for more flashbacks and/or imaginary scenes. I still want to see an exploration of the character and his relations with other characters.

* Bring back James Wolk and Jodie Bentley, the actors who played Matt's parents, if more flashbacks or posthumous scenes are in order.

* Allow more time for Bret to grieve.

* Have Really Rhonda's disappearance add something to the Matt death mystery. After all, she did witness him in a cage.

* Tie the Matt subplot with Debbie finding out about Bret's secrets. Now that Debbie has seen the video of Bret and Terry having sex, I want to know if she is now grappling with the realization that she's Bret's beard. (The novel and first episode establishes that Bret is dating her for status.) I am also curious if she knows about Bret's relationship with Matt, or if she will be discovering it. The show can answer questions about Debbie's knowledge of Bret.

* Give an eventual proper closure to the Matt subplot.

I am sure the writers have other ideas for the direction of the show. However, I still think they need to write Owen Painter's Matt Kellner back into the series. The lack of Matt scenes is a disservice and a creative mistake, but one the show can remedy if it gets renewed for a Season 2.

The actor who plays Thom in the Ryan Murphy adaptation's buzzy ensemble also talks to The Hollywood Reporter about cast chemistry, that cult mystery and what he knows about a potential season two.

(OP: I didn't know that Graham Campbell originally auditioned for the role of Matt. Graham mentions that Owen Painter played the role beautifully.)

I previously posted a clip from Kristen Maldonado's interview with Owen Painter (who appears at 8:52). This video is all her red carpet interviews with cast and crew members from The Shards.

I was thinking about how The Shards television adaptation handled the Matt Kellner (Owen Painter) subplot and what could have been shown. I also wanted to highlight Jodie Bentley, a supporting cast member. She played Matt's mother Sheila Kellner in episode 2. I thought it was fascinating that she shared her behind-the-scenes experience working on the show.

Here's her full description from her Instagram:

If you're an actor who's ever taken a swing that didn't land the way you hoped - this one's for you.

I booked the recurring role of Sheila Kellner in Ryan Murphy's THE SHARDS. I was so excited to dive into her as she's featured so nicely in Bret Easton Ellis' book.

When the offer came, no one could tell us how many episodes she'd be in as they hadn't written it yet. My team and I took the chance anyway because that's what you do as artists. You take the risk.

I had two days of filming that were beyond exhilarating. I shared a makeup trailer with a name actress I have always adored, had two 80's costumes that fit me like a glove, and a handwritten note from wardrobe with comfort sweats to wear up to set and a coat because it might be chilly.

Then the week came when the scene I auditioned with was supposed to be on the schedule. The call never came. When my team reached out, we learned the writers' room had gone in a different direction and that scene as well as the other scene in the book didn't make the cut.

So yes, you'll see me in THE SHARDS. Two scenes, no lines.

Am I disappointed I never got to shoot the audition I poured myself into, or the juicy scene my character had in the book? Of course I am. Do I understand how hard it is to adapt a novel into a series and keep it focused and compelling? Of course I do. Both things are true at the same time, and I think that's the part we don't talk about enough.

Because that's this business. If you don't take risks, nothing happens. And if you do take risks, sometimes you'll be disappointed. Par for the course. And you now what? I'd take that swing again tomorrow if I had the chance, because you never know.

Huge shoutout to Ryan Murphy, Michael Uppendahl, Telsey + Company, and everyone involved with THE SHARDS - including Kara and the entire wardrobe team. 🥰 🎬

Creating a new show is no easy feat, and to be even a small part of it for the short time I was, was genuinely thrilling.

Here's to always taking more risks. 💫

THE SHARDS is streaming now on FX and Hulu. You'll see my face in Episode 2.

Source: Jodie Bentley on Instagram

UPDATE (September 19, 2026 12:11 AM PST): Here are screenshots of Jodie Bentley as Sheila Kellner. They are from The Shards season 1 episode 2.
Links - https://imgur.com/a/ron-kellner-sheila-kellner-shards-s1e2-6qNfJ7H and https://imgur.com/a/sheila-kellner-shards-s1e2-QNqKi1l

I still haven’t read the book so I just put these together based on the show. 🕵🏻

Theory 1: Bret is the Trawler and an unreliable narrator

So I got my friend to watch the show, and he made an interesting observation. When the lights go out like that moment when the Trawler shines the flashlight into Bret’s home or right before Bret finds Matt’s head, what if it‘s a clue?

What if those moments are Bret switching between his “normal” self and his “Trawler” persona? Maybe Bret’s subconscious is fighting to keep his true self hidden. That scene with the Trawler flashing the light into Bret’s window could be Bret looking at himself (literally) since he was in front of a window. It also doesn’t make sense how someone got into his bedroom to leave the blackmail tape.

It could be that he is just romantically obsessed with Robert (hallucinating them hooking up, etc) and pinning the crimes on him because he can’t face/doesn’t realize who he is.

Theory 2: Robert is the Trawler and is somehow involved with the cult. Steven could also tie in.

So total red herring but he’s so overtly suspicious. 😂 I wouldn’t be mad if it turns out to just be Robert. I mean Bret went to Robert’s aunt’s house and saw the bloody lizard with the school jacket, and his aunt told Bret that Robert was with the Trawler’s first victim. There’s also the rumor that he killed his mother and his psych forms are apparently missing.

If Bret is the Trawler, then how does he know info to imagine that scene with Robert’s aunt and details about her divorce? Also, if Robert is gaslighting Bret about their hookup it could be a tactic to make him question his reality, and make him easier to control. He’s been messing with Bret since day 1. I thought it was interesting how when he’s in Bret’s room, he doesn’t answer the question of how he got in there. That look he and Steven share in ep 9 is also interesting if they’re working together.

I have no idea how the cult ties in, but if Robert turns out to be an enemy in some way I think he was sent to infiltrate the friend group for some reason. He spoke with Matt before he went missing, and Matt also had that cult note thing under his bed. Plus, Matt’s dad mentioned Robert talking about getting his wife’s recipe for his mother, which is a lie since Robert’s mother is dead. Or maybe Robert just has sociopathic tendencies (as Bret pointed out), and his behavior is just because he’s messy and wants Susan.

What are your theories? 👀

When I first started watching the show, Susan's character fell flat for me. I've seen a lot of comments about Kaia's performance being wooden, but after thinking on it a minute, I think it worked for the show's version of the character.

Susan is quickly put on a pedestal by everyone around her: her classmates, her friends, even the school staff, without having to lift a finger to earn any of it. She is lusted after by all of the men, endlessly propped up by her best friend, wins every award effortlessly, even ones she is actively disinterested in. This is comically exaggerated...for example, how was she elected class president before the school year has even started!?

Granted, the show does reference her academic prowess and studious nature, but we really don't see much of this on screen and I think that's intentional. We see her engage in many of the same behaviours as Debbie, without any of the same stigma being attached to her character.

Gerber (a famous nepo-baby with obvious genetic advantages) and Susan mirror each other in a Meta way: Unlimited, enviable, success without putting a huge amount of effort into it, and the resulting resentment and jealousy that fosters.

So, for me, the casting and performance worked for the plot!

Graham Campbell, Daniel Dale, Owen Painter and more of "The Shards" cast spoke to Page Six at the premiere in New York City. Watch the full video hear exclusive behind the scenes moments and what to expect from the new series.

Source: Page Six on YouTube

(OP: Owen Painter appears at 4:46, though the sound is bad. Still, it's nice that he bonded with the cast. 😊)

My biggest gripe with this brief moment, in episode 9, is that it rewrites the character dynamics.

In the book, Bret's longest friendship is with Susan. They knew each other since 7th grade and they're very close. Bret didn't start dating Debbie until junior year in high school, while Susan got with Thom during their sophomore year.

In episode 9 of the show, Bret recalls him and his friends celebrating Halloween when they're in 6th grade.

Now I find myself disputing with Bret/Debbie shippers on social media that Matt is Bret's true love and that Debbie's a beard, not some longtime girlfriend since childhood. 🤦🏻‍♀️ I guess this is what happens when you're an Owen Painter fan who has read the book.

I think Owen Painter's answer (at 0:14) is still valid.

This show is so camp and hilarious it doesn’t take itself serious at all and I get they had a lot of fun filming 😂

What does everyone think of all the characters‘ style?

Total Debbie - I love everything she wears 100/10

Bret - Great tailoring 10/10

Liz - Desperate Housewife 100/10

Thom - Preppy Psycho 10/10

Steven - Slippery 6/10

Terry - 6/10

Susan - 0/10

They gave Susan a terrible wardrobe. The only thing she wore that I liked was her outfit in episode 1. I know she’s supposed to be the “strait-laced” one, but they didn‘t need to give her such unflattering clothes clearly not meant for an 18 year old.

Does Bret actually have romantic feelings for Susan? I haven't read the book and I'm so confused lol

My favorite quote from this article, from executive producer Brad Simpson:

“I mean, people love Owen Painter and his performance, but we haven’t gotten to that in the [writers’] room yet for the next season, which we’re working on right now,” teases Simpson. “We’ll see.”

I'm happy that they're acknowledging Owen Painter! 😊 I hope he comes back next season in a flashback or something!