The Author's Approach to Adaptation
While The Shards is directly inspired by Bret Easton Ellis' acclaimed novel, the question remains whether the author himself is actively following the television series. Executive producer Brad Simpson clarified the author's level of involvement ahead of the season one finale on September 9.
According to Simpson, Ellis granted creator Ryan Murphy full creative license after their initial meetings. «He had been through a whole rigmarole with HBO, and when he sold the book to FX and to Ryan, he sat down with him and entrusted the characters and said, ‘Go do and go create,’» Simpson shared. Ellis provided Murphy with the autonomy to interpret his literary work for a new visual medium.
Monitoring the Series
Regarding Ellis' personal consumption of the show, Simpson noted that the author is keeping pace with the broadcast. «All I know is he’s watching week to week and occasionally mentioning it on his podcast,» said Simpson. «You can go on his podcast and hear what he felt about the first couple episodes, and we’ll see if we hear more.»
The Premise and Production Challenges
Set in 1981 Los Angeles, The Shards follows a fictionalized 17-year-old version of Ellis during his senior year at the prestigious Buckley prep school. His life takes a dark turn with the arrival of Robert Mallory, a new student whose presence seems linked to a serial killer known as The Trawler. Actor Igby Rigney, who portrays the younger Ellis, noted that the production process was unique, particularly due to Ryan Murphy’s directing style.
«Ryan was really fun in the way that he directed us where he would have us do multiple takes multiple ways,» Rigney explained, noting that the cast was often unaware of which version would be included in the final edit. The actor also highlighted the difficulty of internalizing the show's complex narration while performing. «Because everybody around me is having fun, and I’m staring deeply into the middle distance thinking about this big, long paragraph I have, but I’m not saying it out loud.»
Reflections on the Source Material
The 2023 novel marked Ellis' return to fiction after a 13-year hiatus. The author has previously discussed how his personal experiences influenced the book’s atmosphere. Reflecting on the pervasive sense of dread found in his work, Ellis stated: «I’m not motivated to write a novel without feeling it... I think it just stems from where the books come from, and it’s a reflection of that.»
The Shards airs on FX every Wednesday at 9 p.m. ET.