Ryan Murphy’s The Shards has emerged as a strong performer on Hulu, attracting attention for its dark, sexually charged storyline. Based on Bret Easton Ellis’ semi-autobiographical novel, the series follows a group of privileged teenagers as a serial killer terrorizes the city. Its strong performance on Hulu has now placed the series among the platform’s most-watched shows.
The Shards is a streaming hit on Hulu
Ryan Murphy’s The Shards is gaining traction on Hulu, where the sexually charged thriller has climbed the platform’s rankings in the United States.
According to FlixPatrol, the series ranked No. 3 among Hulu’s Top 10 TV shows on August 11, 2026. The show has also moved ahead of several popular titles on the platform, including Rick and Morty, Somebody Knows Something, Futurama, Project Runway, and House of Stassi.
The Shards is based on Bret Easton Ellis’ semi-autobiographical novel and premiered on August 5, 2026, with its first two episodes. The series follows a weekly release schedule, with the ninth and final episode set to arrive on September 2, 2026. Set in 1981 Los Angeles, The Shards follows 17-year-old Bret during his final year at the elite Buckley prep school.
His life takes an unsettling turn when Robert Mallory, a mysterious new student, joins the school at the same time that a serial killer known as the Trawler begins targeting teenagers across the city. As the threat grows, Bret and his group of privileged friends find themselves caught up in a story involving romance, sex, jealousy, and rivalry.
Igby Rigney stars as Bret, with Kaia Gerber as Susan Reynolds, Homer Gere as Robert Mallory, Hayes Warner as Debbie Schaffer, Graham Campbell as Thom Wright, and Evan Rachel Wood as Liz Schaffer.
The series has received a mixed critical response so far. On Rotten Tomatoes, The Shards currently has a 55 percent critics’ score. Meanwhile, its audience rating is considerably lower at 35 percent.
Originally reported by Disheeta Maheshwari for Coming Soon.
