'The Shards' turns prep school into a nightmare in Ryan Murphy's FX thriller

NEW YORK -- Ryan Murphy's latest FX series, "The Shards," transports viewers to 1980s Los Angeles, where privilege, wealth and fear collide in a suspense-filled adaptation of Bret Easton Ellis' bestselling novel.

Based on Ellis' book, the series follows a group of prep school seniors whose lives are upended when they find themselves in the path of a serial killer. At the center of the story is Bret, played by Igby Rigney, an aspiring writer whose world begins to unravel after the arrival of a charismatic new student, Robert, portrayed by Homer Gere.

The ensemble cast also includes Hayes Warner as Debbie, Kaia Gerber as Susan and Graham Campbell as Tom.

Speaking with entertainment reporter Joelle Garguilo, cast members described a series designed to keep viewers guessing.

"I think I have it figured out, and then I have no idea," Garguilo said.

"Same," Warner replied.

"Yes Yes," Gere added.

"By the way, that's every day for me and Graham," Gerber said.

"Same. Same," Campbell said.

When asked what audiences might misunderstand about the show or its characters, Rigney offered a simple answer: "Oh, everything."

"Talk about yes," Warner said.

"I mean, any assumption I think gets get, subverted," Gere said.

Warner said the series contains multiple layers of meaning beneath its central mystery.

"There's a lot of other metaphor for undertones for what could could be the killer, what does it mean," she said.

Gerber said the show's appeal goes beyond its suspenseful plot.

"I can't stop watching it. Even as an audience member, I remove myself from it, but it's just a a joy, and it's sexy, and it's scary, and it's glamorous," she said.

Campbell credited Murphy's storytelling style for the unpredictability of the series.

"I think what's exciting about Ryan is you never know what's next, what it could be. I think he has a unique talent to see things in people that they can't see in themselves," Campbell said.

The cast also includes Evan Rachel Wood and Jordan Roth as Liz and Steven.

Roth praised the world-building at the heart of the series.

"He created this world, this iconic world of the fashion and the music and the locations and the light and the hair. It's a world you wanna live in," Roth said.

While "The Shards" is built around suspense and danger, the series also explores themes of youth, friendship, desire and the secrets people keep from those closest to them, set against the backdrop of a sun-soaked Los Angeles where appearances can be deceiving.

Disney is the parent company of FX, Hulu, and this station.