TV Recap: FX's "The Shards" Episode 5 — A Killer Ruins Debbie's Dance Off
After multiple mentions over the past several episodes, it’s finally Debbie’s chance at local L.A. stardom in The Shards. With a serial killer in their midst, Bret is determined to prove that Robert is the one responsible, and he may finally have an ally for his cause in Thom, although it seems that Thom is at least cozy with a member of the Riders of the Afterlife. The fifth episode, “Murder on the Dancefloor,” indeed contains a murder, although all signs point to this not being the work of The Trawler after all.
Episode 5: “Murder on the Dancefloor” - Written by Ryan Murphy & Charles Rogers
“It’s kinda gay,” Thom Wright (Graham Campbell) says to Bret Ellis (Igby Rigney) as Bret tries to teach Thom some dance moves in his bedroom. Dance Off is all Bret’s girlfriend Debbie has been talking about for weeks, and their appearance on the cable access show is almost there. Thom thinks his girlfriend, Susan, would rather dance with Robert than with him, and that learning the moves is pointless. “Susan loves you, Thom,” Bret tries to cheer him up, but Thom recalls how his father loved his mother until he found someone else to love. Bret asks Thom again how the man with the knife at Susan’s party knew him, insisting that Thom has been acting strange ever since. Thom chalks it all up to stress about Dance Off, and Bret gets back to trying to teach him some dance moves.
Meanwhile, Debbie Schaffer (Hayes Warner) and Susan Reynolds (Kaia Gerber) are at Hamburger Hamlet, meeting with Debbie’s dad’s assistant, Steven Reinhardt (Jordan Roth), who presents outfit options for Debbie. She hates his pastel vision, but he pulls out a poster for the show featuring the star dancer, Cha Cha, who Debbie hopes to dethrone. She gets Steven to leave on an errand to get them more coke. As Susan eats a Reuben with French fries and a milkshake, Debbie picks at her dressing-free wedge of lettuce, complaining that Susan wins everything, begging her friend not to win Dance Off. Susan insists that she doesn’t win everything, but Debbie points out that even Robert seems smitten by her. Susan irritates Debbie when she tells her to get some perspective. “I know we’re best friends, Susan, but sometimes I really could just murder you,” Debbie responds.
“I’m going to win this thing if it’s the last thing I do,” Debbie vows as she arrives at the Dance Off studio with Bret, Susan, and Robert Mallory (Homer Gere). Thom backed out, claiming to have the flu. “Good luck with that,” Robert tells Debbie.
We find the notorious Cha Cha (Bella Valdes) in the dressing room of Dance Off host Tony Cruz (Anthony Ramos), having just serviced him. As he snorts cocaine, she gives him an ultimatum: “It’s time you tell your wife about us, Tony, or I will.” The threat enrages the host.
Debbie’s dad, Terry Schaffer (Wes Bentley), is eager to play the part of a good father, congratulating his daughter and her friends as they arrive on set. Debbie sees him pass a paper bag of cash to Steven to bribe the cameramen into giving her more airtime. Debbie looks hurt, yet grateful for the gesture.
The show begins, with Tony introducing this episode’s dancers. As the first song starts, we see him glaring at Cha Cha as she dances on one of the elevated platforms. Steven’s bribery has given Debbie more airtime, but Cha Cha constantly follows the cameras, cutting into Debbie’s shots. By the time they get to the first commercial break, things are heated between them. Meanwhile, Bret has kept a close watch on Robert and Susan, and Robert seems to be making eyes at Bret as he dances with his best friend.
With the phone lines open for voting, we see Terry using a pay phone to cast votes for Debbie, while Steven secretly calls and offsets them with votes for Susan. And then there’s Debbie’s mother, Liz Schaffer (Evan Rachel Wood), phoning in from home to spitefully vote for Cha Cha.
Ryan Vaughn (Daniel Dale) is also at Dance Off, and during the first break, Steven approaches him at craft services. Steven recognizes Ryan from both Debbie’s parties and elsewhere. “I’m your biggest fan, Ryan,” Steven coos. “Or is it Troy? Troy Wad?” Ryan becomes uncomfortable as Steven reveals that he’s collected all of his films for his VCR.
Bret primps himself in a mirror when Terry approaches, telling his daughters’ boyfriend how good he looks. “Debbie’s doing so good,” Bret says, trying to change the subject. Terry wants Bret to meet him at his bungalow at the Beverly Hills Hotel to go over his script.
Tony screams at Cha Cha in his dressing room, angry that she’s trying to ruin his marriage. He’s already a father of three, but Cha Cha reveals that his fourth is on the way: She’s pregnant. “You tell my wife, and you’re dead,” he threatens her.
Meanwhile, Susan has opened up to Robert about how her parents want her to pursue the legal arts, but her real passion is ballet, a craft she gave up last year. If she could break out of their expectations of her, she’d work to go pro. Robert encourages her to prove to the world that she can do this, suggesting she try to win Dance Off. He asks her to be his partner for the couple’s dance, but Thom, having drummed up the courage to make an appearance, approaches and extends a hand to his girlfriend. “Let’s do this,” he enthusiastically offers. Robert watches as Susan jumps into her boyfriend’s arms as Thom leads her to the dance floor to practice.
Bret walks past a payphone on the studio lot that starts ringing. Answering it, he is greeted by the familiar crackling sound and heavy breathing on the other end of the line. “How did you know I was here?” he asks. “Eat it,” the Trawler responds before hanging up.
Thom finds Robert by craft services, asking to talk outside. Robert surprised Thom with kindness, offering to show him how to lead Susan in the couple’s dance, but Thom has turned on Bret, saying his infatuation with Susan needs to end. Robert tells Thom he’s scared he peaked in high school and has become a scapegoat for his inevitable collapse. “You’re a weak flatline of a person,” Robert scoffs at Thom, saying Susan will leave him just like his father did. Robert brags about being the adrenaline jolt that the rest of Thom’s friends needed, getting up and returning to the soundstage. Thom puts sunglasses on to hide his upset eyes.
As Dance Off comes back from break, Tony takes live calls about this episode’s contestants. The first call is a question for Cha Cha about her future. “What I really want is to be a wife and a mother,” the host’s teenage mistress shares. Next comes a question for Ryan from “Violet” (Steven pretending to be a woman), who says he looks familiar and asks where she may have seen him before. “This is my first time in front of the camera,” Ryan nervously lies. The next caller, “Paul,” sounds overly emotional as he tells Debbie that he voted for her. “You deserve to win,” the man says, sounding like he’s crying. “Daddy?” Debbie asks, recognizing Terry’s voice. And the last call that comes through sends a chill through everyone on set: A static connection. Someone breathing heavy. The sound of a chainsaw turning on. A scream. And then a dead tone from the call disconnecting.
Tony laughs off the strange call as he introduces “Slow Jam Romance.” Debbie is upset with Bret, who has been thrown off. “For once in this relationship, pretend to feel something,” she begs him. He dips her into a kiss, hoping it will impress the audience.
Cha Cha has been trying to get to Tony on the dance floor, but he’s been dodging her. Seeing Ryan hanging out off-set, she pulls him in despite his reluctance and uses him as a prop to dance on.
“Boo!” Robert surprises Susan, who is upset that Thom hasn’t come back for the couple’s dance. He offers his hand, and she takes it, letting Robert lead her to the dance floor. She seems to lose herself in Robert’s eyes as they dance, and she has a moment of hesitation, telling him it feels wrong. “No, this feels right,” Robert romantically responds. Susan sweetly tucks Robert’s hair behind his ear.
Thom anxiously paces outside the studio. Steven walks out and tells him the new kid is grinding on his girlfriend. Thom barges back in, trying to break up the dance between Robert and Susan. He and Robert start fighting. Steven, who manipulated this outcome, suggests Terry win some points with Debbie by breaking it up. He jumps into action with Tony, helping to hold Thom back. As Thom storms away, Susan follows him.
Back on break, Debbie tries to cheer Susan up in the bathroom, but it doesn’t work. “I wish I had two guys fighting over me,” Debbie sulks. Susan tells Debbie she hopes she wins. “I hope I win, too,” Debbie smiles. As they leave the bathroom, Cha Cha enters, her shoulder intentionally bumping against Debbie’s.
What happens next feels like Bret’s unreliable narration filling in a gap. Cha Cha is alone in the bathroom when a figure dressed all in black, just like The Trawler, enters, turning on all the faucets to drown out the noise. When Cha Cha steps out of the stall, she is greeted by the mysterious figure’s knife.
Bret and Debbie share “I love you’”s by the snack table as a jittery Tony returns to set. Debbie and Susan sit on either side of the host as the break ends. Susan looks around, asking where Cha Cha is.
The results are in. The “Groover of the Week” is… Susan Reynolds! Debbie sits in disbelief, watching her best friend, who always wins everything, win again. She looks back and finds Bret’s consoling eyes as she cries.
When Debbie runs off set, Bret chases after her, leading to the parking lot. She begs to be alone, running to the restroom for solace. But moments after she enters, Bret hears Debbie scream. Rushing in, they find Cha Cha dead in a stall, her throat slit with a knife.
There’s one more twisted surprise in store for everyone at Dance Off. A girl skates onto set, blood stains on her, looking dazed. “Did I miss the party?” Really Rhonda (Ivy Wolk) asks.
To be continued next Wednesday, August 26th, at 9/8c on FX and Hulu in another double-episode release.
- Episode 6: “Homecoming Part One”
- Episode 7: “Homecoming Part Two”
A surprising homecoming King and Queen are crowned as the Trawler’s killing spree continues.
Songs Featured in this Episode:
- “Our Lips Are Sealed” by The Go-Gos
- “Natural History” by Billy Bell
- “Dancing with Myself” by Generation X
- “Arriba Tipo” by Enrique Olivarez
- “Super Freak” by Rick James
- “Magnolia” by Jon Brion
- “Turn Me Loose” by Loverboy
- “Waiting for a Girl Like You” by Foreigner
- “Angel of the Morning” by Juice Newton
- “Just Can’t Get Enough” by Depeche Mode