A mockumentary-style sitcom focusing on the day-to-day life of four vampire roommates is bound to be rife with comedic potential, but in its most recent season, which ended on Oct. 28, “What We Do in the Shadows” (2019–) strikes an unexpected balance between nonsensical shenanigans and tender ponderings on the meaning of life.
“What We Do in the Shadows” is a spinoff of the 2014 movie of the same name, written and directed by Taika Waititi and Jemaine Clement. With both original creators involved in the show as executive producers, fans of the cult favorite will not be disappointed in this new take on the series. Immortal beings’ struggling with cohabitation and new forms of technology carry over from the film, but the departures from its source material prevent the premise from getting stale. The introduction of energy vampire Colin Robinson (Mark Proksch) brings a refreshing contrast to the eccentricity of the other vampires. Robinson does not feast on the blood of humans but rather drains them of their energy through online trolling and poorly timed “updog” jokes. The show writers don’t get tangled up in the weeds of describing the origin of this new form of vampires, or as Colin Robinson himself says, “Yeah, I’m not positive what my deal is either, so I just sort of keep on truckin'.”
The key to the show’s success is in its near-flawless casting. Kayvan Novak shines as Nandor, a once-relentless military leader now turned disgruntled leader of only the household. Matt Berry’s turn as Laszlo has just enough exaggerated flair to be hysterical without going overboard, and his character’s devotion to his lovely wife Nadja redeems an otherwise perverted man. Nadja (Natasia Demetriou) plays a slightly less central role this season, but is primed to serve a more prominent one in season 4. Harvey Guillén brings entirely new energy to the screen as his character Guillermo transforms from a lowly familiar (a human who serves a vampire) to a formidable bodyguard with particularly great action sequences. Aside from the cast, the costume design stands out for its attention to each character’s time and region of origin, and the show’s quality visual effects paired with its mockumentary-style cinematography create a fun and unique dynamic.
Although the show was perfectly delightful in its first two seasons, it struggled to find a through line in its story. Each episode featured a new silly scenario, ensuing antics and a resolution. Conflicts surrounding the vampiric council lacked a sense of urgency and often went unmentioned until the final episodes. Season 3 brought about a welcome change in which the driving force is no longer an external organization, but rather the internal conflict of Nandor struggling to find companionship and meaning as he faces immortality. The silly antics remain, yet the audience doesn’t lose sight of the emotional struggle; a hilarious ‘80s style montage features Nandor as he joins a cult in an attempt to become human again, but the existential crisis remains just beneath the surface.
Season 3 brings more focus to the care and love that the characters have for one another. Guillermo sums it up best in the finale, saying to the entire household, “There’s the family that you’re born into, and then there’s your chosen family. That’s what we are. We’re a chosen family.” By pushing the characters beyond the dynamic of unenthusiastic roommates to become a dysfunctional family, the stakes of the conflict reach new heights.
The show also marks an exciting new level of queer representation in television. It goes unquestioned that vampires would have fully embraced the spectrum of sexuality, and unlabelled queerness becomes the default. Main characters casually reference having sex with men and women, yet their sexuality is never the punchline. Given this track record, there may be much more to come from Nandor and Guillermo’s relationship in the future after the two grew much closer this season.
"What We Do in the Shadows" has maintained its whimsy, only strengthening its humor through contrasting moments of sincerity. Considering FX renewed the show for a fourth season weeks before its season 3 premiere, it is likely the writers already have a lot in mind regarding the future of these characters. Wherever they end up it is bound to be sweet, silly and highly entertaining.
