by Jack Grimme, Contributing Writer
I’m not afraid to admit that I was apprehensive when FX announced their television adaptation of the 2014 film, What We Do in the Shadows. The original film was a hilarious and inventive spin on the vampire genre. Based on the current track record of beloved films being adapted for the small screen, it seemed like the venture could only besmirch its predecessor’s legacy. Fortunately, I was quickly proven wrong. The first three seasons are brimming with endlessly quotable dialogue, brilliant humor, and genuinely engaging character work. Going into season four, my expectations for the franchise were at an all-time high.
Warning! There will probably be spoilers for seasons one through three, but I will remain spoiler-free for the most recent material.
Fans of the franchise will recall that season three ended on a significant cliffhanger. Nandor (Kayvan Novak) was traveling around the world on a spiritual journey; Nadja (Natasia Demetriou) and Guillermo (Harvey Guillén) were shipped off to London to work for the Vampiric Council; and Laszlo (Matt Berry) discovered that Colin Robinson (Mark Proksch) had been reborn as an infant. The new season picks up a year after these revelations. The crew has returned to Staten Island with brand new aspirations: Nandor is arranging his upcoming wedding, even though he has yet to find a romantic partner; Nadja aims to open a new night club aimed at redefining vampire nightlife; Guillermo is set on claiming some respect in the household; and Laszlo has settled into a fatherly role for Baby Colin Robinson, who is aging at an alarming rate. Varying levels of success lead to hijinks throughout the entire season.
What We Do in the Shadows has a lot going for it. The show is light and consistently funny. The episodes are short and relatively self-contained. In a world dominated by expansive franchises and an abundant amount of content, I find these shows particularly appealing. You can easily throw this show on in the background and casually follow along. You can also take the time to really dive into the expansive world they are building up. They take established mythos and seamlessly add modern elements to keep everything fresh. The show focuses on vampires, but also explores many avenues within the world of cryptids and folklore. The gang regularly runs into werewolves. This season Nadja finds herself in a minor labor conflict with a gang of wraiths. At one point, Laszlo and Nandor even go head-to-head with the Jersey Devil. The show is carefully crafted to be easily digestible, while still rewarding fans who are acutely tuned into the world.
Another huge draw is the exemplary cast. The primary characters are stellar. The cast and crew responsible for bringing Nandor, Guillermo, Nadja, Laszlo, and Colin Robinson to life deserve a pedestal in the sit-com Hall of Fame. Each character is distinct and fully realized. Their choices, reactions, and flaws are all perfectly in line, and feel genuine and consistent. It just continues to bring the world to life and add new opportunities for humor. Well-written characters can mine humor in normal situations through established backstory and added context. I haven’t seen a show understand that this well since NBC’s Community. They also manage to pull an impressive cast of guest appearances throughout this season as well. Kristen Schaal as The Guide is essentially a full-time part of the family at this point. Her efforts to help Nadja bring the nightclub to life this season are delightful. Doug Jones returns as The Baron for a few episodes and continues to be an absolute scene stealer. Acclaimed director Sofia Coppola pops up at one point. I’ll leave it there to minimize spoilers, but suffice it to say, you never know who or what to expect.
I want to spend this whole article praising the show. Unfortunately, the show isn’t perfect. Don’t get me wrong. I have never watched an episode and felt like my time was wasted. I don’t think there are moments worth skipping and the show never really drags. However, I do feel like show has a handful of moments where it seems to be treading water. Guillermo is the perfect example here. Guillén’s performance as the familiar-turned-bodyguard is outstanding. His love/hate bromance with his master, Nandor, is delightful. And this season does a decent job of exploring a few new facets of his character. However, he has been grappling with the same dilemma since the inception of the series. He has had some growth, but mainly just comes to the same conclusion at the end of every season. I think a large part of that is because it is funny to watch him endlessly pursue this Sisyphean task. But I think the show will feel a lot fresher if they progress his story a little more. For the most part, the show still feels sharp and inventive. I am just nervous that they will run out of steam a little early if they don’t try something new. With that being said, I will note that the finale seems to imply that my concerns could be addressed in the future.
Ultimately, I think this is a show that is a safe recommend for almost anyone. If you love lighthearted mockumentaries like Parks and Rec or The Office,it is directly up your alley. If you love gothic vampire tales, you’ll find plenty to love here as well. If you are already subscribed to Hulu in the U.S., or have FX in your cable package, throw on a few episodes and see if it is your jam. Even if you don’t fall in love like I did, I’m sure you will crack up a few times. When its all said and done, I believe we are going to look back on FX’s catalogue quite fondly. And I am sure this show will be one of the first to come to mind when people start praising the network.
Score: 8/10
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