You Should Be Watching FX’s What We Do in the Shadows

What We Do in the Shadows is a 2014 mockumentary that followed the everyday lives of a group of vampires living in New Zealand. The film was written by and starred Jermaine Clement and Taika Waititi. Five years later, this duo has returned us to the world they created for a new FX show.

In a hilarious speech, Clement and Waititi introduced the pilot for the series at South by Southwest. They aren’t starring in this new incarnation, but they’re still heavily involved in the project as executive producers. Additionally, Clement wrote the pilot and Waititi directed it. With their sharp oversight, we can be confident that the series will be a worthy successor to the film. It’s off to a great start: The pilot has all the charm of the film and is just as funny.

Instead of Wellington, the series takes place in Staten Island where we meet a new set of vampires. We are introduced to Nando (Kayvan Novak), Nadja (Natasia Demetriou) and Laszlo (Matt Berry), vampires that are as ancient and equally incapable of adapting to the modern world that surrounds them. A new addition to the original lore is the fourth roommate, a psychic vampire named Colin (Mark Proksch). Unlike the other vampires, Colin holds a steady job and feeds by excessively boring or annoying someone. We all know at least one coworker who always manages to drag you into an unwanted, unsolicited conversation. That’s Colin.

Similarly to the film, the stand-out characters really drive What We Do In The Shadows. Guillermo (Harvey Guillén), the human familiar to Nando, sets the scene for the faux documentary crew. He takes care of the mundane tasks like boarding up windows, getting rid of bodies and making sure Nando can make a dramatic entrance. In the pilot, the vampires await the arrival of an even more ancient vampire from the old country, whose presence will undoubtedly heighten the drama in an already melodramatic household. There’s Nando, the de facto leader of this group. The juxtaposition of the Nando who spent most of his life pillaging and killing and the Nando who covered himself in glitter to look like a Twilight vampire makes for an interesting character. Nadja and Laszlo have all the baggage of a centuries-long romantic relationship. Meanwhile Nadja is courting who thinks is the reincarnated version of a former lover. 

The film version of What We Do In The Shadows was an amusing take on the well-worn vampire trope, and it left a fervent fanbase wanting more.  The TV series promises to give us that more of the characters and world that captured our hearts years ago. It has room to further explore some of the new territory brought on by excellent character work from  Novak, Demetriou, Berry, Proksch and Guillén. Each one has their own spot-pn comedic timing that helps find its comedic step early. I look forward to seeing what the rest of the season will bring us. What We Do In The Shadows airs on FX on Wednesdays.