When it was announced that What We Do in the Shadows was going to be turned into a tv show, I was left with a feeling of dread. It felt impossible to capture the comedy of the original film by Jemaine Clement and Taika Waititi. Grasping that same level of humor felt particularly out of reach since Clement and Waititi were merely serving as executive producers. But now, with three seasons under its belt and a fourth currently airing, the show, created by Jemaine Clement and showrun by Paul Simms, is still managing to surpass expectations every season.
The fourth season sees our favorite Staten Island vamps reuniting after spending some time apart. Nandor (Kayvan Novak), Nadja (Natasia Demetriou), and Guillermo (Harvey Guillén) are all back from their time traveling and return back to a dilapidated home where Lazlo (Matt Berry) has been raising the creepy-looking baby Colin Robinson (Mark Proksch). We meet new supernatural creatures, explore new corners of the magical underworld, and enjoy a host of entertaining guest stars.
The formula for What We Do in the Shadows works because the dynamics in the house seem to continue to be rewarding. Nandor has returned from his travels more eager than ever to find love. Although he was once a ruthless warlord, he’s far more sensitive than his fellow vampires, and it makes for an entertaining contrast. Especially as we see him form a closer bond with Guillermo, slowly showing over time how much he cares for his familiar.
Similarly, Lazlo and Nadja fall into their roles perfectly. Lazlo has undergone a bit of a transformation. In the time Nadja has been in London, he has been raising the baby who crawled out of Colin Robinson’s stomach, affectionately known as “boy” by Lazlo. For a vampire who once confessed to being Jack the Ripper, the paternal turn for Lazlo is actually a brilliant twist. Last season, we saw a surprisingly caring side to him as he tried to make Colin Robinson’s final days more enjoyable. This season turns Lazlo into a complete dad (as it seems to be the fashion of media these days), and if there’s one thing funnier than just Lazlo on his own, it’s Lazlo as a father.
Nadja returns from London eager to build a vampire nightclub this season. The show has continuously shown that out of the vampires, Nadja is not only the most capable but also the most deadly and cutthroat of the bunch. She’s got great scenes with The Guide (Kristen Schaal) and much of the season’s forward-driving plot is centered around her running her club, Nadja’s.
Guillermo, who has always been the show’s most dynamic character, has been through it all at this point. He’s been a lowly familiar, he’s been a secret vampire hunter, he’s been a vampire bodyguard, and he’s been shipped in a small coffin across the sea. Guillermo is one of the most entertaining and relatable characters and although he still holds the title of Nandor’s familiar, he acts far more like his equal.
There’s not much to say about What We Do in the Shadows without ruining a good punchline. But suffice it to say that after so many episodes, the concept and the characters have not overstayed their welcome and the series manages to continuously innovate with new stories and clever ideas.
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