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what we do in the shadows series

What We Do in the Shadows is a mockumentary-style comedy-horror TV series about a group of inept vampire roommates trying (and mostly failing) to navigate modern life on Staten Island. It’s based on the 2014 film of the same name but builds a much larger world of vampire politics, weird lore, and deeply awkward humor.

Quick Scoop

  • Format & vibe: Half-hour mockumentary, mixing dry British-style wit with absurd, often very dark silliness.
  • Premise : Ancient vampires Nandor, Laszlo, Nadja, and energy vampire Colin Robinson share a crumbling house with familiar Guillermo while trying to “conquer” Staten Island and mostly just humiliating themselves.
  • Tone : Deadpan, character-driven, heavy on running gags, with surprisingly emotional arcs under the jokes.
  • Best for you if : You liked the original movie, enjoy The Office/Parks and Recreation, and have a taste for horror-adjacent comedy.

Series Basics

  • The show is a spin-off of the 2014 film by Jemaine Clement and Taika Waititi, using the same mockumentary format but new main characters.
  • It is set on Staten Island in New York City, following centuries-old vampires trying to follow orders from their vampiric overlords to dominate the New World.
  • Core cast includes Kayvan Novak (Nandor), Matt Berry (Laszlo), Natasia Demetriou (Nadja), Harvey Guillén (Guillermo), and Mark Proksch (Colin Robinson).

Story & Characters

  • Nandor the Relentless : Former Ottoman warrior and self-proclaimed leader, powerful yet oddly insecure and bureaucratic.
  • Laszlo Cravensworth : English libertine and eccentric whose solutions to problems are usually wildly inappropriate and unhelpful.
  • Nadja : Fierce, romantic, and often the most competent, with a long tragic backstory and centuries of grudge-holding.
  • Colin Robinson : An energy vampire who feeds by boring and irritating people, a mundane office worker who’s secretly the most dangerous in some situations.
  • Guillermo de la Cruz : Nandor’s loyal familiar who dreams of becoming a vampire, only to discover he’s descended from famous vampire hunter Van Helsing, which complicates everything.

Style, Humor, and Themes

  • The series balances workplace-style comedy (roommate fights, city council scenes, mundane chores) with supernatural absurdity (vampiric councils, witches, cursed artifacts).
  • It leans into themes of immortality, identity, loyalty, and found family, often undercut by extremely petty vampire behavior.
  • Fans and reviewers highlight the sharp writing, standout performances (especially Matt Berry and Harvey Guillén), and increasingly rich world-building over the seasons.

Reception, Buzz, and Why It’s Trending

  • The show has been widely praised by critics for its originality, performances, and consistent comedy, maintaining strong ratings across multiple seasons.
  • On forums and social platforms, viewers frequently call it one of the best modern TV comedies, noting how it manages to stay fresh with escalating weirdness and surprisingly heartfelt storylines.
  • It continues to show up in “underrated gems” and “comfort rewatch” lists, keeping it in regular discussion even between seasonal news.

TL;DR: What We Do in the Shadows is a sharply written, mockumentary vampire sitcom about clueless ancient bloodsuckers in Staten Island, mixing dark humor, horror tropes, and surprisingly emotional character arcs.

Information gathered from public forums or data available on the internet and portrayed here.