3 minute read
“What We Do in the Shadows”
NATASIA DEMETRIOU, KRISTEN SCHAAL, AND KAYVAN NOVAK
WHAT WOULD HAPPEN IF FOUR VAMPIRES
and their familiars lived on Staten Island? That’s the question FX’s mockumentary hit “What We Do in the Shadows” answers as it follows the bumbling adventures of a pack of supernatural New York City residents.
The series, inspired by the 2014 film by Jemaine Clement and Taika Waititi, explores how ancient vampires Nandor the Relentless (Kayvan Novak), Laszlo Cravensworth (Matt Berry), and Nadja (Natasia Demetriou), along with energy vampire Colin Robinson (Mark Proksch) and Nandor’s sweater-clad human familiar Guillermo de la Cruz (Harvey Guillén), get on in modern times. As you might imagine, this isn’t always the easiest task for them.
Believe it or not, “What We Do in the Shadows” is as much a hilarious comedy as it is a detailed portrait of the occult. How can you laugh at beings that are essentially feeding on— and usually killing—innocent humans in order to survive? That’s where the show is a testament to the strength of its committed ensemble.
Over the course of three seasons, we have come to know each of these characters intimately—not only their personalities and quirks, but also their pasts and what led them to this unlikely home in the first place. You can’t help but care about these vamps as they attempt to survive in our world, whether it’s Nandor trying to lead the others; Laszlo and Nadja navigating their centuries-old marriage; or the group’s collective dislike of Colin, who, as an energy vampire, can feed off of them as easily as he can humans. The fundamental absurdity at the heart of “What We Do in the Shadows” doesn’t prevent us from being invested in the characters’ everyday conflicts and problems.
Even when things get dangerously complicated—and they certainly do, as the series doesn’t shy away from harrowing action sequences—hilarity still ensues. How can you resist laughing as the loyal yet conflicted Guillermo, who, in his quest to one day become a bloodsucker himself, finds out he’s a descendant of vampire slayer Van Helsing? Guillén’s scene-stealing abilities as an actor are on full display in such moments.
On top of it all, the mockumentary premise means that this is all being recorded by a human documentary crew. Often, the characters have to warn their fellow vampires not to eat that team; the way the camera moves to convey how the crew members are reacting to the horrors they witness adds a meta-layer of humor.
Each character has their own adventures, from hiding from a rival to creating and training a new vampire. But it’s when the brilliant cast is all together that “What We Do in the Shadows” truly shines. It works because the actors are so good at playing off each other; much of the show is improvised. This makes their relationships feel even more real and draws us further in, no matter the ridiculousness of the situation. The ensemble is this show’s beating heart—even if most of the main characters don’t have one themselves. —LISA GRANSHAW
MAIN CAST:Matt Berry, Natasia Demetriou, Harvey Guillén, Kayvan Novak, Mark Proksch, Kristen Schaal CASTING BY:Gayle Keller
CREATED BY: Jemaine Clement DISTRIBUTED BY: FX
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