What We Do in the Shadows

What We Do in the Shadows
source
Show name	What We Do in the Shadows
Genre	Comedy horror, Mockumentary
Creator	Jemaine Clement, Taika Waititi, Stefani Robinson, Paul Simms
Based on	Film by Taika Waititi and Jemaine Clement
Country	United States
Language	English
Num episodes	61
Executive producer	Jemaine Clement, Taika Waititi, Paul Simms, Stefani Robinson
Camera	Single-camera
Runtime	22–30 minutes
Network	FX, Hulu
First aired	2019

What We Do in the Shadows is an American television series adapted from a feature film by Taika Waititi and Jemaine Clement that blends mockumentary techniques with comedy horror to portray the quotidian lives of vampires. The series follows a group of supernatural roommates navigating modern life while maintaining secrecy, and it has been noted for its ensemble cast, improvisational tone, and intertextual references to genre works. It has received critical acclaim, award nominations, and spawned international adaptations and a devoted fanbase.

Plot

The narrative centers on four vampire roommates living in Staten Island who contend with domestic disputes, territorial disputes, and interactions with human institutions; episodes juxtapose mundane activities with references to Transylvania, Vienna, New Orleans Jazz, Victorian era, Edwardian era, Renaissance, and Elizabethan era cultural touchstones. Storylines involve journeys to locations such as Los Angeles, New York City, London, Tokyo, and Mexico City that echo plot beats from Dracula, Nosferatu, Interview with the Vampire, The Lost Boys, and Bram Stoker's Dracula. Episodes occasionally depict confrontations with other supernatural groups connected to The Coven, The Masquerade, and institutions resembling The Spanish Inquisition, The French Revolution, The Ottoman Empire in comedic pastiche. Recurring arcs include power struggles mirroring events like The Battle of Trafalgar, The Glorious Revolution, and cultural clashes invoking Beat Generation sensibilities, Regency era etiquette, and Counterculture motifs.

Cast and characters

Principal performers include actors known from Flight of the Conchords, What We Do in the Shadows (film), The Hobbit, Thor: Ragnarok, Bridesmaids, Arrested Development, and Fargo (TV series). The main ensemble features performers whose careers intersect with Saturday Night Live, The Daily Show, The Colbert Report, Portlandia, and Saturday Night Live Alumni programs. Guest stars have included figures associated with Doctor Who, Star Trek, Marvel Cinematic Universe, DC Extended Universe, The Simpsons, Seinfeld, and Friends. Recurring characters draw on archetypes found in Penny Dreadful, Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Angel (TV series), True Blood, and Moonlighting.

Production

Development was initiated by creators with credits on Eagle vs Shark, Hunt for the Wilderpeople, What We Do in the Shadows (film), King of the Hill, Veep, and The Office (US), leveraging mockumentary conventions popularized by This Is Spinal Tap, The Office (UK), Parks and Recreation, and Reno 911!. Filming locations include studios and on-location shoots reminiscent of productions in Los Angeles County, New York City, Toronto, Wellington, and Vancouver. Production design references historical periods such as Georgian architecture, Baroque art, Gothic Revival, and props drawn from collections like the British Museum, Metropolitan Museum of Art, and Museum of Natural History. Makeup and prosthetics teams have worked with techniques used in Stan Winston Studio, Rick Baker, Kazuhiro Tsuji projects, and digital effects similar to those in The Lord of the Rings, Avatar (2009 film), and The Shape of Water.

Release and reception

The series premiered on FX Network and expanded distribution through Hulu, with festival screenings that echoed programming at Sundance Film Festival, Toronto International Film Festival, and Tribeca Film Festival. Critics from outlets that have covered The New York Times, The Guardian, Variety (magazine), The Hollywood Reporter, and Rolling Stone praised its writing and ensemble, drawing comparisons to Monty Python, SNL, Saturday Night Live, The Muppet Show, and The Simpsons for its satire. Award recognition includes nominations and wins from organizations such as the Primetime Emmy Awards, Critics' Choice Television Awards, Writers Guild of America, Golden Globe Awards, Screen Actors Guild Awards, and Peabody Awards. Viewer engagement metrics on platforms similar to Nielsen ratings, Rotten Tomatoes, Metacritic, and streaming reports paralleled series like Atlanta (TV series), Barry (TV series), Community (TV series), and Archer (TV series).

Themes and analysis

Scholarly and critical analysis situates the series within traditions established by Gothic literature, Victorian novelists such as Mary Shelley, Bram Stoker, Edgar Allan Poe, and Anne Rice, while invoking filmic lineages from F.W. Murnau, Tod Browning, Bela Lugosi, and Nosferatu the Vampyre. The series explores identity, immigration, queerness, and modernity through intertextual reference points including Beatles influence, Punk rock, Disco, Hip hop culture, and Postmodernism. Critics have discussed its use of satire to critique institutions linked to Celebrity culture, Bureaucracy reforms, and Social media platforms by paralleling scenes to historical moments such as Roaring Twenties, Cold War, and Digital Revolution. The show's humor and pathos have been analyzed alongside episodes of Twin Peaks, The X-Files, Six Feet Under, and Black Mirror for their tonal hybridity.

Category:Television series