O Que Fazemos nas Sombras

The original movie was hysterical from beginning to end and the same folks who wrote and starred in that one, wrote and directed this series. The entire situation is unique and different from anything else on TV, which helps to make it special. Don't miss it!

What We Do In the Shadows is one of the best new comedies to come out in years, it's actually one of the funniest comedies I've ever seen! I absolutely loved the movie so I thought this was going to be a letdown but boy was I wrong...EVERY episode is great!

(Updated after Season 6).

Four vampires and their human helper share a house on Staten Island, New York. Turns out vampires have domestic problems too.

What We Do In The Shadows, the movie, was released in 2014. Co-written and -directed by Jermaine Clement (Flight of the Conchords) and Taika Waititi (Boy, Hunt for the Wilderpeople, Eagle vs Shark, Jojo Rabbit) it was brilliant: with wonderfully understated humour, sharp dialogue and clever skits it was quirkily funny and intelligent without becoming silly or even seeming to try too hard.

The movie was set and filmed in Wellington, New Zealand and captured the folksy understated humour that is a New Zealand trademark. When I discovered that the series is set in the US, I had my doubts as to how it would measure up to the movie, figuring it had been hijacked by US producers and writers.

I needn't have worried.

Clement and Waititi are the executive producers and lead writers, so, while the setting has changed, the creative geniuses behind the movie are behind the series too. The series largely captures the same quirky, understated humour of the movie, but with different characters and actors, and the new players don't put a foot wrong.

Not entirely the same feel as the movie: the movie felt more candid (as was ostensibly filmed by a documentary crew), giving it a slight edge but there is little to choose between the two.

For five seasons the quality and freshness of the show did not waiver showing that the writers hadn't run out of ideas. The show also had a long-term story arc, making it even more interesting.

In Season 6, the final season, does feel a bit stale and doesn't quite have the zip of the previous seasons. It's still great but just not in the same league as what came before.

A good thing then that it ended as otherwise it would definitely have overstayed its welcome. Kudos to the producers for pulling the plug when they realised that the show had run its course.

This show is Great! Packed with humor, a Great decor, a lot of worldbuilding and Good acting!

Matt Berry as Laszlo Cravensworth is Great in this-you can tell hes having the time of his life with the role.

Mark Proksch, playing Colin Robinson ofcourse nails the dry humor of an energy vampire and is my personal favorite of the vampgang.

Doug Jones as Baron Afanas adds that classic monster vibe hes known for and much like Kirsten Schaal as The Guide it fits the show perfectly.

That said, there are a few misses.

Guillermo, played by Harvey Guillen can be inconsistent and is acted a bit chaotic, hes not a great actor imo.

Kayvan Novaks Nandor also feels a bit inconsistent like he forgot how Nandor would act at times. Nadja, played by Natasia Demetriou is entertaining but her characters quirks can be a bit much at times.

Like i mentioned the shows worldbuilding and overall aesthetic are Great, you can tell a lot of care has gone into every detail. Even Season 4, which gets flak from some fans, brought something fresh and i found it quite enjoyable.

This is a series thats creative, funny, and worth a watch.

What We Do in the Shadows follows a small group of vampires who live together on Staten Island and the adventures they wind up in.

The movie, which follows a different group in Wellington, New Zealand, is excellent and I highly recommend it if you haven't seen it before. If you love the movie, you will love the show! What makes the show better than the movie comes down to the episodic nature of television. The episodic format means plot-lines can begin and end more quickly than the movie, characters can be developed more and they can be thrown into a wider variety of crazy situations. The movie had great world-building but could only do so much with an 85 minute runtime, and the show furthers that simply from having more time.

The show would not work if Taika Waititi and Jemaine Clement, who wrote/directed/acted in the movie, were not onboard. They ensured that the tone, production design, shooting style, and humor were all on par with the film. Thank goodness season 2 is on the way!