‘What We Do in the Shadows’ finale: All good things must end
As someone who has been following the hilarious adventures of the vampires from “What We Do In The Shadows” since its debut, I must say that this show has become a staple in my life. From the quirky characters to the clever writing, it’s a delightful blend of comedy and the supernatural that never fails to make me laugh out loud.
Is it possible for vampires to be humorous? Absolutely, after six seasons of “What We Do in the Shadows,” they certainly can be!
Similar to the 2014 film “What We Do in the Shadows” by Taika Waititi and Jemaine Clement, this series is a comedic documentary-style production that focuses on a group of vampire flatmates. The characters include Laszlo Cravensworth (Matt Berry), Nadja of Antipaxos (Natasia Demetriou), Nandor the Relentless (Kayvan Novak) and Colin Robinson (Mark Proksch), with Harvey Guillén playing their familiar, Guillermo de la Cruz.
One key aspect that set this series apart from its origin was its enlargement of the vampire realm and our comprehension of it. For instance, the introduction of energy vampires such as Colin Robinson, who subsist on emotional energy rather than blood, serves as a compelling metaphor for our technologically advanced, capitalist, corporate world. In this society, meetings, office chit-chat, and red tape can sometimes feel like they’re sapping us of our vitality.
Television
As ‘What We Do in the Shadows’ showrunner Paul Simms and the cast prepare for its conclusion, they share insights about the unique humor and supernatural elements of this beloved series.
As our show draws to a close not only here but also within the “Shadows” universe, we see Guillermo and the vampires bidding farewell to their documentary team who have been with them for six years. For the immortal vampires, it’s just another routine day; they share that they’ve experienced this before, having made a documentary in the 1950s. However, for Guillermo, it’s a mix of sweetness and sadness; he grapples with the news, trying to understand its implications and figure out what lies ahead for him.
The other question it raises: How do you come up with a perfect ending for a show? Guillermo ponders this and the finale plays with it. We see the boom mics, cameras and operators emerge from behind the scenes and a clapperboard close the documentary, but a twist at the end of the episode opens the possibility for more — will Guillermo start a new life as a vigilante with Nandor or leave the vampires behind? We don’t know for certain, but for now, Times staff writer Tracy Brown and television editor Maira Garcia discuss the finale of the series, favorite moments and what made the comedy so special.
As Nadja from Antipaxos or possibly Nelly Furtado once said, everything has an end, and that time has come for “What We Do in the Shadows,” one of my favorite comedies over the past decade. You’ve likely heard me extol this series, along with my admiration for Jackie Daytona and Matt Berry, more than you’d care to listen, but its unique humor, recurring jokes, and dark comedy always resonated with me.
Since the final episode is over, I’d love to know your thoughts on it and how neatly it wrapped up all the loose ends. The characters sometimes hinted at the audience or the film crew with subtle breaks of the fourth wall, but in this episode, it felt more like a sledgehammer.
Tracy Brown: I couldn’t have asked for a different ending. I found the episode to be an appropriately unconventional “Shadows” conclusion, which was exactly what I hoped for when I asked showrunner Paul Simms if the finale would be more like a semicolon than a period at the start of the season. While I wasn’t sure what to expect from a series finale given their hit-or-miss nature, as evidenced by the numerous best/worst lists out there, I was delighted to see the show challenge the concept of endings and resolutions while still managing to pull it off effectively.
Hey there, Maira! I’m curious to hear your thoughts. What was your take on the latest episode? But let me ask you something more intriguing: How pumped were you about Jackie Daytona’s comeback?
The vampires in a documentary — in 1958. (Russ Martin/FX)
Jackie Daytona from Tucson, Arizonia, has been around awhile. (Russ Martin/FX)
Garcia: I was really excited because Jackie has been hanging around for quite some time, as we’ve noticed. The reference to “The Usual Suspects” had me laughing (and don’t chuckle, but it took me a moment to grasp what I was watching – the film was released in 1995! I can hardly recall what I ate for lunch). I was intrigued about how they would connect everything, given that much of this season has focused on Guillermo – played by Harvey Guillén, a fantastic actor whom I hope we see more of soon. First, he decides he no longer desires to be a vampire and secures a job in finance, but even that doesn’t work out as planned, as we see in the second-to-last episode. In some respects, he still seems to be figuring things out, yet it’s accurate to say he has grown significantly. He transitioned from a timid, obedient familiar to recognizing he possesses Van Helsing blood and the power to destroy vampires (which he does, to the advantage of Laszlo, Nadja, Colin, and Nandor). His journey, including when he came out to his family in Season 4, was skillfully portrayed and demonstrated that one can be compassionate and gentle, but also a relentless vampire slayer when necessary.
In essence, Guillermo played a pivotal role in the series, both figuratively and literally. The idea of turning him into a vampire for a fitting conclusion was a clever wink to viewers’ initial expectations before Season 5. However, his character arc truly showcased what made this show unique. Guillermo found the courage to pursue his dreams independently after years of manipulation by his boss, only to discover that a significant life change wasn’t for him and learning to accept himself. This theme was cleverly wrapped in the humorous vampire elements of the show. “Shadows” was a comedy at its core but handled deeper themes with sensitivity. For instance, an episode in Season 3 humorously taught us about self-care when Nadja’s ghost felt neglected and possessed various objects, including a giant inflatable rat. The show’s humor and absurdity were indeed its strengths during a period when many popular comedy shows left viewers feeling uncomfortable or emotional instead.
Garcia agreed. Sometimes, all one needs is a good laugh, and this series never failed to provide humor without being too intense. Each character was multidimensional; for instance, Laszlo portrayed himself as a womanizer but also took on the role of a father figure for Colin Robinson upon his rebirth and raised the Monster, whom he treated like a son. Additionally, this season featured a cameo by Steve Coogan as Laszlo’s father Lord Roderick, highlighting their intricate relationship and once more demonstrating the complexity of our vampires. Similarly, Nandor, who was once a powerful Ottoman warrior, revealed himself to be a big softie in search of love, both romantic and platonic.
Tracy, you’ve been working with the cast this year ahead of the finale. From the episodes we’ve watched, it appears they have great camaraderie, and their humor complements each other beautifully. Can you share some insights on how they felt about wrapping up the series?
Television
As the final season of the highly praised FX comedy approaches its end this year, The Times was granted a unique sneak peek into the cast’s farewell tour during SDCC (San Diego Comic-Con) in 2024.
During our conversation, they happened to be just past the point when they’d typically depart for Toronto to film a new season of “Shadows.” This timing stirred up some nostalgia among the cast members as they expressed how unusual it felt not to be preparing for another season. Being such a close-knit group, they’ve been exchanging messages filled with longing, jokes about delayed flights, and even plans that seemed like they were on the verge of shooting another episode, although it was just friendly banter. The underlying emotion was one of affection – for the show, for each other, and for their fans. Natasia Demetriou summed it up beautifully: “There wasn’t a single season where I didn’t think to myself at least ten times a day, ‘I can’t believe this is my job. I can’t believe I get to do this.’ … I’m going to miss the show a lot.” I’ll join her in saying that I too will miss it dearly.
Garcia found it incredibly touching. It’s always delightful when a TV cast becomes genuine friends off-screen. However, it’s important to acknowledge the numerous guest stars who graced this series throughout its six seasons, including heavyweights from comedy. Notably, original “Shadows” vampires like Jemaine Clement, Taika Waititi, and Jonny Brugh made appearances. However, among my personal favorites were Haley Joel Osment as Topher and Benedict Wong as Wallace the necromancer. Who were some of your favorites?
Matt Berry in the Season 5 episode “Pride Parade.” (Russ Martin/FX)
Vanessa Bayer and Mark Proksch in Season 5’s “The Campaign.” (Russ Martin/FX)
John: Narrowing it down is tricky, but I’d choose Vanessa Bayer portraying the emotionally draining Evie Russell and Mark Hamill bringing life to Jim the Vampire as standouts. Doug Jones as the Baron was a frequent guest star I particularly enjoyed. Among the cameos, my favorite moment has to be when Sofia Coppola, Thomas Mars of Phoenix, and Jim Jarmusch unexpectedly appeared in Nadja’s vampire nightclub. The vampire councils are always hilarious, but that scene never fails to make me laugh. When we’re looking back, I must mention “Pride Parade” from Season 5, where the vampires aid Laszlo’s human friend Sean in appealing to the LGBTQLMNOP community for his campaign, and “Ghosts” from Season 2, which introduces Nadja’s human ghost that possesses her doll, as two of my favorite episodes. What are your favorites?
Garcia: The storyline of Nadja nightclub was outstanding, right from the beginning to the end. It’s tough to choose, but if we’re talking about Vanessa Bayer, an episode from Season 5 particularly stands out – the one with the energy vampire council. The encounter between Evie and Colin resembles the worst Zoom meeting you’ve ever had at work, filled with someone who can’t seem to mute themselves, constant notification interruptions, or technical issues while everyone else waits impatiently. It’s astonishing how accurately it portrays such a feeling – like you’ve just experienced a small death inside. I’ve never seen anything that mirrors this sensation so closely.
I think another favorite for me is the finale of Season 3, after Colin Robinson dies and it seems like everyone is going their separate ways, only for there to be a twist: Colin is alive. There’s also an earlier episode from Season 3, where Nandor joins a wellness cult, that’s great. From this final season, the ninth episode is a standout, where Guillermo’s cousin Miguel, played by Frankie Quiñones, arrives to help him battle other vampires, including barista vampires — ahem, I mean artists and writers. It demonstrates how intricate the vampiric world is on this show. Oh, and it’s hilarious.
Despite my eagerness for the series to continue, wrapping it up with a strong finale seems fitting, even if I’ll sorely miss the iconic “You’re Dead” greeting that introduced each fresh episode.
Brown: At least Season 6 gave us the Matt Berry cover.
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2024-12-17 07:01