What We Do in the Shadows
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What We Do in the Shadows is a comedy horror mockumentary television series that delves into the nightly exploits of four ancient vampire roommates living on Staten Island, New York. Based on the 2014 film of the same name, the show follows Nandor, Laszlo, Nadja, and energy vampire Colin Robinson, along with Nandor's long-suffering human familiar, Guillermo, as they navigate the mundane challenges of modern life and the eccentricities of the supernatural world. The series blends deadpan humor with gore and supernatural elements, satirizing vampire tropes and the documentary format.
Things to Consider
LGBTQ & Gender Identity
The series features significant and explicit LGBTQ+ representation, with multiple main characters openly identifying as queer or pansexual, and their sexual orientations being central to character development and humor. The show normalizes diverse sexualities among its vampire characters.
Laszlo and Nadja, a married vampire couple, both openly admit to having had 'intense affairs' with the ancient, gender-neutral Baron Afanas. Additionally, Guillermo explicitly comes out as gay to his family in Season 4, stating, 'And Nadja isn't my girlfriend… because I'm gay,' to which his family casually responds that they 'don't give a sh*t about you being gay, we've known that forever.' Nadja's centuries-long love interest, Gregor, is revealed to have reincarnated in various forms, including a 'French washerwoman' with whom Nadja 'passionately made love.' Nandor, originally perceived as straight, reveals in Season 4 that some of his 37 wives were men, noting it was 'perfectly normal for men to marry each other' in his historical period. Laszlo openly describes his pansexuality, stating his preferences as 'Men, men, men, women, women, women' and 'Anything gets me hard!', also proudly mentioning starring in extensive same-sex pornography.
Violence
The show contains frequent, explicit, and often graphic fantasy violence and gore, though it is usually presented with comedic undertones. Depictions include vampire feedings, dismemberment, impalement, and intense fights.
Romance and Sexual Content
There is extensive and explicit romantic and sexual content, including suggestive language, discussions of sexual acts, and references to orgies and pornography. Nudity may occur in a non-sexual context, but sexual themes are pervasive.
Profanity
The series features an excessive and frequent use of strong profanity, including prominent use of the 'f-word' and other coarse language and scatological slang.
Witchcraft & Occult
Witchcraft, occult practices, and various supernatural creatures are fundamental to the show's premise and plot. The world is populated by vampires, witches, werewolves, ghosts, wraiths, and other magical beings who regularly engage in supernatural activities.
Disrespect & Rebellion
Disrespect for authority, human laws, and societal norms is a consistent and central theme. The main characters, as ancient vampires, exhibit a profound disregard for human life and modern conventions, often engaging in rebellious acts.
Anti-Christian Themes
The show contains explicit anti-Christian themes, including mockery of Christian beliefs and symbols, and portrays Christian artifacts as actively harmful to vampires.
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Additional Context
Best For Ages
TV-MA. This series is explicitly for mature audiences (17+) due to pervasive strong language, explicit sexual content and references, graphic violence and gore, and mature thematic elements including extensive LGBTQ+ representation and occult practices. It is not suitable for children or younger teenagers.
Good to Know
The comedic and mockumentary style of 'What We Do in the Shadows' often uses extreme content for humorous effect, which may not lessen the impact of the mature themes for sensitive viewers. The show's content has remained consistently intense across its seasons, with an ongoing escalation of supernatural elements and character relationships.
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