What We Do in the Shadows is an American comedy horror mockumentary fantasy television series created by Jemaine Clement, first broadcast on FX on March 27, 2019, until concluding its run with the end of its sixth season on December 16, 2024. Based on the 2014 New Zealand film written and directed by Clement and Taika Waititi, both of whom act as executive producers, the series follows four vampire roommates on Staten Island, and stars Kayvan Novak, Matt Berry, Natasia Demetriou, Harvey Guillén, Mark Proksch, and Kristen Schaal.
What We Do in the Shadows is the second television series in the franchise after the spin-off Wellington Paranormal (2018–2022). Both shows share the same canon as the original film, with several characters from the film making appearances, including Clement's and Waititi's. The show received critical acclaim, particularly for its cast and writing, and 35 Emmy Award nominations, including four for Outstanding Comedy Series for its second, third, fifth and sixth seasons.
Premise Traditional vampires Nandor, Laszlo, and Nadja, together with energy vampire Colin Robinson, share a Staten Island residence, maintained by Nandor's familiar Guillermo. The vampires routinely clash with the modern world, other supernatural beings, and each other, while Guillermo earnestly endeavors to balance his loyalty to Nandor with his desire to become a vampire, complicated by his ancestry as a descendant of vampire hunter Van Helsing.
Cast and characters Main Kayvan Novak as Nandor the Relentless – Once the bloodthirsty leader of the fictional kingdom of Al-Quolanudar in southern Iran and a warrior serving the Ottoman Empire. At age 760, he is the oldest of the group and their self-proclaimed leader, though it is obvious he has little to no authority. Although he genuinely cares for his human familiar Guillermo, he has difficulty expressing it. Nandor is also quite naïve to the ways of modern society and humans, which often results in Guillermo becoming frustrated with him. Matt Berry as Leslie "Laszlo" Cravensworth – A 310-year-old vampire from British nobility who was turned by Nadja and is now married to her. A pansexual and former porn actor who is often preoccupied with sexual thoughts, he enjoys sexual encounters with both Nadja and Nandor. His interests are more varied and intellectual than the other characters. He frequently performs scientific experiments on the humans killed by him and the other vampires. According to Nadja, he once forgot to eat for an extended period of time because he was "writing poetry and wanking". He and Nadja were at one time prolific songwriters, and, it seems, wrote what eventually became "Row, Row, Row Your Boat", "Come on Eileen" and "Kokomo". Laszlo also enjoys making topiary sculptures of vulvas in the yard, including those of his wife, and mother. Natasia Demetriou as Nadja of Antipaxos – A 500-year-old Greek Romani vampire who turned Laszlo into a vampire and later married him. Abrasive and aggressive, she is frequently frustrated with her male housemates and nostalgic about her human life. The only character she shows any affection for is Laszlo, often wrathfully lashing out at Guillermo. She has entertained an affair with a reincarnated knight named Gregor for hundreds of years, only for him to be decapitated in every reincarnation. She later becomes manager of her own vampire nightclub. Demetriou also plays Nadja's human ghost, split from its corporeal form when Nadja was turned into a vampire, who inhabits a doll which has appeared since the second season. Harvey Guillén as Guillermo de la Cruz – Nandor's long-suffering Latino familiar. Despite his frustration with his unreasonable workload and Nandor's disregard for his mortality, he has served his master for more than a decade in the hope of being made a vampire. Guillermo discovers that he is a descendant of the famous vampire hunter Abraham Van Helsing and proves to be very skilled at killing vampires, giving him conflicting feelings about his desire to become a vampire. Guillermo's skill as a vampire slayer leads to him becoming a bodyguard for Nandor, Nadja, and Laszlo. He comes out as gay to his family but reveals his desire to become a vampire at the same time, prompting Nadja to erase their memories of his confession. Mark Proksch as Colin Robinson (and Baby Colin / "The Boy") – An energy vampire who lives in the basement. He sustains himself by draining humans and fellow vampires of their life force by being extremely boring or frustrating. As a "day walker", he is not harmed by sunlight or entry into churches, and thus holds a regular job in an office where he feeds on his coworkers' frustrations. This also means that he financially supports the group. Unlike the others, he shows no outward signs of vampirism and appears as a regular human, with the only hints being his glowing irises and demonic facial expression when he feeds on energy, and his reflection showing a pale and decrepit version of himself. Following his 100th birthday, he dies and his infant offspring bursts out of his chest. Having rapidly grown to adulthood, Colin Robinson's son discovers a hidden room filled with Colin Robinson's diaries and regains Colin Robinson's memories as a result, forgetting his time as a child and essentially becoming a reincarnation of Colin Robinson. Kristen Schaal as The Guide (also known as the "Floating Woman") – An envoy of the Vampiric Council who is able to teleport short distances and sometimes speaks in a demonic voice. She frequently expresses her desire to be socially accepted by the other vampires, yet is almost always rejected. She later works for Nadja as the latter turns the Vampiric Council's headquarters into a nightclub. (seasons 5–6; guest season 1; recurring seasons 3–4)
Recurring Doug Jones as Baron Afanas – An ancient vampire from the Old Country who believes vampires should rule the world. Both Nadja and Laszlo had secret affairs with the Baron despite his lack of genitals. Later it is disclosed that he is not actually a Baron, but simply "barren" because he was unable to have children. In the first season, Guillermo inadvertently kills the Baron by opening a door and exposing him to sunlight. In the third season, however, it is revealed that he barely survived, albeit reduced to his head, torso and left arm. In later seasons, The Baron chooses to live a quaint, suburban lifestyle with The Sire, another legendary vampire. (seasons 1, 3–6) Anthony Atamanuik as Sean Rinaldi – The human next-door neighbor. He sometimes witnesses Laszlo doing something vampiric but is easily hypnotized into forgetting everything. The vampires spare him because he brings their trash cans in when they forget, and Laszlo considers Sean his best friend. In season 5, it's implied that Sean is slowly, yet consistently, becoming dumber due to experiencing a constant stream of hypnosis and his rampant alcoholism. Beanie Feldstein as Jenna – a LARPer and virgin whom Guillermo lured for the vampires to feast on. She was later transformed into a vampire by Nadja who witnessed her being treated poorly by her peers. During her vampire training with Nadja, she discovers she has the rare ability to turn invisible, which fits the tendency of people to ignore her, yet she struggles with turning into a bat. (season 1) Veronika Slowikowska as Shanice – Jenna's college roommate who witnesses her transformation into a vampire. Shanice later joins the Mosquito Collectors of the Tri-State Area, a secret team of amateur vampire hunters. (seasons 1–2) Nick Kroll as Simon the Devious – A vampire who rules over the Manhattan vampires and owns the Sassy Cat nightclub. He was initially a close friend to the Staten Island vampires when they first arrived in America, but he quickly became their shared enemy thanks to his willingness to trick and betray the trio. He is obsessed with Laszlo's cursed hat made out of witch skin and is often surrounded by a posse of vampires called "The Leatherskins". (guest seasons 1–2, 4) Jake McDorman as Jeff Suckler – A reincarnation of Nadja's former human lover, Gregor, a knight who has been killed by decapitation in each of his lives. Nadja eventually restores Jeff's memories of his previous lives so that he can be more like his former self, leading to him falling into insanity and being committed to a mental institution. It is later revealed to Nadja and Gregor that Laszlo had been causing each of his deaths throughout history, which he does again. (season 1; guest season 2) Vanessa Bayer as Evie Russell – Colin Robinson's co-worker. He discovers that she is an advanced form of energy vampire — an emotional vampire — who feeds off of the pity and sadness generated by her outlandish stories of suffering and misfortune. She and Colin Robinson date for a short time, feeding together on bored and pitying humans until he begins to feel the relationship is unhealthy. In season 5, she becomes Staten Island's City Comptroller, taking over for Colin Robinson's campaign after he intentionally exposed his penis in a video meeting. Her first name is a homophone of "E.V.", for Emotional Vampire. (guest seasons 1, 5) Marceline Hugot as Barbara Lazarro – The president of the Staten Island Council. She was going to be the vampires' way of taking over Staten Island until Laszlo left a pile of dead raccoons on her doorstep in an attempt to win her trust, resulting in her believing it was a form of terrorist threat. She later appears running against Colin Robinson in the comptroller election. (guest seasons 1, 5) Chris Sandiford as Derek – A vampire hunter turned vampire and convenience store clerk. (seasons 2–5, guest season 6) Myrna Cabello as Silvia de la Cruz – Guillermo's mother (seasons 2, 4–5) Haley Joel Osment as Topher – Nadja and Laszlo's familiar who is accidentally killed and revived as a zombie. Unlike Guillermo, Topher has no interest in becoming a vampire. He is energetic, fun-loving, and charismatic, and he is well-liked by all other members of the household, except Guillermo. (guest seasons 2, 5) Benedict Wong as Wallace – A necromancer and tchotchke salesman whom Lazlo views as a fraud and con artist and often feuds with him. (guest seasons 2, 5) Marissa Jaret Winokur as Charmaine Rinaldi – Sean's wife. (guest seasons 2–6) Anoop Desai as Djinn – Nandor's magical genie, who is indebted to grant him a large number of wishes. (season 4; guest season 5) Parisa Fakhri as Marwa – Nandor's resurrected ex-wife, now fiancée (season 4, guest season 6) Frankie Quiñones as Miguel – Guillermo's cousin (guest seasons 4–6) Mike O'Brien as Jerry the Vampire – The house's fifth roommate who has been in a "super slumber" since 1976, and intended to be awoken on New Year's Eve, 1996. (season 6) Tim Heidecker as Jordan – Senior partner at Cannon Capital Strategies, the private equity firm where Guillermo, Nadja, and Nandor have been hired. (season 6) Andy Assaf as Cravensworth's Monster – A Frankenstein-like creature assembled and animated by Laszlo. (season 6)
Guests Season 1 Arj Barker as Arjan – The pack leader of the Staten Island Werewolf Support Group. He entered into a truce between his kind and the vampires (which was created in 1993). Dave Bautista and Alexandra Henrikson as Garrett and Vasillika the Defiler – A duo of vampires imprisoned by the council after Garrett was framed by Laszlo for turning a baby into a vampire (which is very illegal), and Vasillika for too much defiling. Mary Gillis as June – Nadja and Laszlo's familiar. She appears to be an ill old woman who communicates through grunts. She is killed when the Baron sucks all her blood when he arrives on Staten Island. Jeremy O. Harris as Colby – A human familiar to Dantos the Cruel and Radinka the Brutal, two 400-year-old vampires who appear to be children while Colby portrays as their father.