In its sixth season, the existence of “What We Do in the Shadows” still feels like something we’ve taken for granted. The FX mockumentary had much to prove when it premiered in 2019, coming off the cult following of the 2014 film of the same name. Despite the time between the two, the series quickly found its footing, cultivating a dedicated fanbase and 29 Emmy nominations. Year after year, the series evolved beyond its predecessor through characters whose identities shaped the show and an ensemble cast who continue to give fantastic comedic performances throughout the show’s six seasons.
In an age where shows are canceled before they can garner an audience, a show like “What We Do in the Shadows” being able to exist for six seasons feels like a miracle. The blending of comedy and horror is nearly absent in modern television, and with each season, it feels like this may be the only series that has truly mastered it. But now, the critically acclaimed series is ending, and as FX prepares for a bittersweet sendoff, it has unfortunately run into some glaring problems that cannot go unchecked.
Season six begins with Nandor (Kayvan Novak), Laszlo (Matt Berry), Nadja (Natasia Demetriou), and Colin (Mark Proksch) reminiscing about their pasts. In their recollection, they begin discussing an old roommate named Jerry (Michael Patrick O’Brien), who was unabashed in his vampire nature. The conversation quickly halts as the vampires realize there’s a problem: they forgot to wake Jerry up from his planned 20-year slumber in the 1990s. Fifty years have passed since he went to sleep, and they attempt to get him up to speed, even introducing him to iPhones before blasting “We Didn’t Start the Fire” by Billy Joel.
Jerry is dismayed by his coven taking part in a mockumentary and even more disappointed that while he slept, they have not conquered Staten Island like they originally planned. The revival of Jerry and his adamance that his friends have not reached their full potential plunges the gang into what could be called a midlife crisis. Laszlo, Nandor, and Nadja decide to use their friends’ resurrection to pursue dreams that have long sat on the back burner, even if those decisions might begin to crack the tight-knit bond they have grown over the decades since Jerry first entered his slumber.
“WHAT WE DO IN THE SHADOWS” — “The Return of Jerry” — Season 6, Episode 1 (Airs October 21) — Pictured (L-R): Mark Proksch as Colin Robinson, Michael Patrick O’Brien as Jerry. CR: Russ Martin/FX
This set-up makes for what could be a fantastic final season, one that sees these characters growing beyond the bounds of their un-dead nature and their tethers to each other. However, it feels as if “What We Do in the Shadows” has outstayed its welcome, with each episode feeling increasingly bloated as time goes on. With episodes clocking in with a runtime of only 25 minutes, this is a glaring problem that arose in the show’s fifth season and only gets worse in its sixth. While there are only three out of eleven episodes to go off of here, the series starts strong but quickly takes a nosedive. Plot threads feel forgotten from last season, and new ones come in just as quickly as they disappear.
Each character’s quest for independence is the driving force behind this send-off. From Laszlo attempting to make his own version of Frankenstein’s monster to Nandor’s familiar Guillermo (Harvey Guillén) using his newfound humanity to get a regular job outside of the vampires, each of these characters seems to be going through a transformation. This transformation, however, feels too late in the series to matter, and frankly, none of these characters truly work as singular beings outside of each other. The main aspect of “What We Do in the Shadows” that allowed it to become one of the most beloved comedies of the last decade was the way in which its cast blend and bounce off of each other. They’re divided here–though they still share the screen quite often–in a way that makes this final season feel stunted rather than bittersweet.
The splintering off of these characters and their ideals feels like it should have happened two seasons ago. With the knowledge that this is the show’s final season, it feels as if none of this burgeoning change truly matters, as these characters will cease to exist before the year is over. While only three episodes were shown to critics, the ones viewed exhibit that this is a show that no longer knows who it‘s catering to. It’s nice to get a conclusion in which storylines can be assumed to be wrapped up neatly, but in the meantime, it feels like “What We Do in the Shadows” should have ended while it was still going strong. A dynamic cast can only carry a series for so long, and unfortunately, that ship has long sailed with this one.
First three episodes screened for review. Premieres October 21st, and streams next day on Hulu.
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