After six seasons, is it worth attempting to discern a thematic subtext to What We Do in the Shadows? Probably not, and certainly the writers largely agree, given the goofy, metafictional way they sign the series off. Still, there are stealthy nuggets of truth embedded in its kooky swan song, even if most of its characters — living up to their monstrous identities — seem incapable of recognizing them.
Unlike the previous couple of seasons, this one doesn’t have much of a conceptual arc; it merely continues the series’ experimental hybridization of horror and comedy. But it does bring its central vampire quartet — Nandor (Kayvan Novak), Nadya (Natasia Demetrious), Laszlo (Matt Berry), and Colin Robinson (Mark Proksch) — amusingly full circle, especially in an assured finale that does the series justice. Along the way, its spirit of fearless invention does feel a bit forced, but the cast chemistry and comic timing remain first-rate, even in weaker episodes. As the final stretch winds down, What We Do in the Shadows does have something of a Seinfeldian “show-about-nothing” vibe, as its long-lived characters extend their self-important squabbling with no end in sight. But there’s also Guillermo (Harvey Guillén), Nandor’s formally servile familiar, who spent years “paying his dues” in service to the vampires in the hopes of eventually becoming one. This year, Guillermo finally moves beyond that misguided dream, and while he still lives out back in Laszlo’s “whack shack,” he is looking to build a new life for himself as a junior analyst at a financial firm.
For all the aimless shenanigans of the vampires, Guillermo has long been the show’s true hero, and if he isn’t exactly centered, the show largely circles back to him and his long, frustrating journey for belonging. The show recognizes, perhaps belatedly, that he has spent huge swathes of his life pursuing acceptance and validation from an unworthy cohort, so what closure there is revolves around his long-in-coming growth. Oh, it’s probably too much to expect noble messaging beneath the inherent crass silliness of What We Do in the Shadows. But maybe there’s subliminal insight into the toxicity of American groupthink ethos? Eh, whatever. Regardless, I’m going to miss this strange, hilarious series and its talented ensemble.
