Let’s break down all these cameos. Show
One of the low-key charms of FX’s What We Do in the Shadows, the TV adaptation of Jemaine Clement and Taika Waititi’s cult-classic vampire mockumentary, is its relatively unknown cast. Stars Kayvan Novak, Matt Berry, and Natasia Demetriou play Staten Island–based bloodsuckers whose glory days are far behind them, and the British comedians’ comparatively obscure profiles, at least in the U.S., make their characters feel appropriately third-tier while helping viewers feel like they’re discovering new talent. Arguably no other show currently on the air makes a better case for using unfamiliar faces. But tonight, in an episode written by Clement and directed by Waititi, What We Do also made a fine case for calling up every famous person in one’s Rolodex. (Spoilers ahead.) When Nandor, Laszlo, and Nadja—the vamps whose wretchedly mediocre antics we’ve been following—are called to appear before an international tribunal to account for the sudden death of the legendary Baron Afanas (Doug Jones) in their home, we find out why certain celebrities never seem to age. Among the members of the council are the following actors, all of whom have donned fangs in the past for prominent screen roles: • Tilda Swinton (Only Lovers Left Alive) The last three reprise their characters from the film, while Swinton, Reubens, and Wood, who seem to be playing themselves, are styled like the characters they played in their respective projects. (I guess the implication is that these world-famous undead thespians played their real-life selves in certain projects to … fuck with people?) Get Slate Culture in Your InboxThe council members also note the absent members who couldn’t make it to the meeting: “Kiefer” (Sutherland, of The Lost Boys), “Tom and Brad” (Cruise and Pitt, of Interview With the Vampire), and “Rob” (Pattinson, of you know). And, in perhaps the sweetest touch, the episode also guest-stars Kristen Schaal as an officious intermediary between the tribunal and the accused trio—a nod to Clement’s beloved Flight of the Conchords. (These aren’t even all the cameos in the episode: Waititi’s Marvel co-star Dave Bautista, aka Drax, also makes a brief appearance.) Preceded by a dance sequence that recalled Swinton’s Suspiriaremake, the star-studded gag was also a playful twist on the usual scenario of the main ensemble facing off against an anonymous committee, while reminding us once again how pathetic these long-in-the-tooth leeches truly are. Fitting, then, that they’re eventually carted away in a box covered by a blanket, as helpless as a litter of lost kittens.
What We Do in the Shadows is an American mockumentary comedy horror television series created by Jemaine Clement that premiered March 27, 2019, on FX. The second television series in the franchise based on the 2014 film of the same name written by Clement and Taika Waititi, the series follows four vampire roommates in Staten Island, and stars Kayvan Novak, Matt Berry, Natasia Demetriou, Harvey Guillén, and Mark Proksch. The series' second season premiered on April 15, 2020,[2][3] and the third season premiered on September 2, 2021.[4] In August 2021, the series was renewed for a fourth season, ahead of the third season premiere.[5] The fourth season premiered on July 12, 2022.[6] In June 2022, the series was renewed for a fifth and sixth season, ahead of the fourth season premiere.[7] It has been critically acclaimed (particularly for its cast and writing) and nominated for 17 Emmy Awards, including Outstanding Comedy Series in 2020 and 2022. Premise[edit]Set primarily in Staten Island, New York City, New York, What We Do in the Shadows follows the lives of three traditional vampires, Nandor, Laszlo, and Nadja; Colin Robinson, an energy vampire; and Guillermo, Nandor's familiar. The series revolves around the vampires interacting with the modern world and other supernatural beings.[8] Cast and characters[edit]Main[edit]
Recurring[edit]
Guests[edit]Season 1[edit]
Season 2[edit]
Season 3[edit]
Season 4[edit]
Episodes[edit]Season 1 (2019)[edit]Season 2 (2020)[edit]Season 3 (2021)[edit]Season 4 (2022)[edit]Production[edit]Development[edit]Promotional poster for the first season. On January 22, 2018, it was announced that FX had given the production a pilot order. The pilot was written by Jemaine Clement and directed by Taika Waititi, both of whom are also executive producers alongside Scott Rudin, Paul Simms, Garrett Basch, and Eli Bush.[51] On May 3, 2018, it was announced that FX had given the production a series order for a first season consisting of ten episodes, which premiered on March 27, 2019.[8][9] According to Clement: "We stay pretty basic '70s/'80s vampire rules, with a little bit of '30s. They can turn into bats. They can't go in the sunlight; they don't sparkle in the sun, they die. They have to be invited in; in a lot of literature vampires have to be invited into private buildings, but this is a documentary so it's the real rules which means they have to be invited into any building."[52] The main influences on the series are Fright Night, Martin, The Lost Boys, Nosferatu, Interview with the Vampire, Vampire's Kiss, and Bram Stoker's Dracula.[52] The song used in the opening credits is "You're Dead" by Norma Tanega (1966), which was used during the opening credits sequence in the original film. The second season premiered on April 15, 2020.[2][3] On May 22, 2020, FX renewed the series for a third season, which premiered on September 2, 2021.[53] On August 13, 2021, FX renewed the series for a fourth season, ahead of the third season premiere.[5] Upon the fourth season's renewal, it was reported that Rudin would no longer be an executive producer, beginning with the third season, due to allegations of abusive behavior.[1] On June 6, 2022, FX renewed the series for a fifth and sixth season, ahead of the fourth season premiere.[7] Filming[edit]Principal photography for the first season took place from October 22 to December 18, 2018, in Toronto, Ontario.[54] Filming for the third season began on February 8, 2021, and finished on May 3, 2021.[55] The writer/producer Paul Simms said that series does not use CGI effects: "There's no fully digital characters or anything like that. One of the movies we really talked about a lot when we were conceiving the show was Francis Ford Coppola's Dracula where he went back to really doing as many effects as possible in camera and figuring out ways to do that. One of my favorite supernatural moments is completely in camera. It's where Beanie Feldstein's character is walking along in the park and Nadja appears walking next to her. That was all just done completely the old fashioned way where Natasia was hiding behind a tree and the camera was tracking along and at the right moment, she walked out from behind a tree. I think there's something about that old fashioned way that makes things more interesting than when you can tell it's digital and rubbery and fake looking".[56] Among the cinematographers D.J. Stipsen and Christian Sprenger's influences for the series was the work of Michael Ballhaus and production designer Thomas E. Sanders on the Coppola-directed Bram Stoker's Dracula: "We referenced that film for the general sumptuousness of the vampires' mansion, which was our main set. Our take, however, was that the Staten Island vampires have let their place go. The former glory is evident but now exists in a worn, faded and distressed state. Production designer Kate Bunch and I had a lot of conversations about striking the right balance between sumptuousness and neglect. There are strong reds, but also yellow that has faded to the point of being a warm brown."[57] Release[edit]Marketing[edit]On October 31, 2018, a series of teaser trailers for the series were released.[58] On January 10, 2019, another teaser trailer was released.[59] On February 4, 2019, the official trailer for the series was released.[9] Premiere[edit]On October 7, 2018, the series held a panel at the annual New York Comic Con moderated by Rolling Stone's Alan Sepinwall and featuring co-creators Taika Waititi and Jemaine Clement, along with fellow executive producer Paul Simms. Before the panel began, the first episode of the series was screened for the audience.[60] The world premiere for the series was screened during the 2019 South by Southwest film festival in Austin, Texas as a part of the festival's "Episodic Premieres" series.[61] Reception[edit]Critical response[edit]The first season received acclaim from critics. On the review aggregator Rotten Tomatoes, the first season has an approval rating of 94%, based on 71 reviews, with an average rating of 7.8/10. The website's critical consensus reads, "Delightfully absurd and ridiculously fun, What We Do in the Shadows expands on the film's vampiric lore and finds fresh perspective in its charming, off-kilter cast to create a mockumentary series worth sinking your teeth into."[62] On Metacritic, it has a weighted average score of 80 out of 100, based on 30 critics, indicating "generally favorable reviews".[63] The second season also received critical acclaim. On Rotten Tomatoes, the second season has an approval rating of 98%, based on 43 reviews, with an average rating of 8.3/10. The website's critical consensus reads, "Bat! What We Do In the Shadows loses no steam in a smashing second season that savvily expands its supernatural horizons while doubling down on the fast flying fun."[64] On Metacritic, it has a weighted average score of 79 out of 100, based on 11 critics, indicating "generally favorable reviews".[65] The third season also received universal acclaim from critics. On Rotten Tomatoes, the third season has an approval rating of 100%, based on 27 reviews, with an average rating of 9/10. The website's critical consensus reads, "Carried on the wings of its cast's incredible chemistry and the strongest writing of the series so far, What We Do in the Shadows' third season is scary good."[66] On Metacritic, the third season has an average score of 96 out of 100, based on 11 critics, indicating "universal acclaim".[67] The fourth season also received universal acclaim from critics. On Rotten Tomatoes, the fourth season has an approval rating of 100%, based on 24 reviews, with an average rating of 8.7/10. The website's critical consensus reads, "Aside from turning this demonic household into Three Vampires and a Baby, What We Do in the Shadows doubles down on what it does best without drastically changing the formula – and remains fang-tastic all the same."[68] On Metacritic, the fourth season has an average score of 84 out of 100, based on 8 critics, indicating "universal acclaim".[69] However, some critics complained of the reductive treatment of Nandor's wife, Marwa, in season 4. Comic Book Resources complained of the show "stripping a woman of her identity – physically and mentally – for laughs"[70] and The Mary Sue stated that "What We Do in the Shadows missed hard with its treatment of Marwa."[71] Ratings[edit]Season 1[edit]Season 2[edit]Season 3[edit]Season 4[edit]Accolades[edit]
Notes[edit]
References[edit]
External links[edit]
Who is the vampiric Council?“The Vampiric Council is an ancient organization. Very powerful and apparently very scary,” Nandor tells the assembled camera operators in the season 1 episode. “They travel from all corners of the globe to administer supreme and final justice on any vampire in violation of the vampiric code,” Laszlo adds.
Who was Rob on the vampiric Council?Vampiric Council member Wesley (Snipes) played a vampire in this movie. Vampiric Council member Evan (Rachel Wood) played a vampire on this show. Vampiric Council member Rob (Pattinson) could not attend, he played a vampire in this movie.
What We Do in the Shadows the trial guest stars?“The Trial” Episode
Waititi, Clement, and Jonathan Brugh reprise their roles from the original film. Also in the episode are Kristen Schaal, Dave Bautista, Alexandra Henrikson, and Wesley Snipes, who appears on a laptop via Skype.
Who is the sire in What We Do in the Shadows?Goëjlrm, commonly known as The Sire, is the oldest living vampire and the apparent progenitor of the entire species. He appears in What We Do in the Shadows (TV series).
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