What We Do In The Shadows to end with season six
The beloved FX comedy will come to an end after its next season
Aux News What We Do In The Shadows
In yet another frustrating reminder that it’s a good idea to value the things you love while you have them, because you never know when they will be cruelly taken away from you, vampire comedy What We Do In The Shadows will be coming to an end after its upcoming sixth season. That comes from Vulture, which says the news came straight from “an FX source”—though the network, which has aired the series since it began in 2019—has yet to make an official announcement.
That, notably, means we don’t know if this was an FX decision or a mutual agreement between the network and series creator Jemaine Clement. Either way, Vulture says production is supposed to begin in January, so that hopefully gives What We Do In The Shadows plenty of time to construct a satisfying final season and not one of those stupid tossed-off final season that most shows get. That means it’s at least a bittersweet goodbye to a show that has been a regular favorite of ours here at The A.V. Club, regularly appearing on lists of our favorite episodes of the year, our favorite shows of the year, our favorite vampire shows in general, and our favorite comedies of the century (the century is young, but we’ll probably stand by that pick in 80 years).
What We Do In The Shadows, based on Jemaine Clement and Taika Waititi’s 2014 movie of the same name, followed (follows, for at least a few more months) Kayvan Novak, Matt Berry, and Natasia Demetriou as a trio of wacky vampire living together on Staten Island, along with Harvey Guillén as one vampire’s human familiar and Mark Proksch as an energy-sapping vampire who lives in the basement.
67 Comments
Six seasons?! That means a movie!
In this case, it’s “a movie and six seasons!”
I got a Community notification for this?!
I really Britta’d my original comment.
Eugh, Britta’s in this?
I wish. Goth Britta is hot.
That’s ok! Even last season wasn’t as good as the prior ones. I’d much rather they admit they used all of the good material they had rather than diminishing funny returns for another 5 seasons.
This is a good run and I could sort of tell it might be winding down since Guillermo’s storyline essentially ended last season
Yeah I knew that once Guillermo finally did/didn’t become a vampire that it’d be ending because that’s the end of the best concept holding the show together. I was kind of hoping for a whole season of baby vampire Guillermo learning all the little bits about vampirism he never saw, but honestly I think the way they went fit the character a lot better.
Yeah. The final season would be, what will Guillermo do next? I assume the vamps are all going to think about the future and then ultimately fall back into their old rhythms (one of the show’s ongoing premise-jokes being that vampires have a huge amount of trouble changing as people).
I’d like to see Guillermo and Nandor finally become a couple after dancing around it literally the entire show. Or at least admit their feelings for each other. It feels like the writers have been toying with the idea since literally season 1, but got cold feet and hit the reset button every time.
Yeah, the main story is told.
Time for an epilogue.
Gizmo.
I did really love the series long gag that he finally got what he wanted, and it just goes comically wrong on every level.
I’m good with that. Still enjoying the show but I can’t deny that it’s simply not as funny as it used to be. Better to go out on a high note.
Six seasons seems reasonable, really, for such a high concept. I thought season five was a bit weak (yet still terrific) and, anyway, shows don’t go on forever. Six is more than most shows get. That said, I am open to a Jackie Daytona spinoff.
Why would anyone make a show about a regular human bartender?
Y’all never seen Cheers?
Clearly the show would have to focus on his struggles coaching the volleyball team to victory while also keeping the bar running despite a constant stream of wacky hijinks.
Even random Jackie Daytona specials that are like 15 minutes long would be awesome. Don’t beat the concept into the ground, just give us a little something when you’ve got time and material.
That’d be perfect for just a random vignette series of different jobs Jackie is doing when he needs to hide out for a while. The more banal and every-day the job is the better. Focus on him being weird at the job and not the story of why he’s there, laughs all around.
Exactly!
Honnestly, I’d settle for 15 minute specials of Matt Berry reading from the phone book.
Yeah it’s a totally reasonable run.
I’d love a spin off about The Baron and his increasingly ridiculous domestic life. Doug Jones is free now that his Star Trek show has ended.
I think that’s a good idea. Let it go out on a high note. The Guillermo wanting to be a vampire thing got played out to the fullest extent it can. Many of the ongoing threads (Nadja’s ghost doll, etc.) should be relatively easy to wrap.
They pretty clearly set up next season to be the last when Guillermo finally got his vampirism.
How many modern shows with a relatively small cast make it past 6 seasons and still keep the quality up?
Hopefully it was a creative decision. If I’m watching a tv show, I enjoy it more if I know nobody fucked it.
Six seasons and a movie!
Damn, what will all the annoying 30-something, poly-curious, hipster couples whose only hobby is boutique board games and unironically refer to themselves as “plant parents” dress as for Halloween now?
You sound boring.
I’m OK with this. I like this show, but the last two seasons really feel like they’re running out of ideas. Better to end gracefully than get stretched into an unfunny slog
Considering Flight of the Conchords only last two season because both Jemaine and Bret wanted to end it, it’s surprising that Jemaine keep this for 6 seasons. Even Waititi involvement already diminished by the time second season begin.
I believe Jemaine hasn’t been involved that much creatively since season two.
IIRC, FotC really only had material for one season.
But then that first season was so successful they were offered a second and so had to make up new material in a shorter timeframe. And, it kinda showed.
I kid you not, both Jemaine and Bret said that getting up at 5am to shoot FotC was a bit too hard on their musician lifestyles, which was a contributing factor to the cancellation. That and not having more than one season of material, as others have said. Season 2 was pretty bereft of decent content, outside of Sugalumps, IIRC.
No. No! NO!! NOOOOOOOO!!! I love this show so much; I need them all on my TV forever and ever. But I don’t want to be one of *those* assholes, so I guess I’ll have to accept it and be thankful for what we get, and re-watch repeatedly.
It was a good run. Not everything drag on for 49 years (please).
“It’s not as funny as it used to be”Fuck off, that last season was great. I’m glad it seems to be going out on its own terms, but everyone saying they were running out of ideas can fuck right off.
Lazlo has infiltrated the forum…
Bam Sarbanti is doing a piece to ca-me-rah!
The season 5 finale was perfect.
seconded. Feel like it’s one of the few recent comedies to moving the genre forward.
Good. End it before it gets lame.
Been a great run, I can barely think of any disappointing episodes. A consistent, satisfying series. Kudos to them.
Count me among the folks that are glad it’s ending. I love, love this show, but the past couple of seasons have been seriously meandering with any potential of growth or change always being ditched for the same status quo (big ol’ reset buttons hit on both Colin Robinson and Guillermo). If the show can’t think of anything fresh to do with these characters, then I’d rather them put it to bed while it’s still enjoyable.
i guess it makes sense but that doesn’t make me any less sad.
First of all, NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!But secondly, I get it. While they are still just as good as ever, the show has essentially run its course, covering just about every concept and plot point introduced over its previous seasons. Going out with one more kickass season is the better option than continuing on for ever how many years with inevitable diminishing quality.
Letterkenny ending in a few daysArcher just endedWwsis endingB99 long gone rip andreI don’t have any new shows to watch… What am I missing in terms of excellent comedies?
I like the US version of Ghosts quite a bit.
I have to jump in and second this because I have been so pleasantly surprised by Ghosts (US version). Great time to start since season 3 comes out in February. Which feels far to me.The show definitely has plenty of storylines left to see it run a few more seasons.
Righteous GemstonesThe Other Two (though that just wrapped up its last season as well)
Damn, Letterkenny is ending? That makes me sad.
Booooooo.
A movie and six seasons.
See you all for the limited series reboot in 2030!
I would love to hear how Matt Berry pronounces the words “series finale”
It would have no less than 17 syllables.
I would rather see it end before it’s stretched past it’s welcome. And there’s always a time limit on producing a show where four of year main cast shouldn’t be getting older!
The last season was a bit more variable but I liked how they tackled Guillermo’s arc and the vamp gang taking over the local news had me absolutely howling with laughter.
Six seasons and a movie. Frontloaded.
And a cry of dismay called out from New York Cit-aaaaay to Ahrizonia.
The show may end, but Berry’s performance Laszlo is immortal.New York Cit-ayyyyy
Facking guy