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As far as comedy TV shows in the last ten years go, it’s hard to find one more beloved than “What We Do in the Shadows.” Premiering on FX in 2019, the series was based on the movie of the same name by Taika Waititi and Jemaine Clement. Yet, as good as some things are, they must inevitably end.
The “What We Do in the Shadows” season 6 finale served as the series finale, with the vampires saying goodbye after more than 60 episodes and over five years on the air. The decision was made before the season started, however, so it’s not as though this came as a surprise to any of the creatives involved, nor for any viewers who stay tuned into the news.
Generally speaking, the show documented the nightly exploits of vampires Nandor (Kayvan Novak), Laszlo (Matt Berry), Nadja (Natasia Demetriou), and Colin Robinson (Mark Proksch), who attempt to make their way through the modern world in New York with the help of their human friend Guillermo (Harvey Guillén) as well as a vampire bureaucrat known as The Guide (Kristen Schaal).
For what it’s worth, the show hadn’t dropped off in quality, based on the general consensus. /Film’s review of “What We Do in the Shadows” season 6 called it “bloody good fun.” That begs the question, why would FX decide to end a show with a loyal fan base that was still being embraced by critics? The answer is a simple one.
What We Do in the Shadows came to a natural conclusion
In short, the series had simply run its course. Granted, American television is infamous for letting shows run past their prime. It’s the creative equivalent of wringing blood from a stone a lot of the time. That’s just the nature of the business. (Not everything can be “Six Feet Under.”) Yet, in this case, FX decided to let the show go out on its own terms before it overstayed its welcome.
“The show came to a natural conclusion. It was a great six year run,” FX Chairman John Landgraf said at the TCAs in February 2024 (via Screen Rant). Similarly, showrunner and executive producer Paul Simms addressed the show’s cancellation during a New York Comic Con Panel in October 2024. As Simms explained, per The Hollywood Reporter, the “Shadows” team would much rather go out on top rather than overstay their welcome:
“I think it’s better to go out on top, and better too soon than too late. I don’t want to stay long enough that this auditorium would just have a few people in the front. I mean, just look at how many people are here.”
Simms also made it clear at the time that they weren’t going to leave audiences with any unresolved cliffhangers. “It’s all in season 6. Everything we ever wanted to do is in there,” he said. There is nothing worse than a cliffhanger, so at the very least, fans of the show got closure.
The good news is that this franchise has more to offer viewers. For one, the movie the show is based on is truly wonderful and those who haven’t seen it would do well to check it out. Beyond that, there was also a relatively short-lived spin-off series titled “Wellington Paranormal” that originally aired in New Zealand, and later came to The CW and Max. So for those looking to fill the vampire-sized hole in their hearts, that might be a good place to start.
“What We Do in the Shadows” is streaming on Hulu, or you can grab the show on DVD from Amazon.