---
title: "What We Do in the Shadows"
year: 2019
canonical_url: "https://www.archytele.com/show/what-we-do-in-the-shadows-2019"
media_type: "tv"
tmdb_id: 83631
imdb_id: "tt7908628"
status: "Ended"
seasons_count: 6
episodes_count: 61
community_rating: 8.0
vote_count: 1017
content_rating: "TV-MA"
---

# What We Do in the Shadows (2019) — Television & Cinema Intelligence Dossier

> **Archytele Living Vault Canonical Record**: https://www.archytele.com/show/what-we-do-in-the-shadows-2019

## Executive Summary & Cultural Positioning

What We Do in the Shadows is an American comedy horror mockumentary fantasy television series. The series was created by Jemaine Clement and first broadcast on FX. It is a documentary-style look into the lives of a group of vampires. The vampires have lived together for hundreds of years on Staten Island. The series features a cast including Kayvan Novak, Matt Berry, Natasia Demetriou, and Harvey Guillén. The show explores the nightly lives of four vampires who have shared a home on Staten Island for over a century. The series concluded its run with the end of its sixth season. The title of the series uses the pronoun we, which is defined as a pronoun used as the subject of a verb to mean the speaker and others.

## The Hook & The Verdict

**The Hook**: "Vampires share a cramped Staten Island apartment in this mockumentary comedy."

### Why Watch
- Hilarious ensemble cast with great chemistry
- Unique take on vampire mythology
- Consistently clever writing and visual gags

### Caveats & Content Note
- Some episodes feel slow-paced
- Limited character development for some vampires
- Tone & Suitability: Suitable for adults who enjoy dark humor and supernatural themes.

**Micro-Themes & Vibe Matrix**: mockumentary, vampire, comedy, slice-of-life, deadpan

## Streaming Availability Matrix

| Region | Stream (Subscription) | Free / Ads | Rent / Buy |
| :--- | :--- | :--- | :--- |
| **United States (US)** | Hulu, YouTube TV | None | Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies |
| **United Kingdom (GB)** | Disney Plus, Sky Go | BBC iPlayer | Apple TV Store, Amazon Video |
| **Canada (CA)** | Disney Plus, Citytvplus Amazon Channel, Citytvplus | None | Apple TV Store |
| **Australia (AU)** | BINGE, Foxtel Now | None | Apple TV Store, Fetch TV |

## Season Architecture & Lore Primers

### Season 1 (10 Episodes)
What We Do in the Shadows season 1 is a comedy and sci-fi & fantasy television series. The season follows a group of vampires who live in Staten Island and are reminded of their initial task of total and complete domination of the New World by their dark lord and leader, Baron Afanas. A vérité camera crew documents the vampires as they try to figure out the best way to achieve this goal. The series is presented in a documentary-style, offering a look into the daily lives of the vampires. The show is classified as TV-MA, indicating mature audiences. The series is available to stream, and a trailer is available to watch. The show's premise is based on the idea of exploring what the vampires do, with the tagline don't ask what they do outside the shadows.

## Filler vs. Essential Episode Classifier

- **Total Tracked Episodes**: 50
- **Crucial Mytharc Episodes**: 15 (30%)
- **Character Core Episodes**: 35 (70%)
- **Side Quest / Filler Episodes**: 0 (0%)

## Creative Credits

- **Created by**: Jemaine Clement
- **Networks / Studios**: FX

## Key Cast Continuity

- **Kayvan Novak** as *Nandor the Relentless*
- **Matt Berry** as *Laszlo Cravensworth*
- **Natasia Demetriou** as *Nadja*
- **Harvey Guillén** as *Guillermo de la Cruz*
- **Mark Proksch** as *Colin Robinson*
- **Kristen Schaal** as *Floating Woman / The Guide*
- **Anthony Atamanuik** as *Sean Rinaldi*
- **Doug Jones** as *Baron Afanas*
- **Jean-Michel Richaud** as *The Sire (voice)*
- **Chris Sandiford** as *Derek*

## Canonical Frequently Asked Questions

### Q: Is this based on the movie?
Yes, it's based on the 2014 film by Jemaine Clement and Taika Waititi.

### Q: Where does it take place?
Mostly in a shared apartment in Staten Island, New York.

### Q: How many seasons are there?
The show ran for six seasons from 2019 to 2024.

### Q: Who are the main vampires?
The core group includes Nandor, Laszlo, Nadja, and Colin Robinson.

### Q: Is it scary or more comedic?
It's primarily a comedy with horror elements used for humor.

## Grounded Source Citations

- [WE Definition & Meaning - Merriam-Webster](https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/we)
- [What We Do in the Shadows (TV series) - Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/What_We_Do_in_the_Shadows_(TV_series))
- [WE | English meaning - Cambridge Dictionary](https://dictionary.cambridge.org/dictionary/english/we)
- [What We Do in the Shadows (TV Series 2019-2024) - IMDb](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt7908628/)
- [We - Wikipedia](https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/We)
- [We – meaning, definition, etymology, examples and more<br/> — Self ...](https://selfexploration.academy/the-academic-glossary/we)

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*Generated by Archytele Open Intelligence Systems. Data verified against TMDB and JustWatch APIs.*