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Managing editor & film and television critic with a Bachelor's of Arts in English Literature with a Writing Minor from the University of Guam. Currently in graduate school completing a Master's in English Literature.
Sink your fangs into this nice little surprise related to What We Do in the Shadows!
On behalf of The Cinema Spot, I am fortunate to have attended FX Networks’ press conference, focusing on Season 4 of Jemaine Clement’s hit comedy-horror television series earlier this month on the morning of June 6th, 2022.
Read this following article to see what we learned at the event. However, please beware of potential spoilers for What We Do in the Shadows Season 4!
What We Do in the Shadows Season 4 Synopsis
According to FX Networks’ press release, here is the synopsis for What We Do in the Shadows Season 4.
This season, the vampires return to Staten Island to find their mansion on the verge of total structural collapse and with no money to repair it. While Nandor’s eternal search for love finally yields results, Nadja finally realizes her dream of opening the hottest vampire nightclub in the Tri-State area. Laszlo struggles with the question of nature versus nurture as he tries raising Baby Colin to be anything other than an energy vampire. And even Guillermo finds himself on a powerful emotional track that touches on his love for his family and for others.
John Solberg, FX Networks’ PR Head and moderator for Jemaine Clement’s ‘What We Do in the Shadows’
While the third season ended so well, it will be curious as to how the series will move forward. To add, Kristen Schaal, the actor behind The Guide, has been upgraded as a series regular.
Baby Colin
In terms of Baby Colin Robinson’s (Mark Proksch) aging process, What We Do in the Shadows executive producer and writer Paul Simms describes this new version of the energy-draining vampire as “a growing boy, who grows a little bit faster than normal humans … Only a year has passed, and he already appears to be about a three-year-old, but he stays pretty young through most of the season”. Baby Colin will be draining of energy, just not in the way that worked with the adult Colin.
Proksch praises the show’s visual effects team for bringing Baby Colin to life. Although, Simms adds that improvisation, practical effects, camera angles, and even wigs are involved in putting the character on-screen.
Nandor and Guillermo Dealing with Love
While their dynamic means so much to fans, Simms assures that Nandor the Relentless (Kayvan Novak) and his familiar-turned-vampire hunter-turned-bodyguard, Guillermo de la Cruz (Harvey Guillén) are “two guys who love each other and in both a … multilevel way”.
Regarding a possible wedding or relationship involving one or both of the characters, Simms teases a sort of development in their relationship. He states:
[A]t the beginning of this season, Nandor has decided to get married and asks Guillermo to be his best man, which is a huge honor for Guillermo, who already is so fed up with the situation that he has one foot out the door, but it’s really his love for Nandor that keeps him there to be his best man. … The main marital issue between Nandor and the wife that he chooses very quickly is Nandor wanting her to be perfect, wanting to have the perfect wife, and maybe wanting to change her a little bit and maybe almost to the point of changing her too much to like the same things that he likes.
Paul Simms, executive producer and writer for Jemaine Clement’s ‘What We Do in the Shadows’
Novak adds:
Nandor’s logic is that … he makes someone a best man, and then that best man will help him find his bride. And then they’ll have a wedding, and then the best man will be the best man at his wedding; so he’s kind of reverse-engineered, as he does most things.
Kayvan Novak, the actor behind Nandor the Relentless in Jemaine Clement’s ‘What We Do in the Shadows’
Both Nandor and Guillermo find love this season, as teased by Simms and Guillén. The latter says that his character will be on a quest for self-realization after having been sealed away for a year: “Their love is really great and deep, but it’s not always in a relationship form”.
Guillermo’s Family
In Season 2, Guillermo left the vampires to stay with his mother; that is, before returning to them in the finale. Now, in Season 4, expect to see more members of the de la Cruz family.
The Vampire Nightclub
Natasia Demetriou teases Nadja of Antipaxos’s vampire nightclub as limitless and “undead”. Talks of the nightclub have been happening since Season 1 of the show. This time around, What We Do in the Shadows has found the right spot to achieve this.
Additionally, Simms has teased potential cameo appearances for this new setting.
The nightclub [lasts] actually the entire season, and anyone who has ever played a vampire anywhere will eventually appear on [What We Do in the Shadows] if their schedule permits it. [I]t attracts its share of celebrities who want to come and see what the hot new scene is; and they might not realize that they are going into a vampire nightclub and are at risk of dying.
Paul Simms
With that said, it would be best not to expect any high-profile figures from the vampire world such as Tom Savini or characters from True Blood.
More Creatures in What We Do in the Shadows
Expect more mythical creatures to make their appearance in the show. This includes a genie in an early Season 4 episode who does not follow the three-wish norm and deviates from what we have seen in films such as Aladdin.
[P]art of it was when we decided we wanted him to bring a genie or djinn back from his ancestral homeland. … We wanted to subvert every expectation and have him be just a genie who is more like a businessman … In our story, it’s 50 wishes, and Nandor blows through all of them within about three episodes; so he’s really not very careful with it.
Paul Simms
Be sure to keep an eye out for an episode involving a hunting cabin and the vampires’ neighbor, Sean (Anthony Atamanuik).
Not only that, but the “Night Market” episode is teased as “definitely [What We Do in the Shadows‘s] biggest, most elaborate episode we’ve done … where all of the supernatural creatures in the city gather in a hidden place to barter and trade with each other”.
The “Rules” of the What We Do in the Shadows-verse
Simms and executive producer/ co-writer Stefani Robinson acknowledge that the rules of the franchise have been established. One example is “The Casino” episode. While Nandor did have a Big Bang Theory existential crisis here, Robinson clarifies that What We Do in the Shadows will not venture into incredibly deep or dark territory like Atlanta, another FX television series in which she also serves as an EP and a writer.
They are very, very different worlds and very different tones, and that’s also the reason why I particularly like writing on [What We Do in the Shadows] is, that we don’t have to get that deep, and it can stay lighthearted and be more of an escape, not only for us as creatives, but also for our audience as well.
We always make sure that the characters have some emotional journey or arc. And, obviously, Nandor does get pretty deep and has his own existential crisis, but it’s worked out and made fun of and ultimately lighthearted. I feel it doesn’t get much deeper than that, and I don’t know how satisfying it would be if it did.
Stefani Robinson, executive producer and writer for Jemaine Clement’s ‘What We Do in the Shadows’
Wrapping Up What We Do in the Shadows in Its Entirety
In terms of bringing the series to a conclusion, Simms and the other writers know how it ends. Now that What We Do in the Shadows has been renewed for a fifth and sixth season, he says they want to time it right.
He and Robinson also suggest that the series’ documentary crew may make a more prominent on-camera appearance in the future — “something that, before [What We Do in the Shadows] is over, we are going to … deal with”.
Jemaine Clement’s What We Do in the Shadows Season 4 makes its return via FX on July 12th and streams the next day via Hulu!
Also, stay tuned later this week for our reviews on the first four episodes of the new season!
Have you seen Clement’s series? If so, then what are your thoughts on it so far? Let us know! For more comedy, fantasy, and horror-related news and reviews visit and follow The Cinema Spot on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram!
Managing editor & film and television critic with a Bachelor's of Arts in English Literature with a Writing Minor from the University of Guam. Currently in graduate school completing a Master's in English Literature.
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