Creating ‘What We Do in the Shadows’ Is ‘All Panic and Desperation’

The latest in pop-culture news, recaps, and reviews, plus close reads, profiles, interviews, and more from Vulture.com. [Brand Logo]( people talking [Creating What We Do in the Shadows Is ‘All Panic and Desperation’]( The writers of the vampire comedy explain how they deal with gobs of supernatural lore and requests to make Nandor and Guillermo kiss. Photo: Chantal Anderson For five seasons, What We Do in the Shadows has luxuriated in the freedom of vampiric immortality and the comedic possibilities endless life provides. How do you pass the time when you might live forever and when you’re so old that contemporaneous culture feels inexplicable and foreign? The series took the premise of the same-named 2014 film from co-writers and directors Jemaine Clement and Taika Waititi and adapted it with increasing vulgarity and silliness, building both a dense, lore-filled world and a series of recognizable relationships between vampire Nandor (Kayvan Novak), his familiar, Guillermo (Harvey Guillén), married couple Nadja (Natasia Demetriou) and Laszlo (Matt Berry), and energy vampire Colin Robinson (Mark Proksch). Like all roommates, they bicker and banter; like some roommates, they’re constantly sleeping with each other; and like probably not that many roommates, their house is often filled with dead bodies, fantastical artifacts, and odd supernatural beings. [read more]( Devour pop culture with us. [Subscribe now]( to save over 60% on unlimited access to Vulture and everything New York. The Latest TV Recaps • Southern Charm: [Gentlemen Jacked]( • The Curse: [Pendulum Ride]( • Scott Pilgrim Takes Off: [Start New Game (Episode 1)](, [High-Level Enemies (Episode 2)](, [That’s Why They Call It ‘Play’ (Episode 3)](, [When You Wish Upon a Star (Episode 4)]( • Monarch: Legacy of Monsters: [Tokyo S.O.S.]( [Learn more about RevenueStripe...]( Stories We Think You’ll Like [The Hunger Games Forgets Its Own Nightmarish Message The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes has star power and action, but the prequel film lacks its predecessor’s sense of moral lucidity.]( By Roxana Hadadi [A.S. Byatt, Scholar and Possession Novelist, Dead at 87 “Antonia’s books are the most wonderful jewel-boxes of stories and ideas,” her publisher stated.]( By Jason P. Frank [Kelly Curran’s Gilded Age Social Climber Is Very Undine Spragg Turner’s grand reveal surprised her, too.]( By Jackson McHenry [Brian Jordan Alvarez Is Making a Comedy TV Show, You Guy! He’s graduated from studempt to English Teacher on FX.]( By Rebecca Alter [Will Napoleon’s Oscar Campaign End in Victory? Ridley Scott’s historical epic charged into the race this week, with a surprise worthy of Austerlitz: The movie is … funny?]( By Nate Jones [Learn more about RevenueStripe...]( [Today’s Crossword]( 23-Down, Four Letters: Some Sesame Street lessons. Photo-Illustration: Vulture; Photos: Getty Vulture Recommends We consume it all so you don’t have to. Illustration: Pete Gamlen What should I see on Broadway this holiday season? Take a look at Vulture’s theater hub, where we’ve collected our criticism and assorted other coverage in one space to provide you a satisfying answer to that question. Also sign up for [Stage Whisperer, Vulture’s theater newsletter](. [Read more from Vulture]( A newsletter of TV and movie recommendations. [Sign up]( to get it every week. [Get the Newsletter]( [logo]( [facebook logo]( [instagram logo]( [twitter logo]( [unsubscribe]( | [privacy notice]( | [update preferences]( This email was sent to {EMAIL}. Was this email forwarded to you? [Sign up now]( to get this newsletter in your inbox. [View this email in your browser.]( You received this email because you have a subscription to New York. Reach the right online audience with us For advertising information on email newsletters, please contact AdOps@nymag.com Vox Media, LLC 1201 Connecticut Ave. NW, 12th Floor Washington, DC 20036 Copyright © 2023, All rights reserved