‘What We Do in the Shadows’ is primed for Emmy hat trick
“What We Do in the Shadows” returned with aplomb last summer when its fifth season aired and proved once again it is one of the most original and funny comedy series currently airing. The FX series, adapted from the 2014 mockumentary movie of the same name by Jermaine Clement and Taika Waititi, follows a collection of vampires and their familiar living in modern-day New York City (or, if you’re Laszlo, New York Citayyyy). Clement created this show and Kayvan Novak, Matt Berry, and Natasia Demetriou star as the three central vampires. Harvey Guillén features as the gang’s familiar, who has now turned into a vampire in season five, while Mark Proksch plays energy vampire Colin Robinson.
The eclectic cast is the show’s ace in the hole and is what makes this series so special. And season five has delivered another knockout series while ratcheting things up a notch, as noted by critics.
Hoai-Tran Bui (Inverse) observed: “The main cast all remain on their A-game, and the show finds no shortage of laughs from the infinite ways that Matt Berry can overpronounce something.”
Nick Schafer (The Daily Beast) summarized: “The series refuses to rest on its laurels, repeatedly expanding its crazy vampire mythology and universe in unexpected ways.”
Ben Travers (Indie Wire) declared: “You know when your team is on a hot streak, and everyone is contributing, but there’s still that extra jolt of energy when the hottest player steps to the plate? That’s Laszlo. That’s Berry. It’s his MVP season.”
Samantha Nelson (IGN) stated: “Season 5 of FX’s ‘What We Do in the Shadows’ delivers on last season’s cliffhanger ending, changing up character dynamics in a way that keeps the supernatural sitcom fresh.”
Carly Lane (Collider) explained: “From leaning into energy vampire mythology to posing the larger question of what it is that really makes someone a vampire, the show is delving into some truly exciting places while never losing sight of its identity.”
As a result, we are predicting that “What We Do in the Shadows” will be nominated for Best Comedy Series alongside “The Bear,” “Hacks,” “Abbott Elementary,” “Only Murders in the Building,” “Curb Your Enthusiasm,” “Reservation Dogs,” and “Palm Royale.”
This critical reception — and its Rotten Tomatoes score of 95% — bodes well for the show’s chance at this year’s Emmys. It was previously nominated for Best Comedy Series in 2020 (losing to “Schitt’s Creek”) and then again in 2022 (losing to “Ted Lasso”) and it is searching for a third bid in that category this year. Emmy voters are obviously partial to the zany, idiosyncratic comedic style displayed in this hit laffer.
“What We Do in the Shadows” could benefit from TV academy voters love of familiarity in this category. In the past five years only 10 shows (out of 39 nomination slots) have reaped bids for their debut seasons: “Russian Doll” in 2019; “Ted Lasso” (winner), “Emily in Paris,” “The Flight Attendant,” and “Hacks” in 2021; “Abbott Elementary” and “Only Murders in the Building” in 2022; and “The Bear” (winner), “Jury Duty,” and “Wednesday” in 2023.
Make your predictions at Gold Derby now. Download our free and easy app for Apple/iPhone devices or Android (Google Play) to compete against legions of other fans plus our experts and editors for best prediction accuracy scores. See our latest prediction champs. Can you top our esteemed leaderboards next? Always remember to keep your predictions updated because they impact our latest racetrack odds, which terrify Hollywood chiefs and stars. Don’t miss the fun. Speak up and share your huffy opinions in our famous forums where 5,000 showbiz leaders lurk every day to track latest awards buzz. Everybody wants to know: What do you think? Who do you predict and why?