Focusing on the daily lives of vampire roommates, the FX series “What We Do in the Shadows” has stood out as a gem of comedic television since its 2019 premiere. The series, which serves as a loving spin-off of Taika Waititi’s (“Jojo Rabbit”) 2014 film of the same name, boasts an abundance of dark, tongue-in-cheek humor and a stellar cast.
In its third season, the series finds its characters exploring bizarre situations and concepts which greatly expand the series’ comedic potential. By also placing a greater focus on story and character development, the season stands out as the show’s best to date.
Though the season does not contain a clear overarching story, there are various recurring plotlines which help give it a more defined structure compared to past seasons. The most prominent narrative features Nandor (Kayvan Novak, “Cruella”) and Nadja (Natasia Demetriou, “Eurovision Song Contest: The Story of Fire Saga”) butting heads as the new co-leaders of the Supreme Vampiric Council.
One of the season’s greatest strengths is its willingness to explore new character dynamics. The most entertaining of these relationships is that between Laszlo (Matt Berry, “The Spongebob Movie: Sponge on the Run”) and Colin Robinson (Mark Proksch, “The Office”). The characters, who are shown to have clashing personalities, find themselves going on various excursions as a duo, developing a strong “bromance” along the way. The clashing Najda and Nandors’ relationship is also explored, with hilarity ensuing as they struggle for power over one another.
Individual character development is another strong suit of the season. This is especially the case for Laszlo, whose sensitive side begins to show through his stoic, lady’s man persona. Though his character does not really change, Robinson also stands out because of how the series dives deeper into the origins of his species: the “energy vampires.”
As with past seasons, the series’ third season breaks new ground regarding what vampires are, as well as the types of situations they may be portrayed in. A majority of these ideas are posed in episodes focusing on Nandor, whose depressive state causes him to resort to varying extremes to find happiness, such as attempting to become a human again.
The season’s only major flaw is its abandonment of a season two cliffhanger. Though the first episode heavily focuses on it, servant Guillermo’s (Harvey Guillén, “Zoey’s Extraordinary Playlist”) status as a vampire hunter is only briefly addressed throughout the rest of the season. While this is of little concern in terms of the story, those hoping for the plot point to persist much past the second season are bound for disappointment.
Possessing an abundance of heart and humor, the third season of “What We Do in the Shadows’” provides much hope for the series’ future. Showcasing an improved focus on relationships and story, the season shows the series has only scratched the surface of the situations and concepts it has to explore. With a fourth season soon to come, it is exciting to consider what fresh ideas and hilarious moments the series will delight fans with next.
Image from FX Networks via YouTube
