Sixth Season of 'What We Do in the Shadows' Divides Critics

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         On October 21, 2024, the sixth season of 'What We Do in the Shadows' premiered on FX, earning a score of 80% on Rotten Tomatoes at the time of this writing. For those who have yet to see the show, it "is a documentary-style look into the daily (or rather, nightly) lives of four vampires who've "lived" together for hundreds of years in Staten Island.The self-appointed leader of the group is Nandor the Relentless, a great warrior and conqueror from the Ottoman Empire. Then there's the British vampire Laszlo -- a bit of a rogue and a dandy and a fop, he might say. He's a lover of mischief and a great soirée, but not as much as he loves seeing Nandor fail miserably in every attempt. And then there's Nadja: the seductress, the temptress, the vampiric Bonnie to Laszlo's Clyde. Also cohabiting in the vampire household is Guillermo, Nandor's familiar; and Colin Robinson, an energy vampire and day-walker of sorts -- he feasts on humans, but not on their blood." The ensemble cast includes Matt Berry, Kayvan Novak, Natasia Demetriou, Harvey Guillén, Kristen Schaal, and Mark Proksch. But what did the critics say?

        BJ Colangelo of Slashfilm says, "Nandor is forced to be a bit more independent, Guillermo isn't enabling those around him, and without a human to boss around, Laszlo has to find something else to do to fill his time when he's not hunting or being horny. On that note, if Matt Berry isn't rightfully awarded an Emmy for the final season of "What We Do In the Shadows," I will personally do a s*** on all of the graves of those who failed to recognize his brilliance. No disrespect to Jeremy Allen White who has been dominating in the Lead Actor in a Comedy category for "The Bear," but Matt Berry is legitimately the funniest actor currently on TV, and the lack of acknowledgment feels downright criminal. He's already firing on all cylinders for season 6, and Laszlo's antics are some of the best they've been in the entire series. He and Colin Robinson spend much more time together than usual, and I now need someone to greenlight a new series inspired by "The Odd Couple" starring Berry and Proksch."

        Brennan Klein of Screen Rant notes, "What We Do in the Shadows season 6 features a sharp-as-ever cast, but the humor and plotting don't rise to their level as frequently as in the past."

        Kaiya Shunyata of RogerEbert.com was less impressed, stating, "In its sixth season, the existence of “What We Do in the Shadows” still feels like something we’ve taken for granted. The FX mockumentary had much to prove when it premiered in 2019, coming off the cult following of the 2014 film of the same name. Despite the time between the two, the series quickly found its footing, cultivating a dedicated fanbase and 29 Emmy nominations. Year after year, the series evolved beyond its predecessor through characters whose identities shaped the show and an ensemble cast who continue to give fantastic comedic performances throughout the show’s six seasons.In an age where shows are canceled before they can garner an audience, a show like “What We Do in the Shadows” being able to exist for six seasons feels like a miracle. The blending of comedy and horror is nearly absent in modern television, and with each season, it feels like this may be the only series that has truly mastered it. But now, the critically acclaimed series is ending, and as FX prepares for a bittersweet sendoff, it has unfortunately run into some glaring problems that cannot go unchecked." Concluding, "The splintering off of these characters and their ideals feels like it should have happened two seasons ago. With the knowledge that this is the show’s final season, it feels as if none of this burgeoning change truly matters, as these characters will cease to exist before the year is over. While only three episodes were shown to critics, the ones viewed exhibit that this is a show that no longer knows who it‘s catering to. It’s nice to get a conclusion in which storylines can be assumed to be wrapped up neatly, but in the meantime, it feels like “What We Do in the Shadows” should have ended while it was still going strong. A dynamic cast can only carry a series for so long, and unfortunately, that ship has long sailed with this one."