An enormous a part of the comedy behind What We Do within the Shadows is just how boring issues can get for many who stay endlessly. Its quartet of vampire roommates in Staten Island are centuries previous and in addition hilariously mundane; an episode of the collection is mostly constructed round them studying about one thing new.
A minimum of, that’s how it’s now. With its fifth season premiering this week, FX’s What We Do within the Shadows is firmly in its hangout period. Earlier seasons had a bit extra, let’s say, chunk — it was at all times a joke machine firstly, nevertheless it additionally had compelling issues to say about America for many who cared to dig into such issues. Of the primary few episodes of season 5 that had been made out there to critics, every is constructed round a brand new factor for the vampire crew to strive for the primary time, just like the mall or a guys’ evening.
It’s a little bit of a normcore reset following final season’s elevated concentrate on hijinks. Laszlo (Matt Berry), Nandor (Kayvan Novak), and Nadja (Natasia Demetriou) are again to their bickering establishment, power vampire Colin Robinson (Mark Proksch) is again to regular after a season-long rebirth and dealing within the service business, and everyone seems to be ignoring Guillermo (Harvey Guillén), Nandor’s loyal acquainted.
Guillermo, nevertheless, is the most important change to the present’s establishment this season, with the premiere specializing in the fallout from final season’s cliffhanger, during which he requested a good friend to show him right into a vampire after rising impatient with Nandor’s limitless guarantees. It’s right here, with Guillermo, the place What We Do within the Shadows is most enjoyable, because the unintended penalties of his request start to spill out and complicate the present’s set dynamics.
In any other case, What We Do within the Shadows has managed to remain humorous, nevertheless it additionally feels much less centered. The place in earlier seasons an episode could have left you wanting extra (Laszlo’s short-lived “Jackie Daytona” alias, for instance), season 5 feels filled with missed alternatives. The mall within the premiere? We don’t spend a lot time in it. Colin Robinson working a service job? Talked about solely in passing. An episode centered on a Delight parade — one thing the present ought to be having a subject day with — cedes far an excessive amount of time to what is likely to be the collection’ least humorous subplot.
But none of this seems like an existential menace to the present, as a result of What We Do within the Shadows’ extremely robust solid has such a rock-solid grasp on their characters. Its funniest moments are sometimes when Nandor, Laszlo, and Nadja simply begin roasting one another (or Colin Robinson), as a result of by this level they’re about as well-established with the viewers as they’re with one another.
It’s essentially the most the present has felt like a conventional sitcom, however a really good one. On this model of the present, the characters are principally simply having enjoyable: Laszlo impersonates Nandor in a single chilly open, Nandor is criticized for utilizing hypnosis a lot that your entire borough of Staten Island is likely to be getting “dumber and dumber,” and Nadja’s ghost doll (it’s sophisticated) tries to get a brand new physique she will be able to have intercourse in — from a Construct-a-Bear Workshop.
Maybe What We Do within the Shadows might use the sort of catalyzing kick {that a} correct ending would deliver, however the sitcom-y mode the present has fallen into isn’t the worst factor for now. Residing endlessly could be enjoyable. It may additionally get previous.