If you like your vampire stories with a side of completely ridiculous humor, chances are What We Do in the Shadows is one of your favorite shows. The FX comedy, based on the movie by Jemaine Clement and Taika Waititi, is gearing up to premiere its second season and there is a lot in store.
In late 2019, GameSpot traveled to the Toronto, Canada set of the series to find out what to expect from Season 2. Clement and his team of executive producers were very forthcoming about some of the shenanigans Nandor (Kayvan Novak), his vampiric housemates, and his lowly familiar will get into throughout the upcoming 10-episode run.
Take a look below for just a small look at everything What We Do in the Shadows will present when it returns to FX on April 15–including some new and returning characters that fans will probably be very excited about.
And speaking of things you should be watching, consider listening to GameSpot’s weekly TV series and movies-focused podcast, You Should Be Watching. With new episodes premiering every Wednesday, you can watch a video version of the podcast over on GameSpot Universe or listen to audio versions on Spotify, Stitcher, Google Play, and Apple Podcasts.
1. There are even more monsters on the way
Werewolves are already established in What We Do in the Shadows, thanks to the original film. And, of course, there’s plenty of vampires. In Season 2, though, other classic monsters will join in, including zombies and ghosts. According to Clement, the latter is something he and executive producer Taika Waititi have wanted to incorporate since the beginning.
“When Taika and I were coming up with the movie idea, we talked a lot about this idea of if you see a ghost and the ghost is wearing clothes, where did clothes come from? Are they dead clothes? You know, that’s kind of the whole idea,” he explained. “The idea of what are these things that are never explained in these movies that would ruin all the frightening aspects of it if you investigated it and talk about that.”
Tackling the most mundane and unnecessary aspects of ghosts and zombies certainly seems like the perfect kind of fare for What We Do in the Shadows.
2. The vampires are going to a Super Bowl party
So much of the fun that comes from this show is watching the vampires interact with humans who have no idea what they really are. Get ready for even more of that, as the vamps attempt to befriend their neighbor Shaun in the second episode of the new season.
“The whole episode takes place in [Shaun’s] house during a Super Bowl party. So that, I think, is the most Staten Island-y we get,” writer and executive producer Stefani Robinson teased.
Added showrunner Paul Simms, “We wanted to do one [episode] early on that was definitely vampires in the real world. And they’re deeply honored that Shaun has invited them to the Super Bowl party. But they’ve misread the invitation and they think it’s the superb owl party.”
If the small glimpse at the party in the Season 2 trailer is any indication, it’s going to be a very strange evening.
3. Guillermo’s vampire killing gets taken to the next level
At the end of Season 1, it was revealed that Guillermo was a descendant of legendary vampire hunter Van Helsing, meaning the familiar that was attempting to become a vampire is technically destined to hunt and kill them. That’s going to leave him in an interesting situation in Season 2.
“We ended last season on a big question with Guillermo as to whether he’s a vampire killer by DNA or whether he still can be a vampire,” Simms said. “That’s sort of one of the biggest arcs we play out this season–his struggle to figure out what he exactly is.”
4. Nadja and Laszlo form a band
If you’ve seen the trailer, you’ll remember a short clip of Laszlo (Matt Berry) and Nadja (Natasia Demetriou) performing music together. According to Clement, that’s as close to a musical episode you’re going to get in Season 2, though there will be a number of songs.
“Matt Berry is a great musician and we’re gonna hear some of the songs that him and Nadja have come up with over centuries,” the creator teased. One can only assume they’re going to be dramatic and violent tunes.
5. Haley Joel Osment offers the Season 2 premiere’s biggest laughs
Anyone who has seen Hulu’s Future Man knows just how funny Haley Joel Osment can be and he’s bringing that comedic sensibility to the Season 2 premiere of What We Do in the Shadows. Osment plays Topher, the newest familiar for Nadja and Laszlo who goes through a lot over the episode and manages to make an enemy in Guillermo. “Nadja and Laszlo haven’t had much luck with picking familiars. So when they finally find this young guy Topher, they’re so excited,” Simms told Entertainment Weekly. “He’s the new guy, and to them, seems so much cooler and hipper than Guillermo.”
6. It picks up after a busy summer
When viewers rejoin the vampires in Season 2, they’ll learn how everyone in the house spent their summer. For Guillermo, as seen in the Season 2 trailer, there’s a lot of vampire killing being done.
7. Colin gets a makeover and ultimate power
If, while watching the trailer, you wondered why Colin had hair and seemed to be somehow even more powerful, that’s because he’s moving up in the world–at least temporarily. In fact, the episode that sees his rise in power is the one GameSpot was on set for. “In this episode that we’re filming now… the main story is Colin becomes very powerful, basically godlike,” Clement teased. “And so we wanted to see what an energy vampires power have taken to the ultimate level what would it be.”
8. This season’s villains are lovable
Part of the new season will see a group of amateur vampire hunters led by a new character played by Craig Robinson. Still, while they may technically be the “bad guys” in Season 2, Clement and his team plan to make you love them.
“We do have some aspiring vampire hunters in this season, so we meet them. But we want you to like them, as well,” he said. “Pit these two groups against each other, but unlike a horror movie it should be hard to choose who to side with.”
9. Nick Kroll is back and burnt.
While there are plenty of guest stars to come in Season 2 that aren’t being spoiled, one familiar face is seen in the trailer. “Simon the devious–Nick Kroll–is coming back because last time we saw him in his nightclub, it exploded and he’d been charred to a crisp. But he’s a vampire so he doesn’t die,” Simms revealed.
10. Yes, Season 2 will try to one-up Season 1’s cameo fest
The vampire council scene in Season 1, which features cameos by Tilda Swinton, Evan Rachel Wood, Wesley Snipes, and a long list of other famous faces will be hard to top. Still, Clement says the show has something in the works.
“I think we’re gonna try. Last year we hadn’t written the last episode when we were filming at this stage and we’ve done the same again,” he said. “We’ll see sort of what works in the story and what we like so that we can put it on. I mean, that is a dream. We are contacting famous vampire actors’ agents. But who knows? That may not work out.”
Disclosure: ViacomCBS is GameSpot’s parent company
