In a series that’s almost entirely composed of outrageously shocking over-the-top monster shenanigans – as it comes from the twisted genius of showrunners like Taika Waititi and Jemaine Clement – it’s pretty tough narrowing it down to the most jaw-dropping scenes and situations on display. But since I consider What We Do in the Shadows one of the best horror sitcoms ever made (and one of the funniest series of the past decade, which deserved to win that Emmy this year), I decided to step up to the challenge and wade into the carnage.
Alas, the fourth season of clueless vampires, geysers of blood, gloriously filthy dialogue, literally inhuman sex acts, death, dismemberment, and depravity has reached its end. In an attempt to hold off my sadness at having to wait a while for Season 5 (and 6, it turns out), I sorted out my favorite moments from the mockumentary show – based on the equally classic feature film – about a group of constantly bickering vampires sharing the same crumbling Staten Island house.
Of course, if you’re either unfamiliar or are still in the process of catching up, take this as your official warning: I’m going to spoil a crapload of plot twists and climactic moments, so you may want to stop here and bring yourself current before reading onward. You’re welcome.
Your personal WTF picks from the series may vary, and that’s cool by me; my choices are purely subjective and listed in no particular order. But I’d like to think I’m with the majority opinion on some of these horrific and hilarious highlights. If you don’t see one of your favorites here, be sure to jump into the comments and drop some knowledge on us and your fellow WWDITS fans (note the abbreviation going forward) because I might be inclined to do a follow-up list.
With that said… “BAT!”
Yes, this entire episode qualifies as one big WTF moment, and it’s no surprise it’s a fan favorite. It features a guest appearance by Mark Hamill as an ancient vampire named “Jim” who has a long-running beef with Laszlo Cravensworth, leading him to flee Staten Island. But it’s best remembered for Laszlo’s new identity as proprietor of Lucky Brew’s Bar & Grill in Pennsylvania and local women’s volleyball team coach. He carries this ruse off for a while, thanks to a “disguise” consisting of nothing but a cowboy hat and a toothpick, but Jim eventually gets wise to the charade. They briefly put aside their differences, thanks to Laszlo gifting Jim a singing “Billy Bass” toy (don’t ask). This is definitely one of the series’ high points and the inspiration for many a t-shirt design.
In a side-story that sadly never came to fruition, Nadja Antipaxos takes pity on socially-awkward LARPing nerd Jenna, transforming her and becoming her mentor. After roommate Shanice believes her to be dead, Jenna leaps up on the gurney in front of understandably terrified EMTs. Unfortunately, her undead life is even more awkward than her living one. It seems Nadja failed to fully coach Jenna about her newfound supernatural powers and hunger… not to mention her severe allergy to sunlight.
This turns out to be one of familiar-turned-slayer Guillermo De la Cruz’s best moments, wherein he infiltrates the “Mosquito Collectors of the Tri-State Area” – an inept team of wannabe vampire slayers including Shanice – in an attempt to dissuade them from raiding what turns out to be the wrong house. It seems they mistakenly targeted a completely different den of bloodsuckers: a disco-obsessed clan who dub themselves “The Hustle Dynasty” and model their lives around old TV sitcoms. It’s creepy and action-packed as Gizmo tries to get Shanice and the clueless crew out alive. He manages to slay most of the Dynasty on the way out… and his bird-flipping backflip exit is epic.
It wouldn’t be a vampire series without a dose of blasphemy, as the vamps decide to attend the funeral for one of Nandor the Relentless’s tens of thousands of relatives: a 94-year-old woman who dies immediately of a heart attack. The funeral is conducted in the church she once attended, and of course, being in the presence of so many crosses and religious icons is not exactly comfortable for the undead. Feeling his first experience of grief, Nandor tries to stay through the service… and catches fire. Guillermo’s situation is further aggravated by mistakenly dousing the flames with holy water.
It’s a paradox that probably hasn’t been addressed in the history of vampire lore: if you’re one of the living dead, can you be haunted by your own ghost? As it turns out, hell yes, you can, and the vamps are besieged by their own pesky apparitions. This is especially troubling to Nadja, whose spirit keeps jumping from one body to another, including a department store mannequin and a gigantic inflatable rat. The ghost ultimately lands in a doll, who looks and sounds like Nadja, all the way down to her pitch-black sarcasm. The doll became a regular character on the show despite not being given its name.
By this point, we’ve been treated to many examples of Guillermo’s secret skills – after all, he’s a descendant of Abraham Van Helsing and possesses superhuman vampire-slaying moves. His biggest show-stopper to date comes during the Council’s Nouveau Théâtre des Vampires event, which is revealed as a trap to execute Nandor, Nadja, and Laszlo for their alleged murder of the Baron and most of the Hustle Dynasty (all Guillermo’s doing). Although Nandor reveals his familiar’s vampire-slaying abilities, he fails to convince the Council, and Gizmo must save the group’s bacon again… by slaying almost every vamp in attendance.
There are many comedy highlights in this episode, in which Nandor decides to leave his blood-drinking days behind him by attending a “Wellness Center” for reformed vampires, led by a cheesy self-help guru. But the most knee-slapping moment comes during a cringe montage set to Barenaked Ladies’ late-90s hit “One Week,” in which the once mighty and ancient ruler dons gym shorts and busts questionable dance moves. Fortunately, Nandor gives up on the group just before their leader introduces the “reformed” vamps to sunlight (in which they instantly explode).
The return of everyone’s favorite energy-sucker sparked a huge sigh of relief – from myself and plenty of superfans – when he is revealed to have risen from his own putrid remains in the finale of Season 3. Not only is he reborn as the creepiest baby ever, this begins the Season 4 arc of Colin’s multiple awkward growth stages – each one embodied (through sometimes janky but always hilarious CGI) by Colin’s portrayer Mark Proksch. Laszlo attempts to become a father figure to the rapidly-growing kid, but you can probably guess how that turns out.
The “Trial” episode is a standout for many reasons. Still, it’s memorable mostly for the climactic lineup of celebrities who have played vampires in movies and TV – and turn out to be vampires for real. In addition to cameos from the stars of the WWDITS movie, including Taika Waititi, Jemaine Clement, and Jonathan Brugh, we also get Tilda Swinton (Only Lovers Left Alive), Wesley Snipes (Blade), Evan Rachel Wood (True Blood), and Paul Reubens (Buffy the Vampire Slayer). Absent members of the Vampiric Council apparently include big-screen vampire portrayers Tom Cruise, Brad Pitt, Kiefer Sutherland, and Rob Pattinson. The Council also reveals some fire dance moves during the Trial, for no other reason than it’s damn hilarious.
This one’s a slice of comedy gold, mainly for the long and intense buildup to an incredibly quick payoff. According to a 1993 treaty, any dispute between a clan of vampires and a pack of werewolves must be resolved in a duel. After a werewolf whizzes on Laszlo’s sexually-explicit topiary garden, Laszlo declares the duel is on. Nandor is their champion against Toby, the biggest, baddest dog of the pack. To everyone’s surprise, Nandor wins by luring his lycanthropic opponent with a dog toy, which he chases off an abandoned Circuit City roof. Toby survives (he is a werewolf, after all), but the pack leaves in embarrassment.
The “Orgy Episode” is already notorious among fans and memorable enough thanks to Guillermo’s narration of the vampires’ annual blood-and-sex soiree. Because they can’t see their own reflections, the familiar is forced to describe their supernaturally kinky hijinks in real time, announcing every detail through a bullhorn. Believe it or not, that’s not even the most outrageous moment; that would be the revelation that Laszlo was once a star performer in dozens of adult films and videos dating back to the Silent era. The clips we see – accompanied by Laszlo’s painfully bad dialogue – qualify this for WTF status, despite Nadja’s appraisal of her husband’s smut career as “boring,” which spoils the event for everyone.
This episode is filled with hilarious scenes, including watching the entire gang tripping balls after drinking the blood of crunked-out clubbers. But for pure gross-out “splatstick,” you can’t beat Baron Afanas’ (Doug Jones) reaction to human food, as he brings a whole new meaning to “projectile vomiting.”His digestive system’s rejection of pizza turns him into a projectile, ricocheting off buildings as he spews gallons of toxic puke. He still considers it worth the trouble… which is nice because he doesn’t live through the episode and won’t be back for a while. Well, at least half of him won’t.
The whole continuing story of the cursed “Witch Hat” is disturbingly funny enough. But when Simon the Devious, the leader of Manhattan’s vampire clan, introduces his peeps at his Sassy Cat Club, the insanity gets going. His gang the Leather Skins, includes the likes of Big Vlad, Little Vlad, the Freak Sisters, Evil Steve, Count Rapula, Blavglad the Exsanguinator, Mister ‘50s, Gunthrapple, Krilsack, Desdemona the Shrieker, The Silent One, Hovark the Pit Master, and Ken the Accountant. Apparently, Elvis Presley is also a member of this group, albeit a latecomer.
I’m guessing most of Season 2’s budget went into royalties for decades’ worth of pop songs which we learn Laszlo and Nadja actually wrote themselves. After discovering one-hit-wonders Dexy’s Midnight Runners stole the couple’s song “Chum on Irene” and retitled it “Come On Eileen,” we learn their work was covered and/or pirated by the Beach Boys (“Kokomo”) and the Spice Girls (“Wannabe”). They even claim credit for old standards like “For He’s a Jolly Good Fellow” and an extremely naughty tune that would eventually become “Row, Row, Row Your Boat.”
Colin’s special ability to literally bore others to death reaches its apex in this episode, where he rises from a lowly cubicle-rat position to top-level management by attrition. He still craves more power, drawing so much strength from his coworkers that he’s able to regrow hair, levitate, and clone himself (although his doppelgangers end up dropping dead). The company goes under due to its sudden lack of staff… so he shows up at a new workplace to start again.
This one served up the highlight of an epic episode, where the vamps visit the secret Night Market, where every supernatural being in the Tri-State Area comes to buy and sell occult wares. In an attempt to patch up his complicated relationship with Guillermo, Nandor unwittingly signs his sidekick up for a battle to death with other vampires’ familiars. When the vampire masters become annoyed after he refuses to kill another mortal, their anger leads to an all-out grudge battle. Nandor eventually steps in to stage a fight with Guillermo to fake the young man’s death and make a hasty escape. Unfortunately, Nandor’s not very good at pretending to fight, and things quickly go south.