Five years after it started and six seasons later, “What We Do In The Shadows” comes to an end this October. A spin-off series based on the feature film of the same name from Jemaine Clement and Taika Waititi, “What We Do in the Shadows,” as most fans already know, is a mockumentary-style look into the daily (or rather, nightly) lives of four vampires who’ve “lived” together for hundreds of years in Staten Island.

Continue reading ‘What We Do In The Shadows’ Final Season Trailer: The Vampire’s Dark Purpose Ends This October at The Playlist.

October welcomes a slew of high-profile series and highly anticipated returns. A-list talent, including Cate Blanchett and Gael Garcia-Bernal, is returning to television for new projects. Meanwhile, long-running favorites such as “Heartstopper,” “Abbott Elementary,” and “What We Do in the Shadows” are all making their welcome return. 

READ MORE: Fall 2024 TV Preview: 40 Must-See Series To Watch

For those looking for a series that scratches the Halloween-season itch, there isn’t much besides the horror series “Teacup.” However, “Sweetpea” looks to play into creepier aesthetics with a killer plot line at its core.

Continue reading 11 October TV Shows To Watch: ‘Disclaimer,’ ‘Heartstopper,’ ‘La Máquina’ & More at The Playlist.

It’s that mad time of year again, the fall season rush. In film terms, it’s manic in terms of releases and film festivals. And while slightly less hectic in the world of TV, there are a host of new and returning shows coming this fall, plus the Emmys in September. But the era of what we used to routinely call #TooMuchContent has reduced in the drastically changing streaming wars. The Netflix stock market crash in 2002 had a ripple effect as Wall Street reevaluated streaming value; the 2023 strikes didn’t help, but the end result has been slightly less content, which has made it more manageable for writers like us and audiences, frankly, many of which didn’t have time to watch everything.

Continue reading Fall 2024 TV Preview: 40 Must-See Series To Watch at The Playlist.

Nothing lasts forever. Even vampires. So, when FX announced that the critically acclaimed “What We Do In The Shadows” was ending with season six, it wasn’t that surprising. Five seasons is a pretty great run for any television program in the current media environment. For Harvey Guillen, who portrays the familiar Guillermo to a 760-year-old plus vampire Nandor, played by Kayvan Novak, the news was somewhat bittersweet.

READ MORE: “What We Do In The Shadows’ Season 5 Review: FX’s Vampire Comedy Returns With Sharpened Teeth

Speaking to The Playlist last week, Guillen prefaces that he was glad the cast and crew knew season six would be their last before filming began.

Continue reading ‘What We Do In The Shadows’: Harvey Guillen Says Final Season Is ‘Hilarious” & “Possibilities Are Endless” [Interview] at The Playlist.

Television feels like it’s at a turning point at the end of 2023. The form has said goodbye to some of its heaviest critical darlings, including losing HBO Emmy juggernauts “Succession” and “Barry,” along with the too-soon demise of FX’s “Reservation Dogs.” It really felt like there was a question of where TV goes next … and then it went nowhere.

Continue reading The 20 Best TV Shows Of 2023 at The Playlist.

The fourth season of FX’s “What We Do in the Shadows” was undeniably funny, but it felt at times like the writers were on the verge of losing their way, either with increasingly ridiculous plotlines that hid some of the strengths of the ensemble—while the “new Colin” arc was clever, it wore out its welcome—or repetitive bits that felt like echoes of things done better in the past. The good news is that the first four episodes of the new season—all that was sent to press for review—are consistently funny in a way that feels like the creative prime of the show again.

Continue reading ‘What We Do In The Shadows’ Season 5 Review: FX’s Vampire Comedy Returns With Sharpened Teeth at The Playlist.

As the Writers Strike continues and the summer season presses on, it will become increasingly interesting to see the state of the television landscape. For now, there are still some high-profile releases on deck. From highly anticipated and long-awaited second seasons for fan-favorite series such as “Good Omens” to summer mainstays like the continuously hilarious “What We Do in the Shadows,” July remains a busy release month. 

READ MORE: Summer 2023 TV Preview: 40 Must-See Shows To Watch

While not highlighted, it’s also a big month for animated series.

Continue reading 12 TV Shows To Watch In July: ‘Full Circle,’ ‘Shadows,’ ‘Justified’ & More at The Playlist.

When the vampire mockumentary “What We Do in the Shadows” hit theaters in 2014, even its most ardent fans probably could not have guessed that its subsequent FX television adaptation would become one of the most popular comedies in a crowded television marketplace. But now, almost a decade later, the “What We Do in the Shadows” brand remains as strong as ever, and fans are ready for what season five will have to offer their favorite band of misfit vampires.

Continue reading ‘What We Do in the Shadows’ Season 5 Trailer: Staten Island’s Vampires Return To Suck Your Blood at The Playlist.

Yes, we’ve covered the Best TV of 2022, and we’ve covered the Most Anticipated TV of 2023 (and there may or may not be Best Performances, we’re running out of gas), but with such an amazing year of television— given the streaming age of #TooMuchContent has given us a massive overflow of TV— we couldn’t help, but try and highlight more deserving work with the Best Episodes of TV too. 

READ MORE: The Best TV Shows & Mini-Series Of 2022

This list may be seen as highly subjective, and that’s ok, aren’t they all?

Continue reading The Best Episodes Of TV In 2022 at The Playlist.

The streaming age might be in flux as we speak. The biggest story of the year, without question​​—which maybe some people don’t recognize as the biggest story of the year, but trust us, it was— was the Netflix stock crash of April 2022. After years of flying high, Wall Street suddenly turned on Netflix, turned on streaming, and started rethinking their evaluations of the profit margins on streaming. This news rocked the film and TV industry.

Continue reading The Best TV Shows & Mini-Series Of 2022 at The Playlist.

Has the newness worn off FX’s comedy “What We Do in the Shadows”? The first four episodes of the fourth season of the critical darling sometimes feel like this show may be approaching a writing plateau. Some of the peaks of the comedy from the end of season one and through most of season two feel in the rearview mirror. However, it’s a tough line to walk critically—just because this adaptation of the film by Jemaine Clement & Taika Waititi isn’t at its absolute best doesn’t mean it’s not still incredibly sharp and often laugh-out-loud funny, which is more than can be said about most TV comedies.

Continue reading ‘What We Do in the Shadows’ Review: Season 4 Is Familiar, But Still Wickedly Funny at The Playlist.

It’s become running commentary that 2022 has been positively bloated with quality television, from under-the-radar gems, soon-to-be cult favorites, and the obvious highlights with endings for long-standing favorites like “Better Call Saul” and the long-awaited return of “Stranger Things.” July is about the same, with plenty of new arriving series — many adaptations from books, comics, and video games— as well as returning standouts like FX’s little mockumentary that could “What We Do in the Shadows.” 

July sees not one but two series that play with audience nostalgia over the ’80s.

Continue reading 10 Must-Watch July TV Shows: ‘Black Bird,’ ‘Better Call Saul,’ ‘Shadows’ & More at The Playlist.

It’s always nice to see a series based on a movie really take off and become its own thing, find its own voice, and discover its own sea legs. And FX’s “What We Do in the Shadows,” based on the feature film of the same name by Jemaine Clement and Taika Waititi, has certainly down that. While the show, like the original movie, was originally about documenting the nightly exploits of vampire roommates and the hilarity of vampires having to deal with the mundane—cleaning, rent, chores, the rules of the house, and living among humans without being caught— FX’s ‘Shadows’ became more about navigating the modern world of Staten Island and venturing more outside.

Continue reading ‘What We Do In The Shadows’ Season 4 Trailer: Who Said The Dead Can’t Dance? at The Playlist.

Imagine having four Emmy nominations before you’re thirty years old. Imagine that two of those nominations are for Outstanding Comedy Series for two of the most critically acclaimed series of the past decade. Oh, and then imagine those other nominations are in the insanely competitive writing category for both series. Yep, Stefani Robinson is killing it.

READ MORE: “Atlanta” Season 3 Review: Donald Glover’s series finds comfort in the absurd

An executive producer on both “What We Do in the Shadows” and Donald Glover‘s “Atlanta,” Robinson has been extremely busy juggling both shows over the past three years (and the pandemic didn’t help).

Continue reading Stefani Robinson Does Double Duty On ‘Atlanta’ & ‘What We Do In Shadows’ & Does It Flawlessly [Interview] at The Playlist.

It’s easy to get cynical about the glut of movies being adapted into TV series because of the Age Of Content and the surplus of streamers who need series and, well, “content.” However, if there’s one series that’s really flourished and come into its own as its own thing is FX’s version of “What We Do In The Shadows.” Based on the 2014 film created by Jemaine Clement and Taika Waititi, the series, like the movie, is a mockumentary-style comedy that parodies things like “An Interview With The Vampire” The show also attempts to explore other versions of monster lore within the universe, but there’s an excellent character-driven emotional quality to the series too and just how hilariously petulant and immature all the vampires are.

Continue reading ‘What We Do In The Shadows’ Season 4 Teaser: FX’s Comedic Vampire Series Returns July 12 at The Playlist.

A recurring theme this Emmy season will be “snubs.” This year’s Emmys will have a ton of them. In the Outstanding Comedy Series category alone there are potentially five series that were nominated in 2021 that won’t make the cut just a year later, including “The Great,” “Cobra Kai,” “Black-ish,” “Emily in Paris” and “The Flight Attendant.” And that’s assuming the Television Academy keeps the field at just eight nominees (we’re not suggesting they expand it to 10, but we’re not not suggesting that either).

Continue reading Comedy Series Emmys 2022 Predictions & Contenders at The Playlist.

The Writers Guild of America announced the television nominees for the 2022 WGA Awards and while the key categories were filled with a number of familiar programs, an impressive slate of new series made the cut. Both “Yellowjackets,” “Loki,” “Hacks” and “Only Murders in the Building” earned respective Drama Series or Comedy Series nods as well as a New Series nomination. “Reservation Dogs” joined those four as the fifth nominee in the latter category.

Continue reading ‘Yellowjackets’ & ‘Loki’ Land WGA Awards TV Noms at The Playlist.

When it comes to content, 2021 was a year of massive highs and disappointing lows. As vaccinations began being implemented around the world, in-person festivals returned providing a euphoric celebration of cinema. And a rush into pandemic production by studios and networks in 2020 provided some unexpected standouts this calendar year (“Belfast,” “Squid Game”). Unfortunately, that content push also led to some films and television programs that resonated like a PTSD reaction to the aftermath of the 2007 WGA writer’s strike.

Continue reading Gregory Ellwood’s Top 10 Films and Top 10 Television Programs of 2021 at The Playlist.

For us, TV is a blessing and a curse. For years, we were mainly a film website, having evolved beyond the original remit of just doing film-related soundtracks (too small of a thing, ultimately). And while yes, people like David Lynch did TV in the ’90s (“Twin Peaks“) and various filmmakers dabbled in the medium throughout the years, it wasn’t until the early 2010s and the advent of streaming that filmmakers started heavily working in television and really up-ended the game.

Continue reading The 25 Best TV Shows & Mini-Series Of 2021 at The Playlist.

There’s no one right way to be a vampire, even if it comes with the same sleep schedule. Cinema has helped us grasp this concept over the decades, with variations on the folk horror archetype colored by some most frightening of human feelings: addiction, lust, control, and isolation. For as much as vampires cannot see themselves in the mirror, they’re reflections of ourselves, shapeshifting throughout different cultural periods.

The tradition of vampirism also brings out authorship from directors, with many using the setup for their own expression: the likes of Park Chan-wook, George Romero, Jim Jarmusch, Abel Ferrara, Catherine Hardwicke, Guillermo del Toro, Amy Heckerling, for just a taste.

Continue reading The Greatest Vampires In Cinema at The Playlist.

September isn’t just a big month for the film – though based on the sheer number of festivals it certainly will rule the conversation – but for television as well with some of the most anticipated titles of the year debuting this month. While there are plenty of exciting shows to look forward to this fall, September kicks it off right with returning series such as “What We Do in the Shadows” delivering on the necessary laughs, “Star Wars: Visions” helping us escape while “Foundation” brings big and bold science fiction to our television screens.

Continue reading 10 TV Shows To Watch In September: ‘Scenes From A Marriage,’ ‘The Morning Show,’ ‘Foundation’ & More at The Playlist.

There’s no star in the third season of “What We Do in the Shadows,” FX’s wonderful adaptation of the 2014 horror mockumentary from Jemaine Clement and Taika Waititi; there is only the ensemble. For clarity’s sake, the show has always rested on the strengths of its cast: Kayvan Novak, Matt Berry, Natasia Demetriou, Harvey Guillén, and Mark Prosch make one heck of a sitcom family, four vampires and a familiar, except that the familiar is now a vampire slayer promoted to bodyguard status after Season 2’s violent climax.

Continue reading ‘What We Do In The Shadows’ Season 3 Lends Thoughtful New Depth To The Hilarious Vampire Series [Review] at The Playlist.

It’s already been a good year for TV fans, with critics raving about “Mare of Easttown,” “The Underground Railroad,” and “The White Lotus” (among others on lists like this one). As anyone knows, the most robust time for television is from when kids go back to school in the fall through Christmas. After an incredibly weird autumn last year thanks to pandemic delays, streaming services and networks are hoping that this season is more traditional, and they are all bringing out their big guns, including new dramas, returning shows, and long-awaited mini-series.

Continue reading Fall 2021 TV Preview: 38 Series To Watch at The Playlist.

COVID-19 may have lasted for what feels like an eternity, but vampirism is forever. Fans of FX’s hit show “What We Do In The Shadows” may rejoice now: after an extended wait thanks to the now dwindling pandemic, an all-new season of their favorite vampires from Staten Island hits the network this Fall.

READ MORE: FX Shares Summer & Fall Premiere Dates For ‘What We Do In The Shadows,’ ‘Y: The Last Man,’ ‘Impeachment’ & More

The FX show takes the mockumentary format of the 2014 cult-favorite movie by Jermaine Clement and Taika Waititi and revamps it to an episodic format.

Continue reading ‘What We Do In The Shadows’ Season 3 Trailer: The Staten Island Vamps Return in September & Season 4 Greenlit at The Playlist.

You know what could have been really lame? “What We Do In The Shadows,” the TV series spin-off of Jemaine Clement and Taika Waititi’s excellent Sundance vampire mockumentary from 2014 (the film that got the latter filmmaker on the radar of people like Marvel‘s Kevin Feige). Now, film to TV is pretty common these days, but ‘Shadows’ is very particular about its brand of comedy and minor, but still important VFX.

Continue reading ‘What We Do In The Shadows’ Season 3 Teaser Trailer: Vampires Return September 2 at The Playlist.