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No matter what happens on “What We Do in the Shadows,” you know you’re going to laugh until it hurts.
The same was true for the show’s Season 6 panel at Paleyfest in NEW YORK CITAYYYY on October 19, when showrunner Paul Simms and stars Kayvan Novak, Matt Berry, and Mark Proksch discussed the final season and how it felt to conclude the story of their Staten Island vampires.
“We just felt like better too soon than too late, and we didn’t want to be doing it after we used everything up,” Simms said of deciding to end the show with Season 6. “We knew it was going to be sad, but that also gave us a clear direction for the season. We thought about all the other shows [that have] done final seasons, and shows that are like a ‘very special final season.’ We were like ‘No; we want to make this purely funny from beginning to end, and not be too sad or sentimental about it.”
Later on, when talking about how their characters stay the same, Proksch pushed that idea further: “It keeps us from falling into the current comedy trap, which is heart,” he said to a huge wave of laughter. “We have small moments, but they’re earned, and they feel authentic —”
“And then they’re squashed,” said Novak.
“Yeah, they’re wiped away with a dumb joke,” Proksch continued. “I think it kept the show fresh. You can jump in at any point in the series.” (Having recently made a friend who had never even heard of the show watch a random episode, “The Escape,” I can vouch for this statement.)
The actors recalled learning that Season 6 would be their last during a Christmas Eve Zoom call scheduled by Simms, and a feeling of “What the fuck?” (Novak) along with acceptance that a day they all expected would finally be on the horizon.
“I’ve seen it like happen with other shows, if they hang around for too long,” Berry said. “There’s like resentment for the work that’s gone before, and you should never be in that sort of position. You should cut loose before then, which is what I think we’ve done.”
Simms noted that the TV landscape has changed significantly over time; six seasons in 2024 is like the equivalent of ten seasons in the ’90s, even with fewer episodes. “What We Do in the Shadows” is a half-hour comedy, but the production demands are more like a sci-fi or fantasy movie and include night shoots, wirework, prosthetics, and other huge challenges.
“When you know the end is coming, that’s the worst bit,” Novak said of filming the final season. “And then just the momentum of work, you forget about all that. And then the closer you get to the end, Im like oh it’s the last wrap party, I’ve got to tell everyone how I feel about them… who’s gonna cry? Am I gonna cry? Am I gonna get upset? If I cry — will I cry in front of these people? Is Matt gonna cry?”
“Did anyone actually cry?” Novak asked after the laughter died down (this happened a lot).
“Everyone else,” Berry deadpanned.
“Everyone but the cast,” Proksch clarified.
The cast and Simms, who isn’t done with the show. “I’ll cry when I’m done editing,” he said. “Which is still ongoing.”
“What We Do in the Shadows” Season 6 premieres October 21 on FX, streaming next day on Hulu.