Why The What We Do In The Shadows Spin-Off Never Should Have Worked
What We Do In The Shadows has been hypnotizing fans since 2019 with its sharp humor, charming characters, and clever use of the mockumentary format. Though when the show was first announced, fans of the original mocumentary film What We Do In The Shadows weren't sure if the format would translate to TV. Turns out, Taika Waititi and Jemaine Clement were able to take What We Do In The Shadows to the small screen with ease. Approaching it's final season, lets take a look at the source material that made What We Do In The Shadows the best horror sitcom ever made.
#whatwedointheshadows #taikawaititi #wwdits #nerdstalgic
New Cult Classics From The 2010s, Ranked
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www.vulture.com/2023/12/what-...
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Making up an energy vampire ended up being a genius move.
They didn’t make that up lol those things are real asf
loved that anyone consumed by Collin is inedible to any other vampire - they are just a walking hollow shell of their former selves.
Yeah, I remember when I first started watching it I wasn't sure about idea, but now I can't imagine this show without Colin Robinson :)
I swear I know like 5 energy vampires
Energy vampires have been a myth for long before the show. Though they perfected the idea
Matt Berry's line deliveries are so unbelievably spectacular that they immediately elevate the show.
BaaAAt
New Yorrrk Cityyyy
He's amazing in everything he does. Such great comedic delivery!
And somehow that thing he does never gets tired or gimmicky. It’s always hilarious.
Was I supposed to read this comment in his voice? Because I did.
Colin Robinson is the addition that takes the tv remake to another level.
Matt Berry is what brought me into the show, and Laszlo did not disappoint. Colin is great too.
Because they’re perfect and since there is perfection those items are nonexistent.
Best show on tv currently What pisses me off, is that they never release bloopers or deleted scenes
Imagine if it was still the dvd golden age. They'd have sold you a full cinderblock of deleted scenes
@@ChartreuseDanyeah FX leaving the dvd business has been unfortunate. Even it's always sunny and Philadelphia doesn't get physical releases anymore
@@nms7872 The Sunny one breaks my heart i have the first 6 seasons (which is good because the banned episodes are on it) but i wish I could have the rest too
@@Jakeyisdead FX did official dvd releases up until Season 10 on Sunny. Season 11 to 14 are not FX but still legit (no bonus features though). Seasons 15 and 16 are no where to be found though
It's all one take, it's a documentary
I remember watching the pilot a few years ago, thinking that it was impossible for this TV show to be as good as the movie. Then, Guillermo took Nandor to buy creepy paper. That silliness is exactly what makes this show work as it does. And it's a shame that is going to end, but maybe is for the best.
“Sir, you can’t be throwing ancient coins at people”… 😭
I admittedly avoided watching the show because I thought the movie was so perfect. I thought it would be a mediocre take on the movie to appeal to wider audiences. So glad I gave the show a chance. Hands down one of my favorite shows on TV right now. Took everything I loved from the movie and made it so much more.
Same here. My wife and I started watching the show last year and I’m kicking myself for not watching it sooner
I felt the same way, I avoided the show for a long time before a friend told me I should give it a chance.
Love the shoutout for Wellington Paranormal!
Wellington Paranormal is my favourite. So low-key and a brilliant little cast.
I need another a season of Wellington Paranormal 😭 The ending just doesn’t feel complete idk
One of the things that propelled WWDITS to America was a Kickstarter campaign so it could have a limited release run there. It meant that more people got to see it. (I got a sweet Werewolves Not Swearwolves shirt from it).
Awesome
Loved that scene from the movie. Hilarious.
Wellington Paranormal is criminally underwatched and underrated.
the humor is too australian, they tend to laugh at fart jokes too much.
@@esmeraldaweatherwaxe970 New Zealand. And I don't think there is a single fart joke in the series.
@@esmeraldaweatherwaxe970 There aren’t fart jokes, but the humor is a bit deadpanned (but I think that adds onto the charm of the show)
As a fan of the movie, my main concern was that they were going to Americanize it. The US doesn't have the best track record when it comes to adapting things that were successful in other countries with 3 failed attempts at an American version of Fawlty Towers, 2 failed attempts at Red Dwarf USA and more failed attempts at adapting the likes of Father Ted, The IT Crowd, The Vicar Of Dibley, Kath and Kim, Only Fools And Horses and many more. The Office US was probably the only one that was actually successful (although I personally didn't care for it). So the idea of What We Do In The Shadows getting a big American remake sounded pretty terrible to me...then I saw it and thought it was amazing. I think there are several reasons as to why it worked when most of these adaptions don't. For a start, having the original creators not only involved but pretty much being the lead creative forces behind the show makes it fit much better into the world of the film. Secondly, they aren't trying to replace the characters we knew and loved from the original, they were all completely original. Thirdly, most of the cast are highly regarded character actors who were able to really sink their teeth into the roles (pun slightly intended) rather than casting people who would be known to a mainstream American audience. But the biggest thing would have to be that the show doesn't try to replace the movie, rather adding to it's legacy and continuity.
I'll add a couple more... The American version of taskmaster was extremely disappointing. And the US copy of Ghosts is completely unwatchable.
That's well and good regarding the American track record on adaptations. I'm American, and in a "nobody picks on my little brother but me" sort of way, I wonder if American properties have been successfully adapted abroad. It's pretty rare, I think. Perhaps the latest time I heard of this phenomenon was a French Canadian adaptation of Brooklyn 99. Maybe, and I'm just putting it out there, that American adaptations just stand out more.
@@Levelistchampion It's a lot easier to dumb something down than to make something dumb into something clever
Sanford and Son was pretty funny, though I never saw the British version.
All in the family was an American version of a British show.
Wellington Paranormal - is also very very fun - worth checking out for fans of WWDITS
Jermaine Clement is also the Clement from flight of the concords. From such bangers as "if you're into it."
Yeah, I thought the line about him being that exact guy IN THE VIDEO you're watching was a big clue.
@@RossHall-UK At the time... That's what the video said. FOTC wasn't well known until 2010-ish.
Also Nandor and Lazslo are the personification of his song “you’ve got it going on”
Thank you SO MUCH for introducing me to Wellington Paranormal. I would have never even heard of it otherwise and would be missing out on one of the funniest shows I have ever seen. I was literally laughing out loud at the meat vs nan joke in Season 2. I haven't actually laughed in such a long time it felt really good. Please do an episode about this show!
As I consider WWDITS vs other adaptations, I think having completely new characters in a new setting that capture similar dynamics and chemistry, but otherwise having characters that are fresh and cant be written "out of character" helps a lot.
As a Wellingtonian it’s hilarious seeing Wellington popping up in a massively popular international universe.
I worked on the movie and it was the most fun set i've worked on. Jemaine and Taika are so lovely and kind to work for. I was working art department and they ended up giving me a role in the film and let me improvise. Some bits are in there but most was cut for time (as stated they had a lot of footage) but they really were just having a tonne of fun with mates and it shows. There's a lot of stuff to make you fall out of love with the industry but knowing a set can be that fun, warm and inviting keeps me going no matter the egotistical maniacs I run into.
Taika Waititi can do a much better job without Disney He should've left the MCU after THOR RAGNAROK
He should have never been brought into the MCU in the first place. Thor Ragnarok was an awful and unfunny piece of trash.
@@Ozzymandius1 More like BORE RAGNAROK
@@BumbleGee Jim Pickens approves
To be fair, he won an Oscar under Disney for Jojo Rabbit. But yeah, after Jojo he should have spread his wings and done more outside the house of mouse
@@Ozzymandius1 Well, enjoy being wrong. It's going be tough for you out there in the real world with shitty taste.
The show is PERFECTLY cast and the cast all shine in their roles. Thank you for including the fact that they use a great deal of improv on the show and highlighting this amazing comedy series!
Love that the camera crew is actually involved
So glad you appreciate the brilliance of NZ humor, this is why I watch Nerdstalgic = I knew you were one of us kiwis at heart 🤙
The 2nd season of NZL Taskmaster is probably the best one ever, even beating the most legendary of UK seasons. Keep the Kiwi humour coming! Love Guy Montgomery's Spelling Bee, too. Ka nui te mihi Aotearoa from Germany.
My wife and I have an annual tradition of watching films on certain events: ‘What We Do in the Shadows’ on Halloween, and ‘The Room’ on April Fool’s Day. Despite the change in our relationship throughout the years, our fondness for these films has remained.
Colin Robinson carries this show on his shoulders.
Interview with a Vampire: What if vampires were sexy? Twilight: What if vampires were posing as teenagers? What We Do in the Shadows: What if vampires were bisexual idiots? Each fit the times they were made in. I'm glad we're in the WWDItS era. :)
Easily the greatest show currently on tv. The cast is the key, especially Matt Berry.
Doing a second run of the series. Been a long time since I've laughed during every episode of a series.
I feel so old now. I went to see the movie at my local theater the day it came out. I was really into Flight of the Conchords at the time, so checking this movie out was a no-brainer for me. I *only* know the show as a spin-off of the movie.
I thought the TV show wasn’t going to even come close to the movie - but their writing and casting absolutely NAILED it
Yes, looking forward to your dive into wellington paranormal!
This channel is one of the few which has seen niche shows and talks about them. I really love your takes. Could you talk about Reno 911(The early seasons) or Workaholics. Both are very funny shows. Also WWDITS is criminally underrated, to see a channel talk about is just what I need.
I like how Matt Berry once said this show is pure escapism, the plot is so absurd and can go anywhere yet it’s all so mundane, also the very genuine feeling inclusion of queer characters is great
the other spinoff show wellington paranormal on HBO is so funny also. I feel like not many people realize that show takes place in the same universe and the leads are the two cops from the what we do in the shadows movie
This was great! I’m looking forward to a future Wellington Paranormal piece as well! 👽
I remember watching some episodes years ago and completely forgetting it. Thanks!
Im surprised you haven't done a video about Flight of the Conchords yet!! Such a great show!
The best scene I think of the entire show is the episode where Collin Robinson and the two Nadias all share a body. The last scene of that episode need to forever go down in history as the greatest of that entire show (that is overall all entirely fantastic).
Ooooo, so excited that there's one more season! Thought it might have ended w the last season
I wish this show would get a physical release. I want it on the shelf next to my Blu-ray for the movie.
It is so refreshing to see an innovative, well written and acted tv show. LOVE IT!!
as a fan of Wellington Paranormal i'm interested your take on the show
Pleeeeeeease do Wellington Paranormal!!! I can't get enough of it
I love this show and after i finished season 3 i was searching for new content. Finding the OG movie/content was super cool. I found the older movie and thought it was hella funny but i LOVE the show. They did an amazing job. ❤one of my top 3 favrite shows. I wish there was more well written content like this.
Didnt know this was a show. I only knew the movies and shorts. Now I know what im spending the rest of my weekend with.
i'm surprised you didn't mention We're Wolves, a spin-off about the werewolves in the 2014 movie that jemaine and taika teased a decade ago. jemaine recently said they've started working on it again. it'll probably star rhys darby since he was the lead werewolf in the movie. very exciting stuff!!
Loved these guys
I was hoping this video would be all about Wellington Paranormal. That show is brilliant and one of my absolute favourites ever.
Clemente was big with flight of the concords
I’m bummed we’ll never get a WWDITS x OFMD crossover!!!! A young Nandor passing by on ship to “discover” new land to pillage.
now that would be genius! 😆🤩😍
I remember my sister showing me this because I was a weird movie nerd, had seen Shark Vs Eagle and stuff like that. Years later when the show came out I was hyped because of Matt Berry, was a bit like "urgh this is just like the movie again" for the first half of season 1 but the 2nd half got me laughing so hard I stuck around and am so happy I did. I am always laughing out loud at this show
The WWDITS expanded universe has to include Wellington Paranormal.
Wellington Paranormal is great, thanks for mentioning it. The pair of police are so sweet and well meaning.
What we do in the shadows was a regular watch in Highschool with my boys. We would get high and watch heaps of their stuff, flight of the concords was an awesome series!
Great video.
Haha, that intro. One would assume anyone who's watched the show has also seen the movie too if not already very aware of it. The characters from it do appear in the show too after all
Never heard of it, but I loved Matt Berry as Douglas Reynholm in IT Crowd, so its a must watch for me
I loved the original movie, haven’t laughed that much in a long time. When the show came out it scratched that itch for more perfectly. I recently went back and watched the movie again and realized the show is actually MUCH funnier than the movie
BAT!
Nah
im literally wearing my wwdits shirt right now
Please do a vid on Wellington Paranormal! What We Do in the Shadows (the film) is the gift that keeps on giving. Hopefully they will do a show on the werewolves like they planned.
I don't knwo about anyone else but I'm Aussie and we watched the original mockumentary in English in high school, I only discovered the show after that!
Love the movie so much. Jermaine waititi and Matt berry are always wonderful. Miss flight if the concords tho
It’s a great show! Thanks
Love this show
Lesser known? The original movie was what piqued my interest and I was rather let down when the writers wouldn't be starring in the series itself.
I absolutely love this show. I didn’t like it when I first watched it, but the citizenship episode was amazing and the reason I started watching consistently.
I watched the movie before the series and loved the concept. Now I watch the series with just as much interest.
I wanted to see Akira from Taika Waititi Not another Thor movie
WWDITS is one of those rare comedies where EVERY leading character is awesome, usually there is always a few characters that are meh or bad (I hated Gina in B99, but loved every other character), but everyone in this show is amazing. Also, I would (and have) watch Matt Berry be Matt Berry in anything :D
I love this series :D
I love this show so much.
I love Matt Berry, I love the movie. Maybe I should give the show a chance… I haven’t yet because Taika‘s portrayal is SO CUTE that I didn’t want to see another actor (somewhat) playing that character
i watched the movie first when i heard the show was coming out and the humor was amazing 😂 i could watch both over and over and not get tired simply because both casts have so much chemistry w each other my favorite character is predictable, it's guillermo...i just wanna squish his cheeks he's adorable lol
I love this
There will be a wedding, a wedding in the dark, there will be a marriage, and everyone will ask…
The movie is so good! But yes, it definitely went under the radar. I only found it about thanks to a KZheadrs recommendation. Then subsequently, watching several clips which sold me on it. After that I recommended it to everyone and downright forced people to sit and watch it. Everyone loved it.
Is there a list of everything What we do in the shadows production?😅
I had no idea the movie turned into a show!!
Is the film lesser known? I have always assumed people who watch the programme have seen the film first
The movie and the show are both fantastic
Love the show.. though they did my boy Guillermo dirty at the end of a season. The one with a specific interest. (Don't wanna spoil). Lol
i had been a fan of the movie and short film for yearsss, but avoided the show at first because i was soooo scared it would be bad. I couldn’t imagine a whole new cast being able to emulate anything similar to what the OG’s achieved… Oh boy was I wrong… It is my absolute favourite comedy series. The cast is incredible. Matt Barry is a star and it’s an abomination he hasn’t been nominated for an emmy.
Sixth season? Are you saying it got sick seasons and a movie!?
My favorite show🖤🧛♀️🦇
I'd love to see that 22-min take for a 90 second scene
The main characters/actors aren't American. It makes a difference.
I remember all the stand up and comedy forums that were obsessed with Monty Pyton and Fry and Laurie suddenly posting about WWDITS like 90% of the time. It was inevitable, and nobody was annoyed about it. Just pure obsession from everyone.
This show is fantastic!
My friend and I loved the movie, so we were really eager to see the show, but the first few episodes just seemed like re-hashed bits from the movie done worse. So, we stopped watching and didn't look back. But from the sound of things, it's kind of like the American version of The Office, where it had a rocky start but really found its footing as it went on...I guess we'll have to give it another chance!
It's entirely possible to do good movie to tv adaptations and has been done many times. MASH, The Waltons, In the Heat of the Night, Stargate, Alien Nation, Fargo, Buffy, Alice, Fame, La Femme Nikita, Parenthood, Friday Night Lights, Hannibal, etc... The secret is understanding both the mediums and the material and how to make that change. What We Do In The Shadows nails it.
Wild how when the show came out, people only ever brought up the movies. Now it’s surpassed the movies. Hell yeah
I watched the show Because I saw the movie, thank you very much 😤
Oh dang, this is the first I'm learning that there's a spin-off series with paranormal investigating. Has anyone seen it? Any good?
Well...time to go rewatch Wellington Paranormal again while it is still on Max
You come for the humour, you stay for the sweetness.
Saying Clement isn’t “well known” is an insult to Men in Black and Flight of the Concords
The show is awesome, it's one of the best shows on TV.
I didn't even give the show a chance when it was announced. Some month ago i saw clips on TikTok and realized the show is amazing! Shame on me!
I want that Nadja doll!
Colin Robinson made the show so much better Wellington Paranormal is hillarious! I love that show
College friends... do you mean like high school or university? College in New Zealand is the U.S version of high school, and University is the U.S's college. It's just a bit confusing for us in NZ
I actually like the show better than the movie now. Which I did not expect. Crazy.
What we do in the shadows is superb but it was not the first to do this. I believe that goes to a Belgium film from 2010 called Vampires.