What We Do in the Shadows is gearing up for another darkly funny season at FX, and TV Insider was on location in Toronto to chat with the stars on the set of the vampire comedy.
In November 2022, we traveled to the chilly Canadian city for a glimpse at what’s to come from the vampire roommates and their familiar Guillermo (Harvey Guillen). While we can’t reveal all that has been shared, we are able to pull back the curtain enough to cast some vampire-safe light on the stories ahead.
As viewers will recall, Season 4 ended with Guillermo visiting his pal Derek (Chris Sandiford) with the proposition to turn him into a vampire in exchange for a bag full of money. But will they go through with the task? Viewers will have to tune in and see, but star Kayvan Novak, who plays Guillermo’s “Master” Nandor, did tease some changes ahead for the pair in Season 5.
(Credit: Russ Martin /FX)
“Nandor is definitely acutely aware that Guillermo has something else going on that’s more important than him,” Novak told us of the duo’s dynamic. “He doesn’t know what it is,” the actor continues, but notes “there’s a distance between them.” The distance sparks a bit of jealousy in Nandor as Guillermo spends more time with Laszlo (Matt Berry). “They’re kind of up to something,” Novak teases.
“They do spend a lot of time together,” Berry confirms of Guillermo and Laszlo’s interactions in Season 5. As for the nature of their shared plotline, it revolves around some experiments that will unfold over time. As the season’s logline teases, Guillermo is going through some “very secret changes” and the only way for Laszlo to get to the bottom of it all, Berry says, is “to use science.”
Meanwhile, Nadja (Natasia Demetriou) is going through a mini-crisis as she tries to recollect herself after her failed nightclub venture last season. “She’s like a classic narcissist,” Demetriou tells us. “Everything in her life has gone wrong, and she can’t take any responsibility for it. It’s like, ‘Why is this happening to me?’”
(Credit: Russ Martin /FX)
She’ll continue to question her luck when she believes she’s been hexed. “She thinks that she’s cursed,” Demetriou shares, “whereas her personality is her curse, her decisions are her curse, but she can’t acknowledge that.” This belief that she’s cursed “leads her down many adventurous paths including… going to Little Antipaxos.”
As for energy vampire Colin Robinson (Mark Proksch), he’s back to being an adult-sized nuisance after spending most of Season 4 in child form. And he’s grateful to be taking a bit of a break from the energy vampire lore this time around. “It’s a lot of hilarious standalone episodes,” Proksch previews. “Some of the funniest I think we’ve done.”
And don’t forget The Guide (Kristen Schaal), who is trying to find her place within the group this season. Of course, viewers know by now that the vampire roommates aren’t always the most welcoming. Schaal acknowledges that: “Guillermo is the only one who treats her with any amount of humanity. He’s very kind to her and just sees her.”
Admittedly, the actress says, “She’s having trouble connecting with them and she’s definitely in her head about it and is just feeling more and more on the outside.”
Thankfully, fans won’t be on the outside of Season 5 for much longer. Stay tuned as we continue to pull back the curtain on Shadows‘ latest season with more behind-the-scenes set reveals and scoops.
What We Do in the Shadows, Season 5 Premiere, Thursday, July 13, 10/9c, FX (next day on Hulu)
