Why FX canceled what we do in the shadows

As far as comedy television shows of the last ten years go, it’s hard to find one more beloved than “What We Do in the Shadows.” The series, which premiered on FX in 2019, was based on the film of the same name by Taika Waititi and Jemaine Clement. However, no matter how good some things are, they must inevitably end.

The sixth season finale of “What We Do in the Shadows” served as the series finale, with the vampires saying goodbye after more than 60 episodes and more than five years on the air. However, the decision was made before the season began, so it wasn’t a surprise to any of the creatives involved, nor to viewers staying tuned to the news.

Broadly speaking, the show documented the nocturnal exploits of vampires Nandor (Kayvan Novak), Laszlo (Matt Berry), Nadja (Natasia Demetriou) and Colin Robinson (Mark Proksch), as they try to make their way in the modern world of New York. with the help of his human friend Guillermo (Harvey Guillén), as well as a vampire bureaucrat known as The Guide (Kristen Schaal).

For what it’s worth, the quality of the program had not diminished, according to the general consensus. /The movie review of the sixth season of “What We Do in the Shadows” called it “very funny.” That begs the question: Why would FX decide to end a show with a loyal fan base that was still being embraced by critics? The answer is simple.

In short, the series had simply run its course. Of course, American television is famous for letting shows get past their best. It’s the creative equivalent of squeezing blood out of a stone many times over. That’s just the nature of the business. (Not everything can be “Six Feet Under.”) However, in this case, FX decided to let the show play out on its own terms before it overstayed its welcome.

“The show came to a natural conclusion. It was a fantastic six years,” FX president John Landgraf said at the TCAs in February 2024 (via Screen Rant). Similarly, showrunner and executive producer Paul Simms addressed the show’s cancellation during a New York Comic Con panel in October 2024. As Simms explained, according to The Hollywood Reporterthe “Shadows” team would rather reach the top than overstay their welcome:

“I think it’s better to get to the top, and better too early than too late. I don’t want to stay long enough for this auditorium to only have a few people in front. I mean, just look at how many people are here.”

Simms also made it clear at the time that they weren’t going to leave the audience with any unresolved cliffhangers. “It’s all in Season 6. Everything we ever wanted to do is there,” he said. There’s nothing worse than a cliffhanger, so at least fans of the show got closure.

The good news is that this franchise has more to offer viewers. On the one hand, the movie the show is based on is truly wonderful and those who haven’t seen it would do well to check it out. Beyond that, there was also a relatively short-lived spin-off series titled “Wellington Paranormal” that originally aired in New Zealand and later came to The CW and Max. So for those looking to fill the vampire-sized hole in their hearts, that might be a good place to start.

“What We Do in the Shadows” is streaming on Hulu, or you can get the program on DVD on Amazon..