What We Do in the Shadows is a smash hit show based off of the movie of the same name. The series utilizes the mockumentary format to tell the story of vampires living on Staten Island. The show not only uses the mockumentary format, but it uses it better than almost any other series. While many series struggle to justify why the camera crew is there, or seemingly forget about the format altogether, What We Do in the Shadows fully embraces the style and even incorporates the crew into some scenes of the show.
What We Do in the Shadows was a movie made by Jermaine Clement and Taika Waititi in 2014 and then the concept was used to launch a show in 2019. The show has had three successful seasons with a fourth season set to air sometime this year. The show follows the lives of three regular vampires, an energy vampire and their familiar servant, who also happens to be a vampire hunter. The vampires live on Staten Island and the show follows the making of a documentary about the secret lives of vampires and their society. The mockumentary style suits the show perfectly, and it makes the well-used narrative style feel fresh and new.
While shows like The Office and Parks and Recreation popularized the mockumentary format, What We Do in the Shadows has really seemed to improve the style immensely. Other series seem to forget that they're supposed to be filming a documentary, and it becomes just a way to add exposition to the series. For some series, it doesn't even make sense to have a film crew present at all, and it makes audiences question why the series is even using the mockumentary style. What We Do in the Shadows makes sure that it remembers why it's using the mockumentary style and ensures that it incorporates many aspects of the style into its storytelling.
This style is also usually reserved for workplace comedies because it allows for each member of the 'office staff' to deliver their perspective on the most recent situation. In What We Do in the Shadows, the format is used more efficiently to explain the inner workings of vampire society, something that the audience knows nothing about. While the camera crew could be easily forgotten about, they instead are actually in a lot of danger much of the time because they are normal humans among many vampires and other undead creatures. There are multiple scenes of the crew members being attacked and harmed while filming their documentary.
Each time the crew is included in a scene or the main characters on the show actually act like they're on a documentary, it helps to improve the realism of the show and the format. Without the moments of danger for the crew or the vampires needing to explain a part of vampire society, the show would lose some of its magic. If they simply forgot about the crew or only used them to explain their feelings, then the show would start to feel like every other mockumentary series.
What We Do in the Shadows has helped to re-invigorate the mockumentary format. The style of show had begun to feel tired to many fans, but audience members of What We Do in the Shadows have begun to see new life being breathed into the format. By including the crew and not overusing the interview segments, the format has been able to stay feeling fresh and new for longer.