Before 'What We Do in the Shadows' ends, experience Comic-Con with them one last time

Tracy Brown, Allen J. Schaben

July 27, 2024 at 3:45 AM·5 min read

San Diego, CA - July 25: From left: Kyle Newacheck, EP/Director, actor Mark Proksch, who plays "Colin Robinson," actor Kristen Schaal, as "the guide", actor/writer/composer Matt Berry, as "Laszlo" of the FX comedy "What We Do in the Shadows" arrive at the FX Lawn to tour the "Shadows" activation & complete the fan interaction with a view of a giant advertisement that covers the front of the Hilton Bayfront in the background at San Diego Comic-Con Thursday, July 25, 2024 in San Diego. The series is ending with its forthcoming sixth season. (Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times) — Executive producer and director Kyle Newacheck and cast members Mark Proksch, Kristen Schaal and Matt Berry of "What We Do in the Shadows" pose in front of the Hilton San Diego Bayfront, the facade of which is draped by a "What We do in the Shadows" ad.

One of the first Halloweens after “What We Do in the Shadows” premiered, showrunner Paul Simms was out trick-or-treating with his kids when they saw some people dressed up as the show’s frisky vampire power couple, Laszlo and Nadja.

“I've never been on a show before where you see people loving the show so much that they're dressed up like the characters,” says Simms. “It was just indescribably exciting to see these strangers that liked the show.”

Simms, along with “Shadows” cast members Matt Berry, Mark Proksch and Kristen Schaal, are gathered in a suite at the Hilton San Diego Bayfront Thursday as part of their whirlwind day of press and promotional festivities at Comic-Con. They’ll be joined later by director Kyle Newacheck as they make their way toward their Hall H presentation in the afternoon.

FX is going all out for “Shadows” at Comic-Con this year for their “farewell tour.” The acclaimed mockumentary comedy series — which earned eight Emmy nominations earlier this month — has announced that its upcoming sixth season will be its last. The Bayfront’s exterior is draped in a gigantic “Shadows” promotional poster, and just below the hotel is an activation area that features one designed to look like the show’s vampire mansion.

Before their panel presentation, the cast and creatives head to an area where they are greeted by fans in full cosplay despite the sweltering heat. The "Shadows" team is then shuttled to the convention center, where it listens in backstage as a packed Hall H receives a sneak peek at the Season 6 premiere. (Berry and Newacheck share a thumbs up when they hear the audience erupt in laughter after a Laszlo moment.) And after their Hall H presentation, they and the rest of their group will be chatting up fans — some in cosplay, some with "Shadows"-themed paraphernalia, all with enthusiasm — as they sign autographs and pose for selfies.

As for Season 6, Simms says, “It’s exactly what we wanted to do.”

“We wanted to make a last season that was not sentimental or trying to tie up every loose end,” he says. “Just make [a season] that is super funny and at the end has a good ending, which we're not going to tell you.”