Top 10 Funniest What We Do in the Shadows Running Gags

Sean Rinaldi is one of the non-vampire characters in “What We Do in the Shadows.” As the next-door neighbor to Nandor, Nadja, Laszlo, and Colin Robinson, he’s witnessed some strange things and has been hypnotized on an almost regular basis. At the Super Bowl party, Laszlo and Nandor perform a double hypnosis that leaves him with the dreaded brain scramblies. They’ve considered killing the human on more than one occasion but ultimately let him live sans memories. Luckily for Sean, his nocturnal neighbors have grown fond of him, especially his main man Laz. Their efforts to keep their immortality under wraps result in some of the funniest moments of the series, many of which involve Seanie Boy. We’re pretty concerned about the state of his brain, though.

In the pilot episode, we learn that Nadja has a secret love affair with a mortal man spanning centuries. Gregor was once a knight but then appeared to her in different iterations, with his life always ending in a beheading. This time she finds her recreated lover in the form of regular guy Jeff Suckler. Unfortunately, he’s not the Gregor she longs for. Nadja’s struggle to properly pronounce his one-syllable name is absurdly hilarious. After cycling through a few attempts, Jesk seems to be her go-to. While the character only appeared in the first two seasons, his penchant for reinvention means we could meet him again, maybe with a better name.

Being a centuries-old immortal being, Laszlo Cravensworth is inherently worldly, and a master of the arts and sciences. Throughout the series, he reveals his countless vocations and powerful influence on historical happenings. Beginning in the late 1800s, he was an actor in (what he says is) “thousands” of adult films. He was also busy being the infamous serial killer Jack the Ripper. He’s a skilled musician who plays nearly every instrument and was one-half of Nadja & Laszlo, a singer-songwriter duo behind some of music’s most popular tunes. With his experience as a barrister and his relationship with Sigmund Freud, Laszlo’s also knowledgeable about law and psychology. Each career is more impressive than the last and we have a feeling that’s only scratching the surface of his extensive resume.

As an energy vampire, Colin Robinson feasts on the emotions of humans and vampires alike. Needless to say, he’s a pro when it comes to boring someone to the point of unconsciousness. He thrives in monotony, so his bland office job is the perfect place to drain the life out of people already operating on autopilot. When Colin Robinson is temporarily a younger version of himself, he still finds a way to test everyone’s patience, trading in useless facts about TV picture quality for Roblox and musical theater tidbits. It’s hard to say what age the day-walker is at his most annoying. But we must say, little Colin’s incessant “Guess what?” is amusing to no end.

At the end of season one, Nandor’s long-suffering familiar-turned-bodyguard Guillermo discovers he’s a descendant of legendary vampire hunter Abraham Van Helsing. Considering he’s been dying to become a vampire himself, this information causes some conflict. Guillermo’s natural vampire killing abilities are unparalleled, and the ease with which he can kill bloodsuckers is almost slapstick. His shock after the first few slayings lead to some funny moments, mostly because they’re accidental. And since murder is a stark contrast to Guillermo’s kindhearted nature, everyone laughs at the thought of him as a fearless hunter. When it comes time to save his master and other roommates, though, Guillermo de la Cruz massacres an entire theater full of vampires in a simultaneously comical and badass scene.

Working as a vampire’s familiar is a thankless job with no actual benefits aside from possibly becoming a vampire one day. Regular duties include housekeeping, obtaining human sustenance, body disposal, and other dangerous and/or demeaning tasks. We mostly see the bleak familiar world through Guillermo, whose tireless work goes unappreciated as he endures varying levels of cruelty. Laszlo and Nadja don’t even bother to get his name right, instead referring to him as Gizmo despite constantly being corrected. Nandor promised to turn him into a vampire but, more than ten years later, he’s yet to fulfill that promise. The whole dynamic is peak tragic comedy, especially when Guillermo meets elderly familiars, facing the sad reality that his vampiric transformation will likely never come.

Among their many abilities, vampires can turn into bats instantly. Nandor, Laszlo, and Nadja transform and often leave Guillermo and Colin Robinson behind. While it’s a common power in general vampire lore, Laszlo manages to make it look silly by shouting “Bat!” and “human form!” to transform. Since it doesn’t seem like other vamps are required to say anything to change, this act is, presumably, totally unnecessary. When he tries to show Nadja’s baby vamp how to become a bat, however, it doesn’t quite work out for her. It’s just one of the many oddities that make Laszlo one of our favorite characters.

Simon the Devious runs the Manhattan vampires with an eclectic crew known as the Leather Skins, mainly consisting of fellow vamps but also a human who later becomes a zombie. We’re first introduced to them at the Sassy Cat Club. And, though there are seemingly more than twenty crew members, everyone gets an intro, even the guy Simon claims he doesn’t know. In his following encounters with Nandor, Laszlo, and Nadja, he unnecessarily goes through the coterie roster again in nearly the same order, including new additions like Vampire Elvis. With unforgettable names like Blavglad the Exsanguinator and Desdemona the Shrieker, it’s impossible to choose a favorite. Still, Mr. ‘50s and Count Rapula are definitely up there with the most ridiculous.

Ask any “What We Do in the Shadows” fan what they love most about the show and they’re likely to say Laszlo’s uniquely flowery language. He adds extra syllables, drawing out words in an almost sing-songy lilt. When he tries to pass as Jackie Daytona, an American from the southwest, he doesn’t even bother to change his British accent. Whether Laszlo knows he’s mispronouncing words or genuinely believes he’s correct is one of the show’s great mysteries. Pair his entertaining speech patterns with a lack of understanding of the modern world and you’ve got yourself a solid comedic performance. Plus, Matt Berry’s line delivery is iconic and simply irresistible.

Before we unveil our top pick, here are a few honorable mentions.

Laszlo & Nadja’s Dying Familiars
Good Help Is Hard to Keep Alive

Sean’s Obsession with the “Ocean’s” Franchise
The Diehard Fan Is Particularly Passionate About the World-Building

Celebrity Guest Stars
From the Entire Vampiric Council to “Blade” Actor Donal Logue, the Series Loves a Cameo

Vampires vs. Modern Times
Despite Many Years on Earth, These Vamps Didn’t Take the Time to Learn How to Use Technology

Vampire Movie References
It’s No Surprise They’d Be Fans of the Horror Sub-Genre

It bleeds, it crawls, it causes nothing but misfortune. And yet Laszlo’s 100% witch-skin hat remains a coveted item, though only Simon the Devious and Lazlo seem to think so. It’s at the center of their historic rivalry and never fails to bring chaos. Simon goes to great lengths to obtain the cursed object, even creating an entire HGTV show about home renovations called “Go Flip Yourself.” Despite their repeated negative experiences, these two vamps are in deep denial about the hat’s habit of death and destruction. They’ll continue to fight over the cursed headwear and we’d be lying if we said we didn’t love to see it.