Top 10 Most Unhinged Moments on What We Do in the Shadows

Being centuries-old, the vampires are prone to bouts of depression and eternal life crises. In season 3, Nandor’s ennui leads him to joining the Post-Chiropteran Wellness Center, a community of vampires who take extreme measures to be human again. Leader Jan keeps the Formerly Fanged busy with jam-packed schedules that include aerobics, cornhole, and learning how to fit in amongst humans. From listening to “One Week” by the Barenaked Ladies on a constant loop to the nightly fang removal, Nandor’s new life away from his friends is unsettling. Guillermo refuses to let his master be in this cult of brainwashed vamps, so he infiltrates the center and kidnaps a reluctant Nandor, fighting several vampires along the way.

Seanie Boy invites his nocturnal neighbors over to a Super Bowl party, which Nandor, Nadja, and Laszlo mistake as a celebration for a “superb owl.” Thinking he’s discovered their secret immortality, Laszlo and Nandor double hypnotize Sean, leaving him with the fatal brain scramblies. Meanwhile, Nadja reconnects with an old friend, but becomes irate once she realizes the woman has her mother’s necklace, partially destroying their home in a rage-fueled search for it. Nadja takes a break from punching holes in the wall to join Laszlo and Nandor in showing Sean an amazing time before putting him out of his misery. He goes from speaking nonsense to shrieking in terror at their vampire abilities. And he won’t remember any of it.

Baby Colin is one of the wildest plots the show has ever done (xref). After Laszlo decides it’s time to enroll him in school, Sean brings up his alma mater Helen Country Day School. Nandor, Nadja, and Laszlo dress up in their “human” outfits, coach Baby Colin on what to say, and try to make a good impression in an interview with Headmaster Warren. The problem is, they can’t keep their stories straight on who Colin’s parents are. With every slip-up, Nadja puts Sean and Headmaster Warren through one hypnosis after another, which we later find out adds up to more than 400 times. As always, Guillermo is the only voice of reason, asking what we were all thinking…and receiving a hilariously frustrating answer.

What begins as a fun trip to Atlantic City for Sean and Charmaine’s vow renewal quickly descends into pandemonium. Colin Robinson lets a housekeeper clean their hotel room, leaving Nandor, Nadja, and Laszlo unable to rest without their ancestral soil. The more sleep-deprived they become, the loopier they get and the more their powers wane. Using Sean’s credit card, the vamps send Guillermo to London, Antipaxos, and Southern Iran to collect more soil. When he returns, he plans - with the vampires - to rig a boxing match to repay Sean, unintentionally resulting in one boxer punching his opponent’s head clean off. Between Nadja terrorizing the “Rat Pack” and Nandor’s obsession with a Big Bang Theory-themed slot machine, this entire episode is a series of over-the-top moments.

Out of the core cast, one could argue that Nadja is the most unhinged of them all. We’re used to seeing her fly off the handle when she’s angry, but when her dolly runs away, she goes nuclear. Luckily, Nadja and her human ghost inhabiting the doll are a lot alike, because you know, they’re the same person, so tracking her down isn’t too difficult. However, both of them are stubborn and insanely dramatic, which makes their fights as entertaining as they are tumultuous. Ghost Nadja hops into different vessels as Vampire Nadja chases her around, screaming proclamations of love, threats, and obscenities. In the end, the two hotheads make up. We see more of the duo’s wild antics when they swap bodies in Season 5

In the season 4 finale, Guillermo takes matters into his own hands and goes after his vampire dreams. However, everything goes wrong, starting with Derek’s messy attempt to turn him (xref). Being a man of science, Laszlo is determined to figure out why Guillermo hasn’t fully transformed. Most of his experiments are questionable, but nothing is quite as shocking as the human-animal hybrids he created using Guillermo’s DNA. For some fans, the talking creatures were a fever dream and they agreed with Laszlo’s idea to dispatch them. Others couldn’t help but find the coiffed hair hybrids oddly adorable and love that Daddy Gemerno takes his experimental offspring to a retirement home to be emotional support animals. But everyone can agree that Binky is pure nightmare fuel.

Any of the vampires appearing on live television guarantees a disaster, but with Nandor’s penchant for saying too much, he’s definitely the one to keep away from cameras. When their street has a water main break, Nandor is interviewed by Joanna Roscoe and casually reveals his centuries-long lifespan. Although the reporter laughs it off, Nandor runs home in a panic, causing his roommates to join him in overreacting to a non-issue. Everyone has a different plan — Nadja gives herself a makeover and Laszlo wants to kidnap Joanna. Colin Robinson sets up a gauntlet of traps, which an unwitting Guillermo manages to survive. The rest of the bonkers episode sees them levitating in the street as well as taking over the newsroom and doing a mass hypnosis.

While checking his “electronic letters”, Nandor opens a chain email that contains a curse, or so it says. Panicking, he tells Nadja and Laszlo and they become just as distraught. The email details the cautionary tale of a girl named Arianna, who didn’t listen to the warning and ended up disemboweled by Bloody Mary. Of course, the vampire trio absolutely lose their minds thinking they’ve actually been cursed. Laszlo really hones in on Arianna’s alleged fate while Nadja continues to berate Nandor. Guillermo’s absence means this spiral goes on far longer than it should. But he has a legitimate crisis — the vampire hunting club's terrible idea to sneak into the “Hustle Dynasty” household. Unsurprisingly, it turns into a chaotic fight for their lives (xref).

No “What We Do in the Shadows” list would be complete without Season 2’s “On the Run.” While the fan-favorite episode isn’t unhinged in the chaotic sense, Laszlo’s super dramatic response to paying an outstanding debt to Jim the Vampire goes beyond what anyone expected. First, he chooses a duel over simple repayment, then goes several steps further by moving to Pennsylvania. Laszlo dons his “foolproof human disguise” of denim and a toothpick, adopting his go-to alias, Jackie Daytona. He becomes incredibly invested in the girls volleyball team, quickly establishing himself as a beloved member of the community. Ultimately, he flees just as abruptly as he arrived. The whole ruse is one of Laszlo’s most ridiculous…ly amazing schemes.

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

Saving Guillermo, “Urgent Care”
Nadja Goes Full Mama Bear Mode for Gizmo

Simon the Devious Home-Renovator, “Go Flip Yourself”
As Always, Laszlo’s Nemesis Does the Absolute Most

Night Market Deathmatch, “The Night Market”
Guillermo & Nandor Go Head-to-Head in a Familiar Fight

Like a Boss, “Colin’s Promotion”
At Full Power, This Energy Vampire Can Do Some Damage

Zombie Topher, “Resurrection”
Alive or Undead, This Familiar Is… a Lot

In the pilot episode of “What We Do in the Shadows”, we’re introduced to Baron Afanas, an ancient vampire whose surprise visit has the household on edge. When he awakens, he’s not talking about his old-fashioned idea to conquer the world. No, the Baron wants Nandor, Nadja, and Laszlo to take him for a fun night on the town. Between bar-hopping and awkward confessions, the vampires struggle to keep the Baron under control. After he convinces everyone to “take shots,” he eats human food, triggering a violent bodily reaction. But the real party starts when they all go clubbing and consume blood with trippy substances. By the time the four of them stumble home, they are a giddy mess.

What’s your favorite unhinged moment? Did it make the list? Share the laughs in the comments below.