One of the gayest shows on TV is lurking just beyond the light of your viewing queue, but they’re ready to come out of the closet (or coffin) and entertain you. The iconic vampire mockumentary set in Staten Island, What We Do In The Shadows, is an ode to vampiric lore, chaotic chosen families, and has several queer elements that deserve a lot of praise. 

The eclectic group of housemates, Nandor the Relentless, Laszlo Cravensworth, Nadja of Antipaxos, Colin Robinson, and Guillermo de la Cruz (the lone human) are a chosen family unlike any other on television. They bicker and bite, often literally because 4/5 of them are vampires, but overall their non-beating hearts are usually in the right place. They are a group of oddballs who found each other in a world that’s stacked against them. Whether you’re a typical blood-sucking vampire forced to hide at night in the shadows, or you relate to the vampire’s gay human familiar Guillermo (a noble and kind-eyed assistant), there is something to love in every moment of this show. 

Gay Vampires Galore

We learn early on in the series that sex is a major pastime for vampire-kind. The supernatural roomies brag about their countless blood orgies and hold no shame in their expressions of self. All stay true to themselves, saying ‘fuck you’ to the spectrums of gender, sexuality, and defy societal norms. Ultimately the fact that they’re technically poly is an afterthought. It isn’t set up to be romantic either, or a cheap plotline with a stale love triangle, instead opting to just focus on an eternal truth: living forever means you’re gonna wanna fuck your roommates.

There’s a great episode where their clueless Staten Island neighbor Sean runs for City Comptroller, hoping to throw a pride parade to drum up some excitement for the campaign. It’s painfully funny watching the vampires dance in pride apparel at the end of the episode, joining the night-time parade for equality. One of my favorite parts of the show is seeing the near-ancient vampires interact with the 21st century surrounding them. The vampires embrace the parade and jump at neighbor Sean’s request to build a float, with Laszlo promising to deliver the gayest float ever because he claims to be “the king of the bottoms, I love bottoms!”. 

Guillermo and Nandor the Relentless

Guillermo is the loyal familiar to the vampires of the house, having joined the crew as an unpaid (and underappreciated) addition for over ten years. Promised he’ll one day be made into a vampire, Guillermo keeps his composure through the chaos the vampires cause around Staten Island. From having him bury bodies to calling him ‘Gizmo’ like the Gremlin, Guillermo gets little respect from the other housemates. It’s only his master Nandor whom he has a strong bond, helping set his coffin closed every night and answering all of his queries about the modern human world. More than a familiar/assistant, Nandor and Guillermo grow to rely on each other, appreciate their time together, and slowly inch closer to a potential hookup? Maybe not, but fans are clamoring to see ‘Gandor’ become cannon. They’ve denied jealousy when the other dates, but Nandor has actively sabotaged Guillermo’s love life. It’s less Munchausen by proxy and more She-Go and Dr. Dracon from Kim Possible. Guillermo is the protector with brains, and Nandor is the dummy leading the way. I hope they end up together, as both have spent the series learning to appreciate themselves and one another. 

Guillermo comes out in two ways in the series, as gay and then as a changing vampire. The similarities are really striking, you have to excommunicate from your overly religious family, it changes the way people perceive you, and it’s finally finding that previously unknown community you want to belong in. It’s a transformation, a metamorphosis, and maybe a tiny bit of emotional confusion. We see Guillermo struggle with his decision to turn into a vampire, only made more difficult after his family accepts him for being gay. Despite their acceptance, Guillermo still finds his heart lies with becoming a vampire, despite his Van Helsing ancestry (a famous vampire hunter). Turns out fighting vamps is in Guillermo's DNA, bringing a hilarious duality for the character to struggle with. Fighting off familial expectations to follow your authentic path is so gay-coded and Guillermo’s battle with accepting himself is one of relatability and queerness. 

Guillermo’s Greatest Wish

It’s Guillermo’s greatest wish to become a vampire, and he’s been patiently waiting for Nandor to turn him. After years of waiting, Guillermo ends up going to a schmucky vampire and gets turned without his master, Nandor, knowing. This betrayal, when finally revealed after a buildup of secret-keeping that lasts a whole season, culminates in the two having an honest conversation about expectations vs. the reality of transforming. Becoming ‘other’ isn’t a new concept to Guillermo, whose actor has frequently observed that Hollywood is no kind place to “queer, Latino, and big-bodied people” like himself. What destroys Guillermo’s passion to become a vampire is Nandor finally admitting that he knew Guillermo would hate eternity and was lowkey trying to protect him from a lifetime of loneliness. 

This honest talk marks a healthy turn for their tumultuous relationship. Nandor admits an endless life feels longer without good company. Even though Nandor’s heart hurts that Guillermo sought another vamp to transform (it’s a cheating allegory, right?) he learns to accept that Guillermo only left because he wasn’t feeling loved. Nandor rights this wrong by giving Guillermo a choice to return to humanity, which he accepts.

Watch What We Do in the Shadows

Overall, this show blends macabre humor, awkwardly hilarious moments, and authentically bizarre characters into a loveable watch. Whether Nandor and Guillermo end up together, or Guillermo finds another boyfriend, know that we’ll be watching for more gay moments. 

It’s always exciting to see what these characters will say to each other and the lengths they’ll go to do whatever the fuck they want, as long as the sun is down. Their near-unspoken romantic strange chosen family dynamic are key reasons to watch the show. The show, filmed Mockumentary-style like The Office, has been on FX/Hulu for 5 seasons with another one on the way, set to resume after the writer’s and actor’s strike. Hopefully the production companies pay them fairly!