These days, the only thing my friends and I have been talking about is the show, What We Do In the Shadows. The FX mockumentary follows the lives of three roommates who’ve lived together in Staten Island for the last century, Nador, Laszlo, and Nadja. Yes, they are vampires.
Apparently, my friends and I aren’t the only people that find this idiotic series hilarious, Rotten Tomatoes gave it a critic score of 94%, writing:
“Delightfully absurd and ridiculously fun, What We Do in the Shadows expands on the film’s vampiric lore and finds fresh perspective in its charming, off-kilter cast to create a mockumentary series worth sinking your teeth into.”
Rotten Tomatoes
The show is based on Taika Waititi’s 2015 film, which goes by the same name. While the film adaptation of What We Do In the Shadows grossed less than $7 million worldwide, but according to Vox’s Aja Romano it “gained a second life on the internet, fueled entirely by memes, fan love, and especially GIFs.”
Knowing that, I had some big expectations for the FX show’s Instagram. And I was not disappointed. Shadow’s Instagram is just as entertaining as the show. Not only does the account post genuinely funny content, but they also post smart content, which really allows them to get the most out of social television. What We Do In The Shadows is smart by creating content that:
Enhances and Expands on the Show
Fans who’ve seen every episode will still find something new when they go to What We Do In The Shadows’ Instagram. Each week, they post themed videos like “Vampires… They’re Just Like Us!” or post with scenes created for social media like Guillermo Tells All. For fans, these videos essentially enhance character plots and storylines.
Is Fun for People that Have Never Watched It
Unlike other shows which post the same old teaser clips or behind the scenes content, What We Do In The Shadows, posts clips that include some of the shows funniest scenes. If someone who has never seen the show stumbled upon their Instagram, they would be entertained; maybe even enticed to watch the show. They aren’t afraid to share their best content because they know the rest of the episode won’t disappoint.
Fans Can Interact With
Last week the account posted a series of stories that asked followers to apply for the job for Nadja and Laszlo’s new “Familiar” (Vampire Servant). Fans sent in their answers to questions like, “Besides Being Human, What is Biggest Weakness.” The account reposted fans’ answers with a response from a member of the cast.
These three examples, only scratch (bite) the surface of the smart content on the show’s Instagram. And just like the movie before it, What We Do In The Shadows, is a hit on social media. Luckily for the fans, “The hilarious vampire hijinks are set to continue for at least one more year on FX”, says TV Web’s Ryan Scott, since the network has renewed the show for a third season. You can catch up on seasons one and two on FX on Hulu.
Have you watched What Do In The Shadows? Or Have You Looked at Their Instagram? Let me know in the comments below.
This is some great use of social media for sure! It’s so smart to expand upon the show because people often finish the series and want more! I also love that even if people haven’t seen the show, they can still enjoy the content and relate to it. Having content consumers can interact with is also great for engagament and reach to help grow the account.