This year one of the best breakout comedies of 2019 has to be FX’s What We Do In The Shadows. Based on the hit film of the same name, the show followed a group of vampires living in Staten Island as a documentary crew followed them around. Nandor the Relentless, Nadja, Laszlo and energy vampire Collin Robinson, alongside Nandor’s familiar Guillermo, captured audiences attention immediately.
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One of the fan favorite episodes of the series had to be the Vampire Council, which saw Nandor, Nadja and Laszlo on trial. Here is a look at the vampire council’s star-studded council members.
Vampire Baby
One of the funniest members of the council that was seen briefly had to be the Vampire Baby. In an earlier part of the episode, Laszlo revealed he nearly went before the council for turning a baby into a vampire 90 years earlier, but he’d left it in the city and never claimed it as his own.
It was revealed another vampire, Garrett the vampire played by Dave Bautista, had been arrested for the crime and was serving a sentence in Staten Island. Laszlo had a chilling encounter with the angry vampire, grateful his role in the crime was hidden.
Colin Robinson
While a fan favorite and truly hilarious, the main reason this next pick is further up the list is because he is a series regular and also not as powerful as some of the other choices. That council member is the trio’s housemate, Colin Robinson.
An energy vampire who feeds off everyone by either boring or annoying them, his antics on the show have become some of the fans' favorite moments. He was chosen to be the local vampire to serve alongside the council, making for a hilarious interaction with the trio on trial for a crime.
Deacon Brucke
One of the best moments from the episode was the revelation that the original trio of vampires from the film the show is based on were actually members of the Vampire Council. The youngest of that trio was Deacon Brucke, a 183-year old vampire who was turned by their old roommate Petyrwho, who is 8,000-years old, .
Considered the young and “cool” member of the original trio, he was known for taking great pleasure in his vampiric nature, and loved being the rebel of the group. He is the most vocal of the council for the new trio.
Wesley
One of the best parts of the episode was seeing the sheer volume of guest stars who returned to their vampiric roots to play members of the council. Many celebrities brought their experience playing vampires back to the screen, and one of the first ones that needs mentioning has to be Wesley Snipes.
Playing council member Wesley the Daywalker, the half-vampire council member phoned in via video chat to attend the trial. His running joke was the lag time in his call, with everyone else on the council complaining about his spotty internet connection, which made for some hilarious WiFi gags.
Tilda
The next vampire on the list who made a return as a vampire was Tilda Swinton. The actress played Tilda, the head of the Vampire Council who was the deciding vote on all trials. Tilda is no stranger to the world of vampires, having played one in 2013 in the film Only Lovers Left Alive opposite Tom Hiddleston.
Tilda brought the most classic and gracefully haunting approach to the vampire characterization, but still managed to have some funny moments trying to understand why the council was in Staten Island and assuming Guillermo was the council’s lunch, making her return hilarious.
Danny
One of the coolest and most iconic vampires in the council that day had to be Danny Trejo, who played Danny the Vampire. A powerful vampire who brought an air of danger to the room of vampires, Danny Trejo is also no stranger to the world of vampires and horror.
One of his best known roles in this genre has to be in the Robert Rodriquez film From Dusk Till Dawn. Starring George Clooney, Quentin Tarantino, Salma Hayek and of course Danny Trejo, the film saw brothers/criminals take refuge in a Mexico bar, where Danny and others were vampires.
Vladislav the Poker
The next fan favorite of the original trio of vampires from the What We Do In The Shadows Universe has to be Jemaine Clement’s portrayal of Vladislav the Poker. An 882-year old vampire, he is the oldest and most powerful of the vampires in that original trio.
With major powers that only older vampires can have, his time in the original film saw him in a slump after losing a battle to The Beast, and unable to transform into animals fully. His portrayal on both the film and the show is loosely based on Gary Oldman’s version of Dracula.
Evan
A more modern icon in the vampire community belongs to Evan Rachel Wood, who played Evan the Immortal Princess of the Undead. Preferring to go by just her first name Evan, the actress brought an iconic turn as a Vampire Queen of Louisiana in the HBO hit series True Blood.
A powerful vampire who manipulated events over the course of the first three seasons in hopes of using Sookie Stackhouse to gain power, Evan’s role as a vampire was definitely memorable, as was her return to the vampire genre on this show, with many funny moments throughout the vampire trial.
Paul
The next council member that has a memorable history in the world of vampires in entertainment has to be Paul the Vampire, aka Paul Reubens. The actor is well known for his role in the acclaimed teen vampire blockbuster, Buffy the Vampire Slayer.
The film that began a franchise starred Kristy Swanson as the titular hero, with Rutger Hauer playing the villainous vampire master Lothos. Paul played Amilyn, the vampire lackey of Lothos. His scenes always stole the show, with Buffy slaying him in the end and Paul Reubens having the longest death scene of any vampire who’s been staked.
Viago
The funniest and best vampire on the council and the most memorable of the original trio has to be Viago, otherwise known by his full name, Viago Von Dorna Schmarten Scheden Heimburg (né von Blitzenberg). Played by legendary director and actor Taika Waititi, the character is a 379-year old vampire.
Known for being a bit uptight in the home of the original trio of vampires, he is a stickler for the rules, and shows this on the show when he is the one reading the rules and names of the council during the trial. Viago is a truly memorable vampire.