The hilarious vampires and their trusty familiars in FX’s What We Do in the Shadows have kept fans entertained with their ridiculous antics. However, fans know that Nadja, Laszlo, Nandor, and Guillermo’s stories wouldn’t be complete without the well-written side characters around them.
Whether they’re vampires themselves or just unwitting humans, these side characters have had to deal with the roommates’ often outrageous actions. Some of these individuals’ stories are fascinating enough to go on for more than a few episodes, with the best among them becoming fan favorites.
Topher Delmonico
When Nadja and Laszlo hire Topher as their familiar in the first episode of season 2, Guillermo immediately notices his annoyingly fake attitude. Guillermo is eventually able to prove that Topher is not as bright as they think when the new familiar electrocutes himself. The vampires make things worse by getting a necromancer to revive him, unintentionally turning him into a zombie. The undead Topher is even more troublesome and is promptly killed after he tries to eat Guillermo.
Since Topher only appears in one episode, fans don’t get to know much aside from the fact that he’s a slacker who runs a failing apple cider business. He had the potential to become a more formidable foe for Guillermo, but he ends up being an underdeveloped and forgettable character.
Jenna
Jenna is first introduced as a timid LARPer in the season 1 episode, “City Council.” Nadja takes pity on the shy college student, who’s often bullied by her friends. She turns the unsuspecting Jenna into a vampire and together they discover that she has the rare ability to turn invisible at will.
It’s entertaining and even sometimes moving to watch Jenna and Nadja’s friendship on the show, which is why it’s disappointing that Jenna's storyline is never given a proper ending. She disappears after the first season, presumably to live out the rest of her life as a vampire. It would have been much more thrilling to see Nadja visit her at least every few episodes to teach her more about what it means to be a creature of the night.
Simon The Devious
Simon is one of the smartest characters in What We Do in the Shadows, at least when compared to the roommates. Even though they all arrived in the United States at the same time, Simon managed to establish a nightclub and lead a pack of powerful vampires known as the Leather Skins.
Fans meet Simon in the season 1 episode, “Manhattan Night Club,” but he makes another appearance as his usual cunning self in season 2. It’s fun to watch his rivalry with Laszlo as the two struggle for ownership of the cursed witch skin hat. While his story arc does have a satisfying conclusion, Simon's character is a bit one-note and can sometimes be cheesy and overdramatic.
Evie Russell
The third episode of season 1 gives viewers a surprising B-plot that mostly takes place in Colin’s workplace. Here, he meets Evie, a powerful psychic vampire who preys on people’s emotions instead of using awkward interactions. The two of them form a romantic relationship that goes downhill after Evie starts portraying Colin as a villain to get their coworkers’ pity.
The setting is almost like a funny mashup of The Office and What We Do In The Shadows, and their unique relationship is strange but charming. The only downside is that not only does it appear in just one episode, but it’s also treated as a short subplot. Colin and Evie’s relationship could've added an interesting dynamic to the group. It could also help both the characters and the fans learn more about energy vampires.
Baron Afanas
The Baron is the first side character fans are introduced to in the pilot episode. The ancient vampire goes through a lot of changes in the show. He starts out as one of What We Do in the Shadows’ scariest creatures but slowly shows his fun side when the roommates take him out to party.
It’s exciting to see the absurd adventures that the Baron has with the rowdy vampires. His accidental death by sunlight was a preposterous but fitting end for the character. This is why it was somewhat frustrating to see him apparently still alive in season 3. His uncharacteristic satisfaction with moving to a quiet place in the countryside was also completely out of character for the usually demanding vampire.
Jeff Suckler
Gregor and Nadja’s on-and-off relationship is back on again when Nadja finds his latest reincarnation in the first episode of season 1. She’s upset to discover that Gregor’s newest self, Jeff, is not the same bold soldier she once knew. She decides to give him his old memories, which torments the timid Jeff. He ends up having to break out of a psychiatric ward before tragically getting decapitated.
Jeff’s last appearance is as a helpless ghost with unfinished business. His story is hopefully not over yet, as he never does get the closure he deserves. Unless the show incorporates him back into the narrative somehow, his character’s story is just left hanging.
Nadja’s Ghost
While everyone else wraps up their unfinished business in the season 2 episode, “Ghosts,” Nadja decides to keep her doppelganger in the form of a doll. The possessed doll has even funnier lines than Nadja herself at times and their friendship is amusing to watch.
Nadja’s ghost might as well be part of the gang already, as she’s usually in their house meetings spewing out insults and witty comebacks. Her short-lived departure in season 3 was heartbreaking to watch and served as a crucial learning experience for the real Nadja. Since the ghost can apparently move from object to object, the show will hopefully highlight her ability and include her in more of the group’s antics in the future.
Sean Rinaldi
The vampires’ friendly neighbor Sean is a likable character in What We Do In The Shadows. Even before they accidentally give him the “brain scramblies” in the third episode of season 2, he’s portrayed as a naive and sociable person who eventually considers Laszlo his best friend.
Sean’s character development is also appealing, as the show adds dimension to his story by highlighting his struggles with gambling and multi-level marketing schemes. It’s sweet to see how Laszlo always has his back. The fact that he still doesn’t realize his neighbors are vampires is a bit far-fetched but does make every interaction comical.
Jim The Vampire
Jim has an incredibly long history with Laszlo, which involves a guitar, a deal with the devil, and a beach house. He finally tracks his nemesis down after almost 200 years in the season 2 episode, “On the Run.” There’s a hilarious back-and-forth between the two, with Laszlo running to Pennsylvania and Jim somehow being able to track him down.
The episode has a touching conclusion, with Jim unexpectedly becoming the happy coach of a local volleyball team. Despite only appearing in one episode, his well-written backstory, entertaining lines, and fast character development have earned him praise in the fandom. Since he realizes in the end that the Big Mouth Billy Bass toy Laszlo gave him isn’t actually a Mechanical Turk in fish form, he’ll hopefully come back with a vengeance sometime soon.
The Guide
The Guide (also known as the Floating Woman) has taken on a bigger role in season 3, as she’s now responsible for helping the new leaders of the Vampiric Council adjust to their roles. She’s obviously confused about why her higher-ups would assign the incompetent roommates as the rulers of Staten Island. She doesn’t bother to hide her annoyance, which is always expressed in hilarious ways.
Her eye rolls and comments about things being “above her paygrade” are ridiculously funny. She feels as if she’s the only one who sees how absurd the entire situation is and she’s probably right. She has become the subject of several memes and discussions in the fandom, as viewers can’t get enough of her comical scenes.