The television series What We Do in the Shadows has cemented itself as an offbeat pop culture icon. The show is endlessly quotable, filled with memorable characters and madcap adventures. It’s the kind of show that viewers can escape into after a long, hard day with its brand of unique levity and some introspection on — ironically — what it means to care for others and be human. It’s sincere without ever coming off as disingenuous or trite. While its emotional heartbeat is undeniably Guillermo de la Cruz (Harvey Guillén), the flamboyant, devil-may-care Laszlo Cravensworth (Matt Berry) offers a surprising amount of sweetness, soul, and sensitivity.
In addition to being the star of the world’s most boring porno, Laszlo is a gentleman who often gets attached to the oddest people and even animals. He easily makes friends and forges bonds everywhere he goes. In the episode “Animal Control,” Laszlo, in bat form, is erroneously taken to the animal control facility, which results in him needing to be rescued by his beloved wife, Nadja (Natasia Demetriou). This is not before he makes a “gentleman’s promise” with his imprisoned cat brethren to provide them with food. Laszlo is sure to note that he must make good on this promise before he can leave. The Cravensworth brand of bizarre chivalry and charity does not end there.
The episode “On the Run” finds Laszlo assuming the identity of human bartender Jackie Daytona and running a bar in Pennsylvania. While hiding out, he becomes a patron of a local high school girls’ volleyball team. The episode contains beautifully bizarre Matt Berry pronunciations of Tucson, Arizona, and many vampire shenanigans. Still, at its core, it is an excellent reminder of how unabashedly human Laszlo can appear.
Throughout the series, Laszlo’s endearing love of the vampires’ human neighbor Sean Rinaldi (Anthony Atamanuik), draws both laughs and sentimental coos. At the outset, one might think Laszlo is exaggerating his devotion to his offbeat friendship with Sean, but over the course of four seasons, Sean and Laszlo’s odd bromance is one for the television history books. One particularly wholesome scenario comes after nearly frying Sean’s brain with hypnosis in the episode that is aptly called “Brain Scramblies.” Laszlo is determined to show Sean one last good time before mercy killing him. Thankfully, Sean is spared and recovers from his brain scramble, living another day to embark on madcap adventures with his best friend.
It would be easy for Laszlo’s friendships and affection for humans to be played purely for jokes, but the show portrays Laszlo as a character who doesn’t half-ass friendships. There’s a sense of rare devotion that Laszlo brings to the platonic relationships in his life. His flamboyant loyalty is genuine and provides a sense of nuance and vulnerability that some writers forget to give male characters across the board. Despite his vampire status, caring isn’t the antithesis of Laszlo’s character. He’s not impervious to humanity, even if he has to drain it to live.
One thing is certain: Laszlo is a lover. After all, he did become a vampire so he could “suck and fuck forever,” but his greatest love and his most enduring relationship is his marriage to his lady wife: Nadja of Antipaxos. The two have an open marriage and take many other lovers, yet they remain deeply devoted to one another. Their relationship is as chaotic and flashy as they are but filled with love and mutual respect. The episode “The Portrait” reveals how much Laszlo adores and esteems his wife when he dramatically confesses the reason he will not return to England: members of an exclusive club he belonged to at the time of his marriage to Nadja looked down on Nadja for being “a peasant.” Their disgusting classism made Laszlo vow never to set foot in his home country again. Nadja matters more to Laszlo than status or country. What We Do in the Shadows creates a romance of the ages, a blessed subversion of extremely tired and misogynist tropes.
Despite their love for one another, Nadja and Laszlo have had their fair share of problems. Marriages have lulls because, like all other relationships, marriage is work. Imagine having to work on your marriage for hundreds of years. Laszlo and Nadja’s shared devotion for one another keeps their love alive, even if there are obstacles like various reincarnations of Nadja’s human lover, Gregor (Jake McDorman). Laszlo isn’t needlessly combative toward Nadja, and he allows his lady wife to feel how she feels and to rove about with her reincarnated love.
However, Gregor has a nasty habit of making Nadja sad, which frequently causes Laszlo to kill him across all incarnations. His murders of Gregor are not for himself, and they’re not out of jealousy. They are simply because he loves Nadja. She is his world; her happiness means more to him than the nebulous idea of physical fidelity. When Gregor causes Nadja distress in his incarnation as Jeff, Laszlo boldly reveals that he put an end to Gregor, saying, “My darling, every time Del Boy turns up, you start crying. Now, I’m not having that. You’re my sweet baby, and I’m here to stop that kind of jive.” This dramatic confession moves Nadja due to Laszlo’s dedication to her happiness. He is her “knight in shining black coat.”
In a world where husbands are routinely depicted as hating their wives in comedies, it’s revolutionary to see a comedy that revels in the love a husband has for his wife. Laszlo is constantly showering Nadja with pet names, proclaiming that she is the most beautiful woman in the world, and paying tribute to her with his various topiaries. They have their petty disagreements — usually over Laszlo’s “bloody stupid cursed hat” or how Laszlo won’t allow Nadja to kill someone when she’s angry — but their love is truly undying. Laszlo is a wife guy for the ages, and his relationship with Nadja makes for a great, heartwarming comedy time and time again. Their wacky sweetness is a balm for the weary soul. Marriage as a whole might be a sham, but Nadja and Laslzo’s sure isn’t.
Season three sees Laszlo bonding considerably with Colin Robinson (Mark Proksch). It’s not until the penultimate episode of the season, “A Farewell,” that the viewer learns that Colin Robinson is dying. Laszlo learns that energy vampires only live 100 years. Instead of telling Colin, Laszlo dedicates himself to making Colin’s last year on Earth great. When Colin passes, Laszlo is deeply affected by his death. “The Portrait” focuses on the grief and adjustments the household goes through. Laszlo and Nadja plan to return to England, and everything seems like it might be okay in the wake of Colin’s sad demise. A grieving Laszlo is surprised, however, when he discovers that a baby version of Colin has crawled out of the bloated corpse of his former self like a disturbing Renesmee-esque phoenix. Colin’s rebirth derails Laszlo and Nadja’s travel plans, and ultimately, Laszlo chooses to stay behind to care for the baby. In the space of a single episode, Laszlo posits himself as one of television’s best father figures. The following season adds a whole new layer to Laszlo’s complex characterization.
Laszlo in a fatherly role is comical, yet the fourth season explores how emotionally attuned and sensitive he can be as he raises a rapidly growing Colin Robinson. After all, Laszlo chooses to care for the infant instead of traveling abroad with his beloved wife. The audience knows just how important Nadja is to Laszlo, so his decision to stay behind to be a father figure is a bold one of the heart. Laszlo takes pride in baby Colin and is involved in his rearing throughout his rapid aging and many awkward phases. He soon becomes hellbent on making sure Colin grows up to be adventurous and interesting — unlike his former self.
In turn, the audience learns more about Laszlo’s relationship with his own father, who pressured him unfairly. He strives to be a better father to Colin than his father was, trying to indulge Colin’s interests and shape him into an intelligent and interesting man. Laszlo makes classic parenting mistakes that all people fall into, making the arc a precious commodity. It provides humility and grace, allowing parents and parental figures to be human, mess up, and ultimately strive to do better. Laszlo wants to make Colin interesting by providing him with a solid foundation. As all of this plays out onscreen, the audience learns much about Laszlo’s lack of connection with his absent father.
With his father’s neglect in mind, Laszlo becomes more attuned to his emotions, growing as a person and parent. The father-son dynamic evolves, and the show explores an even more caring and sincere side of Laszlo. He is continually trying to do his best for Colin to give him the childhood he deserves, including spending time with him doing normal parent-child activities, like zoo trips, and reading to him aloud at bedtime. While Laszlo does all of these seemingly run-of-the-mill activities with his signature Cravensworth flare, he does so out of selfless love and devotion.
Over the course of the season, Colin grows rapidly; before the group knows it, he’s a teenager. During that phase of Colin’s life, Laszlo’s relationship with him becomes more difficult. Colin is no longer solely dependent on Laszlo. Naturally, Laszlo is saddened by their ever-changing dynamic and teenage Colin wanting little to do with him. It is then that Laszlo has to explain the brutal truths of life to his beloved pseudo-son. (And no, it’s not the age-old birds and the bees talk.) Laszlo has to tell Colin he is an energy vampire, which makes him different from others.
The revelation sparks what is one of season four’s saddest moments. Colin makes his total transformation into a full-fledged adult Colin Robinson. As a result, Colin forgets all the tender moments he shared with his friend-turned-father, which devastates Laszlo. His boy is grown and can’t remember how much Laszlo sacrificed for him. It’s bittersweet and speaks to parents’ anxieties about their children as they grow up. It is a great joy and deep sorrow to raise children with the confidence and the skills needed to thrive in the world, and Laszlo experiences just that. He has given Colin Robinson selfless guidance and unconditional love. Only What We Do in the Shadows could provide kooky vampire antics and a deep exploration of the joys and pains of parenthood.
Not all men on television will be good friends, wonderful husbands, and devoted fathers, but Laszlo Cravensworth is all of that rolled into a splendidly excessive package. Matt Berry portrays the role with comedic charm and human nuance to create one of the funniest characters in recent television history with passion and sensitivity. While Laszlo isn’t a perfect man, he is a good one. He’s fiercely devoted to those around him and with a heart that — while unbeating — is unmatched. He’s a lover, a fighter, and everything in between because he’s not afraid of his own passion and gusto. There’s a lot that people can learn about being human from a vampire who is terrible at blending in with mortals. May we all be as loving and eccentric as dear Laszlo, a true gentleman.
