What We Do in the Shadows parents' guide: Is the FX series suitable for kids?

What We Do in the Shadows made its way into the FX comedy club in 2019. The show garnered a cult following because where else can you find ancient vamps arguing over chores and looking clueless about social media?

The series, created by Jemaine Clement, is a spin-off of the 2014 film Clement and Taika Waititi. As of 2025, the show has aired a total of six seasons.

What We Do in the Shadows killed it (no pun intended), hasn’t missed a beat with clever storylines, sharp timing, and the most peculiar vampire world-building you’ll ever see.

With every new season, the show kept pulling in fresh crowds, families included. However, if you are a parent thinking of letting your kids check it out, it is important to know that the show has fangs (literally and figuratively), tons of supernatural violence, loads of dark humor, and plenty of not-so-kid-friendly moments.

So, is it family-friendly? Let’s dig in and see what the experts say and flag any moments where you might want to pause, just in case you are watching with little ones lurking around.

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Is What We Do in the Shadows suitable for kids? Parents’ guide and content warnings

One of the most popular independent media review sites for families, Common Sense Media, proposes that viewers 14 years and older can watch What We Do in the Shadows.

According to reviewer Joyce Slaton, there is an equal amount of se*ual allusions, coarse language, and violence as there was with its 2014 predecessor. Parents must expect repeated blood and death scenarios, like vampires nourishing themselves on human beings, and the disposal of corpses in exaggerated styles.

However, there are no explicit nude scenes or graphic se*ual scenes, but s*x jokes are commonplace, and there is also frequent mention of virgins.

The language in the series is mature, with strong profanities, including “f--king”, “s--t”, and so forth. The violence is usually slapstick and over-the-top, although some scenes, like the attacks by the vampires or the rain of blood, are graphically violent and bloody by the standards of network television.

The vampires and other supernatural creatures are represented with special-effects makeup, which may be somewhat disturbing to some children. In addition to this, the characters are shown drinking frequently, and at times, at rowdy parties, further contributing to adult content.

The show is rated as older teens or adults internationally. In the US, What We Do in the Shadows is rated TV-MA, which limits the target audience to those of the mature age group. The same position is mirrored by other countries, e.g., in the UK (15+), Germany (16+), and Sweden (15).

The general agreement of both professional critics and governmental content control bodies is that the show for inappropriate to young children, the youngest recommended age varying between 14 and 16.

Meanwhile, there is some diversity in the cast, and you’ll catch themes like friendship and teamwork if you squint past all the folly. The show wraps its heart in layers of offbeat comedy and over-the-top gross-out moments. It’s hysterical, but hardly kiddie fare. If you have little ones running around, maybe steer clear.

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What is What We Do in the Shadows about?

What We Do in the Shadows revolves around a group of vampire roommates living in Staten Island, who are fumbling their way through modern life. We have Nandor, who takes himself way too seriously; Laszlo, who is just a sleaze with a British accent; Nadja, forever judging everyone; Colin Robinson, the king of boring people to death (literally); and poor Guillermo, the human lackey who probably needs therapy.

The show is shot in a mockumentary style, so there is plenty of eye contact with the camera, deadpan confessions, and the shenanigans that make you wonder if immortality is just an excuse to stay clueless.

Season 4 especially elevated things up a notch, not just on the joke front but with everyone leveling up in character arc. Episodes like Night Market and Private School have been lauded for their sharp writing and inventiveness.

And while the show keeps poking fun at all this deep stuff: who you are, what you want, being an oddball circled in red marker; it never loses its taste for humor.

Fans rave about Matt Berry’s delivery, Harvey Guillén nailing awkward-funny moments, and Natasia Demetriou’s comic zingers.

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Also Read: Why is What We Do in the Shadows Season 6 the last one? Exploring why the show was canceled