Colin Robinson can’t catch a break even heading into the final season ofWhat We Do in the Shadows. Unlike the rest of the main characters seen in both the TV show and film, Colin is what’s known as an energy vampire, who feeds off the life force of both humans and vampires simply by annoying them or boring them. The character is played by comedian and character actor Mark Proksch, who previously starred in the American version ofThe Officebefore going on to find further success both prior to and beyond the vampire comedy withBetter Call SaulandNetflix’sExploding Kittens.
What We Do in the Shadowsseason 6 finds the group of vampires working to move on from Guillermo no longer being their and Nandor’s familiar and, in the process, recalling they left their fifth vampire roommate, Jerry, in a state of hibernation. Colin, initially thrilled by the idea to awaken Jerry, as they were very close friends before, finds himself disappointed when the vampire puts him off and tries to reinvigorate the group into conquering the New World. As the group begin to separate into their own schemes, Colin finds himself teaming up with Laszlo in his quest to learn how to bring back the dead with science.
8 Biggest Questions What We Do In The Shadows Season 6 Must Answer Before The Show Ends
What We Do In The Shadows is saying goodbye with season 6, but there’s still a lot to wrap up with Laszlo, Nandor Nadja, Colin, and Guillermo!
Alongside Proksch, theensembleWhat We Do in the Shadowsseason 6 castsees the returns of Harvey Guillén as Guillermo, Natasia Demetriou as Nadja, Kayvan Novak as Nandor, Matt Berry as Laszlo and Kristen Schaal as The Guide. With a new vampire’s arrival introducing a sense of chaos and hilarity to the group as he reignites their old insecurities, the final season of the acclaimed comedy is keeping things fresh as it builds towards a hopefully satisfying conclusion.
Ahead of its premiere,Screen Rantinterviewed Mark Proksch to discussWhat We Do in the Shadowsseason 6, how it feels to be saying goodbye to both the show and Colin Robinson, getting to work with his real-life friend Mike O’Brien as the new vampire Jerry, and why he thinks Colin ultimately chooses to team up with Laszlo for hisFrankenstein-like experiments.
What We Do In The Shadows' Ending Is “Bittersweet” For Proksch
“The danger is what I’m going to carry over into my next role.”
Screen Rant: Mark, it’s great to see you again and chat aboutWhat We Do in the Shadowsseason 6. I can’t believe we’re already here at the end of this show. How does it feel for you reflecting on this journey now that we’re at the end?
Mark Proksch: You know, it’s a trite answer, but it’s actually a true answer, which is it’s bittersweet. I’m so lucky to have been a part of the show, and especially a show that was so funny, and smart, and people really seem to love. But at the same time, six seasons, we had a great run, and it’s good to go out on a high note. So, I think that’s the key to my success, is never overstay your welcome, what little welcome there may have been. [Laughs]
Is there any trait of Colin Robinson’s that you’re going to miss getting to play going into the future?
Mark Proksch: That’s a really good question. There’s little things that he would do. You know, when you’re improvising in the moment, you just come up with these little things, like holding up the finger to stop a person, or to hold a person off from continuing to talk, is so annoying, and I find it really funny that he does that. Yeah, there’s little things, but I would have to sit and think about it. The danger is what I’m going to carry over into my next role. Who knows, you may be seeing a lot of these Colin Robinson traits still popping up here and there.
Obviously, this is an ensemble show, so it may be hard to choose, but is there any one co-star of yours who you’re going to really miss getting to play opposite as you say goodbye to this show?
Mark Proksch: Yeah, they’re all great, but it would be Natasia. I think Natasia is so, so funny. I think it’s criminal that she hasn’t been nominated for an Emmy, she is truly one of the funniest people that I’ve ever worked with. We’ve become such good friends, as well, so it would definitely be Natasia. I love them all, I really do.
Jerry’s Arrival Is “More Piling On” For Colin In Season 6
The Ensuing Chaos Also Raises An Interesting Question About Colin’s Powers
In looking at the story of season 6, I love that we find out there’s a long-lost roommate, and that he and Colin were besties back in the day. But obviously, as I’ve seen, it’s not the case necessarily when he wakes up. What was it like learning more about that backstory for not just the vampires, but for Colin in particular?
Mark Proksch: It’s just more piling on Colin. This guy can’t buy a friend, and the actor playing him, Mike O’Brien, is a friend of mine, so it was fun having him on, and he does such a great job. Mike couldn’t be further away from that character. Mike’s such a sweet, nice guy, and brilliantly funny. It was fun getting to interact with him, where he’s always put off by Colin Robinson, always annoyed by me, and that was endlessly fun.
Colin is also someone who typically feeds off that kind of energy, but how does that work when he’s the one going through an emotional situation like rejection? Does he just sort of starve, like we saw in season 5?
Mark Proksch: Well, luckily, the return of Jerry the vampire causes a lot of strife amongst the other vampires, so I have a kind of weight gain issue because of that strife. I wonder, though, that’s a good question. Does Colin feed off of the negative energy when it’s towards him? I think when he angers somebody, then he feeds on it. But I don’t know if it’s when his feelings are also hurt, I don’t know.
Proksch Loves Colin & Laszlo’s Dynamic
“There is a reason, to some extent, why he’s working with Laszlo…”
So, as we see, Jerry’s return for the rest of the season really reinvigorates them into going on their own adventures, whether it’s dealing with Guillermo in his office job, or helping Laszlo, as Colin does, with his various experiments. Why do you think it isLaszlo’s storyline is the one that Colin finds himself drawninto of these various ones?
Mark Proksch: Oh, you’ll have to ask the writers. [Chuckles] I always got the feeling that Colin was always the character where they’d be like, “Okay, we have these figured out, now what should we do with Colin?” And by design, because Colin, you can kind of stick in any situation and it’ll work. There is a reason, to some extent, why he’s working with Laszlo, and it’s a selfish reason that I can’t give, really. But yeah, and I also think it’s a funny dynamic, Colin Robinson with Laszlo. Laszlo is such a blowhard and a fool, and Colin’s a very annoying nudge that it just kind of works.
I think one of my favorite scenes in which it works — which I do want to also ask about — is the rideshare scene, because it is so funny watching them test out all these various customers. How much of that was actually the script, and how much that was just you and Matt riffing?
Mark Proksch: It was mostly the script in that one. That one was filmed at like three in the morning after a long week of night shoots, so by the end of the week, you tend to rely more on the script. It was also freezing out, so we had crew members in a truck in front of us, like in a flatbed truck in front of us, exposed to the elements. We film in Toronto in the dead of winter, and when it’s that type of situation, you’re aware, and you don’t want to keep riffing and making people sit out in the cold, so you want to just get it and let people get home.
What We Do In The ShadowsWill Have “One Of The Most Unique” Series Finales
Proksch Also Teases That The Finale “Leaves The Door Open”
I think I’m coming up on time, so I did just want to ask really quickly. This is the final season, we are coming up to a series finale. What can you tell me about the finale and how it closes out this chapter?
Mark Proksch: I think it’s one of the most unique finales that I’ve seen, and I think it works perfectly in our world. I think the audience won’t be disappointed like on other comedies, where they have a lame finale. I think it’s great, and it leaves the door open, and yet it closes a chapter on Shadows. So I think it was done really, really well.
AboutWhat We Do In The ShadowsSeason 6
What We Do in the Shadows documents the nightly exploits of vampire roommates Nandor (Kayvan Novak), Laszlo (Matt Berry), Nadja (Natasia Demetriou) and Colin Robinson (Mark Proksch) as they navigate the modern world of Staten Island with the help of their former familiar and current human friend, Guillermo (Harvey Guillén) as well as their vampire bureaucrat acquaintance, The Guide (Kristen Schaal).
After a very brief stint as a full-blown vampire, Guillermo is re-evaluating his life. Who is he if not a familiar who will do anything to please his Master in hopes of one day being turned into a vampire? Meanwhile, the vampires are re-evaluating, too. When their former roommate reappears after a 50-year nap, they realize how little they’ve done in half a century — not one goal accomplished, not one dream pursued, not one part of the New World conquered (except for their street and part of Ashley Street).
In the sixth and final season of the Emmy-nominated comedy, Nandor, Nadja, Laszlo, Colin and Guillermo will enter the workforce, visit New Hampshire, go to a human dinner party, fête The Baron and conjure a demon — all while trying to find their place and their purpose in this crazy, mixed-up world.
Stay tuned for our otherWhat We Do in the Shadowsseason 6 interviews with:
The first three episodes ofWhat We Do in the Shadowsseason 6 premiere on October 21, followed by new episodes on Mondays on FX.
What We Do in the Shadows
Cast
What We Do in the Shadows, released in 2019, is a mockumentary series exploring the nightly lives of a group of centuries-old vampires residing in Staten Island. The comedic show delves into their interactions with each other and the modern world, providing a humorous take on the vampire genre.
