So, you're looking for the What We Do in the Shadows Super Bowl connection. It’s one of those things that lives in the overlap of a Venn diagram between "hardcore comedy nerds" and "people who actually watch football." If you’ve spent any time in the WWDITS fandom, you know that the "Superb Owl" isn't just a typo. It is a lifestyle.
But honestly, there's often a bit of confusion about whether the Staten Island vampires actually had a real-life commercial during the Big Game or if we're all just collectively hallucinating a Season 2 episode. Let’s set the record straight: the vampires have absolutely dominated the "Superb Owl" conversation, even if they haven't always bought a $7 million 30-second spot from NBC.
💡 You might also like: Why Wanderer Above the Sea of Fog is the Most Famous Man Standing on Cliff Painting
The Legendary Superb Owl Party
Most people searching for What We Do in the Shadows Super Bowl details are actually thinking of Season 2, Episode 3, titled "Brain Scramblies." This is the peak of the show's "vampires don't understand human stuff" trope.
In this episode, their neighbor Sean (the "Seany!" guy we all love) invites Nandor, Laszlo, Nadja, and Colin Robinson to a Super Bowl party. The vampires, being hundreds of years old and profoundly out of touch, genuinely believe they are going to see a "Superb Owl." They are legitimately excited to see a majestic, perhaps ancient, bird of prey.
What happens instead is a masterclass in awkward social interaction.
- The Brain Scramblies: Laszlo and Nandor accidentally hypnotize Sean so hard they "scramble" his brain because he catches them hovering.
- The Jade Necklace: Nadja gets into a petty feud with Sean's wife, Charmaine, over a supposed stolen heirloom.
- The Lack of Owls: The disappointment when they realize it’s just guys in helmets hitting each other is palpable.
This episode cemented the "Superb Owl" meme into the internet's lexicon. Every year around February, you’ll see thousands of Reddit posts and tweets using the hashtag #SuperbOwl, largely thanks to the cultural footprint of this specific half-hour of television.
Did They Ever Have a Real Super Bowl Ad?
This is where things get a little tricky. While there hasn't been a standalone, big-budget cinematic commercial featuring the cast exclusively for a Super Bowl broadcast, Hulu (and BINGE in Australia) has used the "Superb Owl" branding for years to promote the show during the football season.
For instance, around the 2025 and 2026 Super Bowl windows, streaming services have leaned heavily into the "Superb Owl" pun to drive views to the final season. You've probably seen those 15-second or 30-second clips on social media or during pre-game coverage that use the show’s footage. It’s smart marketing. Why pay for a full national spot when the fans are already doing the work of making the show trend?
In early 2026, there was a lot of chatter about whether the final season would get a "farewell" teaser during the game. While the 2026 ad roster was packed with brands like Pringles (starring Sabrina Carpenter) and OpenAI, the "Shadows" presence remained mostly digital and meta.
✨ Don't miss: Why The Purple Testament Twilight Zone Episode Still Creeps Us Out
Why the Superb Owl Joke Actually Matters
It’s not just a pun. The What We Do in the Shadows Super Bowl episode is actually a pivot point for the series. It’s one of the first times we see the vampires interacting with a "normal" American suburban tradition at scale.
It highlights the brilliance of Kayvan Novak’s Nandor and Matt Berry’s Laszlo. They try so hard to blend in, yet they fail so spectacularly. When Laszlo talks about "the sports," he sounds like an alien trying to describe a sandwich. That’s the magic of the show. It takes a massive, monolithic American event and views it through the eyes of four idiots who think a "touchdown" might be a ritual sacrifice.
Real-World "Superb Owl" Impact
Believe it or not, the joke has leaked into the real world of ornithology and wildlife conservation.
🔗 Read more: How to Watch ABC News with David Muir Without a Cable Bill
- National Audubon Society: They often lean into the hashtag during the game to share actual owl facts.
- Reddit Communities: The r/SuperbOwl subreddit is almost entirely dedicated to actual, beautiful owls, but the WWDITS fans drop by every February to pay their respects.
- Merchandise: You can’t go five feet in a craft market without seeing a "Superb Owl" t-shirt in the style of the show.
What to Watch Next
If you’ve already binged "Brain Scramblies" for the tenth time and you’re craving more of that specific brand of chaos, you should check out Season 6. Specifically, look for the episode "The Promotion." While it isn't about football, it carries that same energy of the vampires trying to navigate a human environment—this time, a corporate office.
The dynamic between Guillermo and Nandor reaches a boiling point there, and it’s arguably as funny as the original Super Bowl episode.
Actionable Insight:
If you want to celebrate the next "Superb Owl" like a true Staten Island vampire, skip the buffalo wings. Instead, try to convince your friends that the quarterback is actually a transformed bat. Or, more realistically, just head over to Hulu and re-watch Season 2, Episode 3. It remains the definitive way to experience the What We Do in the Shadows Super Bowl phenomenon. Make sure you check out the "Superb Owl" tags on social media during the next game—you’ll find a community of people who are also just there for the birds.