Comedy

When Does Wellington Paranormal Season 5 Come Out? Is It Renewed?

Wellington Paranormal Season 5 has not been confirmed yet.

TMDB

6.9

Seasons

5

Episodes

31

Wellington Paranormal poster

Diagnostics

Network
BBC Three
First aired
2018-07-11
Last aired
2022-03-23
Runtime
21 min

Predictive Logic Analysis

Wellington Paranormal completed five seasons across a four-year production span (2018 to 2022), a pattern suggesting the show ran its course as intended. The gap between the March 2022 finale and now is substantial: 53 months without a public renewal announcement or cancellation notice. For a BBC Three comedy, this silence is itself a negative signal. BBC Three has been selective with renewals and has often let shows conclude quietly. Formal cancellation statements are uncommon for comedies that don't land major cultural momentum beyond their core audience.

The episode ratings offer limited encouragement. Season 4 averaged 6.9/10 on IMDb, a modest score that rose slightly within the season but remains in the mid-range for comedy. The show's total episode count of 31 across five seasons reflects short runs typical of UK television, but no arc or trajectory suggests building momentum toward a sixth season. Without recent production announcements, casting news, or an official renewal statement from the BBC, the inference that the show has concluded is reasonable.

What is Wellington Paranormal about?

Wellington Paranormal is a brilliantly absurd paranormal procedural that finds comedy in the mundane bureaucracy of investigating the impossible. Set in New Zealand's capital city, the show follows Officers Minogue and O'Leary—characters spun off from Taika Waititi and Jemaine Clement's acclaimed film What We Do In The Shadows—as they respond to reports of ghosts, demons, curses, and unexplainable phenomena with the deadpan professionalism of ordinary beat cops. The premise taps into something genuinely appealing: instead of dramatic monster-hunting heroics, we watch two well-meaning officers fill out paperwork, follow protocol, and struggle with the cognitive dissonance of treating the supernatural as just another part of their job. The hook lies in watching everyday people navigate the ridiculous without ever breaking character.

The show's comedy emerges entirely from its tone, a masterclass in dry, understated humor. Clement and Waititi have created a world where the paranormal is simply business as usual, treated with the same resigned patience as any other municipal responsibility. The writing avoids cheap jump scares or winking irony; instead, it commits fully to the awkwardness of supernatural encounters handled through the lens of health and safety regulations, community relations, and proper documentation. The mockumentary format, borrowed from the original film, allows characters to address the camera with baffled stares and exasperated commentary that never quite break the fourth wall. It's a comedy of escalating weirdness met with bureaucratic calm, and it works because the show respects both the comedy and the characters equally.

Wellington Paranormal developed a devoted cult following during its four-season run, particularly among audiences who appreciated its refusal to pander or rely on conventional punchlines. Critics praised its inventive writing and the naturalistic performances of Minogue and O'Leary, who anchor the chaos with genuine charm. The show became a calling card for New Zealand's distinctive comedic sensibility—confident, intelligent, and willing to let absurdity breathe without explanation.

In a landscape crowded with paranormal comedies, Wellington Paranormal carved out its own territory by committing to character and restraint. It sits somewhere between Parks and Recreation's workplace comedy earnestness and the mockumentary traditions established by shows like The Office, but with its own particular flavor rooted in Antipodean humor. Though it concluded after four seasons, the show proved that there was an audience hungry for smart, character-driven comedy that doesn't confuse noise with cleverness.

Created by Jemaine Clement, Taika Waititi

Themes

mockumentarybased on moviesupernatural phenomenawellington new zealand

Is Wellington Paranormal renewed or cancelled?

Working toward renewal

low

Episode ratings rising within Season 4

Working against it

high

53 months since last episode aired with no renewal announcement

high

No credible renewal signals in trade press or official announcements

medium

BBC Three's historical pattern of concluding comedy series without formal cancellation notices

medium

Season 4 IMDb rating of 6.9/10, modest for comedy renewal consideration

Wellington Paranormal Season 5 Release Date

No confirmed production or air date exists for a potential sixth season. Given the 53-month silence and BBC Three's renewal patterns, the likelihood of an announcement in the near future is low. If the show were to return, it would likely follow the historical gap pattern of 18 to 24 months between seasons, placing a potential renewal announcement in late 2024 or 2025 at the earliest. The absence of any pre-production signal makes even that timeline speculative.

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Best & worst episodes

Wellington Paranormal seasons

Season 12018 · 6 ep
  • 1. Demon Girl2018-07-11 · ★ 6.7
  • 2. Cop Circles2018-07-18 · ★ 5.8
  • 3. Things That Do the Bump in the Night2018-07-25 · ★ 7.5
  • 4. The She Wolf of Kurimarama Street2018-08-01 · ★ 7.0
  • 5. A Normal Night2018-08-08 · ★ 6.5
  • 6. Zombie Cops2018-08-15 · ★ 7.0
Season 22019 · 7 ep
  • 1. Taniwha2019-10-16 · ★ 7.3
  • 2. Fear the Briannas2019-10-23 · ★ 6.9
  • 3. Mt Vic Hooters2019-10-30 · ★ 6.9
  • 4. Copy Cops2019-11-06 · ★ 7.1
  • 5. Haunted Nissan2019-11-13 · ★ 7.1
  • 6. Mobots2019-11-20 · ★ 6.9
  • 7. Christmas Special2019-12-19 · ★ 7.2
Season 32021 · 6 ep
  • 1. Invisible Fiend2021-02-24 · ★ 7.3
  • 2. Te Maero2021-03-03 · ★ 5.7
  • 3. Fear Factory2021-03-10 · ★ 6.6
  • 4. The Sevens Ghosts2021-03-17 · ★ 7.0
  • 5. Revengers2021-03-24 · ★ 7.0
  • 6. Fatberg2021-03-31 · ★ 6.7
Season 42022 · 6 ep
  • 1. Bird Woman2022-02-16 · ★ 6.7
  • 2. The Wicked Man2022-02-23 · ★ 6.3
  • 3. The Coolening2022-03-02 · ★ 6.3
  • 4. Skeleton Crew2022-03-09 · ★ 6.3
  • 5. Who The Hell?2022-03-16 · ★ 7.5
  • 6. Time Cop2022-03-23 · ★ 8.0
Season 5TBA · 6 ep
  • 1. Episode 1TBA
  • 2. Episode 2TBA
  • 3. Episode 3TBA
  • 4. Episode 4TBA
  • 5. Episode 5TBA
  • 6. Episode 6TBA

Wellington Paranormal trailer

Wellington Paranormal cast

View all cast →
Mike Minogue

Mike Minogue

Officer Minogue

Karen O'Leary

Karen O'Leary

Officer O'Leary

Maaka Pohatu

Maaka Pohatu

Sergeant Maaka

AI Verdict

Likely Cancelled25%low confidence
25%renewal
renewal probability
Verdict history0% → 25%
May 17Sep 11

Wellington Paranormal has not been officially renewed or cancelled, but the absence of news for 53 months since the last season aired is a strong negative signal. BBC Three has shown a pattern of letting comedy series go quiet after their initial run, and no credible renewal announcement has surfaced. The show's modest episode ratings and limited episode count per season make it a marginal performer.

Verdict updated 2 weeks ago

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    Frequently asked

    When does Wellington Paranormal Season 5 come out?
    Wellington Paranormal Season 5 has not been confirmed yet.
    Is Wellington Paranormal renewed or cancelled?
    Wellington Paranormal has not been officially renewed or cancelled, but the absence of news for 53 months since the last season aired is a strong negative signal. BBC Three has shown a pattern of letting comedy series go quiet after their initial run, and no credible renewal announcement has surfaced. The show's modest episode ratings and limited episode count per season make it a marginal performer.
    How many seasons of Wellington Paranormal are there?
    Wellington Paranormal has aired 5 seasons so far.
    How many episodes of Wellington Paranormal are there?
    There are 31 episodes of Wellington Paranormal across 5 seasons.
    Who created Wellington Paranormal?
    Wellington Paranormal was created by Jemaine Clement and Taika Waititi.