Yes, yes, very good. Thank you.
---Lazlo Ravenscoft
A couple of weeks ago the 5th season of What We Do in the Shadows came to a close.
The through line for the season was Guillermo's struggle with the consequences of deciding to not wait for Nandor to make him a vampire and getting Derek to do bring him across instead.
It seems that within the vampire community, a familiar being transformed into a vampire by someone other than the familiar's master is a big no-no resulting in death for both the familiar and the master.
On top of that, Guillermo's betrayal of Nandor has brought very unsatisfactory results as far as becoming a full on actual vampire is concerned. His transformations are wonky, incomplete and erratic. Lazlo's attempts at playing scientist to figure out what's up with Guillermo produce questionable results.
Oddly it's Nandor who helps Guillermo, displaying an heretofore unknown wisdom and empathy.
Yeah, at first Nandor is ready to kill Guillermo but then Nandor learns some much valuable insights from Patton Oswalt.
Guillermo fully becomes a vampire and learns a very important lesson: Guillermo isn't cut out to be a vampire.
His human kindness is too strong to see humans as food. When given a chance to be a vampire or a human, Guillermo chooses human.
And we find out Nandor didn't deny Guillermo's requests to make him a vampire out of selfishness or forgetfulness. Nandor knew Guillermo was not ready to be one of their kind. It is a surprising and welcome development in their relationship.
Elsewhere in the show...
Colin Robinson's powers as an energy vampire rely on him being incredibly dull and boring to sap the will and energy of humans. This runs into a roadblock when Colin becomes for a time the most interesting man on Staten Island.
Nadja did not fare too well this season, I think. She believed that all the bad things that have happened to her (liking losing her night club from season 4) is because she cursed and not because she is selfish and short sighted. I think Nadja has been "Flanderized" in that her worst characteristics are all of who she is. Nadja deserves better.
Kristen Schall is added to the opening credits as the Guide from the Vampiric Council becomes part of the Vampire Residence even if Nadja, Nandor, Lazlo and Colin haven't noticed that. The Guide was a funny counterpoint to the solemn vibe of the Vampiric Council. Outside of that environment, she lacks focus and purpose and is just not as funny.
The episode "Local News" finds the vampire residents potentially exposed on a local news program which leads to the bizarre finish where the residents take over the news program for a mass hypnosis mind wipe while providing news, sports and weather. That news cast was my favorite absurd moment of the season.
The quote that opens today's post is from "The Roast" where in it appears Lazlo is very, very depressed and only says one thing over and over again for weeks on end: "Yes, yes, very good. Thank you."
Turns out Lazlo was just deep in thought contemplating how to best organize his book collection.
What We Do in the Shadows concludes it's 5th season with a re-set of the status quo of a sort with Guillermo restored to human and once more in service to Nandor. What will be interesting in a 6th season if the events to date actually lead to a different relationship between Guillermo and Nandor.
Or if no one has learned anything. And if that is the case, I wonder if maybe it's time to say our farewells to the vampires of Staten Island.
As much as I enjoy What We Do in the Shadows, I feel we may be approaching the sell by date for this series. If we are destined for more of the same, I think I would like to see the show take it's final bow on it's own terms.
And that is that for this week's Tuesday TV Touchbase.
- Doom Patrol
- Community
- My Life Is Murder
- The Librarians
- Abbott Elementary
- Ghosts
Until next time, remember to be good to one another and try to keep it down in there, would ya? I'm trying to watch TV over here.
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