What We Do in the Shadows (2019) s03e10 – The Portrait

So, it’s a completely fine season finale.

And by completely fine I mean, amusing and adequate. It’s intended to close off this season and prepare the next, with lots of plot machinations going on throughout. Until the final reveal, it’s mostly Harvey Guillén’s episode but not a great one for him. Looking back at the season from here, it’s clear they never figured out what to do with him post-vampire hunter reveal—I kept waiting for Kristen Schaal to flirt with him to give it some personality, but no. There’s no character development, no relationship development, just getting things in order for hiatus.

The episode opens with a reasonably decent gimmick—the vampires are having their portrait done because portraits are very important in vampire culture. There’s a quick recap of why they’re important, but it’s a new thing coming in at the end of season three when they’ve had portraits around the whole show, and none of those other portraits come with a similar story. Doesn’t matter, the Sire and the Baron are back for the portrait, and it’s kind of adorable having them around. Plus, Donal Logue is painting the portrait. The episode does a deep dive into Donal Logue’s filmography for gags instead of doing an episode for the regular cast.

Again, it’s okay. Logue’s kind of too good for it to work. If his performance were hacky—like if he’d never learned to act—it’d be funnier. Instead, just adequate.

The worst part of the episode is never showing the completed portrait. Though the Ocean’s Twelve twist and plot unfolding reveal in the last five minutes is worse for the show itself.

There’s some good acting from Kayvan Novak and Matt Berry, though Natasia Demetriou gets the better material. She’s at least got a subplot. Guillén ought to be better, but the writing’s too broad.

The episode’s totally fine, and next season should be hilarious. But it most definitely wasn’t worth blowing the last three episodes of this season to set it up.

What We Do in the Shadows (2019) s03e08 – The Wellness Center

It’s Stefani Robinson’s first writer credit this season on “Shadows.” She was credited on some excellent episodes last season. And Wellness Center has Yana Gorskaya directing too. So it’s got the right credits… they just don’t translate into an exemplar episode. It’s a perfectly good, very funny episode about Nandor (Kayvan Novak) joining a cult. It’s simply isn’t inspired.

Novak’s in a vampiric depression, which comes when vampires dwell too much in the face of eternity. There’s good material for Matt Berry and Natasia Demetriou to talk about the behavior, which will be the most they do in the episode. Pop in for some outstanding deliveries of funny jokes, and then piss off. Besides Novak, Mark Proksch and Harvey Guillén get the most to do. Proksch because he’s moving into Novak’s room if Novak leaves for the cult and Guillén because, as Novak’s bodyguard, he needs to be prepared to deprogram.

The cult itself—led by Cree Summer—is a not-unfunny concept. Vampires pretending to be human and pretending they’re living in eighties exercise culture. But Novak doesn’t have any interesting adventures with them. Instead, there are clip montages with all the gags and Novak talking in between them. It ought to be a fantastic showcase for Novak, only then it isn’t. Ditto Summer. She’s fine and has good deliveries, but she’s not some magnetic personality.

The episode does end up giving Guillén the most to do in a few episodes; just like everything else, it’s okay. There’s just nothing special about it.

It’s the show’s fault for being so consistently excellent; a perfectly acceptable good episode seems like such a letdown. The most significant subplot is Proksch taking over the bedroom, and we get some further insights into the behaviors of energy vampires. Laugh out loud insights, but because they’re mostly just cheap gags.

Actually, most of the jokes in the episode are just cheap gags, hence the problem. They’re expertly executed but immediately forgettable; not up to “Shadows”’s standard at all.

What We Do in the Shadows (2019) s03e07 – The Siren

And it’s another exemplar “Shadows.” Season three’s rise continues, making all my concerns seem very, very silly. Trust in “Shadows.”

This episode’s mostly Natasia Demetriou. Whether as Nadja or the doll version of Nadja, who decides she’s sick of being ignored and runs away. So you’ve got this adorable, foul-mouthed little goth doll running around the streets and so on. It’s a wonderful kind of hilarious. Like, this episode’s laughs all feel good on the Demetriou arc. It’s been a while since Demetriou’s really been able to kick ass on the show. But this episode fulfills—it’s literally twice the Demetriou, interacting with one another and the other characters. It’s wonderful.

Kayvan Novak and Harvey Guillén go with Demetriou, the vampire, to find Demetriou the doll. Part of the running away has to do with Demetriou and Novak being busy with the Vampiric Council. The latest drama over their partnership opens the episode, but it quickly becomes giant, magical slapstick. Guillén’s the utility man this episode—he starts with the documentarians pairing him with the doll for an interview, which pisses Guillén off for now being second-string—and he starts the doll hunt arc, then teams up with Matt Berry for a bit. Plus, there’s still the Guide (Kristen Schaal) having a crush on Guillén, which is a ship just for the comic value.

Berry’s paired chiefly with Mark Proksch as they go on a fateful trip by boat. Some amazing fake historical paintings of Berry on ships throughout history start the plot, which goes somewhere entirely different. The eventual plotline does inform some character development for Proksch, which the show then uses for a one-time-only great final punchline. It’s incredible stuff.

Shana Gohd gets the writing credit, Yana Gorskaya directs. It’s possibly Gorskaya’s best-directed episode, which is saying a lot, but it gets excellent early and just improves. Even with Proksch’s subplot, which involves guest star Catherine Cohen and a Bee Gees song, every possible plot perturbation is a success.

And then Berry gets a couple-minute subplot of his own—Guillén’s along—before the show gets back to the episode in progress. It’s all inspired; every setup delivers.

This show’s so reassuringly good, a sterling example of a show knowing what’s good about itself and running with it. Not a victory lap, because it’s still achieving, maybe… justifiably confident.

What We Do in the Shadows (2019) s03e06 – The Escape

I can’t decide if I’ve actually been bearish on “What We Do in the Shadows: Season Three”—Rona filming and Jermaine Clement leaving the writers’ room being the concerns—or if I’ve just been bearish in general and it infected “Shadows.” Because Escape, the show has cemented its third season. It’d have to crap out in unimaginable ways at this point. Escape’s a “Shadows” classic. But, of course, the show having so many exemplar episodes sets it up for a stumble or fall.

Escape is great. Yana Gorskaya’s direction is outstanding, working from an excellent script credited to Jake Bender and Zach Dunn. The episode’s a comedy thriller. Thanks to Kayvan Novak (ostensibly), the oldest vampire in the world has gone missing, and if he accidentally gets killed, all the other vampires will drop dead. Or so the legend goes. No one’s particularly sure, except Mark Proksch knows it won’t affect him. Energy vampires are born, not turned.

It turns into an all-hands-on-deck episode, with Kristen Schaal and a very special surprise return guest star helping out with the hunt for the creature as it wreaks havoc around Staten Island.

Lots of good set pieces, lots of great punchlines, lots of just right plot turns.

While Novak and Natasia Demetriou try to deal with the political fallout of losing the alpha vampire, Proksch and Matt Berry drag Harvey Guillén along, investigating whether or not the “head of the snake” legend is true. Then Guillén’s gets to step up when the vampires are unable to organize against a greater threat. They’re too used to being the greater threat.

And there’s a nice girl bonding scene for Demetriou and Schaal. It’s a wonderfully balanced episode, especially since there are times they could’ve punted plot points and instead get them wrapped up with lovely proverbial bows.

Standout performances are Novak (who’s got a mini-character arc in his panic over so failing his new responsibilities) and the very special guest star who I’m not spoiling. Guillén and Demetriou have some really good moments too. Proksch, Berry, and Schaal are, obviously, hilarious but very much in supporting parts by the end.

The episode also plays up the documentary angle a little more than usual, especially for integrating into punchlines.

It’s the season highlight (so far).

What We Do in the Shadows (2019) s03e04 – The Casino

One of the things about “What We Do in the Shadows,” back in the first season, was the high number of standout episodes. Thanks to the lack of overarching narrative, week after week, the show could deliver these great done-in-ones. This episode is the first (and hopefully not only) great done-in-one for Season Three. It’s the first episode credited to Sarah Naftalis, whose been in the room since Season Two; Yana Gorskaya directs; she’s done a bunch of great episodes.

If the title weren’t a giveaway, the episode very quickly sets it up. The vampires are going with their human neighbors to Atlantic City. There are a few vampire details—the vampires have to bring their dirt with them from their coffins; otherwise, they won’t be able to sleep and will lose their magic and become irritable—and a quick moment with Kristen Schaal (who doesn’t need to be in it but it’s like she’s a regular, yay), then it’s off to AC. In a party bus. With a bunch of drunk humans.

The neighbors, Anthony Atamanuik and Marissa Jaret Winokur are renewing their vows. They were on a standout episode from last season, where they got a lot more to do. I’d forgotten Atamanuik being a big fan of the Ocean’s Eleven trilogy, which turns out to be a plot point and part of the third act gag. It’s excellent stuff and possibly even funnier not remembering the mega-fanning has already been introduced. It’s such a strange franchise to obsess about. The episode will introduce another one when Kayvan Novak becomes obsessed with “The Big Bang Theory” thanks to a slot machine.

“The Big Bang Theory” detail jokes themselves are, of course, limited because how funny could you really make them, but it figures into the plot twice in unexpected ways, and they’re both doozies. Everything in the episode, except maybe the surprise resolve in the finish, Harvey Guillén’s side adventure (there’s not enough room for all four vampires and Guillén), and the truncated vampires bonding with Guillén material, everything’s a doozy. And of those three lesser bits, only Guillén’s side adventure isn’t really funny. Thanks to Guillén’s performance, the absurdity of the adventure, and the direction, it’s amusing and cute, but it’s not a comedy gag. The surprise resolve is just over in a few seconds because of narrative efficiency, and the truncated bonding seems to be promising something more going forward. I mean, they better get back to Matt Berry interrogating Guillén about his parents’ sex life. Sex is the only thing Berry ever wants to talk about, and they’re trying to include Guillén more since he’s now officially their bodyguard.

The rest of the jokes are all hilarious. Everyone gets a bit of an arc, with Natasia Demetriou’s night out with Winokur and the girls getting interrupted when she sees old friends. Novak and Mark Proksch have an arc together, while Berry’s got one with Atamanuik. It’s all spectacularly paced, phenomenal comedy. Great work from the cast, great work from the crew. The script’s truly superb.

What We Do in the Shadows (2019) s03e02 – The Cloak of Duplication

The episode opens with a lengthy, hilarious bit of Harvey Guillén mocking Kayvan Novak’s lack of self-awareness. It’s terrific. And then there’s immediately another strong punchline bit when the cast returns to the Vampiric Council building to get a grand tour. Kristen Schaal’s around for the tour and that second strong punchline—as well as a C plot set up involving the world’s oldest vampire, presumably even older than the world’s oldest vampire who was in the first season.

Other C plot building has Mark Proksch deciding he’s going to figure out where energy vampires come from; he even gets an adoring fan in Nabil Rajo, another energy vampire, but one who works as a weed dealer and talks about his sneakers to feed. The stuff with Proksch and Rajo’s some of the best-written material in the episode. It’s a very funny episode, but the rest of it is situational.

For example, the A-plot has the other vampires pretending to be Novak (thanks to magic) and going to his gym to ask out clerk Lauren Collins on his behalf. Except, of course, Collins thinks it’s Novak every time (even though the other vampires retain their voices). No surprise, Matt Berry’s voice performance is the best, though Novak has a great time imitating Berry’s physical performance. It’s a good sitcom bit, with a great couple punchlines in the last scene.

Meanwhile, the real Novak is off with Natasia Demetriou and Proksch on a bookkeeping mission. Youngster Queens vampire Tyler Alvarez isn’t paying his dues to the Council, and they’re going to collect. Or Demetriou’s going to collect while Novak wants to be gentle and genial about it. Proksch’s along to take the meeting minutes. Lots of good subtle digs on the energy vampire stuff.

Berry’s got a little more to do, but he’s still out of the main plots. He can’t go on any adventures this episode because he’s too busy reading old vampire porn at the Council library. It’s a not very funny gag the episode can get away with—to a limited extent—thanks to Berry. But when he’s actually got a scene opposite Guillén, it’s again apparent they’re just not using him for some reason. It’s one of those “hope he’s okay,” but if he is okay, it’s also worrisome.

Though it’s an absolutely phenomenal episode for Demetriou. She and Novak mostly share the A plot stuff—with Proksch’s punchlines getting the spotlight—but she gets some great material in the finale.

It’s a good episode. I’m nearly sure I’m unjustifiably uneasy about the season.

What We Do in the Shadows (2019) s02e08 – Collaboration

Traditional sitcom writer team—seriously, IMDb them (“Frasier” and “Newsradio”—Sam Johnson and Chris Marcil contribute this episode’s script and… well, maybe things make more sense now. Also they don’t seem up on the show because they don’t know how to use Natasia Demetriou at all. Distressingly don’t know how to use her.

Anyway, the main plot involves Kayvan Novak’s familiar from the seventies (Jack O'Connell) remembering he was Novak’s familiar and showing up at the house, causing some tension with current familiar Harvey Guillén.

O’Connell returning isn’t actually the main plot, but Guillén once again getting upset about Novak not making him a vampire, which drives Guillén to the house of a newly changed vampire (Greta Lee), who promises he won’t have to wait so long to become a vampire.

It seems weird the show never came up for a good reason the vampires don’t want to make new vampires, because this episode just has Novak and other vampires staring blankly into the camera, offering empty promises about vampire-making. It’s completely unthought, not just wishy-washy. It gives Novak and Guillén some rather weak scenes to act through at times.

And O’Connell’s nowhere near funny enough, not as actor or character.

It seems like it should be funny—if they’d gotten Fred Willard or someone—but then they didn’t. They just got a bland guest star.

Meanwhile, Demetriou, Matt Berry, and Mark Proksch have a subplot about how Berry actually wrote all the popular songs in the world and didn’t get any credit for them. He and Demetriou start writing new music and driving each other nuts so, of course, Proksch wants to get them to a live music venue so he can feed off the discomfort of all involved.

It’s sporadically funny thanks to the actors and the actual singing is funny but… it’s like Johnson and Marcil didn’t know Berry could do singing and so on. Or, worse, they did and this subplot’s the best they came up with.

It’s not bad.

It’s just nowhere near as good as the other episodes this season. It feels very season one.

What We Do in the Shadows (2019) s02e06 – On the Run

In addition to being the most Matt Berry episode of “Shadows” ever, this episode also has the best Mark Hamill performance since… 1983? 1980? He’s only in the episode maybe five minutes so it’s hard to compare with the Original Trilogy or Big Red One.

Hamill’s another vampire, one who Berry stiffed for rent on a beach house in San Diego in the late 1800s; Berry had been trying to sell his soul to the Devil to get better at the guitar, but went to the wrong place. Also there was a floater in the toilet, so Berry definitely wasn’t paying. It’s a hilarious argument, leading to a duel, with everyone in the cast getting something to do.

But then Berry runs for it and it becomes his episode. He’s not going to duel, he’s not going to pay the rent, so instead he’s going to pretend to be a human named “Jackie Daytona” and run a bar in rural Pennsylvania. Berry’s beloved by all—well, not the people he’s killed and drained of blood, but everyone else, particularly bar waitress Madeleine Martin. And then the entire town after Berry starts supporting the high school girls’ volley ball team in their quest for the state championship.

There’s a little bit back at the house with everyone dealing with Berry being gone, but mostly it’s an excuse for a great Mark Proksch scene. Natasia Demetriou’s distraught, obviously, and Proksch takes advantage for some great feeding. Kayvan Novak and Harvey Guillén are background the whole episode, with the occasional knowing look from Guillén and a one-liner from Novak. It’s like the show realized Berry can’t really go all out with the main cast; “Shadows” has gradually become Demetriou’s show, with Berry acting as her main support but support. Giving him a side adventure really works out.

Two crises arise in idyllic Pennsylvania however—the town can’t afford to send the volley ball team to state and Hamill has tracked Berry to the area. He doesn’t recognize Berry because of the foolproof human disguise, but Hamill knows he’s close. Great stuff with Hamill and Berry, just great.

The end seems like it might not connect, but then does—Stefani Robinson’s script is outstanding. Nice direction from Yana Gorskaya too.

Hopefully Hamill will be back.

Or just get his own show with the character. They leave him with an excellent setup.

But it’s finally a Berry showcase. Since the first episode, he’s been reining it in so as not to walk off with the show. It’s show much fun to see him not have to worry about it and just let loose. Jackie Daytona indeed.