What We Do in the Shadows Recap: Wall Street Vampires

As a seasoned observer of the supernatural world and its denizens, I must say that Nadja has indeed softened somewhat in this final season. She may still have her moments of fiery fury when provoked, but overall she’s become more of a pillar of support for her friends – a sweetie, if you will. It’s reminiscent of a cat purring contentedly by the fire, only to pounce with unexpected ferocity when threatened.

In a twist of fate, Guillermo, who yearned to be a vampire for 15 years, has now transformed into a bloodthirsty creature, treating humans as mere resources for profit, as Nadja puts it. Interestingly, he achieved this by taking a job at Cannon Capital. The show What We Do in the Shadows cleverly conveys this message about venture capitalists without being too heavy-handed, showing faith in viewers’ understanding, which I appreciate.

Rather than a divide, a deepening chasm has formed between the show’s traditional noble vampires and their more greedy human counterparts, suggesting that the obnoxious behavior and insatiable appetite of the latter are too much, even for the denizens of the night. Vampires are known for their refinement, etiquette, and a strict code of honor, an aspect that may seem rather antiquated. They also cherish loyalty – it’s a significant part of Laszlo and Sean’s bond, which we’ll discuss later – but this is what causes Nandor to lose control completely when Guillermo dismisses him from his janitor position at Cannon in “The Railroad.” This means that the once formidable warrior’s power, even over his former familiar, is now absolutely nullified.

Indeed, Nandor’s departure echoes Colonel Kurtz’s in “Apocalypse Now,” as he retreats to the charred remnants of Hancock & Sons factory for vengeance, in the TV series’ tribute titled “Nandor’s Army.” The cover art is reminiscent of The Doors. This journey not only delivered a brilliant Alexa joke, which is challenging to craft effectively in comedy, but it also prompted the characters to address their long-standing issues with each other.

It’s clear that Nandor and Guillermo must have a conversation: The tension between them has been escalating since season two when Guillermo stopped serving Nandor. By the end of season five, he made a clear departure, though you could call his actions like urinating in a bucket in a shed on the estate a “departure” with a stretch. However, he’s simply moved from serving one master to another, a fact that he seems to be starting to understand, as evidenced by his facial expressions when he catches himself referring to Jordan as “Master.” (Denial is still one of Guillermo’s strong suits.) He denies it when Nandor confronts him about it directly, which is just another part of the game these two are playing with each other at this stage. With only six episodes remaining before the series finale, they don’t have much time left for games.

It’s heartening to note that “Nandor’s Army” didn’t forget to include a touching scene for my favorite couple in this series, who happen to be among my all-time favorites on TV. As Nadja and Laszlo walk through the deserted streets of a small New England town ruined by Hancock & Sons acquisition (a grim reminder of venture capitalism), they’ve barely had any private moments lately. Over the last few seasons, they’ve been busy with different activities: embezzlement, curses, blood alcoholism, fatherly issues, disrespecting God… in other words, keeping themselves occupied.

In the episode preceding it, Laszlo went to great lengths (unintentionally punny, yet I’m certain he’d find it amusing) to boost Sean’s self-esteem in “The Railroad.” Loyalty towards Sean is characteristic of Laszlo, a sweet trait, but there’s a more complex layer of guilt propelling his sense of duty. This guilt surfaces when he admits that he feels remorse for hypnotizing Sean so frequently, fearing it has left Sean’s mind as mushy as oatmeal. In a playful nod to the brain-wiping gag in “Sleep Hypnosis,” they rent an office space, gather props, recruit actors, and arrange a staged interview for Sean—all a considerable effort, similar to the labor involved in setting up a sitcom scene where two characters bring in a third character for a phony job interview.

Previously, Laszlo and Nadja embarked on a fun, albeit silly adventure together in season two, specifically when they resurrected their nightclub act during the same episode titled “Collaboration”, which was also when Guillermo made his exit. Despite this, they continue to be the epitome of a gothic couple or, depending on the episode, a regular human boyfriend and goth girlfriend. I found their expressions of affection towards each other in “Nandor’s Army” endearing, in a uniquely Laszlo-and-Nadja way. The “10/10 cat” comment might not have been as well-received if he hadn’t preceded it with his comments about her being funny, sweet, and beautiful, but Laszlo is an expert – just not slick enough to avoid the amateur mistake of asking a woman if she’s experiencing menstruation.

In a more subtle way, it’s clear that Nadja’s sonic scream was perfectly warranted given the comment he made. I barely caught on that she used her powerful scream to make Laszlo believe he had broken the window at the fireworks store moments later, which was quite thoughtful – isn’t it? As we approach the final season, Nadja seems more endearing than ever. She’s always been a bit unconventional, but lately, she’s been a silent supporter for her friends, offering help when needed. However, cross her, and you’ll see her transform into a fierce protector, snapping and showing her teeth, hurling creative insults that make them quake with fear. That’s the Nadja we know and love.

In this recap, I didn’t discuss Colin extensively (it was unintentional but it might have been a good choice). The negative atmosphere and hurt feelings seem to have provided the perfect setting for him, as his “I Love Trains” mug brought me joy for our humble colleague. This week, Colin appears to be enjoying himself in the episodes and adapts well to being a soldier under Nandor’s somewhat righteous banner against Cannon Capital (though it should be noted that Nandor’s crusade is driven by self-interest). Despite being an energy drainer, Colin follows more than leads and takes Nandor’s orders with great enthusiasm.

Amidst all the commotion, it seems that Jerry’s strategy for dominating the New World using ancient supernatural powers has been largely overlooked by everyone, with the exception of our steadfast Guide who always stands by the underdog. This scenario echoes a “vampire squid” moment, a term coined by Matt Taibbi to describe Goldman Sachs, as Jerry’s large-scale invasion plan appears rather crude compared to more subtle strategies.

Cannon’s strategy for controlling populations is as evident as openly showing your teeth and biting into a person’s neck during a live broadcast. From what we see in season six vampires, if you truly aim to drain the vitality from someone or somewhere, subtlety is key. A series of small, seemingly harmless actions is actually how you really drain the New World of its resources.

Craven Mirth

• “It’s got insane brand equity out the ass!”

Audience members who primarily engage online and those familiar with the Onion-sphere should watch for Jeremy Levick and Rajat Suresh, two associates of Jordan, at Cannon. These individuals, previously writers for Clickhole who gained viral popularity about five years ago with videos such as this one, joined the WWDITS team last season in executive story editor roles.

• “That’s why they pay you the money” is a telling line. Not the “big bucks,” the money.

• “Do you like trains? I know your mom does.”

• Eyyyyyyyyyy, finger foods. Get it?

• Raising the reward for information on Nandor from $3 to $5 — they must really miss him!

• “Shutter Island rules. Got it.”

Could it be that Nandor is giving a nod to the TV series “Twin Peaks” by naming his right-hand man Major Briggs? Such an intriguing notion, considering that Briggs was a focal point for supernatural occurrences in the show created by Lynch and Frost.

I was trying to express a similar thought without causing any offense, if I may put it delicately.

“It’s important to note from ‘Nandor’s Army’: vampires don’t experience menstruation, suggesting that they can’t get pregnant either.

This week, I admired the anarchist stance of the vampires, as they refused to cooperate with the system. (ACAB is a police acronym meaning “All Cops Are Bastards”, and in this context, it refers to the vampires’ non-cooperation attitude.)

2024-10-29 06:54

What We Do in the Shadows Recap: Wall Street Vampires

Craven Mirth

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