What We Do in the Shadows Review: A Farewell (Season 3 Episode 9)
What We Do in the Shadows Season 3 Episode 9, “A Farewell,” ushers in one of the series’ best twists yet with biting humor and Gothic flair. The Colin Robinson cliffhanger blindsides even the most desensitized of viewers, and for the first time, it feels like one of the vampires is genuinely in peril.
LASZLO: I, too, have written something: “Nan.” That’s it. Sorry, old chap, I thought I’d written more, but I haven’t.
Of course, the episode description for “A Farewell” makes one believe that Nandor might be leaving forever, and Season 3 methodically plants the seeds leading to Nandor’s departure. Still, the vampire “saying goodbye” is Colin Robinson — a clever red herring ensuring that his death takes us all by surprise.
Everyone shines in “A Farewell,” but Matt Berry’s performance, namely his toast to Colin Robinson, is the crux of What We Do in the Shadows. We see a group of arrogant, disdainful, almost holier-than-thou (Ha!) immortals who appear to despise one another through these first three seasons. However, deep down, they love each other.
Isn’t that what family is all about? You might not “tolerate” them, but you love them regardless of their recognizable faults. When Colin Robinson’s dying, Guillermo wakes Nandor because they’re all a family. What We Do in the Shadows beautifully and hilariously conveys this sentiment.
LASZLO: I don’t even particularly like the fellow. I mean, I can’t stand the man, but I’m proud to call him my friend.
The character growth in “A Farewell” is one of the most satisfying aspects of an episode full of consistently quality material. Nadja displays empathy and a willingness to abide by Nandor’s wishes when he wants to sleep for centuries. Guillermo casts aside his unadulterated love for Nandor to heed his master’s desires.
Laszlo’s development is, perhaps, the most surprising, given how “lazy” and “self-involved” he is. Nandor even notes Laszlo’s laziness and penchant for constant self-pleasure at the beginning of “A Farewell.”
But What We Do in the Shadows masterfully evolves Laszlo beat by beat, from his first time hanging out with Colin Robinson early in the season till now. Even Laszlo Cravensworth possesses the emotional capacity to put others before himself, evidenced by his decision to show Colin Robinson a great time before the latter died.
NANDOR: Hello, Guillermo. Did you bring more people to yank on my pee-pee?
“A Farewell” leaves plenty of unanswered questions as we go into next week’s season finale while presenting an episode laden with plenty of hysterical moments and top-tier guest appearances from David Cross and Donal Logue. Secondly, brilliant performances from the main cast, and even a smattering of heart thrown in for good measure.
Let’s hope “The Portrait,” which sounds Dorian Gray-esque, gives our housemates the space they need to grieve, but with What We Do in the Shadows‘ signature humor and macabre panache.
Stray Observations:
- What We Do in the Shadows continues to play with contemporary vampire pop culture artfully. Adding Donal Logue as himself and him citing Blade as why he became a vampire is brilliant.
- Guillermo seems knowledgeable about Nandor’s nether regions, and if the show doesn’t pair them up at some point, audiences might riot.
- Natasia Demetriou’s deft switch between Nadja’s hilarious sobbing and her “serious” voice never ceases to be funny.
- The graphic image of Colin Robinson’s crushed skull at the end will remain entombed in everyone’s minds for all eternity, and only a Super Slumber can wipe that visual clean.
- “Super Slumber” is a metaphor for depression, and the show finds intriguing ways to explore Nandor’s feelings of hopelessness and how even immortals sometimes feel less-than.
- With only one episode left in the season, will Nandor continue his Super Slumber? Will Colin Robinson, somehow, come back to life? It might be difficult to regenerate after losing most of your skull.
What did you think of this episode of What We Do in the Shadows? Share your thoughts in the comments below!
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What We Do in the Shadows airs Thursdays at 10/9c on FX.
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Melody McCune
Melody loves TV. Maybe too much. Besides being a Senior Writer for Tell-Tale TV, she's the Managing Editor for Geek Girl Authority, an Independent Contractor for Sideshow Collectibles, and a Senior Writer for Eulalie Magazine. Additionally, she has bylines in Culturess, Widget, and inkMend on Medium. To top it all off, she's a critic for Rotten Tomatoes and CherryPicks.
One thought on “What We Do in the Shadows Review: A Farewell (Season 3 Episode 9)”
What was the song played by Colin’s birthday card, said to be his favourite?
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