What We Do in the Shadows Review: The Mall / A Night Out With the Guys (Season 5 Episodes 1 and 2)
What We Do in the Shadows Season 5 Episodes 1 and 2, “The Mall” and “A Night Out With the Guys,” proves the vampire comedy is as robust as ever, delivering clever storytelling and laughs in equal measure. The writers mine the depths of these larger-than-life yet grounded characters to propel the narrative in exciting directions.
The (Wooden) Stakes
“The Mall” picks up where we left off, with Guillermo getting turned by Derek and living with those consequences. As per the show’s usual, Guillermo’s turning process goes awry. Both episodes considerably ramp up the stakes (not wooden) regarding Guillermo’s arc.
LASZLO: He’s behaving unusually. If there’s anyone that can get to the bottom of this, it’s me. Why? ‘Cause I’m the King of the Bottoms.
That’s one of many things What We Do in the Shadows excels at, especially in their premieres — setting the narrative stakes for the season at the highest level and going from there. Of course, Laszlo telling Guillermo he’s screwed at the end of “A Night Out With the Guys” is enough to put us on pins and needles while we wait for episode three.
Sharp Comedy
The season opener also brilliantly incorporates the film crew, bringing them to the fore with a handful of fun scenes. It’s another way to shake up the episodic formula and keep the story fresh. It’s also a stark reminder that, at the end of the day, the vampires are participating in a documentary.
On another note, “The Mall” and “A Night Out With the Guys” explore different facets of what this series does so well. For example, “The Mall” plays with its penchant for bitingly funny, quick-on-the-draw one-liners. Meanwhile, episode two is a delightful presentation of the actors’ physical comedy talents.
NADJA: I am looking for the exact proportions of Venus herself when her pussy was serving witches’ tea, nipples so sharp they’re on the Most Wanted list, and a taint that can sign its own checks.
Oh, the (In)humanity
Regarding our characters, both episodes continue to develop them and flesh them out intriguingly. Season 5 kicks off with the vampire roommates learning to interact better with humans. In a way, we see more of their humanity peeking through the cracks in their immortal armor.
Laszlo tries to persuade Nandor to stop relying on hypnotism to remedy his public errors, forcing the latter to be more aware of his behavior around humans. Nadja even vows to be more sensitive and understanding after coming into contact with a curse from her homeland of Antipaxos.
However, she hilariously remains obtuse regarding her behavior by shutting out The Guide. It wouldn’t be What We Do in the Shadows without character foibles and their inability to learn from their mistakes at the jump. Speaking of Nadja and The Guide, “A Night Out With the Guys” gives us plenty of hysterical Natasia Demetriou/Kristen Schaal material.
NANDOR: Just for funsies, I told them that I was Captain Sully Sullenberger, and you were the gentleman with the mustache in that cop show you like.
LASZLO: Thomas Selleck in Blue Bloods?
Fang-tastic Performances
Character dynamics are integral to a dark comedy of this caliber, and “The Mall” and “A Night Out With the Guys” knock this vital aspect out of the park. Our core cast brings their individual comedic stylings to the table. Each performer contributes significantly to the overall dynamic between the characters, with their stylings meshing beautifully onscreen.
Matt Berry injects Laszlo with surprising nuance along with his trademark highfalutin buffoonery. Laszlo’s development is probably the most well-crafted, as he started the series vehemently anti-human to now trying his damnedest to blend in with society. Despite his character’s “monstrous” state, Berry finds these beautifully human parts of him and kicks them to the surface.
Harvey Guillén gets some wonderfully juicy scenes in this double-episode season premiere, showcasing his versatility as a performer. His bits with Derek are downright hilarious. This allows Guillén to play up the slapstick of it all. Conversely, he peels back Guillermo’s layers to reveal a searing vulnerability later in “The Mall” as he realizes he might have to conceal his vampiric nature from the other vampires.
Natasia Demetriou is a comedic anchor for this show, putting her pitch-perfect timing as Nadja on display. Kayvan Novak is as heartwarming as he is naturally funny as Nandor. Mark Proksch doesn’t have as much to do as Colin Robinson in the premiere, but he squeezes every drop out of his time onscreen.
Tickling That Funny Fang
What We Do in the Shadows skillfully demonstrates its longevity as a comedy and its ability to keep its overarching plot from going stale. As long as it continues to push the boundaries of what these anachronistic vampires living in the 21st century can do, it’ll always be funny. You can find so much material from these antiquated vamps trying to survive in modern human society alone.
“The Mall” and “A Night Out With the Guys” lays the foundation for what will surely be the show’s strongest season yet, with top-tier comedic performances from an all-star cast, a bonkers storyline, and endlessly quotable one-liners. Long live the Staten Island vampires. (BAAAT!)
Stray Observations:
- I need someone to buy me that “Check Yourself Before You Shrek Yourself” shirt, STAT.
- I could’ve watched an entire episode featuring the vampires at the mall, with Laszlo as our requisite tour guide. We need him to explore Bikini Warehouse to see if it’s actually a front for a brothel.
- There’s something quietly heartbreaking about that final scene in “The Mall” and the image of Guillermo shutting himself in that giant luggage while talking about how vampires hide in plain sight. It boasts multiple meanings: Guillermo physically hides from us while trying to conceal his secret from the vampires. That also seems to be a prevalent theme in the episode, starting with Guillermo scolding the vamps for not blending in with the humans and ending with that last shot.
- Okay, FX needs to deliver on that montage of Nandor doing nice things for Guillermo. Feed us Nandermo lovers, please!
- Is there anything more heartwarming than Nadja’s unadulterated exuberance upon discovering there’s a Little Antipaxos? I think not.
- You know it will be a great episode when Baron Afanas and Goëjlrm show up for some vampiric shenanigans.
- Now we can add “breakfast burritos” and “chilaquiles” to the ever-expanding list of words and phrases that only benefit from Matt Berry’s particular vocal timbre and cadence.
What did you think of these What We Do in the Shadows episodes? Share your thoughts in the comments below!
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What We Do in the Shadows airs Thursdays at 10/9c on FX, with next-day streaming on Hulu.
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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.