What We Do in the Shadows Review: A Weekend at Morrigan Manor / Exit Interview (Season 5 Episodes 9 and 10)

This piece was written during the 2023 WGA and SAG-AFTRA strikes. Without the labor of the writers and actors currently on strike, What We Do in the Shadows being covered here wouldn’t exist.

What We Do in the Shadows Season 5 Episodes 9 and 10, “A Weekend at Morrigan Manor” and “Exit Interview,” finds the vampires on a weekend trip from hell, culminating in one of their own going on the run. William Meny and Paul Simms penned episode nine, with Kyle Newacheck at the helm. Jake Bender, Zach Dunn, Sam Johnson, Sarah Naftalis, and Simms wrote episode 10, with Tig Fong returning as director. 

“A Weekend at Morrigan Manor” is a darkly delightful, whimsical nod to haunted houses, delivering chills and thrills with the show’s trademark wacky energy. Kristen Schaal finally gets her much-needed chance to shine as we learn that The Guide has been playing the crafty long game since the season’s beginning. 

LASZLO: Well, I’ve always been partial to a threesome. Shall we dance? 

Having her create “the hex” that’s plagued Nadja all season is a fun twist. The writers methodically plant those seeds of frustration for The Guide, too, as she bears the burden of the gang’s rudeness. Schaal, the comedic pro she is, handles The Guide’s gear switch with effortless flair. 

Of course, Guillermo’s confession to Nandor by the episode’s end seamlessly sets up “Exit Interview.” Harvey Guillén and Kayvan Novak consistently deliver emotionally charged, compelling performances. Even those final tense minutes draw you in as you wonder how Nandor will react to Guillermo being a vampire. 

Really, those final moments in “A Weekend at Morrigan Manor” give each character a chance to shine. The actors and writers deliver character beats that perfectly encapsulate their journeys, from Colin Robinson’s hilarious fourth-wall break to Nadja and Laszlo trying to save Guillermo from Nandor’s homicidal rage. 

NADJA: I saw some art last year. So, I’m good. 

The momentum established at the end of the penultimate outing carries over into the season finale as Nandor hunts down Guillermo (while lying in wait à la Batman outside Guillermo’s old stomping grounds, Panera Bread). While the wooden and narrative stakes are high, it’s difficult not to shake the fact that Nandor would never actually kill Guillermo. 

Still, Novak and Guillén are so enthralling, and their depiction of Nandor and Guillermo’s nuanced relationship is enough to keep us sated. The intricacies they inject make this bond fascinating, such as Nandor holding onto Guillermo’s old glasses because he knows the latter would change his mind about being a vampire. Nandor really does understand Guillermo better than he understands himself. 

There’s something to be said about a deep, deep love that’s so embedded in the soul that it doesn’t need words to be expressed. Nandor rejects his vampiric urges to kill Guillermo and himself. Instead, he reverses Guillermo’s vampirism. Nandor may still refer to Guillermo as a “friend,” but his actions say otherwise. Guillermo and Nandor’s romance is uniquely their own (and quite possibly one of the slowest of slow burns). 

NANDOR: Night after night, I hunt. I cannot rest until Guillermo has taken his last breath and I feel his bones crunch under my boots. So, I’ve been watching the one place I know he will return to eventually … Panera Bread. 

Nadja, Laszlo, and Colin Robinson express their love for Guillermo in “Exit Interview” to varying degrees. Their actions are certainly not something they would’ve done in Season 1. This shows character growth, even if it seems inconsequential. They are vampires, after all, with centuries of living under their belts. Change doesn’t happen overnight. 

While there’s so much heart (and Patton Oswalt’s murder — RIP) in these episodes, the ending leaves something to be desired. It’s a bit lackluster. We don’t get a massive cliffhanger like in previous seasons, but it also doesn’t feel final enough to be a series finale. Of course, we know at least one more season is around the corner. 

It feels like we’re back where we started in Season 1, with Guillermo as Nandor’s familiar. Where does What We Do in the Shadows go from here? It would’ve been fun to get at least a few episodes featuring Guillermo in full-fledged vampire mode as he navigates his new normal. We’ve already had Vampire Hunter Guillermo and now Vampire Guillermo. It feels like, character-wise, Guillermo’s spinning his wheels a bit. 

GUILLERMO: It’s not that I don’t want to die — and trust me, I really, really don’t want to die — but I’m just more afraid of losing the vampires. My friends. 

Sure, there’s a freedom in the unknown. The writers haven’t let us down yet, so perhaps this reviewer should have more faith. It isn’t easy to see the possibilities when we’ve returned to a dynamic we’ve already experienced. 

At its core, this show is character-driven, and the choices made in “Exit Interview” are more about how much these characters have developed in five seasons, namely Nandor. Here’s hoping Season 6 can bring in freshly undead material to take these characters to new, hilarious heights. 

All in all, Season 5 is a somewhat bumpy ride that falters here and there, but when it sings, it mother-forking sings. Even when it’s not at its strongest, What We Do in the Shadows is still one of TV’s funniest and sharpest comedies. 

Stray Observations: 

• Colin Robinson breaking the fourth wall in “A Weekend at Morrigan Manor” is a fun moment. His referencing The Golden Girls also feels in character. How would you assign the Golden Girls to the four main vampires (Sorry, Guillermo)? I’d say Laszlo is Blanche, Nadja is Dorothy, Nandor is Rose, and Colin Robinson is Sophia. 
• Admittedly, Laszlo taking on all those fencing partners in that action sequence is pretty hot. I don’t make the rules. 
• The Guide curating the traps to each vampire’s unique interests is a genius move. I’m loving this plot twist for her. It explains why the writers did so little with her for most of the season. 
• I really wanted Colin Robinson to look like Cousin Itt by the end of “A Weekend at Morrigan Manor.” 
• I loved the return of Benedict Wong, Haley Joel Osment, and Anoop Desai as Wallace, Topher, and The Djinn, respectively. It’s always a delight when What We Do in the Shadows continues strengthening its already intricate lore by bringing back fun supporting characters. 
• Nadja popping up in that trenchcoat and saying, “Sup b*tch?” made me cackle. I didn’t laugh any less the second time I watched it, too. Natasia Demetriou is a gem. 
• I need a spin-off featuring Detective Policeman, stat. Make it so, FX. 
• Colin Robinson referring to Guillermo as “Cornholio” after the latter drinks blood for the first time is a nod to Beavis’ hyperactive alter ego, “The Great Cornholio,” from Beavis and Butt-Head. 

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 Seasons 1 through 5 are now streaming on Hulu.

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