What We Do in the Shadows Season 6 Episode 6 Review: Laszlo’s Father
What We Do in the Shadows Season 6 Episode 6, “Laszlo’s Father,” tackles shapeshifters and ghosts as Laszlo reunites with his long-dead dad, played by the hilarious Steve Coogan. The episode isn’t quite as strong as last week’s outing, but there’s still plenty to love, especially the brilliant Matt Berry.
It’s a Daddy’s World
Surprisingly, the series introduces Laszlo’s father — in ghost form — pretty late in the game. Not only that, but Lord Roderick Cravensworth’s arc is left open-ended.
“Laszlo’s Father” feels like it should’ve happened earlier in terms of episode placement, and the A plot is weaker in comparison to the B plot with Nadja and Nandor. That said, Berry is a comedic force of nature who takes an absolutely ludicrous narrative and grounds it in believability. Who can resist those perfectly rolled “r’s” and unusual pronunciations?
Shapeshifters or Airbnb?
Nadja and Nandor are a pairing we seldom see on What We Do in the Shadows, but they’re a hoot and a half together nonetheless. Their story is chock full of the silly, wacky antics we’ve come to expect from this show. Much of the narrative energy and vitality lies in this particular plotline. Plus, Natasia Demetriou and Kayvan Novak play off each other well.
Perhaps the one weakness of this B plot (and it’s a minor one) is Nandor’s burgeoning crush on The Guide. While there’s certainly comedy to be found in sleep hypnosis kickstarting these feelings, this should’ve happened in a previous season. It’s a strange pivot, given we only have five episodes left, and The Guide has had scant appearances this season.
Bustin’ Makes Me Feel Good
Laszlo plays a Ghostbuster in an arc that feels somewhat rushed. Berry and Coogan are excellent together, and their performances shine even when the story falls short. It would’ve been great to see Laszlo and Roderick’s dynamic more fleshed out. Since this is the final season, we probably won’t see Roderick move on or get proper closure.
That said, there are great character beats with Laszlo and Colin Robinson toward the end, especially the “almost hug” moment. Their physicality speaks volumes about how their relationship has evolved throughout these six seasons. Sure, they’re best buddies, but they still struggle with expressing their affection for each other from time to time (much like Laszlo’s conversation with his father).
While this season is largely enjoyable, there’s something “off.” It doesn’t feel like What We Do in the Shadows‘ final season. Guillermo seems to be the only character moving toward an endgame, with Nandor also contemplating his purpose on last week’s episode. Perhaps this is intentional — after all, vampires live forever. Once the cameras stop rolling, they’ll continue to live as they have for centuries.
All that aside, “Laszlo’s Father” is an enjoyable romp that isn’t this show at its best. However, it’s still, you know, this show, which is leagues better than most comedies out there, even on a so-so day.
Stray Observations:
- Listen, I don’t know about you, but I completely scrubbed The Incredible Burt Wonderstone from my brain. Thanks, Nandor, for reminding me of its existence, even though I’ll immediately forget it again.
- Nadja should write her own version of The Subtle Art of Not Giving a F*ck. I’d read that.
- I think it’s high time we make Laszlo a member of the Ghostbusters. They could use a dose of charismeeeh.
- Upon a cursory glance, I spotted two spelling errors in Nandor’s letter to The Guide: “Deer” and “looz.” We love a warlord who can’t spell.
- I can’t believe Steve Coogan became a father to Matt Berry at nine years old!
- “Bye, Felicia, and take Karen with you” should be Nandor’s new catchphrase for the rest of time.
- We met Colin Robinson’s grandma as a ghost in Season 2 Episode 2, “Ghosts.”
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 Mondays 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.