Posted in: FX, Review, TV, What We Do In The Shadows | Tagged: fx, season 4, streaming, television, what we do in the shadows
What We Do in the Shadows S04E07 "Pine Barrens" Explores Connections
This week's episode of FX's What We Do in the Shadows, "Pine Barrens," explored connection, family, lies, and girls' night out. Well, there were several things I really enjoyed in this episode, especially the shifts in some of the dynamics we have seen this season and throughout the show so far. Yet again, the show does not fail to make us laugh and feel and think in ways we never expected.
In this episode, we had two major storylines that spread into some important details. Nandor (Kayvan Novak) and Laszlo (Matt Berry) take baby Colin (Mark Proksch) with them on a hunting adventure with Laszlo's bestie, Sean (Anthony Atamanuik). Well, things between Laszlo and Nandor are a bit tense, and they keep bickering and trying to one-up the other. For someone who has been mind-wiped a gazillion times already, I am surprised Sean can still formulate sentences at this point and still have a semblance of a sharp mind. I am also fascinated by how Sean managed to click with baby Colin, who opens up to Sean in a very endearing way; of course, still managing to creep out the muggle with his hobby of smashing holes.
Laszlo and Nandor finally address why they've been at odds: they miss each other after Laszlo has been spending all his time drinking beers with Sean and practicing songs with Baby Colin. To which Laszlo agrees nonchalantly, admitting he does not like to show emotions. However, we also get to meet a very special creature they originally denied the existence of in the Jersey Devil. Even though Sean had proclaimed it appears only to those who do not believe in it, it was still unclear what it was after. Unfortunately for JD, Baby Colin enthralled him with some New Jersey tunes (yup, Bon Jovi) while Nandor & Laszlo sucked him off… from his blood, of course.
On the house side, Nadja (Natasia Demetriou) has invited The Guide (Kristen Schaal) and Marwa (Parisa Fakhri) for a girls' night in along with Nadja Doll to watch Mamma Mia! I do think this was a way for Nadja to make things right with The Guide since she complained in the last episode about knowing what it feels like to work for someone who does not appreciate your worth. Though one thing is off: she does not know Guillermo (Harvey Guillen) is home, too, and has invited his family for dinner as he thinks he is home alone, too. We get to see what the De La Cruz family truly carries in their blood and how their instincts kick in, no matter the age, when close to a vampire.
What I loved the most about this episode was the Nadja-slash-Guillermo storyline and dynamic. I was impressed to see Nadja going along with Guillermo and his lies, but more so: she loved his family and seemed to be having a great time with them. But, good moments with vampires seem to not last too long if you come from a line of slayers. Suddenly, I felt bad for Nadja being chased around to be killed. That said, it also leads to one of my favorite moments: Guillermo coming clean about his lies, wanting to be a vampire, and admitting he is gay. The moment after when they tell him they already knew, I think, is one of the most heart-warming we have seen. I am even more surprised Nadja decided to let them live for Guillermo's own good, and even though she did wipe their minds, they will remember he is gay. I hope this means Nadja does care about Gizmo, even if she wants to hide it under the guise of it being because he works for the club managing the financial portion. Makes you wonder if Gizmo skimming money will be a "broken trust" between them or bond them since Nadja's been doing the same thing.
I also liked seeing Nandor and Laszlo speak up—it was very nice considering it is true that we have not really seen them truly hanging out since Laszlo found out about Colin and started spending more time together last season instead than with Nandor; who was also exercising his role of leader of Vampiric Council of Staten Island with Nadja and going through his moments of nihilism. This was another fantastic episode to add to the repertoire of the awesomeness that is What We Do in the Shadows. I am so happy Guillermo is now openly gay, and I think it can help him bring forth his true self.