What We Do in the Shadows Season 6 Episode 9, “Come Out and Play,” is the final season’s best outing thus far. We get a heaping helping of action, romance, comedy, drama and some head-smashing reminiscent of Oberyn Martell’s death scene in Game of Thrones. Yummy. It’s such a fun episode.
What We Do in the Shadows, “Come Out and Play”
We open with Nandor (Kayvan Novak) dressing for a swanky event. Baron Afanas is poised to receive the Eternal Lifetime Achievement Award, so naturally, our crew’s putting on their finest to show up for the best vampire leader (and, in Nadja’s words, reliable lay). Nandor snaps a photo of himself (which might be the best Polaroid selfie of all time).
Nandor, Nadja (Natasia Demetriou), Laszlo (Matt Berry), Colin Robinson (Mark Proksch) and Cravensworth’s Monster (Andy Assaf) gather in the foyer to heap praises on The Baron (Doug Jones). Unfortunately, The Sire has been saddled with babysitting duty, so he must stay home. Side note: I’d watch a Shadows spinoff featuring The Baron, The Sire, their hellhound and their weird hybrid babies.
Vamily Only, Guillermo
Guillermo (Harvey Guillén) arrives, asking where they’re going. The “vamily” pushes Guillermo away. He’s now part of the human world and, as such, wasn’t invited to attend The Baron’s ceremony. Later, Guillermo tells the camera while driving that he’s not upset about not getting an invite. After all, he made plans with his cousin Miguel at the batting cage. Miguel (Frankie Quinones) gives our Gizmo sh*t, as per usual. Baseball isn’t Guillermo’s forte.
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Later, the vamps arrive at the location for the ceremony in Brooklyn. The crème de la crème of the vampires in the tristate area are in attendance. The Guide (Kristen Schaal) assisted Jerry (Mike O’Brien) in throwing together this celebration. As for the different undead factions, we’re introduced to the Lower East Side Vampire Punks, Hamptons Vampires, Manhattan All-Girls Private School Vampires, vamps who work at the TSA at JFK Airport, etc. A cornucopia of bloodsuckers.
Before Jerry takes to the stage, Nandor awkwardly flirts with The Guide. He’s all about the chase. Jerry compliments The Baron as the supreme leader meant to shape their conquest of the New World. However, Jerry pivots into uncharted waters, proceeding to denigrate The Baron for assimilating with humanity instead of conquering them.
Watermelon Head
Nadja hops onstage to defend The Baron vehemently. Jerry tries to yank the microphone out of her hand. Suddenly, Cravensworth’s Monster barrels onto the stage and smashes Jerry’s head between his hands like a watermelon. The surrounding vamps accuse our Staten Island crew of killing Jerry instead of CM acting independently. Laszlo, Nandor and Nadja transform into bats and fly away, with the other vampires, also in bat form, hot on their tiny bat tails.
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Next, the trio lands in a parking garage. Colin Robinson arrives sometime after following a speed walk session. Laszlo suggests they call Guillermo for help. It’s no use flying home when all the vampires in NYC are in bat form and hunting them down. Meanwhile, Guillermo and Miguel are at the batting cage. Miguel remarks on the documentary crew, which Guillermo used to claim was part of his old job. Now, he reveals the crew exclusively follows him around.
Guillermo lets Miguel have it after the latter accuses him of no longer spending time with the family. Guillermo’s tired of them making him feel guilty for being busy. He reveals he has friends, like his ex-boss Nandor. Besties for life.
A Confetti
Guillermo gets a call from Colin Robinson and launches into action. He tells Miguel that someone’s trying to kill his friends. Miguel tags along because he’ll always have his Memo’s back. Aw. Guillermo tries to explain that his friends are “different,” to which Miguel responds that he has gay friends. Well, the vampires are all queer.
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Meanwhile, the vampires reunite with The Guide, who insists she had nothing to do with Jerry’s betrayal. Nandor comforts her, asserting that her safety is all that matters. Nadja pulls Laszlo aside and asks why Cravensworth’s Monster killed Jerry. She wonders if CM could turn on her, too.
Laz reassures his good lady wife that that will never happen. CM was merely protecting her. Nadja declares she doesn’t need protection. Remember that time she ripped apart a pack of werewolves with her teeth and smeared their entrails like “a confetti”? Like a confetti, Laz. She can defend herself.
Cemetery Drive
After this, the gang almost has run-ins with baseball vampires (not the Cullen family) and the Meatpacking District vamps. They venture into a subway station, where they encounter breakdancing vampires. Or are they ’80s vampires? Flashdance vampires with one riverboat dude and the MTV astronaut? Nadja participates in a brief, medium-paced dance-off before Laszlo kills them all in one fell swoop. Nadja’s not a happy camper.
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Meanwhile, Guillermo tells Miguel that his friends are vampires. In fact, he tried to kill one of them (Season 4 Episode 7, “Pine Barrens”). Of course, Nadja hypnotized Miguel and the family so they wouldn’t remember. Then, the vamily winds up in a cemetery. Colin Robinson updates Guillermo on their new location. Laz explains to Nadja that he trained CM to protect her because he can’t live without her. Aw. Nadja softens, stating that she can’t live without Laz. These two are couple goals.
During this sweet moment between Laz and Nadja, Nandor makes a move on The Guide. He expresses his feelings for her. The Guide stops Nandor in his tracks. She reminds him of the other people he’s pursued in the name of love — his dead wife, Freddie, Gail — and how it all fell apart after he won their hearts.
Gruesome Girl Go
Nandor’s about the conquest, not the victory. I love how this ties into his especially militaristic behavior this season. She politely but firmly rejects his advances. My girl knows her worth. Suddenly, a horde of cemetery vampires, which act like zombies, emerge. They take Laszlo hostage, spurring Nadja into action. She saves her man by taking out the cemetery vamps (one of them presumably ate the cameraman, RIP).
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Afterward, Nadja incessantly slams one vampire’s head into a gravestone until it’s a crimson paste. “Look at my gruesome girl go,” Laszlo says with pride. I’m in love. Next, the vampires wind up in a coffee shop. Guillermo and Miguel arrive on the scene. Unsure of who Miguel is, Nandor lifts the latter by the head until Guillermo dissuades his former master from, you know, killing his cousin.
Nandor pivots, insisting that Miguel’s part of the vamily. The baristas turn on our vamps. Yes, there are vampire baristas. Well, they’re actor and writer vampires who just so happen to work in a coffee shop. Guillermo and Miguel (who learns he has Van Helsing blood) take out the barista vampires while our vamps don’t have to lift a finger. Badass.
Who’s Responsible?
After Guillermo and Miguel rise victorious, the gang rides back to Staten Island courtesy of Miguel’s buddies. Well, they were called as backup in case things went pear-shaped.
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Later, The Baron confronts them at home. Why did they kill Jerry? Nadja insists that Jerry was a significant threat to The Baron’s power. The Baron states he wanted to slaughter Jerry himself. The Guide tries to take her own life as recompense for her sins. Nandor stops her, which impels The Baron to ask if he and The Guide are an item. Nandor urges The Baron to let him take The Guide’s place on the sacrificial pyre.
However, The Baron asserts that enough vampires have died on this night. They can live. Cravensworth’s Monster hands Nadja Jerry’s mangled, unrecognizable head as a gift. Aw, he’s like my dog when she would give me dead birds. Anyway, The Baron reveals they’re organizing another event for the following evening to make this right.
True Blood
The next night, The Baron speaks to the NYC vampires, reassuring them that he plans to run a tighter ship and bring humanity to its knees. They’ll conquer the New World as planned. The Baron asks if anyone has questions. One vampire raises his hand; however, Cravensworth’s Monster smashes his head, too. RIP.
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The Baron calls on the man beside the now-dead vampire, who happens to be none other than Alexander Skarsgård. It’s Eric Northman! Terrified, Alexander insists he doesn’t have a question — The Baron already answered it. The Baron dismisses the crowd for the evening. Oh, this is so good.
What We Do in the Shadows airs new episodes every Monday at 10 pm on FX, with next-day streaming on Hulu.
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What I do: I'm GGA's Managing Editor, a Senior Contributor, and Press Coordinator. I manage, contribute, and coordinate. Sometimes all at once. Joking aside, I oversee day-to-day operations for GGA, write, edit, and assess interview opportunities/press events.
Who I am: Before moving to Los Angeles after studying theater in college, I was born and raised in Amish country, Ohio. No, I am not Amish, even if I sometimes sport a modest bonnet.
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