Now that What We Do In the Shadows is back on track, it’s time for some mischief. In “The Lamp,” Nandor (Kayvan Novak) begins his quest to find a new bride and Nadja (Natasia Demetriou) gets some push back from The Guardian (Kristen Schaal).

What We Do In The Shadows returned last week but things are a little different … I think. Nadja is determined to open a nightclub and Nandor wants to be married. And then there’s the child. Who is this child? Is it Colin Robinson (Mark Proksch)? Or someone … maybe something new? 

RELATED: What We Do In The Shadows Season Premiere Recap (S04E01): Reunited

PROGRESS

Nadja begins construction on the Vampiric Council, turning it into a Vampire nightclub. There’s just one problem. The Guardian and her wraiths undo all of the work. The Guardian has been in charge of the council chambers for a long time. She likes things the way they are and her wraiths work quickly to keep things in order. 

Nandor goes in search of a new wife. He used to have 37 wives, but they are gone. He also smuggled 850 pounds of ancestral treasure from his ancestral home. It’s not long before Guillermo (Harvey Guillén) finds the treasure too. 

Nadja does not like paying the workers to sit around and watch home improvement shows with Laszlo (Matt Berry). She approaches the Guardian with a new tactic. She says the Supreme Vampiric Council felt like the Staten Island headquarters was outdated. And that they were considering leasing it out to a CVS Pharmacy. The Guardian gets nervous and calls an immediate wraith meeting.

Nadja, Laszlo and the Guardian meet with the wraiths in the throne room. The Guardian tells the wraiths to help the human workers and do not harm them. One of the workers walks into the room and the wraiths immediately kill him. The Guardian says it doesn’t matter what she says, the wraiths know what’s in her heart. It’s time for The Guardian to meet Dr. Laszlo. Laszlo spent some time with Dr. Sigmund Freud and learned a lot about psychology. He thinks he can help the Guardian and her issues.

THE LAMP

Guillermo helps Nandor find a wife on What We Do In The Shadows

“WHAT WE DO IN THE SHADOWS” — “The Lamp” — Season 4, Episode 2 (Airs July 12) — Pictured: Harvey Guillén as Guillermo, Kayvan Novak as Nandor. CR: Russ Martin: FX

Guillermo finds a genie or djinn lamp. Nandor doesn’t believe the stories about a magical man in the lamp who grants wishes. He rubs the lamp clockwise to show Guillermo that nothing will happen. Guillermo suggests that he rub the lamp counter clockwise and the house starts shaking. A man in a suit appears and confirms he is a djinn (Anoop Desai).

The djinn can grant Nandor 52 wishes … well 51, because Nandor wished to know how many wishes he has. At first, Nandor wanted to find a new love. But he remembered he actually loved one of his 37 wives. He just can’t remember which one. He had both men and women wives. The best way for him to find the one is for the djinn to bring back all of his wives.

With a click of the djinn’s pen, 37 people show up in the house. None of them can speak English so that’s Nandor’s next wish. They are all unhappy that Nandor didn’t return when he said he would. Guillermo cringes while he watches Nandor get scolded by his wives. Nandor retreats to his room with Guillermo and the djinn. He instructs Guillermo to set them all up in the basement. 

THERAPY SESSION

The Guardian reveals that she is connected to the building. Any time there is something wrong in the building, there is something wrong with the Guardian. She also has an overwhelming feeling that if the building changes, something bad will happen. And she has OCD. As they talk, Laszlo asks her who she was before she started working at the headquarters. The Guardian can’t remember. 

Laszlo hypnotizes the Guardian. He sends her down the corridor of her mind. After much searching, they find a door that says ‘shame.’ Laszlo wants to know what’s in there, but the Guardian cannot open the door. Laszlo brings in someone strong that can help her. She says it’s Guillermo and he’s naked. Guillermo cannot open the door because his hands have oil on them. Oil he used to glisten his naked body. 

THE BACHELOR

Nandor starts eliminating wives and the djinn returns them to the afterlife. He does this by telling the wife that the djinn has a gold coin for them. When they ask the djinn, he touches their foreheads and they turn to dust. This way there is no sadness or tears. Nandor spends alone time with each wife to determine if he wants to keep them around. 

Meanwhile, Guillermo goes on several trips for food, supplies and clothing for the wives. The cameraman catches him on a video call with someone who says they really miss Guillermo. Guillermo stops and says he knows everyone thought he’d be jealous of Nandor’s wives. He’s not. He just wants Nandor to be happy. Guillermo says he’s in a good place right now and that’s all he will say about that. Hmmm … 

Boy, aka Colin Robinson also hangs out with the wives. They say he is exhausting. The wives really like Guillermo, but they think he’s a unic. 

OVERWHELMING RESPONSIBILITY

Baby Colin Robinson is missing. It was Nandor’s responsibility to watch him. Guillermo goes with Nandor to search the flooded basement. They find the boy in Colin Robinson’s old room. Guillermo is annoyed with the whole situation. Not only does he have to take care of the vampires, but now he has to take care of Nandor’s wives AND look after the kid. 

They find the boy banging the wall with a hammer. Guillermo continues to complain while taking away the hammer and holding Boy. Guillermo complains that he missed his mother’s birthday party three years in a row. He thinks it’s great that Nandor is getting a wife, but he has a family that he doesn’t see because he’s busy taking care of the vampires. Nandor points out that the child falls asleep as they walk upstairs, saying Guillermo’s story bored him. Guillermo gives Nandor a death stare and walks away. 

BREAKTHROUGH

Laszlo helps The Guardian find her inner peace on What We Do In The Shadows

“WHAT WE DO IN THE SHADOWS” — “The Lamp” — Season 4, Episode 2 (Airs July 12) — Pictured: Matt Berry as Laszlo, Kristen Schaal as The Guide. CR: Russ Martin: FX

The Guardian realized that the job at the headquarters isn’t a job, but her punishment. She was a wild and crazy vampire. She was a thrill seeker. The danger led her to Van Helsing’s bed. She liked the idea that he could kill her at any moment. This is why she’s attracted to Guillermo.

Laszlo and Nadja ask Guillermo to have sex with the Guardian so she will stop interfering with the construction. At first Guillermo says no, but then he agrees only if he can be the nightclub’s accountant.

Guillermo enters the Guardian’s chambers and she declines his offer. The Guardian says she doesn’t care about the nightclub anymore. She cannot allow their forbidden love to blossom. Guillermo tries to leave, but the Guardian has more to say about their love. She makes it clear that she wants him but they can only be friends. Guillermo agrees. The Guardian grabs a sledgehammer and starts knocking down columns. Nadja and Laszlo are there to tell the cameras that the Guardian is in better mental health.

Guillermo returns home to find there is one wife left. Marwa (Parisa Fakhri) wins Nandor’s heart. While Marwa introduces herself to the cameraman, Nandor asks the djinn to change Marwa’s hair color. He uses a lot of wishes, but says nothing is too good for his perfect wife. 

RELATED: Catch Up on all of our What We Do in The Shadows Recaps Here! 

What We Do in The Shadows airs Tuesdays on FX and the next day on FX on Hulu. 

 

 

 

Noetta Harjo
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