What We Do in the Shadows Season 6 Episode 5, “Nandor’s Army,” sees our vamp gang taking a road trip to New Hampshire to retrieve one of their own. It’s a deft balance between character-driven development and episodic storytelling, complete with the show’s signature biting humor.
You’re Dead (And Out of This World)
“Nandor’s Army” picks up where last week’s episode left off — at least for Nandor, who’s back to being relentless. After Guillermo sacks Nandor on Jordan’s behalf, the vampire seeks retribution by declaring war on Cannon Capital Strategies. Kayvan Novak continues to prove why he’s one of the strongest players in an already solid cast, adding new layers to Nandor and grounding his performance in truthfulness despite the ludicrousness of the narrative.
There’s so much humor, depth, and heart in Novak’s work. For starters, he can make a seemingly normal, innocuous line sound hilarious based on his Nandor accent alone. However, nothing beats his chemistry with Harvey Guillén, whose Guillermo is the perfect “straight man” springboard for Nandor’s eccentricities.
Shifting Dynamics
“Nandor’s Army” upholds What We Do in the Shadows‘ stellar track record of experimenting with character dynamics and pushing the boundaries of our core crew’s relationships. We finally spend some time with Nadja and Laszlo. It feels like it’s been too long since we’ve seen our favorite immortal couple interact for more than a few minutes.
Here, we see them address their concerns. Thinking back, it’s evident that the writers subtly laid the groundwork for said concerns. After all, Laz and Nadja have been pulled in different directions this season: Laszlo finds himself absorbed by his scientific experiments, while Nadja works in the corporate sphere.
It’s fun to watch Laszlo, as a character, subvert the toxic masculinity stereotype that could’ve been deeply entrenched in a man of his age. Sure, he struggles with always wanting to be the “hero” for Nadja. Yet, in the end, he’s not intimidated by her strength. She’s clearly the most powerful of the two, and he worships her for it.
Nandermo
If you’ve read my reviews, you know I’m a Nandermo gal through and through. “Nandor’s Army” brings their respective arcs together to examine their bond and, ultimately, their future. Nandor feels rudderless and unmoored. Being a janitor was his purpose. However, as we’ve seen in past seasons, Nandor’s obsessions are usually transient. He’ll inevitably grow bored, as an immortal is wont to do, and move on to the next thing.
Guillermo’s method of confrontation does more to knock sense into Nandor than Laszlo’s idea to entertain his war fantasy. Clearly, he means a lot to Nandor. The episode also explores Nandor’s perspective of their relationship. We always hear about Guillermo’s 15-year loyalty, but what about Nandor’s? After all, he’s covered for Guillermo multiple times, putting his own immortal life on the line.
“Nandor’s Army” lays the groundwork for where these two could be in the series finale. Guillermo is already diverging from Nandor’s path by rejoining the human world. Perhaps Nandor’s true purpose could separate them further. This would be heartbreaking, but it might be interesting to explore.
What We Do in the Hancock & Sons Warehouse
“Nandor’s Army” also shows how much these characters love each other. I can’t picture Laszlo, Nadja, and Colin Robinson caring this much about Nandor in Season 1. They would’ve turned a blind eye to his war crimes.
However, this outing is a beautiful demonstration of their affection for Nandor. They all spew expletives and insults at each other, but deep down, there’s an undying, impermeable love. We, as an audience, can relate to this type of bond. There’s a humanity to it. After all, comedy is grounded in honesty.
Overall, this is a delightful episode in the What We Do in the Shadows canon. It’s proof positive that this series is one of the best comedies out there, and it’ll leave an indelible mark on the TV landscape.
Stray Observations:
- Nandor being a JoJo fan wasn’t on my 2024 bingo card, but I love it. You could tell he’s listened to “Leave (Get Out)” at least once since he made Guillermo wait until the chorus to leave. We adore a 2000s music-loving warlord.
- Speaking of music, did y’all recognize the voice behind the “You’re Dead” cover? It’s none other than our Matt Berry. I need the whole song as a Spotify release, please and thank you.
- Nadja and Laszlo’s outfits almost always complement each other, and it gives me life. The blue roses on Nadja’s dress and the red roses on Laszlo’s vest? Perfection.
- From here on out, I’ll read “vampire” as “wampire” thanks to Doug Jones. I’m not mad about it.
- My headcanon is that Colin Robinson, empowered by his love for logistics, broke free of the silver chains and successfully caught up with Nandor’s Army as they give it to the nerds.
What did you think of this episode of What We Do in the Shadows? Share your thoughts in the comments below!
Critic Rating:
User Rating:
What We Do in the Shadows airs Mondays at 10/9c on FX, with next-day streaming on Hulu.
Want more from Tell-Tale TV? Subscribe to our newsletter here!
The post What We Do in the Shadows Season 6 Episode 5 Review: Nandor’s Army first appeared on Tell-Tale TV.