What We Do in the Shadows: Ghosts

May 1, 2020 8:58 AM - Season 2, Episode 2

The vampires hold a seance to deal with a ghost infestation, which leads to a larger ghost infestation.

What We Do In The Shadows returns with horny ghosts and a pissed-off zombie (Katie Rife for TV/AV Club; rating: A) -- Part B

“Loose” is the key descriptor in talking about the show’s story arc, as Guillermo barely features in the second episode, “Ghosts” (B). Instead, we find a nice balance by concentrating more on the vampires in this episode, enhancing their personalities by introducing them to their ghostly doubles. Of the three, Nadja having a laugh with her 700-year-old former self about how horny they are was the most entertaining for me—and Nadja clearly agrees, as she put her soul into that creepy-cute doll at the end of the episode. I look forward to seeing what happens when Laszlo figures this out.

[Yes, the two episodes are reviewed in one post. I don't think the title or grade reflects Rife's thoughts on the second episode, though she notes that "a pretty good episode of What We Do In The Shadows is still better than the best episode of many TV comedies."]

Episode soundtrack from Tunefind.

posted by filthy light thief (9 comments total)

Very excited at the introduction of Checkhov's haunted doll.
posted by Going To Maine at 1:27 PM on May 1, 2020 [2 favorites]

Colin Robinson had my favorite line of the episode: "I don't know what my deal is either. I just keep on truckin'."

Fun episode, but if it had one flaw, it's that it needed more updog.
posted by MrBadExample at 1:40 PM on May 1, 2020 [15 favorites]

That doll is perfect.

I like that this episode kind of minimized Laszlo's screentime. Matt Berry is great, but really only in small doses. So far this season it's been just about the right amount of him. (Whereas something like Toast Of London is too much Matt Berry.)

Do threads for the next two episodes! It just keeps getting better!
posted by Catblack at 3:28 PM on May 1, 2020 [1 favorite]

omfg the doll.
posted by Glinn at 4:27 PM on May 1, 2020

Minimized Laszlo? It doubled him! And he was so into it. Until the undead him wasn't. Which was glorious meta-humor on his character.

And I'm a bit behind, so anyone can feel free to post the next ones, or I'll get to them in the next few days.
posted by filthy light thief at 9:08 PM on May 1, 2020 [2 favorites]

Well if the entire episode had been about Laszlo's horny ghost it would have become tired very quickly. They (the show creators, writes, directors) seem to have hit a perfect balance this season. He's still funny, but they haven't made an entire episode around him yet, and I think that's been great. He's like a spice that adds great flavor to the dish, but you don't want it to overpower the other flavors. This is just a minor criticism, of course. (But still, how does Nadja put up with him?)
posted by Catblack at 1:04 PM on May 2, 2020

I was so certain that Ghost Jesk’s unfinished business would be resolved by a roll in the ghost hay with Ghost Nadja.

The bit at the end when Colin Robinson Simmons the ghost of his grandmother, gets updog satisfaction, And immediately blew her off killed me.
posted by ejs at 1:06 PM on May 2, 2020 [5 favorites]

The return of Nadja's "jack off" joke did not disappoint.

Season one: *jack off motion*...Jeff
Season two: *ghostly sounds, and jack off motion*...raspberry.
posted by snwod at 6:09 AM on May 4, 2020

On almost any other show, I'd be mad that they never actually solved their inciting problem, but with this show it works.
posted by ckape at 1:18 PM on May 8, 2020