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Managing editor & film and television critic with a Bachelor's of Arts in English Literature with a Writing Minor from the University of Guam. Currently in graduate school completing a Master's in English Literature.
Jemaine Clement’s What We Do in the Shadows Season 4 brings something new to the table for fans and viewers of the series. The third episode of the fourth season is titled, “The Grand Opening”. It is written by executive producer Sam Johnson & Chris Marcil and directed by co-executive producer Kyle Newacheck.
In this review, I will be discussing What We Do in the Shadows Season 4 Episode 3. There will be no spoilers here, as the title of this article suggests. Nonetheless, please read ahead at your own discretion to avoid any possible revelations.
Trigger Warning: Mentions of the abuse of an artist in one subplot.
What We Do in the Shadows Season 4 Episode 3 Logline
According to FX Networks, here is the logline for What We Do in the Shadows Season 4 Episode 3 — “The Grand Opening”.
Opening night of Nadja’s vampire nightclub is threatened when the big musical guest cancels.
FX Networks Press Room
Discussion
In writing my review for this episode, it should be noted that I had seen the first six episodes of What We Do in the Shadows Season 4 ahead of release to properly understand the context and minutiae of the series’ episodes.
Following the two-part Season 4 premiere of What We Do in the Shadows, the series continues to give us good looks from some of our beloved characters (see the photo above). Montgomery, Milk, and Harrod reign supreme in the costume, makeup, and hair departments, respectively, when it comes to the aesthetic appearances of The Guide (Kristen Schaal) and Nadja of Antipaxos (Natasia Demetriou). I admire the way the two characters have their hair done in this episode, and more so how Nadja’s outfit allows her to pop in a crowd of vampires as the owner of the vampire nightclub.
In addition, the writers continue to provide us with a smart script full of jokes and character development. While I did not necessarily hate it, a lot of the dialogue dealt with cheesy and childish content, such as the mix-up between the words “but” and “butt” or talking about the details of Nandor the Relentless’s (Kayvan Novak) member. The writers mold these pieces of dialogue in such a way that each is not as one-and-done material, and there is a clever reason for including these jokes in the teleplay.
Some Heaviness
On the other hand, one specific subplot of “The Grand Opening” came off as a bit sensitive to me upon my first watch. Part of the episode involves a vampire celebrity and his human familiar — guest characters — Richie Suck (Affion Crockett) and Doctor Tom “the DJ” Schmidt (Fred Armisen), respectively. What makes it touchy, in my opinion, is how it seems to mirror the real-life lawsuit between pop singer Kesha “Ke$ha” Rose Sebert and her music producer Dr. Lukasz “Luke” Sebastian Gottwald. Here, the latter abused the music artist — in more ways than one — over the course of their professional relationship.
What We Do in the Shadows is usually playful and radiant in its comedic content. However, it is important to note that, at times, the series does cover heavy, albeit not-too-deep topics and issues in its episodes. For example, we had Nandor deal with existentialism after learning about “The Big Bang Theory” in last season’s “Casino” episode.
Fortunately, Clement’s series never has to go that far to reflect real-life events. There is a happy ending to Richie Suck’s story. Nadja, with the help of The Guide, convinces him to never change who he is for anybody, including the lines, “Speak your truth, take back your life” and “Be yourself, free yourself”. Here, the writers know how to deliver a cathartic narrative by showing us something to laugh at but still involving at least a dash of dramatic realism in it.
Sadly, I do not think this subplot mirrors solely this music artist and her hardships. I believe the Richie Suck subplot does subtly call out issues dealing with other figures in the music industry, such as that recently with Britney Spears.
The Crew of What We Do in the Shadows
What We Do in the Shadows is created for television by Jemaine Clement. The series is based on the feature-length film of the same name written by Clement and Taika Waititi.
Clement, Waititi, Paul Simms, Garrett Basch, Eli Bush, Stefani Robinson, and Sam Johnson serve as the executive producers of the show. Yana Gorskaya, Kyle Newacheck, and Marika Sawyer act as the co-executive producers. Ingrid Lageder, Sarah Naftalis, and Derek S. Rappaport are the producers. Zach Hagen, Jake Bender, Zach Dunn, Shana Gohd, and William Meny serve as the co-producers. Ayo Edebiri is the consulting producer.
Gayle Keller serves as the casting director; while Allison Jones and Ben Harris are credited as original casting directors. Jenny Lewis and Sara Kay are the Canadian casting directors. Briana Dunlay is the casting associate, while Krista Fraser is the extras casting director.
Michael Storey is the director of photography, while David A. Makin is the additional director of photography.
Gorskaya and Liza Cardinale serve as the editors, while Wally Baram and Aasia LaShay Bullock are the story editors. Hannah Anaya and Wendy Nomiyama serve as the assistant editors.
Mark Mothersbaugh, John Enroth, and Albert Fox score the music for the series. Nora Felder is the music supervisor. Steve Griffen is the music editor.
Shayne Fox is the production designer. Kerri Wylie is the set decorator. Aaron Noel serves as the art director.
Laura Montgomery is the costume designer. Sarah Milk is the makeup department head, while Tamara Harrod is the hair department head.
Mohammad Ghorbankarimi and Stephen W. Pugh are the visual effects supervisors, while Amanda Lariviere and Malorie Moriana are the VFX producers. Thomas Calderón is the VFX editor, while Vince Filippone is the VFX assistant editor.
The Cast of What We Do in the Shadows
Kayvan Novak, Matt Berry, and Natasia Demetriou portray the series’ three primary traditional vampires, Nandor the Relentless, Leslie “Laszlo” Cravensworth, and Nadja of Antipaxos, respectively.
Harvey Guillén portrays Guillermo de la Cruz, Nandor’s familiar-turned-vampire hunter-turned bodyguard. Mark Proksch portrays Baby Colin Robinson, an infant version of the series’ energy vampire. Kristen Schaal plays series regular/ special guest star, The Guide.
Affion Crockett guest stars as Richie Suck, a superstar vampire rapper, while Fred Armisen plays Doctor Tom “the DJ” Schmidt, the vampire’s familiar.
Anoop Desai co-stars as Djinn, an ancient wish-bestower, while Parisa Fakhri plays Marwa, Nandor’s soon-to-be wife. Mustafa Balut plays a patron.
Sam M. Duncan, Violet Tinnirello, Liam McKenna, and Joseph Franco portray Child Colin.
Performances and Character Developments
Aside from Nadja and The Guide’s subplot with Richie Suck, I also appreciate the development between Leslie “Laszlo” Cravensworth (Matt Berry) and Child Colin Robinson (Mark Proksch). In this episode, we see a literal development in the latter, growing from a baby to a child. Here, we see that Colin has interests and hobbies, to which Laszlo has an aversion. While in the previous three seasons of What We Do in the Shadows these two characters have had a rocky dynamic, Laszlo now believes this new version of his housemate will grow to become a better man than he himself ever was. I admire the father figure role that Laszlo wears in this season and how he is open to allowing Colin to become his own person.
I would also be wrong if I were to ignore Nandor and Guillermo de la Cruz’s (Harvey Guillén) dynamic in this episode. The dialogue about shapes, scrotums, effects, etc. that pertain to Nandor’s penis is childish in itself. However, I will give them credit for their effort in making sure that the details of the wish are not misconstrued. Nandor being body-conscious will be something that will be explored later in this season. Although, we will get there when we get there.
Final Thoughts on What We Do in the Shadows Season 4 Episode 3
Nandor working on himself, as suggested by another character, is an important part of the episode. I wonder what other lengths he goes to for his wife, Marwa (Parisa Fakhri), as well as how long his relationship with her will last. We do see more of her on-screen in the next few episodes, but we shall get there when we get there.
Overall, “The Grand Opening” promises great things — or should I say grand things? — for Nadja’s nightclub. What We Do in the Shadows transforms the vampiric counsel headquarters into a vampire nightclub, and I would love to know more about how that works. For now, we only get a taste of that.
Jemaine Clement’s What We Do in the Shadows Season 4 is now airing on FX and streaming via Hulu!
Have you seen Clement’s series? If so, then what are your thoughts on it so far? Let us know! For more comedy, fantasy, and horror-related news and reviews visit and follow The Cinema Spot on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram!
Managing editor & film and television critic with a Bachelor's of Arts in English Literature with a Writing Minor from the University of Guam. Currently in graduate school completing a Master's in English Literature.
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