Ep 8. Collaboration

In the eighth episode of the second season of the comedy horror television series What We Do in the Shadows, titled Collaboration, the vampires of Staten Island find themselves in need of help from their familiar Guillermo. While Guillermo has been trying to balance his duties to his vampire masters with his own desires, an unexpected opportunity arises that may force him to choose between his loyalties.

The episode begins with Nandor, Laszlo, and Nadja trying to come up with new ideas to keep themselves entertained and avoid the mundanity of eternal life. Nadja suggests that they try collaborating with other vampires, which leads them to attend a vampire council meeting in Manhattan. They quickly find themselves out of their depth, however, as the other vampires mock them for their provincial ways and lack of sophistication.

Meanwhile, Guillermo is grappling with his own problems. After accidentally killing a vampire hunter, he has become the subject of suspicion and surveillance from the local authorities. He’s also torn between his desire to be turned into a vampire, something Nandor has promised him for years, and his growing awareness that the vampires he serves may not have his best interests at heart.

The tension between Guillermo and his vampire masters comes to a head when he receives an unexpected job offer from another vampire who promises to turn him if he can lure Nandor and her friends into a trap. The offer is tempting, but Guillermo is still unsure if he wants to betray the only family he’s ever known.

As the vampires clash with the other council members and Guillermo contemplates his options, a long-lost friend of Laszlo’s appears on the scene, further complicating matters. The ensuing chaos brings the group closer together, but also exposes the fissures and betrayals that threaten to tear them apart.

Like previous episodes of What We Do in the Shadows, Collaboration combines elements of horror and comedy to great effect. The humor is often absurd and deadpan, with the vampires’ old-world mannerisms and anachronistic quirks providing plenty of laughs. At the same time, the show doesn’t shy away from the darker implications of immortality, exploring the characters’ loneliness, ennui, and even moral corruption.

The episode also deepens the show’s world-building, introducing new vampire clans and fleshing out the relationships between the main characters. The show has always excelled at balancing its supernatural elements with character development, and Collaboration is no exception. The episode is a welcome reminder of why What We Do in the Shadows has become one of the most beloved comedies on TV.