Recap and review of What We Do in the Shadows season 5 episode 9: A Weekend at Morrigan Manor

On the ninth episode in the fifth season of the award-winning vampire mockumetary series What We Do in the Shadows, in the wake of a failed art show by The Guide, the housemates attend a weekend party hosted by socialite vamp Dame Morrigan at her illustrious manor.

The Guide comes in and reminds the housemates gathered around the fireplace that she has an upcoming art show of paintings later that night.

Though they have already RSVP’d, when they learn The Guide is the artist, they all balk and make horrid excuses.

Before she leaves though, The Guide surprises them with the announcement that they’ve received a letter from Perdita Morrigan to attend a weekend at her manor. Morrigan is apparently the tippity-top of the social elite cream of vamps in the US. So this kind of invite moves them up the high society ladder.

The vampires are all excited and they quickly move to depart for the manor. Of course The Guide is pretty disappointed, she was certain the vampires would pick her exhibit over a mere party.

What We Do in the Shadows season 5 episode 9: Fencing skills

She’s still pretty hopeful though, as everyone arrives at the manor she tries a last ditch effort and tells everyone that she has brought the paintings, stashing them in the car. Of course she’s ignored.

Inside, they find out through a letter and a voice message that Dame Perdita won’t be joining them but they have free rein of the manor and all its amenities. Guillermo is left to unpack and does The Guide a favor by also bringing in her paintings.

Dressed in black fencing armor, Laszlo is in the gym practicing his fencing on a dummy when The Guide comes in, dressed in red fencing armor, and challenges him to spar. Laszlo refuses and she exits the room.

Then someone in white fencing armor appears, unknown and helmeted, and challenges Laszlo. They start to fight and then the stakes steadily ratchet up as the unknown fighter duplicates and duplicates, the clones becoming a dozen until Laszlo, no slouch of a swordsman, is overwhelmed.

During the fight, The Guide appears and asks him if he needs help, but Laszlo refuses. It’s a pretty cool action sequence and the sword fighting is exciting. But what has become of Laszlo?

What We Do in the Shadows season 5 episode 9: Bats in the belfry?

In the drawing room, The Guide reads a message from Perdita. She’s prepared a traditional hunt for them after moonrise. Then The Guide unveils her oil paintings. They’re all pretty cool and beautifully made pieces, portraits of the vampires.

Nadja notices that Laszlo is missing so The Guide leads her to the belfry, where local bats can be found. At the top though there’s something bumping and trying to get out behind the door.

The Guide goes in first and it seems like there’s a monster with a scythe inside. The Guide asks for help but Nadja flees. As she’s speeding down the stairs though, one of the steps collapses and Nadja falls down the hole.

When the lights in the belfry go on the monster is revealed to just be a collection of knick knacks that look like a creature. But what has happened to Nadja?

What We Do in the Shadows season 5 episode 9: College athlete hunt!

Meantime, a horn sounds the start of the “traditional hunt.” They’re college athletes, “the most challenging prey” says Nandor.

Nandor and Guillermo chase them and Nandor wants Guillermo to track the scent of the humans. Guillermo only pretends to run ahead but really circles back inside. Relaxing in the living room, he’s left Nandor to continue the hunt on his own.

But then Nandor finds The Guide in a bear trap and she tells him that Nadja and Laszlo are both missing. Though Nandor does offer to help her out, he gets distracted when the humans return and he flees, leaving The Guide in the trap.

Unfortunately, Nandor gets caught in a net and disappears to god knows where.

What We Do in the Shadows season 5 episode 9: Glass onion Colin

Back at the manor, Guillermo realizes everyone except Colin Robinson and him have disappeared. Colin suspects Yermo but then the new vamp explains he doesn’t have a stake in the conspiracy even if he does have motive, possibly regarding his recently turned nature.

Then The Guide comes in, hobbling because of her wound from the bear trap. She goes on a rant that she’s never felt she was part of the group even if she only wanted crumbs of kindness. Colin is oblivious to all this.

Then she pushes a button and Colin’s chair spouts a hole. Guillermo is shocked as Colin falls down.

The masquerade is up and The Guide takes Guillermo down to the basement, where she’s holding all the vamps inside silver lined cells. It’s actually very sci-fi looking.

Like a Bond villain, The Guide confesses to everything. She was even the one who disguised her voice as the message from Dame Perdita, since she knew the manor would be empty during the off season.

She did all this, The Guide explains, to teach them the importance of being nice to people. That only Guillermo has been kind to her, so he doesn’t get a cell of his own.

What We Do in the Shadows season 5 episode 9: Guillermo’s confession

She even explains that she made up the alleged hex that is plaguing Nadja. There is no such curse. As she rants she slips and casually tells the group that Guillermo has been forced to take matters into his own hands regarding wanting to be a vampire.

Nandor, even a dumb brute that he is, notices this and then Guillermo is left with no other recourse but to confess. Guillermo is finally forced to spit it out and tell Nandor that he had Derek bite him.

Looks like the vampires spending a treacherous night at Morrigan Manor has become quite productive, especially now that Nandor is hellbent on killing his former familiar. He will also quite possibly kill himself afterwards, because of the humiliation.

One of the biggest revelations is that I had no idea it’s been 13 years since Guillermo became a familiar. That’s a pretty long time to wait, all things considered. And that Guillermo is still only half a vamp because his Van Helsing blood is still fighting the transformation.

Laszlo has a resolution to their imprisonment though and asks the docu crew to find the tape from Nov 21, 2022. This actually signals a more involved interaction with the docu people.

What We Do in the Shadows season 5 episode 9: Run, Guillermo!

They then play footage for The Guide where all the house mates are gathered around the living room praising her, saying complimentary things, and just generally being nice talking among themselves.

The Guide is appeased and she releases them from their silver-lined cells. Unfortunately this also means that Nandor will be free to kill Guillermo.

Laszlo gives Guillermo a chance for a head start. This time Guillermo actually turns into a bat with ease as Nandor fumes, his hands holding the silver bars burning.

Well, so much for all the vamps sticking together and looking out for each other like a family unit.

Two big plot points things have at least been resolved on this penultimate season episode:

*Nandor has become aware that Guillermo has been turned by someone else.

*The Guide has been reconciled with the group she felt so left out of.

Only Guillermo’s confession, albeit forced considering the circumstances, felt satisfying. The resolution to The Guide’s scheme and how her feelings were assuaged just seemed like sloppy writing.

Then again, most of this season’s comedic moments have felt like bad puns and jokes. Hoping this gets resolved nicely with a ribbon on top in the season finale.

You can stream season 5 of What We Do in the Shadows on Disney+