What We Do in the Shadows: The Railroad (6x04)

Sean Rinaldi, how I love you.

Cons:

There's this little moment at the start where it seems like Nandor is crushing on the Guide? Now, I'm always complaining that they don't know what to do with the Guide character, and this episode is no exception... so maybe this could be funny or interesting? Maybe it's just a continuation from the hypnosis. It just seems kind of random and uninspired to me, though. Honestly, that goes for Jerry as well - he's here at the start of the episode to continue the whole "taking over America" plan, but it doesn't really go much of anywhere and this character hasn't really had much to do since his introduction in the first episode of the season. I guess we'll see if it all pays off!

Pros:

I thought the main plot and the subplot of this episode were both very strong overall!

Let's start with Colin and Lazlo teaming up to try and trick their neighbor and good pal Sean. This was the most fun I've had with a Lazlo and Colin match-up in a long while. I loved that they both took their responsibility to do the right thing by Sean so seriously, even if Colin was mostly going along with Lazlo's shenanigans. It's definitely a go big or go home situation, with them renting out an office space and hiring a bunch of actors to maintain their lie that they work for the railroad. The funniest part is Sean's inconsistent stupidity. His mental issues come from the over-hypnotizing that Lazlo has subjected him to over the years. So he's stupid enough not to know how to work the elevator, and not to notice that the man conducting his interview is a Frankenstein's monster, but he's smart enough to actually give a really great interview for this job that doesn't exist. That dichotomy is so fun. And Lazlo going on about how stupid he is, and then saying "he's my friend, I can't let him down" got a big laugh out of me.

Nadja is the bridge between this plot thread and the other one, and there's a fun scene where she dupes the finance bros into coming down to the fake railroad office to try and make a sale, and even though the lie is immediately apparent, they still end up thinking the property might be worth snatching up, so Nadja gets some further kudos with the Cannon crowd!

Of course, my favorite material is with Guillermo working his new job. His relationship with Jordan, his new boss, is taking on some master-familiar vibes. Guillermo helps Jordan down from his perch when he makes a speech, very like how he might have helped his master Nandor in and out of his coffin. He nearly slips up and calls him "master," and he is willing to take all manner of berating and abuse, all for the promise of advancement down the road, and the small crumbs of praise thrown his way. There's actually a rather complex character thing going on here with Guillermo. Because while he finally has excised himself from the unhealthy dynamic he had with his old boss, he's now falling right back into old patterns. And said old boss, or bosses if you include Nadja, are meanwhile right there actually working to support him. Nandor is willing to humble himself, and he actually says he's proud of Guillermo, and seems completely sincere in wanting him to be happy. There's no secret ploy from Nandor to get Guillermo fired so he'll come back to his old position. He seems genuinely pleased for his friend, if quietly heartbroken. 

And that's all compounded by the very tender and rather sad scene where Guillermo finally has to fire Nandor, after trying to avoid the task several times. Nandor doesn't turn on Guillermo, doesn't say anything nasty, but shakes his hand and quietly leaves. He tries to take it on the chin even when the camera crew are asking him about the situation. He does have a bit of a breakdown and throw a box down the hall, storming away from the cameras, but it all feels very... grounded and truly emotional, not a heightened and comedic reaction like you might have expected.

There's still a lot of comedy to be mined from the Guillermo and Nandor plot, such as Nandor's ridiculous janitorial tasks, such as mopping computer screens and throwing files away in the trash. Or Nadja's indignation about Guillermo's attitude now that he's making real strides in the workplace, forgetting that Nadja helped make it happen for him. Or Guillermo trying to justify the evils of capitalism by saying it's a net positive for the consumer to get a cheaper product, and a great working opportunity for children overseas. Yikes!

So yeah, this was probably the strongest episode of the season thus far. I'll be excited to see where Guillermo's plot goes from here. I have the sinking feeling that the season will end with Guillermo finally excising himself fully from the lives of the vampires, moving forward with his life while the vampires are stuck in the same old same old. We'll see if that's the direction they take it!

9/10