S05.E05: Local News

[formerlyfreedom]

Coverage of a local water main break brings unwanted attention to the vampires.

Airing Thursday, August 3, 2023.

[Galileo908]

"Ohhhh shitty shit I fucked it!!"

So Colin Robinson's first instinct in a crisis is to booby trap the house Home Alone style. But with lots of knives and spears. Nadja prepared go bags with new Jackie Daytona-esque identities (Sally Rhubarb!), and Laszlo made intricate plans that involve kidnapping potato sacks. And of course, everything they do just made everything worse. All because Gizmo picked a bad time to leave them alone for an hour.

Poor Guillermo. Accidentally forgetting his mom's birthday on top of all the vampirism was just painful. Also noticed his reflection fading in the mirror as his mom was putting the crucifix on him. And after all that, going through all of Colin Robinson's traps.

Loved that Doll Nadja dyed her hair blonde to match Vampire Nadja.

This episode was made just for the vamps reading the news and worked backwards from there, wasn't it? I loved that so much. Colin Robinson with the weather and bad greenscreen while The Guide drained the weather lady (complete with blood splatter!) was incredible, and Laszlo was so made to be a sports reporter.

[sistermagpie]

Wow, this was an amazing one. When I read the description I thought: how much of a problem could some unwanted attention be? And then they did this.

One of my biggest laughs was Nandor the Relentless being introduced without hesitation as Nandor De Laurentiis. Of course. (The Guide feeding on the weathergirl on screen was also a nice little visual gag.)

And yet, in the middle of such a funny ep, we get pure tragedy for poor Guillermo. Never thought this one through, did you, Gizmo?

Edited August 4, 2023 by sistermagpie

[Galileo908]

Dying at Laszlo's pronunciation of "translucient."

Edited August 4, 2023 by Galileo908

[thuganomics85]

Nadja/Natasia Demetriou coming in with the best worst attempt at a southern accent ever!  Sally Rhubarb and Jackie Daytona definitely need to go on an adventure together.  Make it happen, show!

Loved how the main issue was just because the vampires assume the worst and created problems that probably weren't there.  Because I'm suspect anyone watching just thought Nador was your atypical crackpot that always tends to be interviewed on local news and it was clear that the reporter just thought he was the average weirdo: probably not even the craziest person she's dealt with.  But, of course, he thought he truly exposed them to the world and chaos naturally ensued!  Never change, guys.

Poor Guillermo though.  You can see how his rush to becoming a vampire is starting to have consequences he wasn't prepared for, because this really will effect him, his mom, and the rest of the family going further if/when he fully turns.  Credit to powering through the cross scene because that probably hurt!

Colin's Home Alone style trap definitely lived up to the hype.

If the gang ever actually did a full local newscast, it would be the first one I'd watch in its entirety.

[voiceover]

Speaking as a sportsball enthusiast, I must urge the writers to run with Laszlo-as-NFL guru.  Truth in advertising: he’s better than most of the sideline reporters currently on air.

And let Jackie Daytona & Matthew the Groundskeeper welcome Sally Rhubarb to the AU of this series!

33 minutes ago, sistermagpie said:

One of my biggest laughs was Nandor the Relentless being introduced without hesitation as Nandor De Laurentiis.

Going forward I need them to call him that.

[possibilities]

The season is sooooo good. I love all the things you all have already mentioned, and also am wondering what the hell Guillermo thought would happen when he turned, why he didn't think it through. He certainly had plenty of time to do so. 

His moment of acknowldgeing that they actually had a pretty good solution when they hypnotized the tv audience, was really funny. Not only has he lost his family of origin, but he no longer has a role with his chosen family-- both because he broke the rule on not being turned by someone else, and also because they don't need him. I wonder what the show's resolution of this problem is going to be.

Colin Robinson bing lft running while the others turned into bats wasanother moment that made me laugh.

There was a weather guy locally who was famous for putting people to sleep with his weather forecasts. So when CR took the weather spot when the vampires took over the studio, I suddenly thought: Hey! Maybe our weather guy was an energy vampire! 

I'm still laughing about last week's episode, and now  I have  this one's laughs on top of those. Excellent!

I thought Naja lifting her mug while the newscast credits rolled was hilarious. I have seen that move so many times on TV newscasts. 

 

 

[ItCouldBeWorse]

17 minutes ago, possibilities said:

am wondering what the hell Guillermo thought would happen when he turned, why he didn't think it through. He certainly had plenty of time to do so. 

He's really ok with personally killing people for nourishment (versus just disposing of the bodies?)

[Blakeston]

9 minutes ago, ItCouldBeWorse said:

He's really ok with personally killing people for nourishment (versus just disposing of the bodies?)

Guilleremo has knowingly led people to their deaths without giving it much thought. As cute and sensitive as he can be, he's got a hell of a dark side.

[libgirl2]

Great episode last night. Nandor still makes me laugh the most. No surprise he stuck his foot in it on the air! 

[iMonrey]

OMG Nando De Laurentis. They totally nailed the whole Local News part with the graphics and the chyrons and the anchors, it very much reminded me of when they mimicked the house flipping show. And obviously they knew it - when Colin turned the TV on it was on "Go Flip Yourself" very briefly before he changed the channel! Also, the vampires have not one but two curved TV sets. 

I got such a kick out of the pandemonium in the house over basically nothing. They have no idea New Yorkers just think they're a bunch of eccentrics. 

Who is the relative that keeps getting on Guillermo's case? Is he a cousin or something? I know it's not his brother but it seems like he lives with his mother.

I expected it to turn out they caused the water main break. I'm surprised they didn't. 

[Barbarblacksheep]

7 minutes ago, iMonrey said:

They totally nailed the whole Local News part with the graphics and the chyrons and the anchors, it very much reminded me of when they mimicked the house flipping show. And obviously they knew it - when Colin turned the TV on it was on "Go Flip Yourself" very briefly before he changed the channel!

I was also marveling at the accuracy of the "Channel 8" segments, and then an interview with the episode director popped up in my news feed. They went to great lengths to get it right:

"I  mean, we did a ton of research similar to when we did “Go Flip Yourself” in terms of just getting the language exactly right of local news. So we met with camera people and local news producers. The anchor people that we cast were actual local news anchors. The set was based on local news sets. We shot half of the episode that’s in the news space at a different frame rate because — this is super technical, but my editor nerd brain lights up at this stuff — news is shot at 30 frames per second, but you know, regular television is 24 [frames per second] and a more cinematic look. So 30 is what you think of as a video look. The news [segments in the show] were shot at 30. That was really important for it to feel like real local news."

Entire article here https://www.tvinsider.com/1101160/what-we-do-in-the-shadows-season-5-local-news-nadja-blonde-guillermo/?utm_source=TV+Insider%3A+Main&utm_campaign=2c4fd5277a-THE_DAILY&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_3576f8ead4-2c4fd5277a-15108702

[SeanBug]

It just dawned on me that DeLaurentiis is just a misunderstood "the Relentless" . 

So Mark Proksch finally gets to play it straight-ish on a local news broadcast. Did you guys know he got his start doing pranks on local news as Kenny Strasser YoYo Master?   Vince Gilligan tells the story of seeing the you tube videos of Mark when he auditioned for Better Call Saul, and he could barely get thru the story he was laughing so hard.  He has always played the same sort of boring, energy draining nerd, so Colin R is perfect for him.  He spends 10 minutes explaining how to get a pass to get into an elementary school in this clip.  

Colin Robinson: The Early Years?

 

[peeayebee]

14 hours ago, Galileo908 said:

Also noticed his reflection fading in the mirror as his mom was putting the crucifix on him.

Ooo, I missed that. I'll have to go back and look for it.

 

14 hours ago, sistermagpie said:

One of my biggest laughs was Nandor the Relentless being introduced without hesitation as Nandor De Laurentiis.

That was my favorite part of the ep. I hate to say this, but I didn't particularly enjoy this one. I appreciated the accuracy of them all doing the local news, but somehow it wasn't all that amusing to me. Maybe I just wasn't in the right mood.

 

1 hour ago, iMonrey said:

Who is the relative that keeps getting on Guillermo's case? Is he a cousin or something? I know it's not his brother but it seems like he lives with his mother.

I'm pretty sure he's a cousin of Guillermo because IIRC he called the mom 'Tia.'

[aghst]

Nandor and Lazlo was coming for the reporter with the potato sack until their antique car fell into the sinkhole?

Then the 4 of them had to lift the car out of the sinkhole.

Maybe the two of them could have just carried the reporter away with their vampire strength.

 

My prediction is that Guillermo never fully turns or reverts.  Just like Colin Robinson disappeared and then over the course of last season just returned to his old self.

Unless they can produce more comedy out of having a vampire who has a clue about the modern world, compared to the others.

 

[bosawks]

I loved Gizmo’s mother’s huffed, “Dramatico…”, when he sat down to watch the news after insisting they speak privately.

[edhopper]

This was another good episode.  Until they took over the News. Then it became a great episode.

[PurpleTentacle]

9 hours ago, peeayebee said:

That was my favorite part of the ep. I hate to say this, but I didn't particularly enjoy this one. I appreciated the accuracy of them all doing the local news, but somehow it wasn't all that amusing to me. Maybe I just wasn't in the right mood.

This episode was a strange one. It was really frustrating watching them fumble so hard and also kinda tense with Gizmo's stuff going on on the side.

So the episode wasn't super funny throughout most of the runtime. But that made that ending where they take over the local news really cathartic and even funnier. So this episode was a very long setup for an amazing joke at the end. I'd say it was worth it. Because that last segment was just that good.

[seacliffsal]

I feel like Guillermo has become the least interesting character.  I loved the tension when he displayed some of his vampire-killing skills while trying to hide them in order to continue his role of 'familiar.'  I'm not as invested in his turning/not turning into a vampire and I did not have any sympathy/empathy for him in his 'good-bye' scene with his family.  However, I am totally invested in the vampires becoming newscasters or t.v. stars.

[meep.meep]

Guillermo's family has come up in the world since season 1 when he gave them the mini fridge.

Was his mother saying that he has come to say goodbye multiple times?

 

[iMonrey]

Quote

Also noticed his reflection fading in the mirror as his mom was putting the crucifix on him.

I didn't catch it the first time so thanks for pointing it out. Yes, after his mother puts the crucifix around his neck they both look into the mirror. She is rubbing his back, and in the mirror you can see her arm right through him.

It's interesting the show is following the lore of vampires having no reflection, because they are on TV through this whole thing. If they have no reflection you'd think they couldn't show up on camera either.

Edited August 5, 2023 by iMonrey

[Gobi]

I was expecting the flooding to involve the lore that vampires can't cross running water on their own. Great episode, anyway.

[Ohiopirate02]

45 minutes ago, iMonrey said:

 

It's interesting the show is following the lore of vampires having no reflection, because they are on TV through this whole thing. If they have no reflection you'd think they couldn't show up on camera either.

The show really wouldn't work if the vampires did not show up on camera.  Mockumentary format aside, the show is built upon the fact that vampires can appear on camera.  The whole vampiric council made up of actors who played vampires in movies, Laszlo's porn career, and Simon being behind Go Flip Yourself come to mind.  

[sistermagpie]

8 hours ago, meep.meep said:

 

Was his mother saying that he has come to say goodbye multiple times?

 

Yes, I believe she's said this is the third time he's made his dramatico goodbye.

[Blakeston]

Nadja was much more competent as a news anchor than I would have expected!

Edited August 8, 2023 by Blakeston

[PurpleTentacle]

11 hours ago, iMonrey said:

It's interesting the show is following the lore of vampires having no reflection, because they are on TV through this whole thing. If they have no reflection you'd think they couldn't show up on camera either.

Interestingly that whole reflection thing came from the fact that mirrors used to be coated with silver and that being seen as a pure material, so not reflecting these impure creatures and also harming them when used directly against them. That stuck with werewolfs, not as much with vampires for some reason.

So that could be a good explaination, if Vampires just didn't reflect in old mirrors. But I think we've seen them not have any reflections at all in this show.

I'm not sure if your standard TV cameras have mirrors in them. If not, you could make an argument that digital sensors are different from mirrors in some way.

[Eliza422]

On 8/5/2023 at 7:23 AM, seacliffsal said:

I feel like Guillermo has become the least interesting character.  I loved the tension when he displayed some of his vampire-killing skills while trying to hide them in order to continue his role of 'familiar.'  I'm not as invested in his turning/not turning into a vampire and I did not have any sympathy/empathy for him in his 'good-bye' scene with his family.  However, I am totally invested in the vampires becoming newscasters or t.v. stars.

I was really hoping that he never got turned during the whole series - I wanted it to end with him seeing that staying human was the best option. He has always been a favorite in the show but I don’t care for how his story has unfolded. I thought it would have been way more interesting to keep with the slayer amongst vampires angle.

oh well.

[sistermagpie]

7 minutes ago, Eliza422 said:

I was really hoping that he never got turned during the whole series - I wanted it to end with him seeing that staying human was the best option. He has always been a favorite in the show but I don’t care for how his story has unfolded. I thought it would have been way more interesting to keep with the slayer amongst vampires angle.

 

I've been having the opposite reaction, a little. I think it may still end with him somehow not being a vampire (which I've also always wanted), but I'm impressed with the show giving him this story where he impulsively went for it (and remember he was even reconsidering when Derek bit him anyway) and now being stuck in between and scared and miserable with both sides of his life. The show always really commits to whatever big change it makes. I'm totally emotionally invested in him still, and eventually he was always going to have to really confront his lifelong dream of being a vampire.

I wouldn't be surprised if his family ultimately finds a solution. Vampire hunters must get bitten sometimes, after all.

Edited August 6, 2023 by sistermagpie

[Ohiopirate02]

21 hours ago, sistermagpie said:

I wouldn't be surprised if his family ultimately finds a solution. Vampire hunters must get bitten sometimes, after all.

If not his family, then a cameo from Blade himself, Wesley Snipes, perhaps?

[Gobi]

22 hours ago, sistermagpie said:

I wouldn't be surprised if his family ultimately finds a solution. Vampire hunters must get bitten sometimes, after all.

In The Brides of Dracula, van Helsing (Peter Cushing) was able to prevent himself becoming a vampire by applying a hot poker, followed by holy water, to the bite. However, that was soon after being bitten.

[iMonrey]

On 8/5/2023 at 10:23 PM, PurpleTentacle said:

Interestingly that whole reflection thing came from the fact that mirrors used to be coated with silver and that being seen as a pure material, so not reflecting these impure creatures and also harming them when used directly against them.

I've never heard that before. My understanding of that lore is that mirrors show a reflection of the soul, and because vampires have no soul they have no reflection.

[Gobi]

8 minutes ago, iMonrey said:

I've never heard that before. My understanding of that lore is that mirrors show a reflection of the soul, and because vampires have no soul they have no reflection.

Since it’s all mythology from several cultures, there are bound to be different versions.

[PurpleTentacle]

37 minutes ago, iMonrey said:

I've never heard that before. My understanding of that lore is that mirrors show a reflection of the soul, and because vampires have no soul they have no reflection.

Well I certainly didn't make it up, but the origin of this particular myth still seems to be more debated than I thought: https://scifi.stackexchange.com/questions/38466/what-is-the-origin-of-stokers-idea-that-vampires-reflections-cannot-be-seen

Some say it's the silver, some say it's the soul-thing.

The silver makes more sense to me, even in a magical reality, because we know mirrors reflect light and not souls. But ymmv.

[tennisgurl]

I was honestly dying the whole episode, of course the vampires attempts at covering up Nador's screw up would just make everything worse. They still don't understand that the general public just think that their a bunch of eccentric weirdos, not a bunch of actual vampires. Its pretty amazing that they haven't already been caught, vampires in general are not exactly the brightest. The whole episode was hilarious, but the vampires doing the news report was really what took this from a really good episode to a great one. 

I love that Naja also died doll Naja's hair blond. I'm very much looking forward to the adventures of Nandor De Laurentiis, Sally Rhubarb and Jackie Daytona, normal human people. 

Colin Robinson is clearly missing his calling as a weatherman. Can he feed via video stream? 

[Which Tyler]

3 hours ago, tennisgurl said:

Colin Robinson is clearly missing his calling as a weatherman. Can he feed via video stream? 

Yes, he was an internet troll back is season 2 - IIRC he said it wasn't as fulfilling, but you could make up for it with sheer numbers.

Edited August 8, 2023 by Which Tyler

[ItCouldBeWorse]

On 8/5/2023 at 12:06 PM, iMonrey said:

It's interesting the show is following the lore of vampires having no reflection, because they are on TV through this whole thing. If they have no reflection you'd think they couldn't show up on camera either.

And then they could only have paintings, not photos of the 3 traditional vampires in the intro.

On 8/5/2023 at 12:56 PM, Ohiopirate02 said:

The show really wouldn't work if the vampires did not show up on camera.  Mockumentary format aside, the show is built upon the fact that vampires can appear on camera.  The whole vampiric council made up of actors who played vampires in movies, Laszlo's porn career, and Simon being behind Go Flip Yourself come to mind.  

Excellent observation.

So I guess if Guillermo is eventually unable to view his reflection in a mirror, he can just use the selfie mode on his phone to see himself?

 

Edited August 8, 2023 by ItCouldBeWorse

[Eliza422]

On 8/6/2023 at 10:51 AM, sistermagpie said:

I've been having the opposite reaction, a little. I think it may still end with him somehow not being a vampire (which I've also always wanted), but I'm impressed with the show giving him this story where he impulsively went for it (and remember he was even reconsidering when Derek bit him anyway) and now being stuck in between and scared and miserable with both sides of his life. The show always really commits to whatever big change it makes. I'm totally emotionally invested in him still, and eventually he was always going to have to really confront his lifelong dream of being a vampire.

I wouldn't be surprised if his family ultimately finds a solution. Vampire hunters must get bitten sometimes, after all.

That's a good point - he did start to reconsider immediately. I suppose it's a more interesting path to take, with the Damocles sword of what will Nando do when he finds out? And his family? I suppose it's also good that he is taking some action and not just bemoaning everything.

My mind is open!

 

[Lantern7]

Who was working the cameras at the end of the broadcast? Or should I not think about that? Once again, I tend to overthink that stuff . . . like how vampires can show up on televisions and in pictures even though mirrors are involved. It can’t be written off as . . . aaaaaaaaand I’m doing it again. Sorry about that.

Im hoping the vampire thing doesn’t take with Guillermo. He can do better. Shit, maybe he would wind up working for a railroad in the end. He doesn’t have to be a slayer. And if he does, he wouldn’t have to kill our vampires . . . even if they richly deserve it at times.

We didn’t need Guide snacking on the weather anchor . . . but hey, why not? Too bad the “schmutz” couldn’t distract from Colin Robinson’s top blending into the green screen.

 

 

[Milburn Stone]

On 8/4/2023 at 10:26 AM, iMonrey said:

They have no idea New Yorkers just think they're a bunch of eccentrics. 

I loved that subtext. We didn't see ordinary New Yorkers in their homes watching the channel 8 news, but we could "see" them in our minds, and also hear them, and what they were saying was, "Just another day living in New York."

I doubt that the mass hypnosis was even necessary.

Edited September 5, 2023 by Milburn Stone

[RedHawk]

On 8/4/2023 at 11:26 AM, iMonrey said:

I expected it to turn out they caused the water main break. I'm surprised they didn't. 

 

On 8/5/2023 at 12:36 PM, Gobi said:

I was expecting the flooding to involve the lore that vampires can't cross running water on their own. Great episode, anyway.

I expected that the flooding would cause some buried bodies to be disinterred in their yard.😳