What We Do in the Shadows became a beloved comedy series after it was based on a 2014 film of the same name. Taika Waititi and Jemaine Clement, who wrote and directed the original film, took a creative risk by turning it into a series. At first, it felt like a difficult task to match the success and magic of the film, but the show proved everyone wrong. It quickly became just as funny and enjoyable as the movie.
The series focused on a group of vampires living together in a house on Staten Island. The show used a documentary style, much like popular TV shows such as The Office and Abbott Elementary.
Over six seasons, viewers got to know the personalities of the main characters: Nandor the Relentless (Kayvan Novak), Laszlo Cravensworth (Matt Berry), Nadja (Natasia Demetriou), Colin Robinson (Mark Proksch), and Guillermo (Harvey Guillén), who is Nandor’s human assistant. These vampires, who have lived for centuries, got involved in various hilarious situations as they tried to adjust to modern life.
In the series finale, we see some big changes, especially with Guillermo and Nandor’s relationship. As the documentary about their lives reaches its end, the show leaves viewers wondering where these vampires will go next.
Guillermo Struggles with the Documentary Ending in the Series Finale
Season 6 of What We Do in the Shadows consists of 11 episodes, with the final episode titled “The Finale.” The story begins with a new phase in the life of Cravensworth’s monster, a creature Laszlo created. The monster has one main problem: he’s always horny.
This creates chaos at the house, as the monster seems to want to hump everything. Laszlo and the others decide that the best solution is to find the monster a bride. It’s an amusing twist that highlights the chaos of the vampire household.
However, what really matters in this episode is the ending of the documentary. The crew, who has been filming the vampires for years, decides they have enough footage and are done filming. The documentary is over. For Nadja, Laszlo, and Colin Robinson, this is no big deal.
They’ve grown used to the cameras being around, and they don’t feel that it’s a major change. But for Guillermo, the ending of the documentary feels like a crushing blow. He’s devastated, and it makes him nervous and upset.
Nadja tries to comfort Guillermo by explaining that the documentary was the only exciting thing in his life. To the vampires, the cameras were never truly focused on Guillermo, and they just assumed they were pretending to film him for his own enjoyment.
Nadja compares Guillermo to a dog trying to be like a human. However, the truth is, the show has been about Guillermo all along, even if the vampires didn’t realize it.
Nandor attempts to comfort Guillermo by telling him that life is full of changes and goodbyes. Colin Robinson offers some popular quotes, but neither of them really understands why Guillermo is so upset.
Guillermo finally admits that the end of the documentary is making him wonder if he has wasted his life. It’s a powerful moment, and it shows the emotional depth of his character.
What We Do in the Shadows Winks at Series Finale Expectations
As Guillermo struggles with the end of the documentary, the vampires try to ease his concerns. They tell him that another documentary crew will probably come to film them, as this isn’t the first documentary made about their lives.
The vampires show Guillermo clips from a 1958 documentary reel that features Laszlo trying and failing to create his monster, along with footage of Laszlo’s past human persona, Jackie Daytona. The clips give a funny and chaotic view into the past, showing how much their lives have changed—and how much they haven’t.
Guillermo watches these clips and feels disappointed because it seems like their lives are stuck in a never-ending loop. Nothing ever changes, and it feels like everything he’s experienced has already happened. Colin Robinson sums up this feeling by saying, “It’s just a bunch of boring people doing the same old shit day after day.
Nothing changes, no one ever grows, it’s pointless, yadda, yadda.” It’s a humorous comment on the repetitive nature of life, but it’s also a bit of a reality check for the characters.
At one point, Guillermo decides that if the documentary is going to end, he wants to make it special. He wants something meaningful to happen. The Guide, a character who helps the vampires with various problems, suggests turning Guillermo into a vampire, but they already did that in a previous season.
Nadja admits that perhaps they should have ended the show there, just as some critics suggested. This moment in the episode is a playful wink to viewers who have high expectations for series finales, showing how difficult it is to end a show in a way that satisfies everyone.
Guillermo Tries to Find Meaning in the Documentary
Guillermo, in an attempt to give the documentary a meaningful conclusion, asks the vampires to share something they’ve learned during their time being filmed. However, none of them can come up with anything substantial.
Nadja, to make the finale more exciting, hypnotizes the audience and asks them to imagine the perfect ending. This leads to a humorous and clever callback to Newhart’s famous series finale, in which the main character wakes up from a dream.
In the final moments of the episode, viewers see Nandor waking up in bed next to Guillermo, acting as if the show has all been a dream. This scene is a humorous tribute to famous movie endings, including those from Rosemary’s Baby and The Usual Suspects.
The scene highlights the point that nothing in the show ever truly changes, which fits with the theme of the series. The vampires remain the same, and life goes on as it always has, making it impossible for the show to create the perfect ending that fans expect.
The Focus Shifts to Guillermo and Nandor’s Relationship
Throughout the series, Guillermo has been Nandor’s long-time servant. But in the penultimate episode, Nandor begins to see Guillermo in a new light. He saves Guillermo from a new boss who doesn’t treat him well, and this act of kindness makes Nandor feel good about himself.
Nandor starts to believe that his purpose in “life” is to be a crime fighter, with Guillermo as his sidekick. This is a big moment for Nandor, as he no longer sees Guillermo as just a servant, but as a friend and an equal.
Guillermo is surprised by this shift in Nandor’s attitude, but as the last episode begins, the relationship between them hasn’t changed much. Nandor still has everything planned out, including a secret lair under the house. Guillermo, however, isn’t impressed. He knows that in the end, he’ll end up doing all the work, as always. This reflects the ongoing power imbalance in their relationship.
In the final moments of the episode, Guillermo tries to deliver an emotional speech about home being where your friends are, but his moment is interrupted by Cravensworth’s monster, who is too busy humping a stuffed bear in the background.
It’s a funny and absurd moment that undercuts Guillermo’s heartfelt speech, leaving him unfulfilled. Nandor still doesn’t fully understand Guillermo’s feelings, and Guillermo ends up going off to cry alone.
But in a surprising twist, Guillermo makes a huge decision. As Nandor prepares to sleep in his coffin, Guillermo tells him that he won’t be there when he wakes up. It’s time for him to move on from his life with Nandor. Nandor is deeply hurt by this, but he accepts Guillermo’s decision.
Guillermo calls him “master,” but Nandor tells him he can use his real name. It’s a small, touching moment that shows Nandor finally sees Guillermo as an equal, but it’s still a sad and emotional farewell.
The Final Twist: Guillermo Chooses His Own Path
As the credits roll, the documentary crew begins to pack up, and it seems like Guillermo is truly leaving. But just as they’re about to finish filming, Guillermo surprises everyone by opening Nandor’s coffin. He hasn’t left after all. Instead, he was just trying to create a meaningful, emotional ending for the documentary.
Nandor hopes this means they can now be crime fighters together, but Guillermo insists that while they can still be friends, he needs to do his own thing.
In a final moment of sweetness, Nandor invites Guillermo to sit inside his coffin with him. He pushes a button, and the coffin drops down a long shaft, revealing Nandor’s secret lair. This time, Nandor has created the lair without making Guillermo do all the work.
It’s a small but significant gesture that shows Nandor’s growth. The final shot of Guillermo’s smile as the coffin drops symbolizes that he has found a place where he belongs. He is home with his friends.
The series ends with a message of hope for Guillermo’s future. The finale may not have given him a perfect ending, but it showed that he is finally in control of his own life. And while the show may have ended, there is still hope that we’ll get to see what happens next in Guillermo’s journey.
Every episode of What We Do in the Shadows is available to watch on Hulu.
