The series is based on a feature film by Jemaine Clement and Taika Waititi, and fans of the movie occasionally say the small screen counterpart doesn’t measure up, but the second season grounds this in television even as it grinds a horror movie icon into a comic performer extraordinaire. Haley Joel Osment, who played the kid who saw dead people in Sixth Sense, is the center of attention for the undead. His Topher takes a Homer Simpson approach to his familiarity, though, doing the least work possible with the most visibility. He ultimately becomes What We Do in the Shadows‘ Frank Grimes, whose sole appearance as a guest character on The Simpsons was one of its darkest, as Topher is relegated to a sweatshop used-zombie pile after he gets electrocuted doing one of the few simple tasks he deigns to.
Colin Robinson (Mark Proksch) oversees the burial, but does not give closure, so even the mud is dug up as Topher’s remains are brought over to a local necromancer friend of Nadja’s. This is not the same necromancer Laszlo Cravensworth used last year to get his witch skin hat reblocked. He worked out of a store called Compact Disc Town. Nadja’s necromancer Wallace has a cabin in the expansive woods of Staten Island. Nandor gets to exhibit his steadfast nature, taking a shine to a personalized license plate-key ring. It would be perfect for someone named Steve, and every time he says Steve it becomes more delicious. We just know he’s going to go home with a gift for this unknown person who carries such a pleasant sounding name.
The actual necromancy ceremony is exquisitely twisted. First, the personal object the vampires choose for Topher to come back for is his minifridge. Then we learn the importance of the fee. And then the scatting begins. Zibbidee zow, and the newly dead helper is dancing a jig. And he keeps on going. So long that Guillermo ultimately has to leave him hanging. Osment looks like he’s having a blast, slobbering all over Guillermo’s attempts at overkill. The resurrected like to stay erect, and Nandor speaks for everyone when he says “what’s with this fucking guy.” Kayvan Novak never loses unfocused focus, the ennui of endless life left lasting damage. But he has a keen eye for the most obvious, and some of his observations undermine everything we’ve taken for granted in horror entertainment.
For ancient creatures, these vampires seem to have learned nothing after centuries of experience, and have only retained the most shallow of memories. At one point Laszlo is lauding Topher’s credentials. He doesn’t know what they mean, but they sound good. Nadja (Natasia Demetriou) never forgets a good disemboweling. Oh how they laugh over the ways some of those crazy familiars went out. Nandor doesn’t even wait for Guillermo’s ultimate fate. He jokes about dead Guillermos right to his familiar’s face. His casual disregard for the feelings he tramples is a comic gift which keeps giving.
Colin Robinson never felt a feeling he couldn’t swallow. The energy vampire doesn’t have much to do in the opening episode, but his subtle charm is irresistible and the glee in his eyes during the Lincoln Tunnel scene is worth the toll. He can’t quite get a feed on the entrepreneurial Topher but loves the idea of endlessly repeating sales pitches to disinterested clients.
