The Portrait

"**The Portrait**" is the tenth and final episode of the third season of *What We Do in the Shadows*. It aired on October 28, 2021.

## Synopsis

The housemates grieve the loss of one of their own.

## Plot Summary

As part of vampire tradition, Colin Robinson's roommates, along with the Council guide, Baron Afanas, the Sire and Aspen, all pose for a portrait painted by Donal Logue. Tensions arise during the process and the vampires bicker. Nandor storms off and tells the camera crew that he plans to leave Staten Island. Guillermo overhears and Nandor tells him he will be leaving alone, and that Nadja and Laszlo are likely to also move on soon. Meanwhile, Nadja suggests to Laszlo that they take a trip to England to take their minds off Colin's death, but Laszlo turns it down.

As Guillermo prepares to inform Nadja of Nandor's plans, Nadja reveals to Guillermo that Viago has invited her to London to be promoted to a more senior role within the Vampiric Council. Nadja despairs that Laszlo will refuse to go. Guillermo goes to Laszlo to find out why, and he explains that he had sworn never to return back to England after being expelled from the Sherwood Club of London. Guillermo goes back to Nandor to find the guide helping him plan his journey.

The roommates return to pose for the portrait and Nadja and Nandor suddenly announce their plans to move. Laszlo and Nadja argue and Laszlo finally reveals the reason why he was expelled from the club: the other members disapproved of his marriage to a “peasant girl” and he was disgusted by their classism. Nadja explains her promotion and Laszlo enthusiastically agrees to go with her. The couple run off to start preparing and Donal finishes the painting.

Guillermo storms off and tells Nandor that he needs to come with him in order to continue protecting him, insisting that he is the only reason Nandor is still alive.  Nandor reminds Guillermo of the “hypnosis” that they carried out on him, but Guillermo finally reveals that it didn’t work and the two have a fight, with Guillermo eventually gaining the upper hand. Nandor tells Guillermo that he has passed his “test” and proved that he can take care of them both. Nandor invites Guillermo to accompany him on his journey and promises that he will turn him into a vampire once they reach the River Tigris. As Nadja finishes packing, Laszlo comes up from the basement looking deeply disturbed.

Guillermo heads to the port of New York and New Jersey to say goodbye to Laszlo and Nadja, with the intention of returning to take Nandor to the train station. After Nadja and her doll settle into her coffin in a box, Laszlo pushes Guillermo into his coffin and nails the box shut. Nandor sadly boards his train alone, leaving Guillermo's luggage at the station.

It is revealed that Laszlo has written a letter to Nadja explaining that he cannot accompany her to the UK and has shipped Guillermo instead to look after her. Flashbacks show that he went into Colin's basement to say a final farewell to him, and found a hole in his corpse. He followed the trail of blood from the corpse to find a reborn infant version of Colin, and realized he needed to take care of him.

During the end credits, Laszlo mounts the portrait to the wall, while baby Colin cries in his crib.

## Cast

### Starring

* Kayvan Novak as Nandor
* Matt Berry as Laszlo Cravensworth
* Natasia Demetriou as Nadja and Nadja Doll
* Harvey Guillén as Guillermo
* Mark Proksch as Colin Robinson

### Guest stars

* Donal Logue as Himself
* Taika Waititi as Viago
* Doug Jones as Baron Afanas
* Kristen Schaal as The Guide

### Co-starring

* Vaios Skretas as The Sire
* Jean-Michel Richaud as the voice of The Sire
* Joseph Daly as Conductor

## Production

* The song Laszlo is playing on the piano when Guillermo goes to talk to him is "*Take My Hand*", a song written by Matt Berry that is also used as the theme tune of his show *Toast of London*.

## Soundtrack

* ***You're Dead*** performed by Norma Tanega (opening credits)
* ***Take My Hand*** performed by Matt Berry
* ***Rule Brittania*** performed by Matt Berry
* ***America the Beautiful*** performed by Matt Berry
* ***Our Love Is Young*** performed by Andrea Litkei and Ervin Litkei (end credits)

## References

1. ↑ "The Portrait: Trivia" - iMDb
2. ↑ "S3 · E10 · A Farewell" - Tunefind