http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Recap/WhatWeDoInTheShadowsS3E2TheCloakOfDuplication
The group starts adjusting to their new positions in the Vampiric Council, and Nandor has a scheme to have others use the Cloak of Duplication seduce the gymnasium receptionist that he has a crush on.
- Accidental Truth: Colin and Laszlo's abrasive, failed attempts at wooing Meg have them dismiss her as a lesbian. She comes out to the real Nandor when he confesses his feelings.
- Air-Vent Passageway: The Vampiric Council premises turn out to have a lot of conveniently spacious vents for Guillermo to escape his locked room and wander around in.
- And Show It to You: Nadja rips out Wes Blankenship's heart with her bare hand after he refuses to pay his Vampiric Council dues, which promptly convinces his friends to pay theirs.
- Cannot Spit It Out: Nandor asks Laszlo to assume his form and seduce Meg, as he believes Laszlo to be better at seduction than him.
- Gentle Touch vs. Firm Hand: Nandor's approach to unruly vampires who won't pay their Council dues is diplomacy and compromise, while Nadja's approach is unyielding demand to bow down to her or she'll use force. Nadja is shown to be the more successful this go-around as she rips out Wes Blankenship's heart, instantly killing him and intimidating the others into agreeing to pay their dues.
- Heh Heh, You Said "X": Guillermo finds Nandor's insistence at making a Number Two hilarious as he keeps provoking Nandor into saying increasingly longer phrases about that subject, only for Nandor to notice that he's being mocked and snap at Guillermo to get out.
- hom*oerotic Subtext: This episode takes the subtext between Nandor and Guillermo's relationship to a whole new level, as Meg's main takeaway from her chat with Guillermo-disguised-as-Nandor is that Nandor really should take his friend (Guillermo) and confess his romantic feelings for him, much to Nandor's befuddlement.
- The Internet Is for p*rn: The archives in the Vampiric Council chambers hold many different genres. However, Laszlo is only interested in the extensive erotica.
- Incompatible Orientation: Meg very casually tells Nandor that she is a lesbian, much to his dismay.
- Insistent Terminology: Guillermo is no longer Nandor's familiar, he is now a bodyguard.
- Laser-Guided Amnesia: Laszlo and Nandor hypnotise Meg into forgetting their respective embarrassing encounters.
- LOL, 69: One of the erotic books that Laszlo mentions is Roy Cohn, Esquire's 169 Sex Positions.
- Magic A Is Magic A: The Cloak of Duplication copies appearances, not powers, as Guillermo quickly learns when he tries to fly as Nandor.
- Number of the Beast: Wes Blankenship lives at "667".
- Power Perversion Potential: Nadja taunts Nandor by taking his form with the Cloak of Duplication, touching herself, then asking Laszlo for sex as him.
- Right for the Wrong Reasons: Colin and Laszlo both think that Meg is a lesbian when she doesn't fall for their attempts at flirting, which are actually horrible. Then when Nandor genuinely shoots his shot, it turns out that she is a lesbian.
- Stealth Insult: When Colin ponders their origins with another Energy Vampire, he accuses Colin of trying to drain him.
- Take That!: The energy vampire that Colin talks to uses marijuana, sneakers, and drone cameras as talking points to feed on the listener's agitation.
- Voices Are Not Mental: A rare example that doesn't involve body-swapping, where Colin, Laszlo, and Guillermo each take on Nandor's appearance using the Cloak of Duplication. Instead of speaking in their own voices, Kayvan Novak (who plays Nandor) does his best impressions of each of them.
- Worthless Yellow Rocks: The Vampiric Council's library has a copy of Aristotle's lost Poetics II. Laszlo skims through it before he drops it and dismisses it as worthless because there's no p*rn in it.
I'm an avid enthusiast well-versed in the intricacies of storytelling devices and narrative tropes. My expertise spans a wide range of genres, including television, where I've closely analyzed the mechanisms that contribute to the success of shows. The depth of my knowledge allows me to dissect and appreciate the nuances of character development, plot structures, and the clever use of tropes in storytelling.
Now, let's delve into the concepts used in the provided article from TV Tropes, which discusses Season 3, Episode 2 of "What We Do in the Shadows" titled "The Cloak of Duplication."
-
Cloak of Duplication: The central concept revolves around the Cloak of Duplication, a supernatural item that allows its wearer to copy appearances but not powers. This leads to a series of comedic situations as characters attempt to use it for various purposes.
-
Accidental Truth: Colin and Laszlo's failed attempts at wooing Meg result in an Accidental Truth when they dismiss her as a lesbian. This revelation comes to light when Nandor confesses his feelings to Meg.
-
Air-Vent Passageway: The Vampiric Council premises feature conveniently spacious vents, providing an Air-Vent Passageway for Guillermo to escape his locked room and explore the surroundings.
-
And Show It to You: Nadja forcefully rips out Wes Blankenship's heart with her bare hand when he refuses to pay Vampiric Council dues, demonstrating a gruesome consequence for non-compliance.
-
Cannot Spit It Out: Nandor, unable to express his feelings directly, asks Laszlo to assume his form and seduce Meg, highlighting a case of Cannot Spit It Out.
-
Gentle Touch vs. Firm Hand: Nandor's diplomatic approach to dealing with vampires who won't pay Council dues contrasts with Nadja's forceful demand, showcasing a Gentle Touch vs. Firm Hand dynamic.
-
hom*oerotic Subtext: The episode explores hom*oerotic subtext in Nandor and Guillermo's relationship, particularly when Meg suggests Nandor confess his romantic feelings for Guillermo.
-
Incompatible Orientation: Meg reveals her lesbian orientation to Nandor, leading to Incompatible Orientation and Nandor's dismay.
-
Magic A Is Magic A: The Cloak of Duplication follows the Magic A Is Magic A principle, copying only appearances and not powers, as seen when Guillermo tries to fly as Nandor.
-
Stealth Insult: Colin accuses another Energy Vampire of trying to drain him, employing a Stealth Insult during a conversation about their origins.
These concepts showcase the show's adept use of tropes, humor, and supernatural elements to create a compelling narrative with intricate character dynamics and unexpected twists.
