Interview with the Vampire: …After the Phantoms of your Former Self Books Included

October 2, 2022 12:15 PM - Season 1, Episode 2

As a newly-born fledgling, Louis attempts to negotiate between his human commitments and vampiric compulsions.

“You can be on top.”

“I can’t go to sleep angry.”

“Lestat, I almost ate my nephew!”

“You’ve been skipping meals recently.”

Lestat demonstrates his cruelty, sensitivity, charm and macabre sense of humor more fully in this episode, with a Hannibal Lecter-like selection of victims to improve art as, engaged in their interview, Daniel and Louis are served their own ornate dinner.

posted by Bora Horza Gobuchul (4 comments total)

Some especially interesting things in the contemporary segments, regarding the broader narrative. A painting by Marius, "I serve a god," Louis' emerging agenda with the talk of the others who don't have a sentimental attachment to humanity...

Just noodling, here, but I'm wondering a bit about the money that set Louis up in Dubai, because the security and exclusivity represented by that Dubai apartment reminds me of Armand's Night Island. Which is a little wild to consider as a possibility, because in the books, Armand's money is originally Lestat's money. Likely that I'm off base, but it's interesting to think about.

The whole coursed meal set-up was so hilariously over the top. Louis, you absolute drama queen.
posted by merriment at 12:19 PM on October 9, 2022 [7 favorites]

I am having entirely too much fun with Sam Reid's Lestat. From the "oh yeah, I only have one coffin so you'll have to get on top" ruse (listen, you were planning on turning Louis so you totally could have had another coffin just waiting, you minx), the "I'm your family" spiel which led to him bringing out out a matching pair of tuxedos as a way to soften the blow to the "I will fucking murder this tenor who ruined one of my favourite operas but I have to humiliate him first", oh my god, he's great.

I mean, given that Rice essentially retcons Lestat's toxic first boyfriend behaviour in TVL, I do not want a softening of Lestat. He's bad news, he always was, it's just that he's so charming you sort of forgive that he's a total monster.
posted by Kitteh at 10:19 AM on October 11, 2022 [9 favorites]

@merriment - I was thinking the same thing. I am desperate to figure out who they've cast for Armand and if they will acknowledge his and Daniel's relationship from Queen.

I also appreciated one of the stolen Gardner museum paintings hanging up in the background of the Dubai apartment.

I loved this second episode and surprised myself at how often I laughed.
posted by haplesschild at 12:04 PM on October 11, 2022 [3 favorites]

Kitteh, wholeheartedly agree. "He is the worst and I love him anyhow," is Lestat's whole thing! I really appreciate how well they're squaring up one of the most brazen retcons in popular literature.

Comparing Sam Reid's delivery of, "I like to do it. I enjoy it," with Tom Cruise's was a fun moment. I also love how Sam Reid plays Lestat's awful outbursts of laughter, so specifically and repeatedly referenced in the novels. There's a doozy of an example in the next episode (AMC+ has e03 available already) but he does it in this one, too, and it's so good.

And hapleschild, you are my people! I am dying to find out who they're casting for Armand. His relationship with Daniel would have to be pretty different, given the choices they've made. But the part of QotD that deals with their romance is my favorite of any of the books, so I do have some hopes in that direction.
posted by merriment at 2:18 PM on October 11, 2022 [2 favorites]