Horror | Television
Interview With The Vampire Episode 1 and 2 Recap and Analysis
*Spoilers ahead*
A month ago, AMC’s Interview With The Vampire premiered to critical acclaim, and a second season was ordered before the first one hit the small screen.
Not without its controversies, of course.
There has been much discussion online about the TV series taking liberties from the source material. But I can assure you that despite being a loose adaptation of Anne Rice’s original novel, the series is worth watching on all accounts.
“Let the story seduce you just as I was seduced”
The show starts with Daniel Molloy (Eric Bogosian), a successful journalist, receiving a letter from the vampire Louis de Pointe du Lac (Jacob Anderson). It’s an invitation to tell his story.
It is not Daniel’s first attempt to have an interview with Louis. In fact, they did try it back in 1973. The project failed due to the erratic behavior presented during their meetings by both parties. This time, however, everything seems to be different.
A more mature Louis and elderly Daniel finally reunite in Dubai. After a couple of sparking memories, acid exchanges, and broad agreements on the terms of the interview, our protagonist is ready to narrate his life.
And the tale finally begins.
In the early 20th century, Louis was a successful businessman living in Storyville, a historic red-light district in New Orleans. Louis was devoted to his family and managed to make his way into hanging out with the town’s elite. But Louis struggles to repress his inner taste for men, and he struggles against an oppressive society that does not want to see a black man succeed.
One day a strange french man arrives, and while Louis finds this man irritating at first, he eventually becomes entirely fascinated by him.
The first episode perfectly summons Louis’s path to his death as a human and his imminent rebirth as a creature of the night. Jacob Anderson does a fantastic job manifesting every shade of Louis, putting the audience inside our protagonist’s psyche. His pain, his bravery, and even his rage for the men who continue to try to bring him down are all masterfully communicated.
Jacob Anderson’s narration is hypnotic, even if you only listen to him telling the story. Just by hearing it and not visualizing it, it’s still engaging.
Sam Reid stars as the vampire Lestat, the second protagonist of the story. Charming and caring at first, it doesn't take too long for Lestat to show his horrific true colors.
In everyone, there’s exists a desire to live forever, without worrying about departing from this world anytime soon. But a sense of loneliness is included in the package. All the people that you cared about will eventually fade away. But you will still be here, dealing with their loss. Eternal life could become a void full of monotonous days and empty social interactions.
Lestat understands this very well, and that’s why he wishes to have a partner with whom he can share life for eternity. Someone who excites him and can bring new emotions to his long existence. His method to conquer Louis, however, is beyond predatory.
Throughout the episode, Louis finds in Lestat a “genuine” friendship and an admiration that would later become a sexual awaking. It’s an awakening that terrifies Louis. A Queer life.
When tragedy arrives on Louis’ path, his heart and mind collapse. It is here when Lestat finally achieves his ultimate goal: Make Louis the partner he always wanted.
Lestat is calculative, cold, and has no affection for human life. He has haunted his victim through desperation and gets to his heart with everything that Louis desires: to be seen, to be loved, and to be respected.
The final scene is an intense moment where our protagonist is in his most vulnerable state—embracing Lestat as his salvation from all the pain living inside his soul.
The best way to describe this show would be a mix of elegance and camp. The second episode shows the series is not scared to present comedy, and most of the time it’s thanks to Daniel’s straight-to-the-point mouth.
Daniel functions as the voice of the audience, breaking the air to the gloomy and dramatic environment. He brings a certain cynicism to the table, and his acid comments help Louis get to the point where he starts to ramble.
A necessary episode, perfect to develop the fluctuating relationship between Louis and Lestat. Showing that from the beginning, both have opposite ideas of vampire life.
The devil that lives among us
Lestat was once referred to as the Devil by Paul, Louis’s brother. A beautiful man that offers power, an idea of love, and a sense of liberation. But at what cost?
Louis finally embraces his sexuality and escalates into the chain of power in his town. He is proud and fulfilled at first. But, little by little, we will start to see how his new condition is becoming a curse more than an antidote for oppression.
He still has to witness the neglect of people of color by society. He must even disguise himself as Lestat’s valet to enter the opera. His power is still limited, even with all the money that he has.
Let’s not forget to mention that Louis and his family is pulling apart each day that passes. They become isolated because Louis cannot control his desire for blood. Lestat even encourages him not to visit them anymore, although it seems to be a more selfish intent to have Louis only for himself.
Our reasons to kill
On Lestat’s part, we get to appreciate his devotion to Louis and his willingness to maintain a stable relationship. He has the ability to calm Louis when he feels overwhelmed by the guilt he feels under vampirism. However, Lestat finds this way of life a form of freedom and makes murder an art.
A vampire is a murderer by nature, but Louis is not, retaining his morals against Lestat’s wishes to eliminate them.
You can roughly see the abysmal difference in their motivations to kill.
There are 2 moments where the characters commit murders driven by rage.
Lestat kills for an act as mundane and insignificant as a tenor singing the wrong note during a performance. He is meticulous with each of his murders and knows how to implement pain to people that shy away from his personal liking.
In the case of Louis, for example, we are shown how the anger accumulated after years of humiliation awakens the most brutal side of him when he can no longer bear the mistreatment of his co-workers.
It’s an intense episode that cements our character’s main values and ideals that are going to fuel the conflicts presented in the future.
In the following episodes, we will continue going deep into our protagonist’s complex story. And the arrival of a key character will reset Louis and Lestat’s relationship.
What are your thoughts about these 2 episodes? Did you already finish the series? If so, don't be afraid to put your opinion in the comments below.
