Interview With the Vampire (TV series)

[UmbrellaFish]

Is anybody else watching this? Season two’s finale airs next week and season three was officially confirmed. The show airs on AMC, streams on AMC+, and the first season of the show will be streaming on Netflix soon.

I happened to pick up the books just before the TV show was announced— I ended up loving the books, and I love the TV show. It’s actually pretty different from the books, but IMO it perfectly captures the spirit of Anne Rice’s novels. It also doesn’t hurt that I’ve never really liked the Tom Cruise/Brad Pitt movie, so I had no real attachments to any of the actors in that film (except Kirsten Dunst who was an acting pro straight from the womb, apparently).

Anyway love this series, and especially love Sam Reid as Lestat— imo, absolutely the definitive interpretation of that character. If you like gothic, vampiric horror and queer themes— highly recommend it!

[Disney's Divinity]

*I was going to add more spoiler tags when I thought that most people may not have seen the Brad Pitt/Cruise film prior to the series to already know some story points as a given, but I'm just going to say SPOILERS here*

I've watched since the first season started. Honestly, I expected season 2 to be a little boring since all the best story is in the first half, so I've been sort of amazed that the second season has turned out to easily outstrip the first. It's been brilliant. I was a little afraid when I saw Claudia had been re-cast for the second season, but the new actor did a very good job. Claudia's death was a highlight that I already expected, only surpassed by the second to last scene of the season with Louis and Lestat's reunion. I've been re-watching that scene over and over the past day, tears all over the place. Claudia's last moments looking at Lestat were already sad, but it went to a whole new level for me after that. I guess because I never have finished the original book, I didn't know most of this ending parts with Lestat coming back into the story. For some reason, I thought Louis sort of wasted away with Armand after Claudia's death, that Louis lost all the emotion that Armand was initially drawn to, and had no idea Lestat came back into the picture (or that he was the one who saved Louis). I wonder if this is exactly like the end of the book or if the showrunners took some liberties? If the latter, I definitely don't complain, I loved it.

I don't know, I feel Louis and Lestat are more romantic in not as tragic a sense now. I mean, still tragic because they're cursed and Claudia was killed, but there's actually a genuine romance there. Of course, it doesn't really change the fact that Lestat was abusive in their relationship, but I don't know... I see the relationship in a new light now (and they did try to rehab Lestat a bit by showing Louis talking to Lestat in other room--what Claudia didn't see--before the sky-drop). I'm interested to see them adapt the next books for sure. Although, I can't help but feel just like at the end of the first season, that the story must only go downhill from here, but they could definitely surprise a second time.

I really hope it's put on Blu-ray at some point, I've loved it.

[UmbrellaFish]

Spoilers for TV show and books in Vampire Chronicles series ahead

The book’s ending is a little different from the TV show, it’s more similar to the film. One of the biggest differences is that Louis knows the whole time that Armand is complicit in Claudia’s death, but they remain companions for decades. Years later, Louis finds Lestat in New Orleans in a similar state to the way he finds him in the TV show— but this is complicated because in later books, Anne Rice retcons their reunion. Actually, that’s one part of the original book I don’t like so I was hoping they wouldn’t adapt it— but then that scene became the emotional highlight of the whole season. I can’t stop thinking about it. Sam Reid and Jacob Anderson are just so good.

I mentioned that Anne Rice retcons the reunion of Louis and Lestat in the sequel, but she also retcons a lot of Louis’ portrayal of Lestat. The sequel, The Vampire Lestat, is written by Lestat as a response to Louis’ depiction of him in Interview With the Vampire (in-universe, Interview With the Vampire is an actual book that was actually published, like the show’s ending). From that point on in the series, Lestat becomes the focus.

I’m excited for the third season as I anticipate it will adapt The Vampire Lestat, my favorite book. I’m also hopeful the show will continue to gain new fans. The reviews are stellar, but the ratings were not that good. I need to see at least all of The Vampire Lestat and The Queen of the Damned adapted before the show is cancelled.

[Disney's Divinity]

I hope it gets a third season. Like I said, I've read about half of the first one; I have a 4-pack of the first four novels, so I could read them all in one go, just never got to it. Usually around Lestat's death is where I sort of slowly stopped reading in the past. I need to try again and power through this time. I've been reading Mansfield Park again the past few days, but maybe next thing after I finish that.

Sad about the ratings, I had no idea. Hopefully it keeps going, but even if this is the end, it was a perfect way to go out.

[UmbrellaFish]

A teaser for Season 3! - https://youtu.be/4KcYh0umT8U?si=SfNhhNxK14egq9OI

[Disney's Divinity]

I only discovered today that the first season actually was put on bluray! That gives me hope for the second season getting the same treatment then.

EDIT: Oh, wow, the second season I'd already on Blu-ray, too!