Ron Does Stuff

I don’t quite remember what my reaction was when this adaptation was first announced, but I do remember watching the first two episodes of this show as it came out and having a generally positive reaction. However, life got in the way and I kinda forgot to follow this show as it aired. And while life is still in the way, I think I should fully watch the two seasons of this show so I am all caught up when season three premieres!

First off, I like how they’ve dealt with some of the casting decisions they’ve made while also sort of acknowledging the existence of the only other adaptation of Interview with the Vampire. Daniel Molloy is no longer a young Christian Slater but an older journalist who’s had an illustrious and storied career and a rough and tumble life since he first interviewed Louis. The pandemic is also sorta acknowledge although not directly named, although we all know that’s what it is.

That pandemic existence is thrown into chaos, however, when he receives a letter from Louis, along with the tapes from the first interview. I do kinda wish that when the tapes played it was the script from the movie but of course that’s a whole lot of copyright wrangling that probably isn’t worth it at the end of the day. But imagine if it was!

The message Louis had for Daniel was an invitation to Dubai to tell the real story of his life. And I know that purists probably didn’t like these changes and racists definitely didn’t like that Louis’ race was changed but I’ve always thought that…it’s an adaptation! It’s going to tell the story in its own way and in my opinion, as long as the spirit of the work is maintained, I have no problem with it. But that’s just me.

I also liked how they explain the need to do the interview again — Daniel was a kid high on drugs back then while Louis wasn’t totally honest. There’s also the fact that just like in the movie, the interview didn’t end on the best terms. They’re starting over again with a much more combative Daniel who isn’t beholden or entranced by Louis’ vampire nature.

The change to a different time period also makes sense because if Jacob Anderson’s Louis existed in the same time as the one in the Interview with the Vampire film or even the book itself, he would be a slave. Setting it in the 1910s allows the show to tell the same story with fewer complications.

Now I can’t properly comment on how race is treated in this adaptation since I am thousands of miles away from the experience, so all I can say is it is pretty jarring hearing the n-word used. I know it’s period-appropriate but that doesn’t make it any less jarring.

I do like that they put back the brother storyline in this adaptation, since they have the episodes for it and don’t need to condense the story into a two-hour movie. And the brother retains that God-frenzy that he has in the book. I also appreciated the fact that the family’s clearlt Roman Catholic here. Yes, I know I’m a lapsed Catholic but at least this adaptation doesn’t shy away from it like the movie did. Anne was a Catholic and that religion seeped into the work! There’s also mention of the Mayfair witches for that corporate synergy but I gotta admit I had a hard time reading the Mayfair books back then. But I was younger so maybe I’ll appreciate them more now?

I also appreciate that the show brings Louis’ homosexuality to the fore. Make the subtext text!

Sam Reid’s Lestat is absolutely the best. The first time we hear him speak? How he keeps Louis focused on him even as he does what he does to Miss Lily? You really understand why Louis was so drawn to him. And I love how they really utilize the racial tensions of the time period and how Lestat takes advantage of it to seduce Louis.

The show also does a good job at hinting at Lestat’s mortal life and as far as I can remember of The Vampire Lestat, it’s pretty accurate! I know from the internet that the third season is going to be an adaptation of that book so I’m pretty excited already because they’ve laid down the foundations for it as early as this first episode.

AND WHEN THE LESTAT AND LOUIS FINALLY KISS?

The show then hits the audience with a punch to the gut with the death of Paul. I gotta admit it never really hit me that hard in the books, and in the movie the death of Louis’ wife and child was just a throwaway line, but fully showing us the death of Louis’ brother as well as the love they had between them really hits hard. And then Louis’ mom blaming him for it afterward? Heartbreaking.

I know I’m not doing a good job on this episode but what is there to say? Jacob Anderson’s work on that scene where Louis breaks down? The whole baroque confrontation in the church with the head explodings and the homoeroticism? Lestat turning Louis into a vampire right at the altar? It’s so well done and truly, truly leaves the audience in throes of increasing wonder.