AMC Interview with the Vampire - First Impressions (eps 1 & 2)

 

My mind has turned into jello because the TV show has finally aired and I am having a fangirling moment. It’s difficult to put my feelings into words. There’s so much I want to say, but I will try to keep it simple and to the point. It’s easier for me to just break it down by talking about the main characters.

"Mr. du Lac, how long have you been dead?"

Daniel Molloy (Eric Bogosian), a journalist who accepts an invitation from Louis de Pointe du Lac (Jacob Anderson) to redo the first interview from 50 years ago. Louis wants to tell the true version of his life story, since he feels that Daniel's book didn’t tell the whole truth. (Mirroring AMC’s retelling of the story). Louis begins his story starting at New Orleans in 1910, where he works as a brothel owner. He recalls his first encounter with Lestat who will change is life, literally, forever.

It will be interesting how Daniel Molloy will play out in the show. Obvious changes from the book, he’s an older gentlemen and he’s also a married man. Hmm? That’s interesting. In the book (sorry, spoilers), Daniel has a relationship with a vampire name Armand who turns him into a vampire. How will Armand be intertwined with Daniel’s story? That’s the biggest question I have.

But since this is a TV show, I am optimistic that they might show flashbacks to Daniel’s younger days with Armand. 50 years is a huge gap between the first and the second interview. Anything could have happened during that time. We don’t know what timeline this interview is being taken place. Is this after the Queen of the Damned? or before that? what phase of Daniel’s life are we looking at?

 

"It was a cold winter that year, and Lestat was my coal fire."

It will take me some time to get use to TV Louis because his personality is so different from the books. Louis is known for being the tortured soul and “woe is me” guy. The TV Louis is more chill and fun to be around.

Also, can we talk about what’s up with modern Louis's Dubai flat. It’s so gray and drab. It’s giving me Hannibal Lecter vibes. After 100+ years, what state of mind is Louis in!?

Before, I had a problem with Louis’s occupation because it doesn’t fit with his personality. But I’ve slowly change my mind. The backdrop is based on a real historical setting, a town called Storyville where prostitution was legal. Louis’s family have inherited wealth from a sugar plantation, until his late father ruined the business, letting it go bankrupt. Louis, as a black man in the 1910, he has less opportunities. He has no choice but to go into the brothel business to help support his family. At least, the writers of the show have done their research and placed the character in a setting that makes sense for him to exist in. So I’ll accept AMC’s fanfic Louis.

Update: (I just realized that Storyville, New Orleans is part of the Vampire Chronicles canon. I am currently reading Blackwood Farm and it does mention the city. It also appears in the Mayfair Witches series. Sometimes I forget about the small details.)

One thing that I did like and what the book didn’t do: we get to see the relationship blossom between Louis and Lestat, before Louis turns into a vampire. In the book, Lestat takes advantage of Louis’s emotionally state and quickly corners him, like a predator. But in the show, it gives more of a reason why Louis becomes attracted to Lestat and vice versa. It’s nice to see their romantic sides before everything falls apart.

When Lestat finally reveals himself as a vampire, he gives Louis a choice to accept the Dark Gift. For Louis, Lestat represents his only salvation and freedom. Lestat treats him as equals and doesn’t make him feel ashamed for his race and sexuality. Louis accepts the offer very quickly, after witnessing two priests get brutally murdered by Lestat.

"Drink up, my good man. The Earth's a Savage Garden."

Sam Reid is just too perfect as Lestat. He does a great job of portraying the charm, seductiveness and arrogance of Lestat. I love his french accent, he speaks back and forth between French and English. Lestat is one of my favorite characters, I’m perfectly happy and satisfied with Sam's performance. It’s everything that I have imagined him to be from the books.

I love how they added little easter eggs from Lestat’s past. Like, he talks about how he wanted to become a priest (as a human) and his hatred for his father for stopping his education. Also, he mentions about a music box belonging to a musician friend. If you read the books, you know it’s his first lover, Nicholas, the violinist. Lestat is more open to talk about his life. Compared to the book, he's very secretive about his past. Seriously, I really want Lestat’s origin story (The Vampire Lestat) so badly now.

It looks like the vampires in the show are going to be very bloody. Anne’s vampires don’t spill a drop blood and they are clean eaters. The show have to sell it as a horror genre, so I don’t mind it. After all, they're vampires and there will be blood. 

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I’m surprised that AMC already announced a 2nd season and the show just got started! I’m guessing that they managed to grow an audience and it’s enough for them to renew it. Which is really great. I’ve been skimming though the reviews and fan community reactions, most of it are positive. And some people don’t like it, which is perfectly fine. As a fan who loves Anne Rice books, I completely understand and it's okay to dislike the changes that were made in the show.

Overall, the show looks very different and it will take some time to grow on me. I am being cautiously optimistic and so far I’m liking what I see. On how I will review the show: I don’t want to do episodic reviews. Instead, I will do a 3 part review: beginning (first impressions), middle (mid-way review), end (final thoughts). This works best for me because I don’t want to feel overwhelmed with writing up every individual episodes.