by Chantal Ashford, Contributing Writer
Interview with the Vampire: How did you steal my heart this new season? Season Two continues with Louis de Pointe du Lac (Jacob Anderson), now joined by his lover, Armand (Assad Zaman), to resume the interview with Daniel Molloy (Eric Bogosian) on his life with Claudia (now Delainey Hayles) in Paris after the murder of Lestat (Sam Reid).
The season chronicles Louis and Claudia searching for a place to thrive without being besieged by their choices back in New Orleans. They struggle to find a home while Claudia still plays second best to Lestat with Louis. Louis tries to move on with Claudia, but Lestat still haunts his every step until the bitter end. As Louis and Claudia finally make their way to Paris, they meet Armand and his vampire troupe, including the mesmerizing Santiago (Ben Daniels). Everything seems okay for the duo, who believe they have found a sanctuary until they realize their new “family” knows their maker, Lestat, all too well. Louis and Claudia are now fighting the calm before the storm.
While we learn the story of Louis and Claudia, we also learn Daniel’s part. As we remember from the first season, Daniel met Louis and Armand once before in ‘70s San Francisco, but never knew what exactly happened until Episode Five, “Don’t Be Afraid, Just Start The Tape.” Daniel begins to see through the fog and realizes there’s a more significant part in this story he didn’t know.
Even with only eight episodes, just one more than the first season, there is a lot to unpack in Season Two, including Louis and Claudia’s strained relationship; the Louis, Lestat, and Armand love affair; Claudia trying to find her place in the world without Louis; the learning of The Five Great Laws, and Daniel getting the real story.
The penultimate episode, “I Could Not Prevent It,” is an authentic tour de force. As Louis and Claudia face trial for Lestat’s murder, the tension is so thick you could cut it with a knife. The episode’s climax, the final word, and the last expression before the screen fades to black all left me emotionally disarrayed. Hayles’s performance as Claudia is beautifully heart-wrenching and brought tears to my eyes until the credits rolled.
The season finale, “And That’s The End Of It. There’s Nothing Else.” continues to pull at your heartstrings. We see the end of Louis’ journey of becoming a vampire and learning the gift he has been given, but unfortunately, at a cost. Anderson, Reid, Zaman, and Bogosian are at their best in the series, especially Anderson and Reid, where we get to see the once-lovers Louis and Lestat share a passionate moment during a New Orleans hurricane.
The chemistry between the two leads is the reason to pull you in, wishing the vampires had a happier ending. But what we receive is a full circle moment. Unfortunately, there are moments when we don’t hear what is said, but that’s okay. Sometimes things are meant to be cherished between the characters. The raw emotional power of this episode is a testament to the series’ ability to deliver gripping drama.
In the last 10 minutes, that’s where the fun begins. But when things get good, we have to wait. We were left on a cliffhanger, but the last shot is perfect. It shows Louis at his most powerful point as the vampire to not mess with.
I need to see some buzz during this award season, as everyone in Season Two is on their A game. As Interview with the Vampire will be streaming on Netflix soon, a new legion of fans will hopefully bring the viewership to life for such a fantastic show.
With the thrilling announcement of a third season, set to cover the novel, The Vampire Lestat, I am filled with eager anticipation for the future of this captivating story. The possibilities are endless, and I can’t wait to see where this series will take us next. The prospect of delving deeper into the world of Lestat is exhilarating, and I’m sure the audience shares my excitement for the journey ahead. My anticipation for the next season is palpable, and it’s a feeling that I’m sure all fans of the series can relate.
Rating: Loved It
Interview with the Vampire is currently streaming on AMC+
You can read more from Chantal Ashford, and follow her on Twitter and Letterboxd