World Courant
In a sea of rote, listless IP, the primary season of AMC’s “Interview With the Vampire” felt like manna from heaven — or blood to a thirsty nightwalker. Sure, the present was a part of a reverse-engineered try at an Anne Rice cinematic universe. However within the fingers of showrunner Rolin Jones, “Interview With the Vampire” units itself other than each Rice’s authentic and the 1994 movie adaptation, all whereas sustaining the story’s Gothic romanticism.
Regardless of an prolonged break and a serious recasting, Season 2 is as recent as a newly opened vein. Within the flashbacks that type the first timeline, Louis de Pointe du Lac (Jacob Anderson) has left New Orleans for World Warfare II Europe, taking the ghost of his maker and ex-lover Lestat (Sam Reid) together with him. The transatlantic voyage brings Louis to the Théâtre des Vampires, a Parisian troupe that is really a canopy for a nocturnal coven led by the 500-year-old Armand (Assad Zaman). In scenes set within the current, a framing machine with occasions solely new to the collection, Louis and Armand share a luxurious house in Dubai, the place they host cynical journalist Daniel Molloy (Eric Bogosian). The connection was handled as a reveal in final season’s finale; within the new episodes, the present begins to fill within the gaps of their decades-long partnership.
“Interview With the Vampire” made its (fang) mark by turning the homoerotic cost of Louis and Lestat’s supernatural bond from subtext to textual content. Armand spent Season 1 disguised as a servant. Along with his newly energetic position, the present’s emphasis on queer sexuality extends previous Louis’ tumultuous time with Lestat. After killing his longtime paramour (or so he thinks — he could not carry himself to burn the physique), Louis is confronted with the query of what vampirism and homosexual life can seem like past the person who launched him to each. In Dubai, Louis and Armand current themselves to Molloy as a fortunately ever after — a wholesome different to a folie à deux. However opening as much as an outsider reveals fissures on this facade, a delicate exploration of cyclical trauma that “Interview With the Vampire” balances with goofy extra.
Within the present’s different main innovation, each Louis and his surrogate “daughter” Claudia (Delainey Hayles), transformed by Lestat at 14 to finish their pseudo-family, are Black. This selection lends new resonance to vampires as proxy for the demonized different. When the duo arrived in France, Louis had the identical awakening as many mortal Individuals, like James Baldwin, who was thrilled to a society with out authorized segregation. Claudia was initially performed by Bailey Bass, who imbued the newly superpowered teenager with a manic, impulsive glee. Hayles’ rendition is totally different, though other than some bumpy accent work, largely for the higher. With just a few a long time of afterlife behind her, the Claudia of Season 2 is extra resigned to the tragedy of everlasting childhood. Hayles channels the melancholy and loneliness of her character’s plight, in addition to the bodily comedy of an enraged Claudia compelled to put on a frilly, childish costume onstage.
Like “True Blood” earlier than it, “Interview With the Vampire” understands that an amazing vampire story combines real eroticism with campy aptitude. Because the specter of Lestat, Reid is extra alluring and extra unhinged than he is ever been. Molloy started the collection as an arch commentator who punctured the vampires’ self-importance, and nonetheless performs that half in Season 2. (“You each fucked Lestat!” he crows after Armand discloses some romantic historical past.) However the author can be given extra vulnerability and company because the collection goes on. Seizing the prospect to develop Rice’s canvas, “Interview With the Vampire” retains including layers of paint. It is the perfect type of bloody mess.
Season 2 of “Interview With the Vampire” premieres on AMC and AMC+ on Might 12, with new episodes airing weekly on Sundays.
