Interview with the Vampire 2×07 is, to put it simply, one hell of an episode. Featuring powerful performances, a chance for a surprise moment or two, and — yes — even the tragedy we’ve known was coming all along, it might just be the best episode of a season that has already been absolutely stunning up until this point. And while this is most certainly Sam Reid’s time to shine as a Lestat who finally gets to tell “his” story, taking center stage and basking in the crowd’s adoration, the way Jacob Anderson walks us through so many, many layers and flavors of Louis’ soul-searing pain deserves its own standing ovation. Despite of the tragedy at its core, it’s impossible not to want to watch this one over and over (and over!) again.
Farewell and looking forward to that haunting
Because Interview with the Vampire 2×07 brings us to the end of Claudia’s difficult lives — both mortal and immortal — it only seems fair to begin our more in-depth analysis of the episode with her. Usually, when we hear the phrase “horror story,” we think of something scary, of things that go bump in the night, and violence, and jump scares, and suspense. But when we think of Claudia’s existence — first in that rundown side of New Orleans and the fire that ended one life before giving her a new one, then in what was supposed to be her immortal life — we can’t seem to call her constant stream of suffering anything other than a horror story. And, when she knows the end is coming her way, what she has to endure just follows that same theme.
Here she is, kidnapped just as she thinks she’s finally found some happiness, brutalized, forced to listen to lies, on trial for a crime she couldn’t possibly have committed if the victim in question is alive and well, showboating about as he does. Somehow, though, she still finds the strength to squint through the stage lights to gaze on Lestat with that old hatred. When the crowd laughs at hearing Louis didn’t want to eat people, she speaks up — tries to remind them it’s “all of you” he was protecting — to no avail. Even her own words, her most private thoughts, are used for show as Santiago reads them in a mocking tone, or in a high-pitched little girl’s voice, to further degrade her.
“Good luck on how that f*cker didn’t ask. Gave me no say. Made me more of a vampire than anyone up here. Fourteen years old…”
Nothing Claudia does in her own defense matters here. It was never going to matter. Because it takes not deep thought, whatsoever, to realize Santiago and the others rigged the outcome all along. She knows this, yet speaks out when she can anyway. And to hear her attempts laughed at, or even lost in the noise as Lestat continues “his” story…it’s gutting in a whole, new way. Adding more insult to injury, and even more injury on its own, she has to watch Louis — yet again — falling under Lestat’s spell. Tries to tell him Lestat’s tears aren’t genuine, his apologies either insincere or far too little, too late…but it’s like Louis is somewhere else.
Eventually, Claudia gathers the strength to get up, have her moment of rage and righteous indignation. And when she drags herself to center stage, beaten, bloodied, and belittled, she reminds us of the biggest horror in her horror show of a life: No aspect of it, past or present, was ever even about her.
“I don’t know why I bother. You didn’t come. Here for me. One more round in the stormy romance. Of you two!!!! Never been about me. I was just a roof shingle that flew off of your house.”
If Interview with the Vampire 2×07 is nothing else, it is certainly a chance for everyone to recognize just how heartbreakingly true Claudia’s statement is, that she has always just been an object. Something Louis loved, yet never anywhere near as much as he loved the main characters in his life. Never a person with agency, never someone who could make her own choices, or live her lives on her own terms. Until, for one all-too-brief moment, she does become someone worth standing for. But only when it’s far, far too late to get to enjoy it.
“My coven is Claudia.”
In the moments building up to Madeleine making her final choice, to die alongside Claudia, Delainey Hayles plays the most gutting version of Claudia yet: the one who has lost all hope and realizes she is about to be abandoned by one more person before her life of endless defeats is finally, finally over. This makes Claudia’s reaction to learning Madeleine would rather die by her side all the more powerful. And as the character is overcome with emotion, I have to say: This was the one time while watching Interview with the Vampire 2×07 that I couldn’t hold back my own tears. What an achingly bittersweet moment, to see this girl, at long last, know she has worth — is worth loving enough to put first…all while knowing what’s coming.
And make no mistake: Claudia’s no fool. She knows what’s coming in that moment, too.
“I now know all your faces. If there is an afterlife, I’m gonna come back — and f*ckin kill all of you. And if there isn’t an afterlife, I’m still gonna find a way.”
When the time comes, she is defiant, strong, proud of who and what she is, even as she is in so much pain. Giving Hayles these few remaining moments to show just how strong she is in this role — while showing us Claudia’s unwavering strength — is truly a gift. And it’s one that, as she is almost totally dust, in pain we could never possibly imagine as the sun rips her apart, we can also only describe as a horror. What a gutting, moving, horrible way to end. And to completely end on Claudia’s ashes, on her yellow dress being plucked from those ashes in the deadly silence, is so damningly fitting. She gets the last word, even as there is nothing left of her, even as she has no words left to say.
Like we said: A horror story. But even so, a brilliant performance that drives home what it is to endure a lifetime of struggle, capped with one last, impossible battle to lose.
The trial and its star witness
Claudia and Louis’ trial makes up the bulk of Interview with the Vampire 2×07, and as we said at the top, Reid really puts on a. show. as he more fully returns to the role of Lestat. This isn’t the ghost that’s been at Louis’ side all this season. No. It’s The Vampire Lestat in all his dramatic, scene-stealing, glory. His entrance alone is both filmed and portrayed with maximum dramatic effect. There’s something in the particular way Lestat shoves off that coat, as he marches determinedly through the backstage area toward the stage, that screams “game time.” But it’s everything that follows that makes this episode the masterpiece it truly is.
“High above, in the theater, a mortal audience, herded like sheep into a corral, thundered on the wooden staircases, the wooden floors…It was a mob tribunal of monsters, white-faced demons shouting accusations, Louis pleading desperately, Claudia staring at me mute, and my saying, yes, she was the one who did it…” (Anne Rice’s The Vampire Lestat, 2010 Ballantine Books Mass Market Edition, p. 505-506)
The trial itself is simultaneously a nod to Anne Rice’s work, an expansion of it, and a departure. The Lestat in his book is weakened, scarred. And for as far as we can tell from the little bit he says on the matter, he doesn’t go off-book in the coven’s faux trial. In Interview with the Vampire 2×07, though, he’s as powerful as ever. Able to show a mortal what vampire loneliness feels like, and — in probably one of the most fun moments of the entire episode — humiliate some other dude with his own cowardice after he dares to use a homophobic slur. This is a Lestat fully in control of his faculties…and that spells trouble for Santiago’s plans.
Lestat may, in a grand performance by Reid, command the stage and deliver many of his lines with exactly the type of self-centered spinning of a tale we may expect from the ex Louis told us all about. But he is also not going to be anyone’s pawn. So, he shares his complaints about the current facility. And he cracks jokes about why he’s in Paris to begin with. Not to mention, when Santiago testifies about how Lestat’s first love, Nicki, “died by his own hand,” the Brat Prince addresses the audience directly, “well. With a little help from others.” And, of course, he punctuates it with that oh-so-bitter smirk.
The longer the trial drags on, the more he is expected to damn Louis, the more Lestat decides to make the role of star witness more fully his own. So, that brings with it all the messy complications of actually caring about Louis. Lestat may have had his problems with Claudia — an understatement. But let’s go with it for now — but Louis? Louis is another story completely. Which means when Santiago dares to claim that Louis was “fine” after Lestat abused him, he roars “no!!” before sharing his regrets. He opens his own wounds, shares much the past haunts him with an audience that believes it’s all part of the show.
But it’s not. And we can tell what’s “real” — or at least as real as a fictional TV series about vampires can be, at least as truthful as memory and self-serving perception can be — and what Sam put in his script. Because all we have to do is look for the cues in how Reid plays every moment. The weeping, the total outpouring of emotion, the brokenness…these are all as much the vampire Lestat as the arrogant showboater Louis remembers. One need not have read Rice’s Vampire Chronicles to know this either. Again, we point to Reid’s performance. He is genuine in every place where Lestat wants to be and overacts just enough when Lestat is fully putting on a show, or dropping hints to the coven that he’s here grudgingly (at best), or even just when he’s enjoying being on a stage once again.
“…and so, I broke him. What is worse than that? Crushing what you cannot own. I hurt the one…I hurt the only one…”
It’s possible Lestat doesn’t even realize how badly he’s screwed up until he’s forced to relive it, mixed in with the fictionalized version of events meant to keep the audience as rabid as possible. Does it matter? In the end, not really. Just, perhaps, let us say that Interview with the Vampire 2×07 makes Sam Reid more fully Lestat than he has ever been. That’s no small accomplishment, considering he has always performed as if born to play this role. This is not an easy character to understand, much less portray. But he gets it. He always has.
And one more important point:
“As for the lies he told, the mistakes he made, well, I forgive him his excess of imagination, his bitterness, and his vanity, which was, after all, never very great…But little things like this don’t really matter. He told the tale as he believed it.” (The Vampire Lestat, p. 498-499)
It has always been canon that there are multiple versions of the tale of Lestat, Louis, and Claudia’s “happy trio.” Whatever perverted take on Lestat’s version made it to the stage and the projectors of the Théâtre des Vampires, there’s a nugget of his truth underneath it all. And Interview with the Vampire 2×07 still gave us clues at the version of events Lestat believed in. Importantly, in every single version, he and Louis loved each other once. Until it went catastrophically wrong, with Lestat alone taking the lion’s share of the blame.
“This is hard”
In Interview with the Vampire 2×07, Jacob Anderson has, perhaps, the most difficult role to play of anyone. Louis experiences just about every painful emotion possible in Paris, and then, he has to also feel them all over again. This time, they come through the lens of memory during his interview. Then, there’s the Louis of Lestat’s memories, who has to both be the person we saw in Season 1 and…not. Make no mistake about it: Anderson nails every single one of these views of the character and much, much more.
Right from the gutting opening moments, Anderson hooks us. That desperate, awful screaming for Claudia cuts straight to the heart. And every single time a modern-day Louis pauses between words because what he’s retelling is simply unbearable, we feel every single bit of the character’s suffering right along with him. Then, there’s the Louis on stage. He’s stronger than both Claudia and Madeleine, but he’s still too diminished to do something. So, no matter how much we see that desire to do something flickering across Anderson’s face, we also can’t help but see how strongly Louis believes resistance would be futile.
“Come to me????? F*ck you!”
So, when a shaking, sobbing Louis does manage to speak up — calling out Lestat’s lies(?) about the “come to me” line, or roaring his questions about whether the trial is Lestat’s “great revenge” — those outbursts are all the more powerful. Not just because the performance is such a stunner, after so many scenes of Anderson needing to exhibit so much emotion while still holding some back. But because they are earned.
Finally, there’s the present day. Or, well. There’s the Louis whose body is in the here and now, participating in Daniel’s interview. As Anderson makes perfectly clear, though, even this Louis’ heart and mind are fully back there, unable to get out of that place, completely reliving that trauma — not just recounting it. Even the way Anderson sits at the dinner table, spooning Louis’ bloody lunch into his mouth, manages to tell a story. Like he doesn’t even care to eat, the motions mechanical — almost angry. The character even whimpers between pauses at one point…right, of course, before smashing that bowl against the wall.
The present-day Louis comes alive when Daniel asks him about Lestat’s apology, though. Not because of the apology itself…but because of Claudia’s reaction to it. He was maybe never able to love her the way she wanted or needed, but he did love her. And so, Anderson fills the character’s voice with so much pride and awe when he discusses how Lestat’s last-ditch attempt at appealing to him moved Claudia “right up on her feet.” This is how he’s preserved her in his memory, above all. The girl who got “right up on her feet,” bloodied, destroyed tendons and all.
Nothing about the events of Interview with the Vampire 2×07 is fair. But perhaps the most unfair of all is just how much it costs Louis to have to discuss it. To then have to listen to Armand’s accounting of Claudia’s very last moments because Louis himself, in perhaps the worst punishment of all, didn’t even get to be there for them. Add to that Louis’ recent revelations about Armand not exactly being the most truthful person on the planet…and it has got to put Louis into an especially deep pit of agony and despair to know he will probably never really know the truth.
More on Interview with the Vampire 2×07
- Let’s just take a second to point out the quality of Roxane Duran’s work in this episode, too. To be mostly in the background, yet still having to hold space, to maintain look in Madeleine’s eyes, that hunger, the dissociation, near-unconscious because of the sun’s power over a newborn vampire…wow. Which, of course, makes Madeleine’s rare flashes of clarity — when Claudia gets to speak. And when she’s asked about choosing the coven or death, yet chooses Claudia (and death) only — that much stronger.
- The long pause after Daniel’s “the child vampire Claudia and her companion Madeleine are…”
- The flashbacks that open Interview with the Vampire 2×07 are way, way too difficult to watch. Just…dear God, talk about putting all the elements of filming together to attack viewers on every possible level. So. Much. Chaos. And. Terror.
- “I heard…when the rats found her.” And her scream??? Like, f*ck.
- And Santiago’s cackles set against all that anguish.
- Honestly, someone needs to take the trial to Broadway. Would gladly suffer through all the agony all over again to be able to witness Sam Reid and Ben Daniels doing that in person.
- Armand doesn’t make a ton of eye contact there at the beginning. Which, like, good.
- I have exactly two complaints about Interview with the Vampire 2×07: First, I do kinda wish we’d seen Lestat in a little bit more of a, uh…state. I’m fine with him still being powerful, especially considering what he did to the homophobe. But how about some scars? Second, not a fan of the effects when the other coven members use their powers to disorient the condemned.
- Santiago presenting Claudia’s diary as evidence with that flourish.
- Absolutely everything about the way they build suspense, and about the use of lighting and shadows, when Lestat makes his way to, then takes, the stage is iconic.
- Lestat’s breath and pause before he speaks for the first time on stage. An Actor™.
- The audience loves him from that first breath as they should.
- “And justice for the attempted murder of my being. It’s their turn to hurt.” If you’re playing along with my “you can tell when Lestat’s for real” game, uh. Yeah. Real.
- The practiced way the Prince Lestat takes his throne and crosses those legs…we are so back.
- Yes, I said “throne” and called him the Prince for a reason. (TV gods, when are we going there???)
- “So. Your new boyfriend sold you out to your old boyfriend.” Daniel Molloy remains messy in all the best ways.
- The crew had to have had a blast creating that whole…animated short film, we’ll call it.
- “Love. Has always been difficult for me.” If we don’t get a Season 3 announcement yesterday, it had better be a “we’re doing more, just calling it The Vampire Lestat” announcement.
- Daniel’s face is very much giving “BFFR” when Louis finishes talking about Armand being “as much of a captive as we were.” And, like, good. He is far, far too powerful for Sam to be able to block him. And all the other vamps had Louis, Claudia, Madeleine, and Lestat to contend with.
- “Just a clarification for the readers. Uh, to save your own life, Armand, you f*cked over Louis, Claudia, and Madeleine. And then you sat in the best seat in the house watching the consequences of you f*cking them over.” Daniel is not having it. (Same.)
- Lestat gesturing along with the images on the projector as he tells them about Nicki, just basking in the audience’s sympathy and adoration. Yes.
- …compare that to the way Reid pauses, swipes at his brow, and twists his mouth just so when Santiago makes a joke out of Lestat’s trip to New Orleans. He’s pissing off the wrong vampire, and Lestat’s trying (failing) to maintain his control.
- “Let the record show that the victim pointed toward the accused.” “I didn’t point; I merely glanced his way.” LOVE THEM SO MUCH.
- “SCREAMING THEM! IN THE DARKNESS!” And the way he gestures toward his ear.
- “They may, like yourself, be disgusted by the transcendent love between two vampires of the same sex. But I wonder…where lies their disgust now.” GET HIM PRINCE
- Lestat goes from thirsty over that memory of his kiss with Louis, to terrifying AF vampire stalking its prey and deciding to play with his food, to bored thespian so quickly. And the audience…still goes along with it all, even after that.
- Every time he says “continue.” *chef’s kiss*
- Lestat giving Santiago his line but with his own change — Louis, in place of “the accused.” So much genius even right there.
- “The single worst thing that a vampire can feel is loneliness. Human loneliness magnified by millennia, by the never-ending road that we walk.” Just call it the Devil’s Road, you cowards.
- That single blood tear: Real AF. And again with the use of the lighting as Lestat walked through the crowd.
- “Lestat stood on that stage, took all the familiar pieces of Louis’ life and defiled them. Bent them into a Lestat-shaped effigy.” Sounds familiar, Pot. Thanks for calling Kettle out, though.
- “You will regret this for the rest of your life.”
- Louis weeping on his knees as Lestat makes Claudia. Jacob Anderson, you absolute talent, you.
- “When you sentence them for their crimes, you sentence me too.” And those arms spread wide. A good performance is a dance. Exhibit A.
- “How Claudia was made…he did tell me. What she would be. And I…played down my role. You should go with Lestat’s version? For the book. I think. I’m sorry. 74 years have provided, uh…” This halting, confused, in-awe speech…can not get over Anderson’s performance quality. Refuse.
- “Lestat has. Within his veins. A most ancient blood — a god-like strength.” Emphasis on god.
- His arm? In the air? Gesturing as he discusses Louis spiraling through the air??
- “There was no scripting Lestat. You cannot script a hurricane.” Oh, but you tried it.
- “I was not worthy of the forgiveness you had given.” Right through the heart. The whole thing. Just…stellar.
- “He crossed an ocean because he wanted us dead. And then..something real. This is Lestat.” Another masterful delivery from Anderson.
- The most annoying thing about this series is that we didn’t get more time with Hayles’ version of Claudia. Fight me.
- “Can I cry and say that I’m sorry too??” And the way she hits at her chest. SO GOOD.
- “It’s not a trial. It’s a stoning.” “A stoning. Took the air out of the place with that one. Got a lot less fun real quick.”
- “The martyr skips her way to Hell.”
- The timing when Lestat jumps in and says, “let her have it.”
- “I could not prevent it. I could not prevent it.” The second time Armand says this…is so weak. May as well have shouted “I could, but I didn’t want to.”
- “Ask him. I wasn’t there.” Not Armand. “Him.” Hm.
- Claudia singing that awful song as she died…completely gutting.
- “And you could tell from the look on Lestat’s face, the last thing she saw on Earth…was him.” Those two looking at each other is going to make me walk out into the sun.
- …the end. Or, eh. Not quite.
What did you think of Interview with the Vampire 2×07? Leave us a comment!
The Interview with the Vampire finale Season 2 premieres Sunday, June 30, on AMC and AMC+.
