Admittedly, Interview with the Vampire 2×08 could probably have benefited from being split into at least a couple of different hours. But within the amount of time allowed, the episode does exactly what it needs to do. That applies to both its need, as a season finale, to wrap things up and to setting up everything that must necessarily come next. Thankfully, as we learned just days before the episode aired, there will be more to come. But what if that hadn’t happened? Would “And that’s the end of it. There’s nothing else” have been enough to close off the first book in Anne Rice’s Vampire Chronicles?
We’re going with both yes and no here. Because, sure. It gets us to the end of Louis’ book, hitting all the necessary points in spirit while accounting for the many changes made along the way. And that final image of Louis, determined, ready to “own the night,” is one heck of a way to leave a lasting impression. But with so much story left to tell, and with so many hints of that story dropped in this concluding chapter, we would’ve been more than just a little bit disappointed if the series had opened those doors wide and taunted us with what was in them, only to make it impossible for us to ever step through. That, and, you know. Huge fan of Rice’s work. So, yeah. We want to see it all.
The bottom line: Featuring heartbreaking performances from Jacob Anderson and Sam Reid that, somehow, manage to best everything they’ve done before, a wonderful revenge sequence, and even a twist that isn’t quite one if you’ve been paying attention, Interview with the Vampire 2×08 sticks the landing on a brilliant second season.
Louis’ revenge
Right from the start, Interview with the Vampire 2×08 is, quite simply, a showcase of Jacob Anderson’s undeniable talent. And it’s really difficult to decide what’s best. Is it the halting, haunted, way he delivers line after line, detailing the trauma of Louis being buried underground and starving, complete with that faraway look that tells us — over and over — that our hero is never far from that horrible place? Or, perhaps, it’s the shock and awe with which he comes back to himself whenever he hears a little bit of information he never knew before. (See also: “I didn’t know I was screaming. I had no energy to scream. If I had, I would’ve used it to ignite the clothes on my body. Self-immolate. What was left to endure? Claudia is dead.”)
Then again, there’s also the absolutely perfect way he embodies Louis’ “madness,” muttering to himself, off in a world all his own, tap-tap-tapping that knife along the stones in the crypt he’s made his home (for now). Meowing, even. What does it take for an actor to get to such a stunningly awful place — to create a performance just over-the-top enough to show how utterly lost his character is, while still maintaining enough control over the situation to have it all feel genuine — and to, in some superhuman way, make it seem as easy as breathing? Someone should ask Anderson. Not that they’d ever be able to replicate his work here, even if he handed them detailed instructions. But still. Viewers and other actors alike could stand to learn a thing or two.
After — or maybe with — madness comes vengeance. And there’s nothing quite as satisfying as the way Anderson’s Louis marches into the coven’s lair, then completely destroys everything. The killing is systematic, merciless. Louis takes no pleasure in it, and even his anger takes a backseat to the vampire’s detachment. (But, we do still get that anger in some of those intense shots along the way. The moment when Louis looks into the “Tweedily Deedily Dead” mirror before torching the place is a personal favorite. Just…wow.)
Even in the present day, as Louis rattles off numbers of vampires and how he ended them, Anderson sounds like he’s sharing a to-do list, not talking about murders. And that’s 100% spot on, as this is the Louis de Pointe du Lac that embraces his power. He is, during this retelling, finally the vampire whose humanity died with Claudia. The one that saw no reasons left to live but was more than ready to go down in a blaze of glory avenging her.
Viewers might disagree on that final showdown between Louis and Santiago. But, given the time period that Interview with the Vampire 2×08 takes place in, we’re kinda here for it. Something about it feels very Old Hollywood, or even Old Broadway —is that a proper noun? Eh. If not, we’re making it one — as if Anderson and the remarkable Ben Daniels are rivals in some old gangster film, or even a vampire-styled version of West Side Story…or something. The way the music swells, even gets one little encore blast as Louis kicks Santiago’s head away, is just fun. And what really matters most is, once again, Anderson gets his moment to play everything from monster, to action hero, to bereaved father-slash-brother-slash-friend. He is everything all at once, even as the character feels like he has nothing left — and is nothing.
Truly, there’s nothing in the world like what Anderson has done with this character — especially when he’s at his lowest. And we could go on, and on, and on. Basically, pick anything the actor does in Interview with the Vampire 2×08. We’ll easily find a reason to praise it. The emptiness, as Louis tells Armand he’ll “never make it up” to him? Second to none. His amusement and disbelief as Daniel starts to ask his followup questions — Louis clearly not sure where this is going, yet convinced the journalist must be off his rocker? Unbearably good, especially as it’s obvious Louis has no idea what’s coming for him.
…and the way he sinks back into his seat, defeated, as if he’s actually been hit by Molloy “lobbing one more bomb,” as Armand puts it…is, well, it’s a lot. Everything hurts, but that’s because we’re invested and feeling the pain right along with the character.
“77 years based on a seismic lie”
Not to be left out, Eric Bogosian and Assad Zaman both deliver one last thrilling showdown as Armand desperately tries to cling to control of the narrative — and Daniel Molloy throws down the gauntlet. Every time Daniel questions something, it takes a bit away from Armand. But he keeps cutting in, more and more defensive, his usual practiced, almost melodic, speech suddenly quite quick. Desperate, we might even say. And by the time we get to the point where Daniel uses Armand’s own handwritten notes as evidence, what we have is the vampire Armand…not rising in all his glory as he did in the previous season finale. No. This time, he’s terrified of the truth — look at Zaman’s eyes! — and, when Louis finally realizes what he’s reading, Armand is utterly and completely defeated. (For now, we’re assuming.)
That wounded look in Zaman’s eyes, the one that simultaneously says “oh, f*ck. I’ve been caught” and “no, Louis. Don’t leave me, please” is going to stay with us for quite some time, we fear. But oh, is it also just deliciously entertaining to see all these lies finally laid bare. To get redemption for Lestat, just in time for him to claim the role of main character next season. And, yes, to give Daniel Molloy some kind of revenge of his own for everything that happened to him in 1973. Bogosian does such a wonderful job of playing a guy who’s “just asking questions” as he builds up to the reveal, and when Daniel gets the smug satisfaction of putting an end to Armand’s lies, we can’t help but root for him. That little way he lifts his glasses, as if to say, “checkmate. Got you” is absolutely everything.
“Where does the BS start, Armand? Amadeo? Arun? You were supposed to die with Claudia, [Louis]! He didn’t save you! Lestat did! He just took credit for it when the opportunity presented itself! And you wasted everyone who could’ve told you differently.”
(But Armand remains a favorite forever. Sorry, not sorry.)
But Anderson, once again, stands firmly in the spotlight. The way he first opens the pages of that script as if they might burn him, hands just barely shaking, is poetry all its own. And then, as he frantically skims through, reality dawning on him…just, let’s take a pause for yet another standing ovation. But then, all heck breaks loose. Bogosian, naturally, does a great job with a terrified Molloy, rushing to “GET OUT OF THERE,” as Raglan James warns him (too late). And the stunned silence after he sees what Louis has done to Armand? Well. Same, Daniel. Same.
But that’s where one of our issues with Interview with the Vampire 2×08 comes into play. Would Louis, the victim of Lestat’s domestic violence (which, as we noted at the time, we were never a fan of), then do that to Armand? Certainly, the abused can grow to become the abuser. And, unfortunately, Armand kind of had…at least something coming. Not to mention, as we see in this episode, Louis’ retaliation against the rest of the Paris coven is as brutal as it gets. So, in some ways…yes. The explosion of pure rage fits, makes its own terrible sort of sense. But, given some things that may have to happen if the series ever gets to adapting the rest of Rice’s novels…it’s a difficult pill to swallow. Not to mention, just saying, relationships can be messy without always being physically abusive.
But Louis most certainly holds back, which makes what could’ve been an absolute no into something more complicated. Armand, crumpled on the floor at his (former) companion’s hand, is in nowhere near as bad of shape as Louis was decades ago. In fact, as we learn by the end of Interview with the Vampire 2×08, he remained whole and strong enough shape to turn Daniel into a vampire. Perhaps no one would believe the transformation without Armand making it to an all-time low, given his stated disgust for the act. Our misgivings still win here, we think. But, again: The moment does make some narrative sense.
The reunion
Interview with the Vampire 2×08 gives Sam Reid yet another opportunity to prove he was born to play Lestat de Lioncourt. And, as a surprise to no one, he more than delivers. If we look closely enough during the trial redux, we see evidence of our Brat Prince, perhaps, not being as well put together and fully in control of himself as he might have seemed in the falsified version of events. When Louis comes to kill him, he even calls him “small.” And, to be clear: The Lestat in Paris is exactly that. Even in his proud moments of roaring at Armand that he has “no idea of Claudia’s strength,” he’s not quite himself — because he was never supposed to be. Lestat uses everything he has left in him to control the theatre’s audience…and now…this is what’s left.
For those of us who know the canon and didn’t like that Lestat seemed so healthy in the penultimate episode…here we have it. That was a lie. Also for those of us who know Rice’s work, can we take a moment to marvel over Reid’s delivery when Lestat says he has the blood of Akasha in him? He is simultaneously in-character, testing Armand to see if he knows what that means (confirmed: no) and delivering the line with all the hushed awe — all the gravity — it deserves for the audience to pick up on. And, you know, lose our minds over it. Put another way, it’s like he’s breaking the fourth wall to share in the excitement of her name being mentioned with us…but still…not breaking it at all. A delicate dance, and one Reid performs just as elegantly as any of Lestat’s most magnificent moments.
Reid’s best work, however, comes during the big reunion between Lestat and Louis. It is, as we said at the top of this finale review, absolutely heartbreaking. And, more to the point: This is the vampire Lestat. He is Anne Rice’s hero, the one who is equally that arrogant and flamboyant thing Louis introduced us to and this emotional, weeping vampire in modern-day New Orleans. (How many times does Lestat talk about crying in his books? A lot, friends…lots and lots and lots.) At his broken-down home in Interview with the Vampire 2×08, we don’t see Lestat through someone else’s eyes. Not through Louis’, and certainly not Armand’s. No, we simply see Lestat as he is. His ego is still there. It’s just not all he is — never was. And as we see here, it’s more of a defense mechanism than his entire personality, anyway.
(This is, admittedly, over-simplification. But…one would need to write novels to fully flesh out this character. And Rice kinda already did that.)
“I don’t like to point out my virtues. Besides, I knew you’d figure it out. And look: you have. I was right. All hail me.”
The irony with which Reid delivers the “point out my virtues” and “all hail me” lines is yet another little nod to the audience. So we can laugh along with him, seeing as how we know he’s not exactly known for not pointing out his virtues. But, more than that, it’s simply…Lestat. And as his eyes fill with so much emotion and anticipation about Louis coming toward him, or as he clutches that filthy (broken?) keyboard like some sort of comfort object, we can’t help but be a little bit afraid of how Season 3 will go. Because, honestly, Lestat’s origin story is so very tragic. With Reid taking us through that…oof. We can not fathom the pain we are going to feel.
“Shall we list all the ways we have wronged each other and why it will never be right between monstrous…”
Interview with the Vampire 2×08 is full of emotionally devastating bits, like when Lestat and Louis have their chance to mourn their daughter together. How anyone can watch them coming together in tears, Lestat confessing that Claudia “looked at [him] at the end. Like a child. Looking to her…father,” without sobbing right along with them, we’ll certainly never know. And before that, when Lestat can barely choke out the words — physically recoiling from doing so — as he asks Louis if he hurt himself on September 8, 1973, all we want to do is just…hold him and tell him it will be ok. But some things can never be ok, including Claudia’s death and including having to get secondhand information about someone you love through a “gremlin” known to be a liar.
So, Lestat tries so hard to seem unaffected leading up to that point, like with the little shrug after confirming he’d been in New Orleans all along, or the comments about the millennial fledgling being an excellent rat killer. But that’s where we can begin to piece the two “sides” of the character together. Louis and Armand’s damning portraits of him simply played up that way of his, his ability to minimize even the most crushing of feelings right before your eyes. And decades of resentment for giving him the Dark Gift made Louis only remember the bad, the “uncaring” cover-up. But, Interview with the Vampire 2×08 gives us the good back. Most importantly, it gives us the love back.
Hopefully, Season 3 won’t surprise folks as much as, say, picking up The Vampire Lestat immediately after finishing Interview with the Vampire. Because this finale gave us just a taste of the man behind the myth. But make no mistake: He’s still all Brat Prince. Even here, even reopening old wounds that may never have gone away. He doesn’t exactly listen to his fledgling, after all. Tells him to shut up, dismisses him, keeps a singular focus on his music…and then, on Louis. All of this is to say, yet again and one last time this season: Sam Reid is Lestat; Lestat is him. He brings every bit of complexity to this rich character that he deserves, but the raw entertainment value, the melodrama, the performance are never far behind.
More on Interview with the Vampire 2×08
- Two seasons in a row with Armand being revealed as a big, fat liar. Which producer hates his book?
- Speaking of Armand and lying…I may or may not be thinking about something a lot right now: “Better let them think that I had condemned her without trying to effect her escape, both from the vampires of the theatre and from the wretched dilemma of her small, enticing, flat-chested and silken-skinned angelic form.” (The Vampire Armand, Knopf, 1998. p.271-272) Yeah…better indeed.
- The number of times Louis repeats “Claudia is dead,” always with a different inflection from Anderson…gutting.
- “He had out-witted me. Hurt me deeply. And I played up that hurt.” Ah, Armand. Always playing something up.
- Louis narrating that he didn’t see the point when he was already dead, as we see the vampire devouring the blood in the flashback. What a stunning contrast.
- The rage when Louis screams “I ain’t f*ckin worried about you!”
- During the first half of the episode, before Armand loses over 70 years worth of half truths and lies, Zaman does that thing he did so well in Season 1. Namely, he drops hints without really giving anything away. Armand is quite nervous through all of this, even before Daniel really starts to show his hand. Love it.
- “Hello, Francis.” “You.” “Did I wake you?” My notes: “a;sldkfjds.” Because, really, what are words?
- Louis repeatedly saying “come to me” to Santiago, after the play accused him of being the one to say it to Lestat instead of the other way around. 1) A giant F you. 2) Another reason why I wish we’d somehow been able to either lengthen episode 7 and shorten the finale or…something.
- “Say that sh*t about Claudia to my face.” The power that that has…
- The little toast from Daniel to Louis.
- “You will never be able to kill him.” “That wasn’t my question.”
- “The light’s going out of your blue eyes…like all the summer days are gone.” Remember, folks: If it’s a gorgeous line, it’s probably direct from Rice. (This one’s from The Vampire Lestat, p. 89 in the 2010 Ballantine Books Mass Market Edition.)
- We’re guessing that book will be getting a lot of use in Season 3. Bring it.
- “Does it take a lot out of you? Destroying everything in your wake.” Notice how Reid deliver this one, too. Lestat’s pointing something out that he knows will get to Louis, yet not…gloating as he normally would.
- “The Great Laws—…” “What f*ckin law did you ever follow, Lestat.”
- “Here’s your death, Lestat.” And he goes and just…kisses Armand and f*cks off into the sunset with him for decades. Can’t decide if I love this or absolutely loathe it.
- “Well. Enjoy him. But see how long it holds.” He is most the Lestat we’ve known until this point right here. Because he knows something Louis doesn’t, because he’s lashing out with what little he has left, because he’s hurt and overcompensating as always. (And great choice to linger on Armand’s warning look before going up the stairs there, too.)
- “He loved you. I can say that now. He loved you a great deal. It must’ve been terrible for him to see us off that night.” Aching for Armand? You bet.
- “I do hope you’ll join us.” Sounds like a threat.
- “Well, you said it yourself just now. He loved Louis. Lestat would’ve tried to save him as much as you did.” “And he certainly would’ve made it known that he had.” Perhaps we’re supposed to believe the majority of Louis’ negativity surrounding Lestat comes from the gremlin?
- (I love you, little gremlin Amadeo.)
- “You have NO IDEA! Of claudia’s strength!!” The roar.
- “You’re not to touch him. Do you understand? You harm him. In any way. I will kill you. Do you understand?” Apparently, turning Daniel into a vampire doesn’t violate this.
- Louis really, truly seems grateful when he shakes Daniel’s hand.
- …and Daniel’s like “holy sh*t, WTF” on it all. Which, um. Same.
- Love the scene with Louis having to listen to that “Lesander Lioncourt” legend, complete with himself being “a local Creole hustler” with “his child bride.” The barely held back giggle from Anderson, and really just the hilarity of that moment, is so much a necessary break from all the pain there.
- “Siri, pause” is another good comedic break. Lestat de Lioncourt, working with Siri. I can’t.
- “I gave you to Armand. You tell me if that was saving.” Ouch?
- The way Reid’s mouth works, unable to even get the words out, as Lestat’s about to ask about 1973…help.
- “I can’t, Louis. I can’t.” Me too!
- Is the raging storm a bit much? Yes. Do I care? No.
- Not Daniel Hardman from Suits being a giant d*ck about one of the greatest books ever…
- Claudia’s yellow dress. </3
- And that final shot…yes. Yes, yes yes. Forever. Yes.
What did you think of Interview with the Vampire 2×08? Leave us a comment!
Interview with the Vampire will return for Season 3 on AMC and AMC+.
