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The Vampire Lestat Season 1 Episode 1 Review: ‘Detroit’

The Vampire Lestat Season 1 Episode 1 begins the story of Lestat de Lioncourt, told his way—not his fledgling’s and certainly not Daniel Molloy’s—with all the chaos, all the theatrics, and all the bold, undeniable personality anyone who ever read a single word of Anne Rice’s Vampire Chronicles, or anyone who watched AMC’s adaptation of Interview with the Vampire might expect. The series premiere unapologetically drops us into Lestat’s world in dramatic Brat Prince fashion. And there’s no going back, not that anybody with taste would want to try. The hour introduces us to the band (also The Vampire Lestat, naturally) and eventually gets around to telling us about the Halloween night when the vampire crashed Satan’s Night Out’s rehearsal to, ultimately, kickstart everything that unfolds.

But, well. Plot? What plot? We’re just here for him. The Brat Prince, in all his glory. And he most definitely has arrived. Sam Reid was born to play this role. I’ve said that before—I’m sure I’ll say it again. And, from here on out, I’ll probably also say many, many times over that it’s difficult not to wonder whether or not “Sam Reid” is as fake as the “Jarda” body double introduced in this series premiere.

Assuming Reid is actually the mortal actor whose spirit just happens to, on occasion, be taken over by the Prince (which, again, feels kind of suspect at this point) then, it’s worth praising his range here. Not only can he put on a rock show, deliver that casual, smooth, almost bored vampiric confidence, and own the stage and screen so fully it’s easy to forget anyone or anything else is out there with him—he can also portray that most awkward, goofy mortal cover with an effortless sort of execution, as well.

But it’s in the moments when Lestat feels the hurt too deeply to hide it with that practiced, perfected ego that Reid shines the most. That little bit of softness, paired with just a dash of self-consciousness, creeps in during an introspective couple of moments. It’s all oh, so bittersweet when he plays the piano and self-consciously asks Louis for his opinion. The same can be said of his cautious invitation for his fledgling to visit.

Of course, that moment is instantly shattered when Lestat finds out about Daniel’s book and brattily storms off to find a copy, pout his way through offense, straight into white-hot rage, at the locals’ obsession with Armand…and, eventually, absolutely lose it as he reads the book and crashes out over every single factual error. It’s a pitch-perfect change in tone from Reid and a wildly-entertaining one at that. But even there, it’s the vulnerability that remains—even as, outraged, he scribbles his notes on the page—that makes Reid shine so beautifully.

Then, there’s the text exchange with “TOI.” As Lestat casually leans back, those feet up and dancing back and forth, taunting Daniel with avoided questions, and mockery, and random talk of a guy who eats hot dogs, the performance is as delightfully arrogant and sassy as ever. But what’s underneath it all? Abandonment, unrequited love, loss, and centuries of all of the above. And more. Reid’s face simply falls when Lestat realizes the person he’s been open enough to say he misses isn’t coming when he asks. And later, as he plays through a haunting acoustic tune before turning to a phone absolutely full of unanswered messages, something in the way Reid just hangs there over his instrument, crumpled, speaks of the type of pain and loneliness that even being the constant center of attention can never quite heal.

This the essence of Lestat de Lioncourt, the more vibrant portrait of the vampire whose depiction through Louis’ point of view was but a mere sketch. If the more sympathetic version of the vampire is a shock to the system for viewers, it should be. That’s…kind of what it felt like to read The Vampire Lestat for the first time and learn about the pure number of times he cried, or had a dream dashed, or yearned for something bigger and better than being a complete outsider in the life he was born into, only to suffer at the hands of people who never loved, much less understood, him.

Speaking of “The Early Education and Adventures of the Vampire Lestat” (if you will), by the time The Vampire Lestat Season 1 Episode 1 concludes, there’s a big reveal that’s…not so big at all, in the end. “TOI,” the unrequited love of Lestat’s life, is no figure less imposing nor less complicated than his mother. The vampire Gabrielle—Gabriella, as the series now calls her. Those closing moments, with a bloodied Lestat having just survived an ambush and attempted assassination for his having violated the Great Laws, reveal a side of the character completely new to those newer to him.

But as Reid immediately slips into a sort of fierce hunger for his visitor—ravenous for her in every way possible—followed by the purest depiction of a lost and broken child, wrapped in failure, desperate for his mommy to help, only to conclude with the pure sexual desire that Lestat’s narration admits is “common gossip now,” there’s a final confirmation that the vampire well and truly will be setting the record straight. But he will tell us what he wants, when he wants, how he wants—primarily through his flashy, flamboyant swaggering through one song after another—and if someone doesn’t care for that? He really could not care less. This is Lestat’s world, which means it’s also Sam Reid’s. We should count ourselves lucky to get to live in it for the next several weeks.

MORE: Everything we know about The Vampire Lestat Season 1…which used to be Interview with the Vampire Season 3.

More The Vampire Lestat Season 1 Episode 1 reactions

If I had to nitpick anything about The Vampire Lestat Season 1 Episode 1 (aside from the fact that it ends), it would be some of the updated/modern slang and cultural references. Something about Lestat de Lioncourt saying “cheugy” or mentioning the Labubus is a touch bit jarring and, to some extent, comes across as trying too hard to appease an audience of a certain generation. On the other hand, I could listen to Reid reading the paper in Lestat’s voice, so. Whatever. It’s fine, occasionally funny…”nice,” to borrow Louis’ word, even.
…and there wasn’t much of a choice, given the timeline changes with Interview with the Vampire, anyway. The creators sort of backed themselves into a corner there, and as we (hopefully) move forward with the additional entries in Rice’s Vampire Chronicles, it’s going to be…an experience trying to explain how all of that is suddenly happening, packed together, now or in some foggy future.
Would 100% pledge every dollar I make from now until death and beyond for those items.
“Now, that would suggest a level of self-importance even I’m not comfortable with. But. Upon reflection!” The way he mutters through the “not comfortable with” part, then rushes straight into the “upon reflection” a little too brightly. Just perfection.
“It was the spring of 2025. A good nation was making itself great again. Again.” Thanks, I hate it.
No but even when we listen to Lestat’s “Failures,’ there’s such a luring, musical quality to all of his voiceovers. Really remarkable work.
Check out how his fingers curl around that mic before we even see him, the wild abandon as he headbangs, just brilliant physical work from Reid. (Or Lestat. Take your pick.) I particularly love how easy it is to believe, as an outside observer, that the head tilt is purely part of the performance—all while it actually fits as a purely defiant response to what the locals are telling him via the Mind Gift.
My vamp can find that camera and work it like a charm. Every time he does, every time he hams it up, he is undeniable.
I really appreciate the sets here. Those sh**y clubs (complimentary—those are my favorite venues for most shows), with their posters littered all over the walls and the hustle and bustle backstage: really well-imagined.
There’s also the smart choice of that black and white filter to let viewers know when The Vampire Lestat the series is overlapping with the documentary.
He’s going into his vampire dressing room ok.
“…and every sad photograph uploaded to Reddit or Discord of Jarda eating a tuna melt by himself, only confirmed—for most—what they already believed: that I, the vampire Lestat, was Daniel Molloy’s fictitious creation.” Takes notes: He is not Anne Rice’s fictitious creation.
But also: It’s the pronunciation of “red-eet” and “disK-CORD” for me.
No, wait. It’s the way he leans against that wall with that foot up for me.
“LIES”
Get you a lead actor who makes a grand entrance, then manages to stay just as compelling with what he’s doing as he puts his feet up, fluffs his hair just so, and proceeds to ignore you.
“…singing music no one wants to hear, in pants no one should ever squeeze into.” Anyone else considering legally changing their name to “No One”? And Lestat can squeeze into those pants any time he wants. Promise.
Eric Bogosian brings the same combative, snarky Daniel to The Vampire Lestat Season 1 Episode 1 that we saw throughout Interview with the Vampire. But that slight twist of vampiric power and intellect is still very, very obvious. Reallky interesting work from him.
…but no, Daniel, you’re not playing with Louis anymore. You’ve more than met your match with the Brat.
“Was he there, in 18th century Auvergne? Did I threaten Claudia with rape on a train? Was I in the room when Donizetti wrote ‘Don Pasquale’? No. NO. And impossible because I had buried myself underground for the vast majority of the 1800s.” Thank you for that angry, forceful second “NO.” What a stain on an otherwise great adaptation and one I don’t intend on getting over.
How can he even drop his phone with such flair?
“The dark dreary industrial world…” is a quote that doesn’t end that way in the book. Just saying. 2020s: “…the value of human life, it has never been more arbitrary.” Original: “…the value of human life was greater than it had ever been before.” Ouch.
Not a lot of Louis in The Vampire Lestat Season 1 Episode 1, and even less is completely new. But what we do get is so good. Just openly sweet and flirting with Lestat, trying to soften the blow of using the word “nice” and all…until he has to defend himself with that book reveal. Nice work from Jacob Anderson, in terms of making that count to get us caught up on how close, if often troubled, this relationship still is.
The melodramatic pouting in that bookstore!
“NO THANK YOU!!!!!!”
“NE-VERRRRR FUUUUUCKING!!!” Same, Prince Lestat. Same.
When you’ve been on the planet for 100s of years but still have no idea how to interact with little kids.
Vampire explodes, throws tantrum, breaks guitar. Instantly turns quiet again and offers a replacement. Chef’s kiss.
“…gonna be slapping Chris Rock and stroking my Oscar.” This has no place here. It’s a reference nobody needs to be making at this point, that shouldn’t have blown up the way it did, and that comes across really weird from an old white dude. Vampire or not.
I know I already mentioned it above, but that scene of Lestat in his hotel room, strumming that guitar with that small touch of colorful lighting…utterly gorgeous. Wonderful vulnerability from Reid. Probably the highlight of The Vampire Lestat Season 1 Episode 1 for me, if I had to pick just one. Strip away all the bright lights, the tantrums, the outbursts, whatever else—this…it’s the essence of Rice’s writing. Or, at least, it’s what I connected to in Rice’s work decades ago, and still continue to feel such a love for now.
Also: “Come to me.”
I like to think she would’ve loved seeing her Brat Prince rocking out and fiercely bowing away, sawing almost, at that violin. And of course, that’s where the flashes of memory—or flashbacks to IWTV (and a couple extras if you spot them), if you will—begin to take over.
I do appreciate how a lot of Lestat’s narration has me second-guessing whether I should know it from the actual books or not. Can’t tell if it’s just a matter of Reid totally getting Lestat’s “voice” right or some level of the writing hitting the correct style of prose? But it’s there…even when it’s actually not.
These flashbacks while Lestat’s high. Ouch. I particularly appreciate how the editing is so seamless, it’s like we’re cutting in and out with Lestat. Especially when he’s twirling Baby Jenks, only for Louis to appear, dressed up for their dance at the Mardi Gras Ball. You know, the one that ended with Lestat “dead.”
“You would think a vampire of my stature would know better. But then, there’s that old saying: You fool me once, shame on me. Fool me twice, MDMA and LSD are excellent drugs.”
“Bounce, bounce, bounce, bounce, twirrrrrl, twirl.” THE MOVEMENT STYLE. I honestly don’t know what adjective is powerful enough for how much I appreciate Reid’s/Lestat’s quality and style of movement as a general rule but especially when Lestat’s high. All that slinking, swaggering, swaying madness is just…Lestat de Lioncourt is everything.
Could do without the magnified/big-nose/whatever filter, though.
THE LITTLE DRINK.
Ahh, yes. The red cloak.
“I killed a pack of wolves when I was a mortal. I’ll most likely tell you about that later, as I let it define me for a time.” Mmmmhm.
“…Armand told the truth? Have you ever met him?” My man’s surrounded, possibly in (im)mortal peril, and he’s still got a chip on his shoulder about Armand. Amazing.
THE BLOOD EVERYWHERE.
Oh, this fight scene.
“But I was saved from such rational thought. Love. Will do that to you.”
Look, again, at the physical performance as Lestat drags himself to the bed to check that message. The effort!
He looks like a naughty little boy, trying to grin himself through getting out of a punishment for something he did wrong—who knows that’s not happening. He’s in trouble.
“I got myself into something I can’t get out of. Music’s opened up the batch oven, and I’m not sure if I can close it again.”
“I’m not really at my best, but…” The sniffling, tiny glance down…oh. The tears? The emotion that causes him to have to almost whisper this??? “It’s very nice to see you again.”
He’s too emotional to get her name out??? WOW.
My heart.
“My Gabrielle.”
Um. Er. Typo. Excuse me. “My Gabriella.”
“It’s not much of a reveal, I guess. I know it’s common gossip now, the first thing one thinks about when my name comes up.”
“So, I serve it to you now how it felt then. Fledgling, lover, mother.”
From the little bit we get here, I’m really excited to see more of Jennifer Ehle kind of…owning that power over Lestat. That toxic, distant—occasionally inappropriately sexual, obviously—love is definitely coming through.