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The Vampire Lestat Season 1 Episode 5 Review: ‘New York’

The Vampire Lestat Season 1 Episode 5 “New York” sends the band back to the recording studio to record Lestat’s “posthumous” album, following the assassination attempt in the previous hour. As Lestat struggles to create something that meets his preternaturally high standards, his past continues to haunt him. Meanwhile, every ghost that’s trailed him so far this season stays with him, right there, as he works. Also in the present timeline, Louis continues to visit his Claudia lookalike, but at some point, the fantasy begins to hurt him more than it actually comforts him. And then, there’s Daniel’s latest encounter with Armand. By the time we reach the end of the hour, we’re right back to Lestat making a new, heartbreaking, gorgeous piece of music…that’s totally at odds with that flashy rockstar mask he’s worn since the series begin.

The longer the season goes on, the more difficult it is for our main character to keep putting on that show, living the lie of being solely the theatrical, bratty, attention wh**e. Our journey of peeling back Lestat de Lioncourt’s layers and seeing him beyond Interview with the Vampire‘s description of him coincides seamlessly with his own journey of self-discovery and, as a result, more openness and vulnerability in his art. That, combined with Sam Reid’s Lestat-ness, is what makes it all so brilliant. Jacob Anderson’s portrayal of this tortured Louis, seeking her out in a stranger’s presence, is the most delicious icing on the cake possible.

On the other hand, the Brat Prince’s backstory continues to be rushed, cheated, and (at times) poorly executed. The latest chapter shows us what happened after Marius de Romanus, Armand’s definitely-not-destroyed Maker and the guardian of Those Who Must Be Kept, pulled Lestat from his 80 years of being buried underground, hoping to die after Nicki’s death and his mother’s disappearing act. Unfortunately, at least for this particular viewer, this vitally-important part of the lore falls into that “poorly executed” category. Maybe it’s a matter of impossible expectations. Despite acknowledging that possibility, I still can’t help but be disappointed.

The failures only serve to highlight the supernatural strength of everything The Vampire Lestat Season 1 Episode 5 does well, somehow. So, in that way, the hour’s still another strong one for the series. But at this point, I wonder if there’s some curse around adapting anything in The Vampire Chronicles that relates to Marius and/or Akasha and Enkil.

MORE: The Vampire Lestat Episode 1 got us off to an unapologetically flashy, bratty start.

Lestat meets Those Who Must Be Kept

The Vampire Lestat Season 1 Episode 5 finally introduces Marius and Those Who Must Be Kept. Quite a lot about this hour is really, really good. For one painfully obvious thing, Sam Reid is, as always, as Lestat as it gets. (To the point where I’m increasingly convinced he’s using the Spell Gift on us all to make us think this is fiction.) But the characterization of Marius here doesn’t particularly work for me—a shame, considering I was really looking forward to what Christopher Heyerdahl would do with the character.

This is the difficulty of adapting any well-loved book, much less a series of books that covers so much history and so many characters. Some changes will work. Others…how do I put this politely? Let’s say they’re frustrating.

The Marius we meet in The Vampire Lestat Episode 5 is a little bit too stern, too…creepy, I guess I’ll call it, for my liking. Rice’s book kind of describes the opposite, with the only thing “terrifying” about Lestat’s initial impression of him being the “gentleness and peace.” The mocking joke about an echo may be a nice TV moment in some ways, but it doesn’t land for me. At all. I’m also not entirely sure why changing Lestat’s vanity gone horribly wrong—his bright idea (derogatory) to play the violin for Akasha—makes any sense, whatsoever. As in, it doesn’t. And that’s a frustrating missed opportunity that feels like a very bad, unforced error.

Still, for any complaints I may have about creative choices and changes to what I, personally, don’t feel needed a single tweak at all, this series has Reid’s Lestat and continues to make excellent use of him during what otherwise may be weak points. As Lestat conducts the orchestra in his head and gives Akasha a play-by-play of all the elements of the piece they’re listening to, dancing and twirling around as he goes, Reid’s dedication is as good as ever. He’s purely smitten with the Queen one second, fixing that adoring gaze on her. And in the blink of an eye, when he notices he’s scratched the record he’s playing for her, he absolutely loses it in the most spectacularly melodramatic tantrum.

Put another way, although I may have my issues with parts in an adaptation sense, in a “but is this good TV” sense, I’m beyond satisfied. Another great case in point: Lestat totally beside himself as he levitates, having been stuck “UP HERE FOR THREE DAYYYYSSSSSSS!!!” after drinking Akasha’s blood is one heck of an image. The way he’s positively vibrating with power, only to barely be able to figure out how to get himself upstairs after crashing back down (once Marius settles the Queen back down), is also excellent physical/movement work from Reid. And, though still technically a canon diversion, for a completely wild-eyed Akasha to suddenly start rattling off so many things it’s difficult to keep up works in its own odd, off-kilter way.

I’d love to see more of how Sheila Atim interprets her, and I’m assuming certain things will happen so I’ll get to. But what we do see in The Vampire Lestat Season 1 Episode 5 is fascinating in its own right. Still, viewers missed out on what could’ve been a beyond gruesome, terrifying sort of slow, creeping horror. And, frankly, the series appears to have robbed us of a much richer version of Marius. But that’s just coming from me. Maybe other viewers will be fine with this change.

Besides, have I mentioned Sam Reid is Lestat de Lioncourt enough yet? Because, well. He is.

MORE: In The Vampire Lestat Season 1 Episode 3, Louis eliminated the vampire Bruce, who was part of an all-time low for AMC’s adaptation of Anne Rice’s work.

“You’re hurting him”

Before Lestat ever receives the repeated texts from contact name “THOMAS PITTY HE’S A WH**E,” viewers are well aware of how badly Louis needs the help he’s begging for. His fantasy world, with Regina dutifully playing the role of the child vampire she so eerily resembles, is crumbling. When The Vampire Lestat Season 1 Episode 5 first shows us how deeply Louis’ become involved with “Claudia,” it’s a night out with her and a substitute Madeleine. As he happily chatters away, just fondly adoring her, the cracks in that happiness reveal themselves in Jacob Anderson’s every increasingly-pained smile that fades into angst, every hesitation over a response, and every miserable wince at Regina’s far-too-soon attempt at a “joking” comment, as Claudia, about theatre kids making her “moody.”

Later, Anderson’s troubled expression when Regina asks about Lemuel and doesn’t quite answer Louis the way she would speaks of a person—er, vampire—who knows what he’s doing is wrong, knows this person can never replace what he’s lost. Yet, he’s completely hooked. Too far gone, in a way that he also knows he can’t pull himself out of it. After Regina asks Louis to spell her, Anderson puts on a show. He makes the phrase “mask of grief” totally, fully mean something. And that mask twists, and grieves, and suffers all the more when Louis touches Regina’s very much warm and human hand.

However, Anderson’s best work in the “New York” hour comes opposite Reid. This shouldn’t come as a surprise because these two have complimented each other so well from the start. Not to mention, Lestat is someone who—for all they’ve put one another through, up to and including Louis not bothering to call when Lestat was shot—Louis knows he can be this broken and vulnerable with. Additionally, he’s the only soul (mortal, immortal, or otherwise) who also deeply feels the loss of Claudia. Lestat knew her, and loved her, no matter how hideously that twisted into hate by the end.

The SUV scene in The Vampire Lestat Season 1 Episode 5 exposes a drowning Louis, begging the only ~~person~~ vampire he knows can save him to do exactly that. Except that other vampire is also feeling himself sink throughout, which makes the whole thing that much harder to watch. Head bent low, eyes closed, fingers pressed to his forehead in a way that speaks of both thoughtfulness and heaviness—the weight of all of this too great a burden to bear alone anymore—Louis tells Lestat what he’s been up to. Anderson’s line reading, as Louis explains to Lestat about the mess he’s gotten himself into, is remarkable.

Louis is pure halting, struggling confusion. That is, of course, until he reaches that desperation and despair and shaky, high-pitched begging to know “is it her?” He can’t believe, doesn’t believe, knows he shouldn’t. And yet…the wish remains. Throughout all of this, Reid sits there as a Lestat who’s trying ot hold it all in and hold it all together, yet can’t. That pained way his eyes close after Anderson’s “I called her Claudia” cuts like a knife. Then, when Lestat finally decides to go in there and do what Louis asks, the way he presses his head back into the headrest for support and sighs…wow.

Also of note, every single closeup in profile is gorgeous and reveals so many conflicting, painful emotions from both actors. Louis and Lestat can’t even look at each other. Especially not when they discuss her. There’s too much history, too much hurt, too many years of love, and loss, and loathing. And yet. Here they are, in their shared grief.

When Lestat meets Regina in The Vampire Lestat Season 1 Episode 5, he doesn’t make threats, or use the many powers he has through the Dark Gift to make sure she and Louis leave one another alone. Instead, he just studies her, intently. When it gets to be too much, he only lets himself show his suffering to Louis—everything else waits for Regina to go to the kitchen or is hidden by sunglasses and a black hoodie, only barely indicated by that stunned look in his eyes or the way his jaw works, almost against his will. Somehow, all of this gets the message through far better than the villain of Interview with the Vampire lashing out would do. Besides, Lestat de Lioncourt just can’t hurt Claudia again. Even if it’s not her.

That last meeting with Louis is, again, just two dads mourning their daughter together and coming to some level of acceptance that she’s well and truly gone. But, of course, Lestat has to cover up all that angst with just a touch of his latest grudge. “And next time someone tries to murder me, pick up the phone?” As if Anderson and Reid’s work here weren’t good enough: The flashbacks that cut in throughout, coupled with a score that is familiar in a “WTF how dare they do this to us” kind of way, certainly make the sequence of events all the more painful to watch. But it hurts in the best sense possible.

MORE: Claudia’s life, both as a human and a vampire, was a tragic horror that ended the only way tragedy can.

Lestat de Lioncourt, tortured artist

It’s a long road to get there, but by the end of The Vampire Lestat Season 1 Episode 5, our hero finds his way to a musical revelation. That it comes after being called to help Louis deal with his Regina problem, and with even Lestat himself experiencing a certain amount of pain after seeing how much she does look like Claudia—yet isn’t, and can never be, her—might be surprising to those who only know him as the tyrant of Louis and Claudia’s story. Hopefully, the previous four episodes, combined with the much softer version of the Brat Prince we saw in Interview with the Vampire Season 2 Episode 8, have done their job.

If not, I pretty much always return to this one: “Claudia was my dark child, my love, evil of my evil. Claudia broke my heart.” (Rice, Anne. The Vampire Lestat, 2010 Ballantine Books Mass Market Edition, p. 501)

At any rate, this hour sees Lestat as an exacting, obsessive sort of perfectionist. He demands that the band do take, after take, after take, until they get it just right. And Lestat tries, in one of Reid’s many exquisitely emotional moments, to explain to TC what he wants—no, needs more than he needs the Blood itself—the drums to sound like. It must be death first, then life. (Insert a flashback to Marius pulling Lestat from his muddy resting place underground here.) When the mortal doesn’t understand, the Brat Prince shoots up, gives a more colorful explanation, delivers it more dramatically. In the moment, Reid’s all sweeping gestures here, eyebrows raised for emphasis there, fists pressed together some certain way just willing the others to believe him.

…and melodrama when Lestat’s interrupted, of course.

But, again, it’s that love for Louis and even the child vampire who tried to murder him that gets Lestat where he needs to go. Well, this and sharing the story of Akasha with us. Both are important, especially when you consider that he only survived the one because he happened to serve the other for a time…and tasted her blood.

I continue to be beyond impressed by not only Reid’s range as an actor but also what he can do with Lestat’s journey as a musician. The total dedication to every single style, and the ability to execute them all, isn’t something that comes around often. But between “Hit The Lights (Bare Bones)” from Episode 4 and “Stained Glass Eyes” in The Vampire Lestat Season 1 Episode 5, it’s when we’re in these rare moments of Lestat’s total vulnerability and honesty with himself about every single scar that Reid’s voice and his performance quality as an actor blend in the most soulful, gorgeous way possible. No one else could do what he does with this character. Period.

From the moment Lestat sits down at that piano, the instant he smooths that hair back and takes that introspective beat before beginning to play, right through to the very end of the performance, everything is just perfection. The same perfection Lestat was looking for with all those takes at the beginning and with all his (ridiculously dramatic) running out into the sun to burn himself somewhere in the middle of the episode. Reid’s performance is elevated by what Delainey Hayles does here. She takes Claudia, in these tiny moments, through so much of her IWTV journey in so little time. That angry reflection in the glass is a confrontation, but it gives way to the same overwhelming sadness Lestat himself feels. And there’s the pain from the burning, her head pressed against the window, it’s all…phenomenal. Truly.

I’m not sure what my favorite part is here, whether it’s Lestat pouring out all that regret and heartbreak, or those hands together on the piano, him conducting away when he listens to the playback, or what. I just know, for all the flaws with the Marius flashbacks, for any other changes that may have already bugged me along the way or any that may come later, this exact sequence in The Vampire Lestat Season 1 Episode 5 captures so much of the feeling of what it is to love these books and these characters. Nothing will ever compete with Anne Rice’s lovely writing style for me, but my God, does this come close.

MORE: Did you catch Lestat reaching for his neck and his eyes going wide while he was working on writing the song? Probably a reference to Claudia slashing it open when she tried to destroy him.

More The Vampire Lestat Season 1 Episode 5 reactions

“…before it was hurled off a balcony by one of Mr. du Lac’s redirected moods.” That’s one way to put it!
All Reid has to do is rub his fingers together a certain way, or thoughtfully press them to his lips, or any number of other minute gestures, and he simply…is Lestat. Not only that, but he conveys absolutely everything we need to know with the slightest of changes. Just wild. I can’t get over it. If I ever do, that will be everyone’s sign that I’m in distress.
“We are going for…again.” 10/10, no notes.
“…wallpapered her basement sex dungeon with billable hour invoices.” Christine Claire and Madonna would get along well, I feel like. Someone write that.
The shot, right at the beginning, of Lestat and the spectre of Louis in that sound booth, is one of my many, many favorites from this series. And it may just be near the top of the list. Lestat’s haunted to the point of almost being sick, Louis’ accusatory, and all the while, Lestat has to face his fears, his regrets, his many past heartbreaks and heartaches…and sing. Visually, this series continues to be stunning in a way that it has no right to be.
“It has to sound like death approaching. Like life emerging.” “Like, yeah, cool…like life and death.” “Death! Then, life. A mewling babe extracted from a mother’s womb.” Ok, drama queen.
“We are making an album of my life, which has been a three-century trainwreck.” We love you, you beautiful wreck, you.
“Your drums are my heart, your guitar is my hunger, your bass…the night terrors that follow me to coffin.” “What’s my guitar?” “Yessssss, please interrupt my flow, Larry.” Oh, he looks like he wants to break this man’s skull or rip out his heart. But he’s restraining himself, a good egg. “Your guitar. Is my frailty. Keep coloring inside the lines as you play, and I’ll knot a tempo mark to your lifejacket.” (The way he says GHEEE-tar.)
“Kill me savagely.” All that emotion, in both his voice and his expression. Whew.
You say you’re Marius. I call BS. Where’s the “young one” and “my child”??? Hmmmm????? Go get me the real one with the flowing locks and not whatever this ridiculous wig is, bro.
The “rotten boy” description of Armand is somehow on point and wildly out of character. Put in the context of Lestat telling the story, that becomes even more of a gray area. Still, I don’t like it. We already have Lestat’s point of view that Armand’s a gremlin. Perhaps the guy who groomed him and gave him the Dark Gift—but couldn’t manage to keep him safe from the Children of Satan—ought to put some respect on his name.
Akasha doesn’t tell Lestat her name? Sure, Jan.
Interesting that Lestat’s brought out of his memories and back to the present moment by his mommy’s voice.
“That’s a deep grave.” Lestat swiveling in that chair and tilting his head just so as he pouts: “Pretend I’m Armand…or the Talamasca. Be the spineless mole once more.” The challenge in Reid’s eyes! And he points at the board, changes accents…to mock this b**ch. “You…dig a hole in the burrow. For Larry’s guitar.” Those rolled Rs! (And, again, gheeeee-tarrrrrrr.)
But what is he doing with is tongue?! …and why does it work.
“I don’t want a job. I want to die.” Everyone thinking about going back to work after a day off.
“Low enough to learn the depths of despair.”
The Lestat in these flashbacks with Marius is so different from the Lestat in Interview with the Vampire, is so different from the Lestat in the recording studio demanding more from the band, or vulnerably asking his mom why she left him, or on stage singing “Big Boss,” with Louis at the diner, at the piano…
Just insane range and quality of work from Sam Reid.
If the goal was to give Heyerdahl more lines, Marius had plenty to say in the books. Instead, we waste time on Marius spoon-feeding ideas to Lestat that he needs to have on his own. K.
“I missed you, Brother.” “I missed you, too…Sis.” Watch Anderson’s smile just melt away.
“State your name for the camera.” “No names.” “Ok, Random Manhattanite, what do you make of Lestat’s exit?” I giggled.
“But as I followed him, I found him…fascinating. I’d sit at the foot of his bed in derelict motel rooms as he slept off a fix. Gradually, over the next 52 years, I was interceding on his behalf. And when he blacked out under an overpass…” The echo effect of having Random Manhattanite’s voice mixing in and out with Armand’s: Genius sound work.
“I wanted to tell you in Philadelphia, but I felt you were not in a place to receive it.” “That was my gag reflex at ‘I’m in love you.’ Prove it!” And here we thought Louis and Claudia had daddy issues.
One tiny detail from this Devil’s Minion scene in The Vampire Lestat Season 1 Episode 5 that stands out more than anything else: Eric Bogosian’s breath. Absolutely heaving. Watch those shoulders move up and down, as Daniel listens to Armand calmly recall these major events in Daniel’s life! Also, there’s the pained expression when Armand mentions his daughter’s graduation, the quiet disbelief morphing into something else by the end…wow.
Meanwhile, Assad Zaman is just relentless in his approach to making every single line sound like poetry…and Armand’s every glance at Daniel be one of hunger and longing. Stunning.
“Yes, you sainted him gray in your book. But he’s calculating to the core. And methodically cruel.”
“Lestat lays with his mother.” Armand is a messy b**ch. Confirmed. But, well. As we’ve seen…he’s a correct messy bi**ch.
“Why did you leave me?” “Two months ago?” First off, put her out in the sun and leave her there for laughing here. Second, he is so unbearably soft with her, even as she delights in having left him, even as they relive multiple abandonments, even as he knows he’s never getting any answer that doesn’t hurt.
“I was happy you left. Both times.” Liar.
“You were a terrible mother.” “I was.” Still are, b**ch. Go into the sun.
That’s right. You leave her!
“The merchant called it a scoop. A scoop! Scooooooop. Scoop! Tickles the back of the throat when you say it.” AMAZING.
“If you were the first, then who made you? Why do we exist? Why do we endure at all? …and why did she leave me?” I love the way he looks up on the “why do we endure at all,” and then…right back to the deep sadness after he asks why “she” left him.
“Am I evil? Is my evil sanctioned by nature? Or divine error. Where is God?”
This is an extreme version of things, obviously, but um…artists willing to suffer for perfection…yeah. On point.
Relatable?
Every single held note, leading up to that high-pitched SCREAM.
“What do you think, Marius? Ohhh, you’re still on holiday? I blame you, Armand!! Rotten guest!”
This entire scene. Just let Sam Reid play. Exactly. Go off.
He really thinks he’ll never be good enough for anyone, huh? A tantrum like that over a scratched record, when he’s got those vampire nails. Sad, when you think about it.
“How is it that they live in such harmony, the billions of stars, when most men can barely go a minute without declaring war in their own minds?” Lestat, helping out his inner child. Such a sweet moment. So much happens in The Vampire Lestat Season 1 Episode 5, I hope that doesn’t get overlooked.
“YOU TUNE IT DOWN A WHOLE STEP!!!” In which Lestat just goes from a touching little moment to…this. Vampires would rather nearly break a(nother) guitar than go to therapy for their mommy issues.
Are we supposed to care about the mortals? Because I do not.
I know I already spent some time on this scene up above, but I again have to compliment Anderson’s line reading. Just magic, how he breaks down more and more as it goes—to the point where Louis is such a small, pitiable thing by the time he directly asks Lestat for help.
I, too, wear my comfort hoodie with the hood up when I’m trying to hide my feelings from everyone else. (Also probably helps him with the whole, you know, pretending to be dead thing.)
Lovely, lovely emotion from Reid.
His flared nostrils??? Trying to control himself?????? OUCH.
“You’re hurting him.” Can’t decide if “love” is the word I’d use for Hayles’ mocking gasp and pulling back with the wide eyes, grasping her chest before “oh. I’m hurting Louis?” It’s very much an ouch moment for me. Not to mention, it’s a heartless thing for the Regina character to do. But it is incredibly well done, so…love it?
“But I look like her.” That challenging stare right there is Claudia, and it may as well burn Lestat up like the sun itself.
So broken on “it’s not her. It’s…not anything like her…the eyes.” “Yeah, the eyes, no spark, right?” THAT SIGH. “Don’t see this person again. And next time someone tries to murder me, pick up the phone?”
Have I mentioned I love this ballad and the way Lestat performs it?
But have I??????
Truly, what a stunning sequence.
“Let me tell you something about this Blood. Let me save you. From myself…I was on the shores of Spain, and my great love left me. I let myself be buried, in a stranger’s grave. Until a queen took pity. And summoned me to service.”
“She said drink! And I drank! AND I HAVE BEEN UP HERE FOR THREE DAYYYYSSS!!!!”
“This is the metal sun inside my veins. This is the Hell I unleash on all those near me. It cannot be restrained in the moment or tamed over time. It will drag you into the gravity and reward you with regret.” Again, I have to compliment the editing and the specific flashback choices here. But, also again, the real power goes to Reid’s performance. That last sentence, in particular, is delivered so incredibly well.
“…the world really needs to hear how beautiful he was!” I’m trying, ok?
Is this where I make an Orphan Black joke/reference or.
But also, my God, what an image to end on. The most ice cold version of Armand there is. Just not an ounce of remorse, looking down after he’s had Larry go get some “rest.” What was that about vampires revealing their nature to mortals and letting them live? Hm.