Interview with the Vampire (TV Series) The Thing Lay Still (2022) User Reviews

Shocking. Captivating. Brilliant

[emberlynn-52599 · 10/10 · 6 November 2022]

The show kept leaving the hints pointing at the secrets we might find out in E7. I thought I was prepared, but I was wrong. This brilliant episode added another layer of complexity that affected my perception of the entire show and made me want to re-watch it ASAP.

Louis loves Lestat. He loves him in every universe, and I'm so relieved and happy that the showrunners portrayed it so well despite the mysterious impacts of their chosen story-line. Seeing his glimpses of what really happened were amazing to watch, and they made me greedy for much more content.

Lestat is phenomenal, and his devotion and love for Louis is something to swoon over - in fiction, that is. No matter what happens, no matter how toxic they can get, he never wavers from it.

I need S2 ASAP!

Tragically Beautiful

[eoinpgeary · 9/10 · 7 November 2022]

I must say this was a fantastic finale !

The plan, the execution was great, the twists are great I can't falter this episode in any way.

Loui is such a broken character which makes him all the more alluring, leaving me to wonder what path he will chose to follow on this episode!

The way it all plays out is fantastic and I don't want to spoil anything but am I right in saying that person in the end is the one from France ??

I am so excited for season 2 and I think people need to stop review bombing shows and appreciate them for what they are !

A great finale, a bloodbath in emotions and physicality!

Cunningly Adapted - Season 1 Review

[JoshuaMercott · 8/10 · 12 March 2023]

First Impressions:

The plot was true to the books in a lot of ways but took clever liberties where needed to convey this epic story from the brilliant mind of Anne Rice to audiences who want to drive their fangs into a new vampire series.

Story Analysis:

As a reporter attempting to debunk (again, anyway) and simultaneously capture the 'true story' of a 33-year old man who was allegedly turned into a vampire in the early 1900s, Daniel Molloy started season 1 on a compelling note.

Both Jacob Anderson and Sam Reid gave riveting and bold performances as Louis de Pointe du Lac and Lestat de Lioncourt, respectively. Their acting and on-screen chemistry more than enriched "Interview with the Vampire" season 1.

For some strange reason, their same-sex bonding held a secret layer of significance that went beyond the romance captured in select scenes. Anne Rice would've been proud.

Gothic vibes and vampiric tensions created all the captivating content season 1 needed to make a good first impression. It only had seven episodes, but they made each one count.

There's hope for more, because AMC already confirmed that season 2 "Interview with the Vampire" has begun shooting. We may be seeing more of these characters in late 2023 or early 2024.

Hair-makeup and costume design were outstanding. Art direction and set decoration were admirable. Stunts and VFX were superb. Sound effects and editing were remarkable. Musical scoring was great. Cinematography was amazing. Screenplay was well-balanced. Direction was notable.

Final Notes:

Plenty of scenes in "Interview with the Vampire" season 1 captured what it means to be human, and not in the post-card-goody-goody way. It made being a vampire a tad challenging but also a powerful supernatural state of being that could be bestowed on humans 'afflicted' with mortality.

I liked how faithful the series was to Anne Rice's writing and vision for these characters in her Vampire Chronicles, a set of ten books published from 1976 to 2018.

The way the story arced and intensified was a treat to watch. It went to all the right places and focused more on the vampiric angle than anything else.

What I liked the most in S01 "Interview with the Vampire" was the deep philosophical and psychological angles the characters explored, shedding much-needed light on the nuances of being a vampire co-existing with humans.

Wow

[darmal5-1 · 10/10 · 30 March 2023]

(Due to the word limit I will merely repeat what some have stated already regarding the series thus far as a whole in order to say what I truly want to say).

So many derisions have been foisted upon this series by those who have either (to quote) "not watched it yet " or "I have only seen the movie", that I feel the need to issue a final judgement: it is glorious! Time change? Didn't mind and felt that with not only the change in casting but the social issues presented that it worked well (much to the chagrin of the Florida legislature!). Actor choices? Brilliant! Hire the best to present a work of art! Episodic pacing? For the purpose of the series it worked well as Goldilocks would agree!

The finale? Heart-wrenching. Readers of the books (or film know what is coming, but they way as presented here it surpassed the previous incarnations. The final reveal was unexpected and (as a lover of Anne Rice's lore) satisfying! It is a coupling that I emotionally welcomed. I cannot wait for the second season not only for the high production values and acting quality but for what little twists the production team invent. Brava!

What a Season Finale

[nightringer-76840 · 10/10 · 26 November 2022]

This is an exciting episode, regardless having read the book. The creative team reconstructed the story to open dramatic ending.

Using trickery and slip and hand, detective tricks, thus episode opens up more questions than answers. Where's Claudia, we know Lestat is still alive, ugly, angry and desperate but still alive. He will appear with vengeance.

The introduction of Armand puts different perspective since Armand wasn't supposed to appear yet. That begs a lot of questions.

Looks like this saga is the sleeper hits no one expected. I didn't even know they were developing a TV series until it aired. But I'm glad they did.

Incredible Season Finale

[penguindreaming · 10/10 · 11 January 2024]

I originally read Anne Rice's Vampire Chronicles more than 20 years ago. When I first watched this series I adored all the changes made to modernize the story, bring more diversity, and add unique elements. I'm the type of person who wants to watch an adaption that's faithful to the characters and spirit of the books, but isn't a word for word carbon copy. Give me something new to enjoy within this same world! And IWTV does that. But it wasn't until I re-read the first book that I was struck by how absolutely perfect Claudia is, especially in this episode. We see the tragedy of her very existence, her rage, her adolescent qualities that clash with her adult needs. The violence doesn't feel gratuitous, it's a perfect display of what Anne Rice threads throughout her books. Being a vampire can seem glamorous and sexy on the surface, but it's a deeply violent, painful, and dark existence.

Season One Review

[southdavid · 8/10 · 26 November 2023]

Positive reviews from people I respect is what drew me to watching "Interview With The Vampire", having never read any of Anne Rice's novels and only having seen the movie adaptation a couple of times. Perhaps as a result of not having much history with the source material, I enjoyed this series, that alters the story to make it more timely.

In 2022, in Dubai, the vampire Louis De Pont Du Lac (Jacob Anderson) again recounts his life story to journalist Daniel Molloy (Eric Bogosian). The pair previously met in the 1970's when his first attempt to tell his life story ended in violence. De Pont describes how, whilst making a living as a pimp, in a culturally segregated New Orleans, he met Lestat de Lioncourt (Sam Reid) a Vampire, who loves him and later turns him into a Vampire himself. Their time is explosive, as years of unageing companionship cause friction to build, especially as Lestat's thirst for death far exceeds Louis'.

The decision to rejig the story to make Louis' black and set the story in Pre-War New Orleans was an interesting one. As a black man in this scenario, Louis is capable to making a life for himself, but only so far as the white town dignitaries will allow. Even when he's an apex predator, this idea persists and the one time he uses his powers in this regard, there is a brutal response.

Performances between all our leads are really good. There is real chemistry between Louis and Lestat and you can see why he returns to him, even seeing the monster that he is. The sparky back and forth between Louis and Molloy is also fun, with Molloy close to death anyway he's willing to "Poke the bear" to get close to the real story - particularly when it comes to drawing parallels between Louis and Lestat's relationship and that of an abused wife. The chemistry continues with Bailey Bass joining them as Claudia, the daughter they create who also comes to resent and love them in equal measure. It's unfortunate that she can't return for season two.

Sam Reid is really excellent and there's so much range between this character, and the one he plays on "The Newsreader" which is similarly airing on the BBC iPlayer at the same time.

It's a both weighty and serious and camp and funny and I wish that more people were watching it because there's a lot of material to mine for it.