Interview With A Vampire, Season Two: Review
By Sioph W. Leal
The role of Claudia will now be played by Delainey Hayles opens the long-awaited second season of AMC’s Interview with the Vampire in typical theatre fashion to set the scene for an immersive second act. The first season of Interview with the Vampire was a renowned success, capturing the essence and detail of the books while making changes to update them without flaw, and is a welcome continuation throughout the new season. This time, it’s a slower build but heightened in every sense, which leaves you still reeling from the betrayal and revelations.
We continue, wasting no time as Louis (Jacob Anderson) and Claudia seek out more of their kind to find out where they come from. Claudia hungrily seeks out all the clues as World War II wages on behind them, making the blood different from their kills. They feel sad and cold after eating. Louis wants to stop, angry that they are seemingly seeking out the Adam and Eve of the Damned, but his betrayal from last season still stings. That betrayal perfectly mirrors Daniel’s (Eric Bogosian) bitter anger that Rashid was Armand (Assad Zaman), who takes no prisoners this season.
As Louis reckons with his own memories and corrections and figures them out, so does Daniel. Memory is a monster, but it is unreliable, something the series leans into and builds up to harsh revelations, such as in the '70s in San Francisco, when all Louis, Armand, and Daniel are forced to deal with what happened. One of the things up for much discussion with book fans is the conflicting narratives as the vampires tell their story, more so shown between Interview with the Vampire and The Vampire Lestat, but now we have an older Daniel, emblazoned to find the truth after the Armand/Rashid revelation that not only brings a deep rage but some of the best comedic moments as he jibes and pokes at the two vampires, mostly Armand. In the most enthralling episode of the season, Daniel revives his own memories with Louis' help about the original interview, which answers many questions from the first season but brings more intrigue with each revelation and unearthed memory. It feels like there is more between the glares and gazes of Daniel and Armand—something book fans will truly enjoy. If memory is a monster, it seems like there is a consequence for unearthing them.
Memories may be questioned, but they linger with Lestat (Sam Reid) being a ghost-like figure or hallucination to Louis, who invades his time with Armand as their relationship builds, waiting for him to be happy to get his revenge, or so he says. Despite his supposed death from the previous season, the visions make Louis doubt his state of mind, making an excellent link to 2022 in making Louis question his memories. The lingering of Lestat adds a great rift between Louis and Armand, even as a hallucination and an idea, but shows that Louis has tender moments with his former love. The reduced screen time of Lestat could easily be missed if it weren’t for the charming Armand. Master of the Paris coven, Armand watches Louis for months before making contact and tries to recruit Louis and Claudia into the coven, but instead builds a love with Louis that is calmer than his love with Lestat but just as palpable and toxic. We see Armand a variety of times: after Lestat was turned, meeting Louis, in 70’s San Francisco, and in present-day Dubai. In each iteration of Armand, Zaman gives new depth to Armand that, despite his manipulation, you want to be drawn into him.
In a similar vein, new character Santiago (Ben Daniels) adds to the theatrical element of the show with exquisite screen presence and a seductive performance in the Théâtre des Vampires. He’s dangerous and makes that known instantly, yet there is something almost romantic and peaceful when he kills, despite the violence. Like Claudia, you’ll want to see more and be completely taken with him. We see him as the season’s thespian, a mentor to Claudia and a business partner to Armand, but with that comes a leadership challenge brought forward by Louis’ refusal to partake in coven matters, creating animosity between Louis and Santiago, stemming from Louis falling asleep at a performance. Their combatic relationship creates great tension in the series and intrigue for the Théâtre, which comes to a head at dinner when, sick of Louis' pretension, Santiago uses his mimic-gift to call out the other vampire. It starts off funny with apprehension underneath, resulting in fierce animosity between the two.
Visually, the series has turned things all the way up with grand set designs, costumes, and framing that are a treat for the eyes. The Théâtre is where this shines, mixing the practical elements of the theatre with the grand, high-camp nature of the vampires. The stage is bright and extra, and using the cinematic projection makes a whole new world, but underneath it is bloody, cold, and dark, yet each part of this world brings you in to marvel at the intricacies. It can look erratic at times, but that brings a heightened element to the deadly fun and makes a great stage for Armand’s cruelty to Claudia when she steps onto the stage.
Bailey Bass was a treat in the first season, but taking over that role is Delainey Hayles, bringing a much angrier but hopeful Claudia trying to find her place in the world. She is granted much more agency this season. Hayles makes the role her own but brings a more complicated Claudia, who reels from betrayal and finds love and a community. Like Santiago, she breathes fun into the role but is able to flawlessly switch, showing a more compassionate and deadly mix.
Season two is without flaw. A visual masterpiece that carries multiple perspectives, leans hard into a theatrical nature, and carries masterful performances all around. Revelations are built up with expert precision, but with possible twists hinted throughout to grip and entice book readers while promising to give much more. The only time things start to feel a little off is, surprisingly, Lestat’s past. At first, it feels jarring and rushed without the nuance of the book, but given that Armand is relaying the tale and how the series leans into the unreliable narrator and conflicting memories, it works perfectly and brings more to Armand’s character in a moment when he isn’t the main character yet feels like it.
The first 6 episodes were screened for review.
Interview with the Vampire season 2 premieres May 12th on AMC/AMC+