Interview with the Vampire

I was skeptical at first. I had been a fan of the original movie. The cast in the movie was nearly perfect at the time. But the books were always disturbing to me. They had pedophilia and incest, which was such a typical thing in Anne Rice's books. That always bothered me. This series has taken the essentials of the book and made it better. Sorry Rice's fans, but I prefer a story where two grown men are fully aware of their relationship, over all the love and sexual feelings between a grown man and a woman in a 5 year old girl's body. At least the 90's movie had Claudia as an older girl, still too young, but they skipped the romantic and sexual relationship she had with Louis in the book. I much prefer this series' story, and I fully appreciate the way they adapted it to our present, Covid and all. I deeply appreciate that they made Claudia a teenager. And her love interests are usually age appropriate.

The writing is beautiful. I actually do not like gore nor stressful sexual scenarios. But the relationships in this show have been very well written and better yet, believable. The dialogue is very elegant even when they speak of horrible things like violent death and describe the terrible things that happen in the scenes. Every line has an intent and it's neither long and boring nor too short.

I loved Lestat. Sam Reid is exquisite as Lestat. OMG. His French accent is such a beautiful and important piece we missed in the movie. I always heard him with a French accent when I read the books and I appreciate the effort they put on making him more genuine. His acting is flawless. You really fall in love with his character. Bravo.

The rest of the cast is amazing. Even though they switch Claudia's actress in the second season, both Bailey and Delainey are brilliant at their work. Jacob as Louis was very good. His acting was superb. Eric as Daniel was pretty genuine. Assad was good but I always pictured Armand more like Antonio Bandera's version in my head. But the books do say he was pretty "boyish" so Assad actually fits the role very well. Ben as Santiago was perfect.

I think the only mistake has been naming it "Anne Rice's" IWTV. It's definitely not really the original Anne Rice's work. It's better. Her work, as beloved as it was, if you read it, it's sick and disgusting. I'll never be on board with her sadistic women sexual humiliation and pedophilia. But I get why they did it. It might've not grabbed our attention otherwise after so many vampire stories. The subject had become a bit exhausted and naming it IWTV grabbed our attention. Well played. I'm impressed.

I'm a big fan of Anne Rice. I have read her books and seen the film of Interview with the Vampire which I loved. I hoped this would be good and it went far beyond that. It's exceptional. It's the expensive vintage wine amongst all the lesser ones. The acting is superb from all of the cast. It's a tragic love story amongst all the blood. It's about pain, love, loss and mistakes. The three leads are just outstanding. Jacob Anderson, Sam Reid and Assad Zaman. Such emotionally packed scenes. They all deserve Oscar's. Eric Bogosion is great as Daniel. Also Ben Daniel is wonderful as Santiago. The sets and scenery are stunning. I haven't watched anything with such love and passion in a long time. I'm really looking forward to a season 3.

I've been surprised by the number of reviewers have lamented that this is not Anne Rice's Interview with the Vampire, even crying out "Not one word written by Anne Rice!"

Actually, she and her son Christopher were heavily involved and were executive producers. And Anne herself wrote three of the episodes. She was proud of this work and happy for the reinvention of it.

It is possible to enjoy this even if you, as I did, read every book as they were written, awaiting each new volume and running to the bookstore as soon as they were released.

Is this different? Yes. And I'm glad for it. It's a way to enjoy the universe she created all over again without having to worry about some pristine, exact re-enactment. I can relax into it, seeing where it goes without expectation.

And it's a far cry better than the Brad Pitt/Tom Cruise debacle. I still shudder over that abomination.

It's excellently acted, the sets are magical, and the whole thing is quite enjoyable.

This show captivated me from start to finish! Although I hadn't read the book and only vaguely remembered the movie, the show's bold portrayal of love and passion left an indelible mark. The unabashed depiction of the relationship between Lestat and Louis might have deterred some viewers because of the homosexual theme, but I found it to be a beautiful and authentic portrayal of deep connection.

Sam Reid's performance as Lestat is nothing short of mesmerizing! His every mannerism, expression, and especially his voice, embody the essence of a vampire so convincingly that it feels almost real. Jacob Anderson's portrayal of Louis is equally remarkable, showcasing a depth and range that took me by surprise, especially knowing him from his stoic role as Grey Worm in Game of Thrones. The chemistry between Reid and Anderson is palpable, creating a dynamic that is both intense and moving.

Despite some people's reluctance to embrace the show's themes, they TRULY miss out on a TRULY exceptional series. The emotional resonance and impeccable performances made me smile and applaud by the end! Interview with the Vampire is a masterful blend of storytelling and acting prowess, with Sam Reid as the shining star who brings the entire show to life.

Lestat is everything! His actor is superb, his Lestat carries such an allure and he's magnetic when he's on screen, just like a real vampire. He said it's always been his dream role and you can tell with how much effort he puts into the character. The entire cast is noteworthy but the standout for me is Lestat.

I had somehow never heard of Anne Rice or Interview with the Vampire (wish I did because I would've loved the books as a kid) but this was such a fantastic introduction. I will definitely be reading The Vampire Lestat while I giddily wait for season 3.

You can tell everyone involved is so passionate about this show and the show-runner has a strong vision and knows exactly what he wants. I hope they continue making fantastic TV!