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Interview with the Vampire S2 review: Bold and lavish storytelling

Interview with the Vampire S2 review: Bold and lavish storytelling

Louis, Lestat and Claudia are back for Season Two of Interview With The Vampire, and this time the action is moving to Europe. Our review…

It was always going to be tough to adapt Anne Rice’s Interview with the Vampire. The book and its subsequent sequels have been beloved by readers since its release in the Seventies and the 1994 movie adaptation starring Brad Pitt and Tom Cruise was even up for a couple of Academy Awards.

However, Season One of the TV series adaptation went way beyond expectation, taking the novel on which it’s based and creating a show that not only expanded Rice’s lavish world but made it feel right and relevant for today’s audiences.   

The good news is Season Two ups the ante in nearly every way — drama, gothic allure, and emotional depth —cementing it as one of the most ambitious supernatural dramas on TV.

The season picks up after the explosive events of Season One, with the action now moving to Europe and following Louis de Pointe du Lac (Jacob Anderson) and Claudia (Bailey Bass) as they navigate war-torn counties in the aftermath of WWII to find more of their kind. However, that mission to find other vampires turns out to be a bad choice when they end up in Paris and discover a theatre troupe vampire coven headed by Armand (Assad Zaman). Though both Louis and Claudia find connection within the coven, their strict rules – and their affiliation with Lestat de Lioncourt (Sam Reid) – could spell the end of eternity for the two troubled vampires. 

Anderson continues to shine as Louis, portraying the character with a haunting vulnerability that anchors the emotional heart of the series. Louis’ struggles with guilt, identity, and his sense of morality as a vampire are explored even more deeply, with the character’s growing weariness of immortality increasing in quiet intensity as the story progresses.

Meanwhile, Sam Reid’s Lestat becomes an even more magnetic and menacing presence in this season. Reid perfectly balances Lestat’s insatiable hunger for power and love with his moments of vulnerability, making him one of the most compelling antiheroes on television. He exudes an intoxicating charisma, which makes Lestat’s cruelty all the more painful and tragic. The tension between Louis and Lestat is electric, underscoring the complex love-hate dynamic that drives much of the season’s drama.

Rounding out the trio of vampires is Bailey Bass as Claudia, who continues to be a standout, especially in this season as her character matures emotionally while still grappling with the limitations of her eternal youth. Bass plays Claudia with fiery energy, while also conveying her deep sense of loneliness and desperation to find her place in the world. 

Season Two certainly delves deeper into the darker, more philosophical sides of immortality. This is especially evident when the show time jumps forward into modern times, where we find Louis and Armand in Dubai, whose cold, stark existence is painfully exposed as they delve into their memories while being interviewed by Daniel Molloy (Eric Bogosian).

Indeed, the tension between all the characters intensifies this season, and the show doesn’t shy away from the horrors of living forever. Themes of isolation, identity, and the toll of eternal life are ever-present as the characters confront the psychological weight of their existence. The show also continues to tackle Louis’ sense of identity, dealing with themes of race, power and queerness in a way that feels contemporary while honoring Rice’s source material.

Lestat’s insatiable need for control and love takes a darker turn in Season Two. His character embodies the destructive nature of unchecked power and emotional manipulation, which Reid conveys masterfully. His scenes with Louis reveal the lengths to which Lestat will go to maintain dominance, even at the cost of those he claims to love. The show examines the toxicity of their relationship with unflinching honesty, portraying both the allure and danger of Lestat’s seductive nature.

Interview with the Vampire Season Two builds on the strengths of its predecessor, delivering a richly layered and emotionally intense narrative that expands Rice’s universe in bold new directions. The show’s exploration of power, love, and the psychological toll of immortality is captivating, driven by superb performances from Anderson, Reid, and Bass. With its stunning visuals, complex characters, and philosophical depth, Season Two solidifies Interview with the Vampire as one of the most thought-provoking, lavish, sexy and visually arresting series in the genre. 

Anne Rice’s Interview With The Vampire Season 2 is out on Blu-ray, DVD and digital now courtesy of Acorn Media International. Pre-order your copy here.