The new Interview with the Vampire series isn't quite as bad as the trailers made it look. It's not outright stupid like Rings of Power though, like Rings of Power, it borrows pretty shamelessly from its successful cinematic forebear. But while it isn't truly bad, it isn't truly great, either. Anyone devoted to the books will be turned off by the numerous, fundamental changes to the story while more casual fans of the vampire genre will wonder why this is supposed to be better than True Blood.
There's a languid atmosphere in the show's cheap, soundstagey New Orleans that lulled me a bit early in the show. Pleasantly relaxed gradually faded into mildly bored, though. Director Alan Taylor, of Game of Thrones, and writer Rolin Jones, of Boardwalk Empire, are both experienced enough to make something competent. But somehow they failed to give this show its necessary spark, even dampening the strength of the original novel, which was its treatment of death. The series is much more about sex than death. In the fashion of many woke works of fiction, it seems to believe that characters directly stating things to the audience is more effective or progressive than portraying the lived in experience. In the first episode, Louis tells us in narration that being a gay black man in 1910 New Orleans wasn't safe. Not that we see any homophobia on display. In the book, Louis and Lestat have evident passion for each other with no mention of prejudice against two men physically loving each other. Though of course, the book's original starting period setting of the 18th century placed it before the invention of the term homosexuality.
The production values on the show are just as cheap as they looked in the trailer. We're once again treated to a sanitised, department store window version of that famously lively city called New Orleans. Louis, now played by a black man, Jacob Anderson, is a vastly different character to his book counterpart. Really, only the name is the same. This Louis lives in the early 20th century and he's a pimp with several brothels under his wing in Storyville. Some might say that this is a moral equivalent to the plantation owner Louis was originally, but not from the contemporary perspectives, which would of course matter a great deal to the character and his development.
Unlike the Neil Jordan film, we get to meet Louis' brother, who is so important in the book. But his importance in the book is largely related to his death and its impact on Louis. The new show quickly loses interest in the brother in favour of exploring the sexual escapades of Louis and Lestat.
Sam Reid as Lestat is the show's biggest asset. He's hypnotic, handsome, and charming, though, in terms of writing, this new Lestat cribs significantly from Django Unchained, casting Lestat as the bemused European white man who can scarcely believe the bigotry his new black friend has to put up with in America.
The vampires have different powers and limitations to Anne Rice's version. No paralysis overcomes them at sunset so Louis is free to demonstrate how tinted windows in his Dubai penthouse protect him.
And, wow, does that look cheap. That cityscape is as obviously a background as the backdrops in the first episode of Columbo. Actually, the show I really kept thinking of was Iron Fist, which had similarly laughably bad backdrops. Though, to be fair, the casting is better on this show. Maybe this show will catch on, I don't know. At this point, I'd be really surprised.
Interview with the Vampire is available on AMC.
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