Interview with the Vampire Season 1 Episode 1 Review: In Throes of Increasing Wonder
Please note this review contains spoilers for Interview with the Vampire Season 1 Episode 1, “In Throes of Increasing Wonder.” The episode is currently streaming on AMC+.
The much-anticipated adaptation of Anne Rice’s Interview with the Vampire is here, and it exceeds every possible expectation.
Interview with the Vampire Season 1 Episode 1, “In Throes of Increasing Wonder,” first introduces us to an older Daniel Molloy (Eric Bogosian), living in the present time, during the global pandemic.
The series turns out to be part adaptation, but also part sequel series, which is an even more intriguing way to handle the re-telling of this story. Daniel Molloy is no longer a young journalist, and we learn quickly that he’s already done an interview with Louis De Pointe Du Lac (Jacob Anderson).
He even has a scar on his neck to show how that interaction ended.
Doing this provides a proper homage to the novels while making the story modern and timely. To immediately address the current time period and the global pandemic — and to even mention Putin and Bezos — makes this version of Interview with the Vampire that much more meaningful for the audience.
Daniel receives a package from Louis. It’s the original tapes from their interview in 1973, along with a letter asking him to meet at a place of his choosing.
Louis says he needs to tell the story again, but this time with more accuracy. And Daniel admits he didn’t ask the right kinds of questions before. This will be for a book, with richer detail and corrections, including some contradictions.
Both Eric Bogosian and Jacob Anderson captivate in their respective roles right away. To see some evolution in Daniel’s character is great too. He’s older now, wiser, and a little bit bitter.
He also doesn’t have the patience for nonsense.
Louis, now living in Dubai and managing to fly under the radar even in a time where anyone can find anything on the internet makes his character that much more interesting as well. He’s managing an opulent life. And he’s managing to have that life while avoiding killing humans.
He also has a certain charm and charisma that draws us in right away. This is exactly what Louis should be — no question.
The story Louis tells does veer away from the book in many ways. In this version, Louis is a Black man, and the time period is a bit later than what it is in the novel.
Yet the spirit of the source material is captured perfectly, down to the significance of religion along with Louis’ relationship with his brother — and how his brother’s death affects him.
That’s a detail that I’m particularly glad to see make its way into the television adaptation. Their relationship is portrayed in such an endearing way, making Paul’s sudden death that much more difficult to watch.
Then, of course, there is the relationship Louis develops with Lestat De Lioncourt (Sam Reid).
Sam Reid brings Lestat to life in a way that is as entertaining as it is unsettling. He’s absolutely remarkable in this role, both in the moments where his attitude is subtle and in the moments where he’s ripping a priest to shreds.
There’s a lot of time spent on developing this relationship. There is the annoyance that comes at first, to the obsessive draw and the romance — something that is much more true to the story in the way it’s shown in this adaptation.
With that comes the central theme of this story. Interview with the Vampire is about Louis’ journey in understanding his own identity, and even this first episode goes a long way in terms of that exploration.
How he relates to his family and the way that changes is just the beginning.
Race also plays a powerful role, especially considering Louis’ standing in the community, the setting, and the time period. In fact, Louis now being a Black man just adds more complexity to the character and the story.
Then, Louis’ feelings toward Lestat further what he learns about himself, and he admits that Lestat has allowed him to feel vulnerable in a way that he never has with anyone else, much less with another man.
This all leads to the final moments of the episode, where Lestat essentially begs Louis to let him transform him into a vampire. To allow him to take away his pain and to help him see his true nature.
It’s a bloody, devastating, yet sensual scene with incredible performances by each actor.
Then their ultimate exchange of blood is more intimate than sex, transformative both for Louis and for Lestat. With Louis’ eloquent narration, he describes the sounds of beating drums, which he realizes are their hearts.
It’s an end as well as a new beginning. And it’s some of the best storytelling I’ve seen in a really long time.
What did you think of this episode of Interview with the Vampire? Share your thoughts in the comments below!
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Interview with the Vampire airs Sundays at 10/9c on AMC and streams Sundays on AMC+. The official premiere is Sunday, October 2nd. The first episode is already available for streaming on AMC+.
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Ashley Bissette Sumerel
Ashley Bissette Sumerel is a television and film critic living in Wilmington, North Carolina. She is editor-in-chief of Tell-Tale TV as well as Eulalie Magazine. Ashley has also written for outlets such as Rolling Stone, Paste Magazine, and Insider. Ashley has been a member of the Critics Choice Association since 2017 and is a Rotten Tomatoes-approved critic. In addition to her work as an editor and critic, Ashley teaches Entertainment Journalism, Composition, and Literature at the University of North Carolina Wilmington.