Interview with the Vampire Season 1 Episode 3 Review: Is My Very Nature That of a Devil

Louis struggles to accept his vampire nature on Interview with the Vampire Season 1 Episode 3, “Is My Very Nature That of a Devil,” much to the disappointment of Lestat.

It’s Louis’ journey in figuring out his identity that makes this story so meaningful, and as far as the way it’s presented in this adaptation, it continues to exceed expectations.

This episode takes its time in exploring those difficulties for Louis, who asks Lestat is there’s some sort of greater purpose, and who thinks it isn’t worth it to kill people. Or perhaps, they should be killing the people who are the most terrible, and not just anyone that crosses their paths.

Lestat is put off by this, saying their purpose is to enjoy their existence, especially considering how long they’ll be on earth and how very dull that can wind up being.

He’d rather Louis embrace who he is as a vampire, and he’d rather they be able to kill together and enjoy everything that their vampire lives have to offer.

Louis still has a conscience and tries to live off of animals for as long as he can, and his decision winds up causing more tension in his relationship with Lestat. 

The toxic nature of that relationship becomes more and more clear, especially as Lestat insists it should be an open relationship, flaunting a sexual encounter with a woman, Antoinette, right in front of him.

Yet when Louis takes such a step for himself, in private, Lestat’s jealousy gets the better of him and he acts out in ways that are almost uncomfortable to watch.

(Speaking of uncomfortable to watch, I don’t love seeing Louis feast on cats and rats, but that’s beside the point.)

The truth of what Louis and Lestat’s relationship was really like does come into question as Louis, in the present time, tells Daniel Malloy his story.

“The odyssey of recollection” is what he discusses, using Daniel’s own words to point out that he too, should be allowed his own “odyssey,” even if that means the story he tells now is at times wildly different from the one he told in the 1970s, and that offers a different lens when it comes to his toxic relationship with Lestat.

This is, again, a very clever way to approach this adaptation, which is also a sequel series in many ways and makes nods to Anne Rice’s other Vampire Chronicles works. 

I do have to say, Daniel gets on my nerves a bit on this episode. I appreciate the evolution of that character, that his age and life experience have made him less patient, even in the presence of a literal monster, but his snide remarks don’t always add to the story — at least not this time. They worked well on the first two episodes, but here, it feels like it goes a little too far.

Back to Louis’ story, though: the most heartbreaking part of his tale is what becomes of his relationship with his family. Already, it was strained. It was strained before he became a vampire, especially due to Paul’s death.

But now, as time as passed and he’s been coming to see his family less and less, he’s no longer welcome. The girls are afraid of him, and his mother has a sense about him, saying she sees the Devil in him.

That shakes him to his core, as does seeing the real fear he causes in his own nieces. How does anyone come back from that?

Then after effectively losing his family, The Azalea is in jeopardy as well. Race continues to play a really important part in the story, and the fact that Louis is Black is used to undermine everything he has in New Orleans.

Between losing his family and facing prejudice that threatens his business, he finally breaks. And it’s actually satisfying, albeit horrific, to see him succumb to his vampire nature by killing Fenwick in the most brutal, monstrous way possible. 

It’s also the first moment he really seems to embrace it. Fenwick asks what he is, and the look in Louis’ eye when he says simple, “I’m a vampire,” is the kind of moment that takes your breath away.

Following all of this, is the fire. But as he loses everything he’s worked for, he gains something else entirely. He hears a voice crying out for help, and in a way that strays from the original story yet feels perfect in this adaption, he rescues a girl from the fire.

Louis: I could not save The Azalea, I could not save Storyville, I could not save the aunt on the wrong side of the wall, but I could save her. My light. My Claudia. My redemption.

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+. 

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