‘Interview with the Vampire’ 2×05 review: “Don’t Be Afraid, Just Start the Tape”

Not all is what it seems in Louis and Armand’s love affair. Though, we heavily suspected something was amiss on AMC’s Interview with the Vampire. Their lovey-dovey connection felt like something was being buried underneath the surface. “Don’t Be Afraid, Just Start the Tape” pulled back that layer and exposed the raw, bloodied truth that connected everyone in the present storyline. The first “interview” from 1973 San Francisco that had been long teased – the night that no one seemed to remember. “Don’t Be Afraid, Just Start the Tape” was a powerful episode filled with heightened emotions and pain. One that revealed the horrific truths that hid within the shadows.

One fateful interview in San Francisco

Jumping back into the past, it was captivating to witness how vastly different Daniel was from his present self. The younger Daniel was brash, rough, and unabashedly hedonistic; an energy from someone who wasn’t afraid of anything. It makes sense why his confident nature lured in Louis – there was a lot of Lestat in him. You know, minus all the toxic and murderous energy. If Louis had taken up Daniel’s offer to hook up instead of the interview, Interview with the Vampire would’ve never come to be. This story could be deemed as the hookup that never was.

Present Daniel’s reflection on the past provided a great duality between both characters. His current self learned from his mistakes and became more subdued/restrained, but the younger Daniel wasn’t shy about digging for more and speaking without thinking. For instance, it’s a miracle that Louis didn’t kill young Daniel when he badmouthed Claudia. It’s one thing to be critical of Lestat, but for him to claim that he would be a better vampire companion than Claudia, he was playing with fire. Young Daniel was too high and stupid to not realize he was risking his life. “Don’t Be Afraid, Just Start the Tape” perfectly captured the rising tension and hatred brewing inside Louis; from the music to the frantic energy radiating off Louis. It’s a miracle that Daniel didn’t die right then and there.

Armand bares his fangs

Armand’s part in the 1973 interview was his most villainous turn yet on Interview with the Vampire. Seriously, he was so terrifying! His emotionless expressions, his cold demeanor, and his slow pacing heightened his position as the authority in the room. Armand was the hunter, Daniel and Louis were the prey. Every time he spat a condescending retort at either of them, it felt like he was one step away from ripping out their throats. His “change” due to his frustration only exposed the true Armand we had long suspected: the dangerous and calculated master.

Pleasantly, his explosive fight with Louis gave us something we needed: emotion. Not love, not power, not passion, but raw energy that exuded every thought and frustration he had. (Translation: the truth.) Armand was over Louis’ self-deprecated depression, and Louis was tired of Armand’s cold demeanor. It’s a vast change from their love affair in Paris and their serene love in the present; it’s the fight they needed to have. And it’s the first time where Armand’s inferiority complex about Lestat came into the night. For someone who is much more powerful and older than Lestat, Armand can’t handle that someone else has a stronger hold over Louis. Granted, it’s a hold based on years of trauma and pain, but it’s something he has no power over. Armand is powerless and inferior, and it frustrates him.

It’s a shame Louis felt like he needed to suffer under the sun; he had so much to live for, regardless of Armand or not. However, the special effects from the disintegration looked amazing! You could feel Louis’ pain as the sun beat down on him; his skin was burning into ash in a swirling marvel of special effects. Great job by Interview with the Vampire’s special effects team! While Louis survived the sun blast, it’ll be interesting to see how the attack looks at full completion after a vampire is fully dusted.

The painful truth of a painful past

The final days of the 1973 interview were so uncomfortable and painful. Daniel’s continued torture felt like a legacy left over from the Théâtre des Vampires. Armand truly had him accepting death and imagining death being a better option than living; it’s a truly sadistic move. Meanwhile, Armand connecting telepathically with Lestat and giving his short messages to a pain-stricken Louis were both cruel and vindictive. He wanted himself and Louis to suffer throughout it all. Sure, Armand was a heartbroken man going through a fight, but his attacks were more methodical and colder. Louis lashed out with emotion and pain. Their time in San Francisco is a great study of how Louis dealt with all emotion while, for the one time when Armand’s cold mask shattered, Armand descended into detached fury.

In the present, I liked how Daniel and Louis bonded over their missing memories. “Don’t Be Afraid, Just Start the Tape” was a journey through their fractured minds of trying to piece everything together. This journey left us with two big questions: (1) can either of them trust Armand, and (2) what else is he hiding? Armand manipulated and blocked out their memories to hide the truth. It’s one thing to block out Daniel’s memory (he is human), but Louis is a vampire and his eternal partner; Armand manipulated and controlled him to remove San Francisco from his memory. There is way more to their story than just one bad night.

“Don’t Be Afraid, Just Start the Tape” was an excellent concise episode that delivered the plot in a hard-hitting way. With no distractions or subtleties, Interview with the Vampire gets right to the point of focusing on the chapter they wanted to tell. Daniel and Louis’ friendship is one of the best parts of the series as it covers many layers. Now, both of them are unwitting victims in Armand’s mind tactics. I can’t wait to see how the interview unravels the truths of the past … and the present.

Interview with the Vampire airs Sundays at 9/8c on AMC.

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Image Courtesy of AMC Network Entertainment LLC