‘Interview with the Vampire’ 2×06 review: “Like the Light by Which God Made the World Before He Made Light”

A mutiny has grown within the Théâtre des Vampires on AMC’s Interview with the Vampire 2×06. Santiago and the rest of the coven have reached the end of their ropes with Armand, Louis, and Claudia. “Like the Light by Which God Made the World Before He Made Light” was the crackling of the powder before the climax went KABOOM! All the building pieces came to light in the final hours before the revolt – it was the dawning of Louis’ worst nightmare. Prepare yourselves, Interview with the Vampire fans! This chapter teased us as the calm before the storm.

An unspoken distance

Before we get into the flashbacks, the present-day storyline surfaces an interesting thematic touch. Did anyone else think the interview had evolved into a couple’s therapy session? You could feel the bubbling tension between Armand and Louis, as well as the distance between them. Both vampires stayed in the same chairs as they had done before, but the cinematography emphasized how much the pair grew apart during this retelling. The distance from the camera angles, the sharp cuts between Armand and Louis, and the uncomfortable stares and pauses highlighted the damage being done. The more Louis unearthed the pain of Paris and remembered the San Francisco attack, the closer he’s reliving the feeling of losing Claudia. It’s a dangerous floodgate to open up for an emotional person like Louis.

Interestingly, this building tension could be a foreshadowing of what Raglan James said. Talamasca can’t protect Daniel’s life if Louis or Armand tries to kill him during the interview. As mentioned before, this isn’t the first interview ever conducted, and people have lost their lives. And even though Louis and Daniel made a bond during this process, that chemistry doesn’t mean anything in the long run. If Louis reacts or finds out about the files, he’ll kill Daniel in a heartbeat. What if Interview with the Vampire is teasing us that Daniel will get killed at the end of this interview?

A new vampire on the block

Back in the past, it’s not surprising that Claudia revealed herself as a vampire to Madeleine. Besides Louis, her closest ally was the lonely dressmaker; she had a bond with Madeleine. And after she was attacked, Claudia would undoubtedly step in to save Madeleine’s life. All the pieces and clues were there for new fans of the show to pick up. The same goes for the vampiric transformation. Madeleine was a well-known name that was connected to Claudia’s story. The events of Paris couldn’t unfold without Madeleine playing a part.

On the other hand, the romantic partnership? That I didn’t see coming. Let’s not forget that Claudia was sired at 14 years old (in the TV series), so she’s still a child. Regardless of being an eternal vampire and dressing for TV, you can still tell she’s playing a child. Her character in the Théâtre des Vampires was a child, too! It’s a very awkward and uncomfortable story direction for the character and what would’ve been her ‘adoptive mother.’ Sometimes changes from books/movies aren’t needed in a new adaptation to evolve the character or try something new. However, in this case, it would’ve been preferable to focus more on the companion and motherly aspect of their relationship instead of a romantic one.

A choice was made

Speaking of Madeleine, Armand’s reluctance to turn her into a vampire was a curious choice. Out of all his years as a vampire, he never sired anyone? And his pushback against the entire transformation made me wonder whether he was trying to lessen the damage of Louis’ and Claudia’s actions. Or more likely, his involvement in what they were doing. Like, did he already know they would be under trial and he wanted Madeleine to avoid that torment?

Armand made a choice about something, so he had to have been plotting his pieces in advance. Santiago and the rest of the coven were causing so much chaos in the streets of Paris; they weren’t listening to reason. Plus, Santiago lashing out during the rehearsals proved he wasn’t holding back anymore. Armand would’ve had to have known his days as the leader were numbered; he made a deal to protect himself first and foremost. There is something wholeheartedly untrustworthy about him and his narrative. There has to be more to the story about his part in Claudia’s looming death. Hopefully, Louis in the present isn’t naïve to the part Armand played, and the interview exposes a truth he didn’t know.

A grand return for the ghosts of the past

The big twist of “Like the Light by Which God Made the World Before He Made Light” was the return of Lestat! We knew he was still alive during the San Francisco interview in the 1970s, and he most likely is still alive in the present-day world. However, his return to Paris for the trial was shocking! What will he say upon reuniting with Louis? How does he enact his revenge against Claudia? There is so much he could do with the level of hatred he has inside him. His return could be an explosive climax.

“Like the Light by Which God Made the World Before He Made Light” ramped up the tension for the final thrilling episodes of Season 2. This chapter sets up the building blocks for the impending doom that has been foreshadowed for two seasons now. A happy ending doesn’t look like it’ll be in the cards for Louis, Claudia, Madeleine, or Armand after the Paris trial. We’ll just have to wait and see how terrifying the trial will turn against the group, especially with Lestat and Santiago teaming up.

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

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Images courtesy of Larry Horricks/AMC