‘Interview with the Vampire’ season 2 premiere review: A road bathed in blood and family dynamics

The tale of our beloved tortured vampires returned for another thrilling chapter on AMC’s Interview with the Vampire. “What Can the Damned Really Say to the Damned” picked the story up during Louis and Claudia’s adventures in Europe. Gone were the days of the opulent New Orleans backdrop; instead, the Season 2 premiere channeled the dark and grey war-torn fields of the past. And with this new setting, a different energy surrounded our favorite vampires. A bleak yet emotional beginning for their post-Lestat lifetime; a slow start before the potential carnage commences later this season in Paris. (For fans of the Anne Rice books and the infamous movie, you know some of what’s most likely to come!)

You could cut the tension with a knife

Before we get into the flashbacks, what made “What Can the Damned Really Say to the Damned” captivating came during the interview interludes. Some of the best character moments during Interview with the Vampire stem from Daniel Molloy’s interview with Louis. Their “friendship” is one of both mutual respect and sympathy, while still playing a game of cat and mouse. The Season 2 premiere captures the fresh realism and animosity of someone (Daniel) discovering that he had been deceived during much of the story so far. The majority of the first season withheld the truth about Armand and the ruse that the vampiric lovers were playing under Daniel’s nose.

I loved it whenever Daniel quipped back at Armand. He was never one to hide his disdain at being deceived, and it was clear he blamed Armand for everything. He still had respect for Louis and treated him with reverence; mostly this is from needing Louis’ help to finish the interview. However, the dynamic within the interludes is different: it’s a room filled with electricity and fire (metaphorically speaking, of course). Every cutting look, every cutting comment, and every cutting question to the “Real Rashid” further nails the animosity and tension building in the room. The excitement of seeing when it will eventually boil over and explode will keep us on the edge of our seats.

The same goes for the intricate layers and tension in Louis’ relationship with Armand. With the truth out in the open, the reality of Louis’ home is exposed to not only Daniel but to us watching the show. The vampires do love each other, and they’ve had decades to form their emotional bond and daily dynamic. However, Armand is an ancient vampire, so there is an imbalance of power in their relationship, both with what’s said and unsaid. Armand is protective of Louis, but at what point does it stem from love or power? It will be interesting to see how their relationship transpires as they get deeper into the past and the traumatic moments that happened during their Paris phase.

A new Claudia rises

Speaking of the past, “What Can the Damned Really Say to the Damned” introduced us to Delainey Hayles’ debut in the role of Claudia. It’s a shame the show lost Bailey Bass because she was incredible during the first season of Interview with the Vampire. However, Delainey did a good job of capturing the same childlike essence and cold frustration that the character had. The jump between seasons didn’t feel too wide or off; she fit right into the rhythm of the show. Plus, she had strong chemistry with Louis. She captured the layered nature of their characters and the continued growth that Claudia needed for the second season.

It made sense that Claudia would be building frustration against her “father” during their years in Europe. The destruction of their family with Lestat takes a huge toll on them, and even though Claudia looks like a child, she’s a grown woman longing for more. Her strength and perseverance (taught by Lestat) came out in full force to keep the pair alive. The Season 2 premiere introduced us to an imbalance of power that developed between them; one that showed Lestat’s presence didn’t need to be there physically to have an effect. The damage had already been done to Claudia and Louis; the Europe search only emphasized what had been buried there for years.

It was interesting how Claudia’s mindset soon shifted to thinking that Louis was deadweight and holding them back. The person she once loved the most now was regarded as a burden. Her urgency to find other vampires could also be seen as her looking for an escape/replacement instead of simply learning about the past. Claudia wanted to craft a new life for herself that expanded outside of Louis and Lestat’s toxic origins. So, for her to find solace in Louis’ words at the end of “What Can the Damned Really Say to the Damned,” it was an emotional reunion that repaired some damage from Lestat. Based on the teaser preview at the end of the episode, their reunited bond will no doubt be tested again and again for what Claudia and Louis truly need.

Claudia’s last flickering light of hope

The big conflict of the Season 2 premiere introduced us to the first new vampire that Claudia and Louis encountered. “The Old-World Vampire” showcased how legends were crafted about vampires and feared within the small villages of Eastern Europe. There was a stark difference between those who believed and those who didn’t, and the frenzy that came from those who did would’ve created a powder keg if the pair stayed too long. It’s sad that Louis’ new local friend died from the mob frenzy (and not just from her vampire bite), but the chaos proved that they’re in a different environment now.

The villagers in Europe aren’t shy to enact folklore to stop demons; they jump right in to chop her head off. The same rules had to apply (e.g., keep distance) for Claudia and Louis if they had any shot to survive, especially with their other new friend piecing together Louis’ lie.

The Old-World Vampire also introduced the concept of how real-world pain affected the blood of victims and the vampires who drank it. Louis and Claudia only ever dealt with local town gossip and rumors, but this experience proved vampires had encountered and done worse. The vampire spawn looked like a demonic creature; it was terrifying and felt like a villain in a monster movie. If Claudia had been spawned in that locale, would she have also looked like a demon? The Old-World Vampire wasn’t surprised that another one of her attempted progenies had failed to sire properly.

If only she had waited a little longer, the issue would’ve been cleared since the war was ending. I felt bad for Claudia when the Old-World Vampire threw herself into the fire. You could tell from her speech and eyes that she placed a lot of hope in having someone else in her life to be a family. And when the vampire burned up, it burned some of Claudia’s hope with it. We’ll have to see how this loss affects her during her time in Paris; she will no doubt still have the want for connection.

“What Can the Damned Really Say to the Damned” was a dark and somber start for Claudia and Louis’ story for the second season. The season premiere highlighted the troubled waters they were rafting through on their journey for answers and connection. While the time in Eastern Europe was filled with death and disappointment, the premiere was a strong arc filled with growing character development. Plus, the weight of the interview breaks was fun and exciting to keep us entertained with what was happening in the present. Interview with the Vampire Season 2 seems like it will be onward and upward from here now that the pair has arrived in Paris.

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

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Images courtesy of Larry Horricks/AMC