Louis, have you heard of zis amusing new dance, "ze floss"?
June 26, 2024 8:33 AM Subscribe
AMC's Interview with the Vampire has been renewed for its third season in the run up to the final episode of season two this weekend. [Note: all links may contain spoilers!]
Despite rave critical and audience reviews, IWTV has struggled to gain traction, which may be partially due to AMC's lack of marketing and poor scheduling which has resulted in the show not being eligible for the 2024 Emmy season. It may also have something to do with the way the show has always been unapologetic about its queerness, as well as the complex traumas faced by its main characters.
But it's clear AMC is definitely hoping for more from these vampires. They've invested in the entire catalogue of Anne Rice's IPs (including the recently greenlit show about the shadowy supernatural organization The Talamasca, and the sadly lackluster Mayfair Witches) and with the news that IWTV will soon be coming to Netflix in the US, I know I'm hoping the future stays bright for these nasty children of darkness!
(For anyone who wants to watch or rewatch the series, please join us on FanFare to discuss it and lie together on the floor while we're overcome with emotions.)
Despite rave critical and audience reviews, IWTV has struggled to gain traction, which may be partially due to AMC's lack of marketing and poor scheduling which has resulted in the show not being eligible for the 2024 Emmy season. It may also have something to do with the way the show has always been unapologetic about its queerness, as well as the complex traumas faced by its main characters.
But it's clear AMC is definitely hoping for more from these vampires. They've invested in the entire catalogue of Anne Rice's IPs (including the recently greenlit show about the shadowy supernatural organization The Talamasca, and the sadly lackluster Mayfair Witches) and with the news that IWTV will soon be coming to Netflix in the US, I know I'm hoping the future stays bright for these nasty children of darkness!
(For anyone who wants to watch or rewatch the series, please join us on FanFare to discuss it and lie together on the floor while we're overcome with emotions.)
As I said on Blue Sky about this series, there is a 13 year old in 1989 who is over the moon about watching one of her favourite shows come to life. (I mean, her current 47 year old incarnation is pretty happy too.)
It is too bad that The Witching Hour adaptation is such absolute shit though.
posted by Kitteh at 8:51 AM on June 26 [3 favorites]
It is too bad that The Witching Hour adaptation is such absolute shit though.
posted by Kitteh at 8:51 AM on June 26 [3 favorites]
I went into this series skeptical and it is has casually blown past all of my expectations. Interview with the Vampire is easily my favorite series on television right now and it is killing me that more people aren't watching it.
I really hope Netflix will put more eyeballs on this show because it deserves to be seen.
posted by Parasite Unseen at 9:18 AM on June 26 [2 favorites]
I really hope Netflix will put more eyeballs on this show because it deserves to be seen.
posted by Parasite Unseen at 9:18 AM on June 26 [2 favorites]
I loved the first season of this show, but I watched it on HBO because the AMC+ thing made me think it was only available on their streaming service. (Which sounds insane, but there are good shows that exist solely in a category called "FX on Hulu," so it wasn't implausible to me.) Reading this post made me realize I can watch the show with just basic cable, so, thanks! I guess whenever I'm not watching soccer in my free time, I'll be catching up on the second season.
I read a lot of Anne Rice as a kid. I have not read a lot of Anne Rice as an adult -- I trust the folks who say it doesn't really hold up -- but I have noticed that I eventually find my way into watching every Anne Rice adaptation. (I wonder, is this what pop culture is like for people who read Spiderman comics growing up?) The IWTV show is a novel experience because it's, uh, good? The casting is also just astonishing. Perfect casting alone is not enough to make a show work (see 2007's The Golden Compass), but it's such a coup to have someone like Assad Zaman playing Armand, who is a fucking weird character and very hard to realize on screen.
posted by grandiloquiet at 9:22 AM on June 26 [4 favorites]
I read a lot of Anne Rice as a kid. I have not read a lot of Anne Rice as an adult -- I trust the folks who say it doesn't really hold up -- but I have noticed that I eventually find my way into watching every Anne Rice adaptation. (I wonder, is this what pop culture is like for people who read Spiderman comics growing up?) The IWTV show is a novel experience because it's, uh, good? The casting is also just astonishing. Perfect casting alone is not enough to make a show work (see 2007's The Golden Compass), but it's such a coup to have someone like Assad Zaman playing Armand, who is a fucking weird character and very hard to realize on screen.
posted by grandiloquiet at 9:22 AM on June 26 [4 favorites]
Another in a long line of fantastic TV shows on some boutique streaming service that nobody will know or care about until it's on Netflix, HBO Max, or Hulu (Community season six, Cobra Kai, Lower Decks, Yellowjackets, etc)
posted by lefty lucky cat at 9:30 AM on June 26
posted by lefty lucky cat at 9:30 AM on June 26
fantastic TV shows on some boutique streaming service
I watch this on basic cable AMC, it's not only streaming.
posted by AzraelBrown at 9:37 AM on June 26
I watch this on basic cable AMC, it's not only streaming.
posted by AzraelBrown at 9:37 AM on June 26
woohoo!!! the first season was SO GOOD!! I have not yet started on S2 although I'm gonna.
nthing the disappointment for The Witching Hour. it's my fav Anne Rice book, and I never even watched it because the trailer alone was so awful and clearly they deviated from the books in some really fundamental ways and even the presence of Jack Huston was not enough (cause Lasher is not even farking corporeal through most of the entire first book!!!!) argh. I'll stick with IWTV.
posted by supermedusa at 9:43 AM on June 26 [2 favorites]
nthing the disappointment for The Witching Hour. it's my fav Anne Rice book, and I never even watched it because the trailer alone was so awful and clearly they deviated from the books in some really fundamental ways and even the presence of Jack Huston was not enough (cause Lasher is not even farking corporeal through most of the entire first book!!!!) argh. I'll stick with IWTV.
posted by supermedusa at 9:43 AM on June 26 [2 favorites]
I watch this on basic cable AMC, it's not only streaming
that's even worse!
posted by lefty lucky cat at 9:52 AM on June 26 [1 favorite]
that's even worse!
posted by lefty lucky cat at 9:52 AM on June 26 [1 favorite]
it's my fav Anne Rice book, and I never even watched it because the trailer alone was so awful and clearly they deviated from the books in some really fundamental ways
It's worth noting that Interview also deviates from the books in some core ways that caused a lot of the potential audience to dismiss it without giving it a chance and the show has been unwaveringly better for it. Having said that, yes, Mayfair is terrible.
posted by Parasite Unseen at 9:53 AM on June 26 [3 favorites]
It's worth noting that Interview also deviates from the books in some core ways that caused a lot of the potential audience to dismiss it without giving it a chance and the show has been unwaveringly better for it. Having said that, yes, Mayfair is terrible.
posted by Parasite Unseen at 9:53 AM on June 26 [3 favorites]
Speaking as someone who has IWTV memorized, I think the deviations from the book were sorely needed. I would have given super side eye to the original 1700s plantation owner killing slaves for food conceit. Also, the original Vampire Chronicles were always very very gay and I am glad that the subtext is full on TEXT.
They really did luck out with the casting. Everyone is pitch perfect. Sam Reid is playing a Disaster Bi for the ages.
posted by Kitteh at 9:57 AM on June 26 [11 favorites]
They really did luck out with the casting. Everyone is pitch perfect. Sam Reid is playing a Disaster Bi for the ages.
posted by Kitteh at 9:57 AM on June 26 [11 favorites]
I had no idea this was even a thing.
posted by snuffleupagus at 10:37 AM on June 26
posted by snuffleupagus at 10:37 AM on June 26
I am so excited to hear this is coming to Netflix. We don't have cable, so watching it on cable isn't an option. I managed to see a couple of episodes during an AMC+ free trial, and I've been keeping up with bits and pieces via Tumblr. (I am not super worried about spoilers since I pretty much memorized the original trilogy in high school.) I definitely feel that the series is head and shoulders above the source material.
There have been a couple of GIF sets on Tumblr that compare iconic scenes from the film to those scenes in the TV show. It's really interesting to see where the performance choices were similar and where they diverge. (Watching them mostly confirms what I have felt since the first time I saw the film: Brad Pitt did not want to be there and he was going to make damn sure everyone knew it. I love Jacob Anderson's Louis; I could not care the least little bit about Brad Pitt's. Still sad there was no Tom Cruise-starring Vampire Lestat film — but damn is Sam Reid gonna make one hell of a Lestat-the-rock-star when they get there.)
posted by rednikki at 11:10 AM on June 26
There have been a couple of GIF sets on Tumblr that compare iconic scenes from the film to those scenes in the TV show. It's really interesting to see where the performance choices were similar and where they diverge. (Watching them mostly confirms what I have felt since the first time I saw the film: Brad Pitt did not want to be there and he was going to make damn sure everyone knew it. I love Jacob Anderson's Louis; I could not care the least little bit about Brad Pitt's. Still sad there was no Tom Cruise-starring Vampire Lestat film — but damn is Sam Reid gonna make one hell of a Lestat-the-rock-star when they get there.)
posted by rednikki at 11:10 AM on June 26
Yes! I love this series, and I was getting worried.
Insert "I watch it for the plot" meme here, but seriously, it's just really good. I'm not a book fan, and I like it, and as far as I can tell book fans also like it. It has made substantial changes to the premise, but they have been integrated into the story in a thoughtful way. It has a fantastic cast, and it's skilfully executed. Its lack of mainstream popularity is the most maddening TV fandom phenomenon since The Expanse.
I was pretty sceptical going in (there's been a lot of similar-looking extruded urban fantasy product), and was hooked immediately. If you saw the promos and were underwhelmed, I recommend giving it a try.
posted by confluency at 11:15 AM on June 26 [3 favorites]
Insert "I watch it for the plot" meme here, but seriously, it's just really good. I'm not a book fan, and I like it, and as far as I can tell book fans also like it. It has made substantial changes to the premise, but they have been integrated into the story in a thoughtful way. It has a fantastic cast, and it's skilfully executed. Its lack of mainstream popularity is the most maddening TV fandom phenomenon since The Expanse.
I was pretty sceptical going in (there's been a lot of similar-looking extruded urban fantasy product), and was hooked immediately. If you saw the promos and were underwhelmed, I recommend giving it a try.
posted by confluency at 11:15 AM on June 26 [3 favorites]
Also, I am outraged that the recappers (Vulture, AV Club) absolutely did NOT pick up on the body swap joke of Raglan James in episode 5, season 2. Or that they didn't pick up on Raglan James' whole deal. But again, I know too much about the source material so this is probably a very Me Problem.
posted by Kitteh at 12:10 PM on June 26 [2 favorites]
posted by Kitteh at 12:10 PM on June 26 [2 favorites]
I am so glad IWTV got renewed, and I am really hoping it finds a bigger audience at Netflix. This show is so, so good -- it is easily the best writing and acting I've seen in a TV show since Mad Men (another AMC property that was much better marketed, so don't tell me they don't know how to do it). I love how unapologetically queer it is, and I love the thoughtful choices they made about race. And the cast is amazing. The fact that they are not eligible for Emmys is a crying shame.
In short: if you haven't watched IWTV already, do yourself a favor.
posted by ourobouros at 12:36 PM on June 26 [2 favorites]
In short: if you haven't watched IWTV already, do yourself a favor.
posted by ourobouros at 12:36 PM on June 26 [2 favorites]
It's probably not for everyone, but I'd be lying if I told you I didn't think this was one of the best shows on television right now. Season Two has been exquisite. This is a show that is doing a very good job of being at least five things at the same time without losing its focus. But speaking of focus, this is 100% a show that knows how to execute (no pun intended) a background gag, sometimes in the middle of otherwise serious business.
posted by thivaia at 12:44 PM on June 26 [2 favorites]
posted by thivaia at 12:44 PM on June 26 [2 favorites]
Apparently the Immortal Universe folks got the greenlight to do a Talamasca show, and I don't know how to tell them this but what makes the Talamasca interesting is that they are deeply unsexy. I do not want nor need sexy Talamasca.
posted by Kitteh at 1:08 PM on June 26 [2 favorites]
posted by Kitteh at 1:08 PM on June 26 [2 favorites]
I am ferally over the moon delighted with how the second season has gone, and so, so glad I can expect more.
posted by Stacey at 1:42 PM on June 26
posted by Stacey at 1:42 PM on June 26
The second season is super good. I'm down for another 4 seasons and having them tell the longer story. The acting is superb.
posted by Catblack at 12:09 PM on June 27
posted by Catblack at 12:09 PM on June 27
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i'd back another horse, personally
posted by HearHere at 8:50 AM on June 26 [1 favorite]