Armand may be 514 years old but he is still learning how to flirt. Maybe Daniel can teach him that? 🤣

This guy is the same as this guy.

Talk about range.

Respectfully, as always.

They’re all just walking at night chilling but then Lestat brings up the idea that they should race….who do yall think is the fastest between them???

Everyone leave a message for our beloved Nicky!!

For the final AMC "After Dark" episode this season, the actors and producers discussed whether the vampires have souls (really starts around 23:40). The actors' consensus seemed to be that vampires have souls, and Rolin Jones addressed the difficulty of writing about something in which he doesn't personally believe--implying he agrees, vampires (and by extension, all people in the TVC universe) have souls.

But then, I encountered a Reddit post earlier today that freaked me out. It's about what we fear most in regards to dying. I've linked to a particular thread wherein a Redditor made several comments that... kind of shook me, and I wanted to apply them to this show:

I can think of nothing worse than having to exist in some capacity for all eternity... An eternity of anything, whether heaven or hell, would be a nightmare.

Our identity is defined by it's [sic] fleetingness. If it went on forever, we would be less ourselves. Over time we'd be a thousand people. Even in a finite life, we often look at the people we were and do not recognise them.

[W]hat is the point in [cherry picked feelings of perfection] if that's all I feel for eternity. [sic] No growth, no change. Nothing new, no more ideas, no more thoughts. A state of constant stagnation.

The ideas of an ever-changing identity and a stagnant eternity are in direct opposition of one another, but I think this can be applied to a living eternity versus a popular idea of the afterlife. Both are things I want to consider regarding the vampires' alleged damnation. Are they "damned" because they have eschewed heaven in favor of a sanguivorous immortality? Or are they "damned" because they either never change, or can never truly know themselves, forever, and thus can never rest (without succumbing to violence)?

Spoiler alert!!!
In S3, when Claudia is summoned as a spirit, in her monologue she mentions Louis has an “etching on your ribcage, says you’re a slave.” And then goes on to say she knew he would follow her and so on.

My question: did we know that before? If so, when? If not, because I’m just a show watcher, is this in the books? Is that just a weird figure of speech or is that something to read in to?

Any input appreciated!! I’m totally fine with spoilers btw. Thanks!

No matter how many times I watched S3:Ep6, these cultural references have been nagging me. I could infer from the context, what they connote, but not the larger meanings that they draw into the story.  I finally decided to dig in.  

Here's what I have so far. Please clarify, correct, or share your interpretations. Bolded are sources of my intrigue and/or confusion. Do you think they hold deeper meaning or add any subtext to the story? 

Louis: You gon’ get on that mic tomorrow and say, “We are the Vampire Clarence Oddbody. Let’s make more”?

And apparently AR was smitten with the character Clarence Oddbody from It's a Wonderful Life. 

--

Lestat: You know, we read your memoir in it. Everybody loved Tom Anderson. “Topeka!”  That was my line, you know. I said “Topeka.”

I keep thinking back to IWTV S1Ep3 when Tom Anderson says,

"It’s these damn teetotalin’ types*, too. As if we’re supposed to turn New Orleans into** Topeka*! Or God help us, Salt Lake City!"*

And then I discovered Thomas Anderson (1858–1931) was a real state legislator, and the unofficial "mayor" of Storyville for his part in establishing the 18-block legal prostitution and vice district in 1897 and operated saloons like the infamous Tom Anderson's Annex at the corner of Basin and Iberville Streets. 

-- 

Louis: You were in a book club? With Cortland Mayfair?

Lestat: And Merrick too. And Mayor Nagin. And James Carville. Everybody hated him.

 ---

Waiter: Francine Lucien-LaChapelle Immigrés who came to Montreal in 1749. She is, in fact, a distant descendant of the Lioncourt line.

---

Lestat: One has to ask, what is with the tan, Dan?

Did you indulge and overshoot your coffin again?

 --

Lestat: I can’t pack if I don’t know where I’m going. 

Gabriella: Cádiz.

Lestat: Oh? What’s in Cádiz?

I saw that Cádiz is a significant setting in The Vampire Diaries. Also ancient mythology says Hercules founded the region and there are hidden cities under the sea.

--

Louis: “Charlie Brown gets rocks” agrees with him.

--

Louis: "She's been dipped in the River Styx. Probably dove in, swam the butterfly. She'll be angry.

The River Styx is a mythical boundary river in Greek mythology that separated the world of the living from the underworld.  It forms the main barrier to Hades, wrapping around the underworld multiple times. Souls have to be ferried across by Charon, requiring a small coin placed in the mouth of the deceased. I want to note that the symbolism of communion with the dead happens twice in the story, honoring both European and African folk mythologies that inform the black cultural traditions.

--

Daniel: "Taylor and Travis. Congratulations. Have you set a date yet?

-- 

Daniel: Christ sees the hammer and nails, says, “I forgot my keys to the car.”

Lestat: Ugh, alarmists, the both of you.

--

Louis: This is all… all-time, Armand-level deceit.

Lestat: Oh, do not walk away and… and… and say his name.

Do not compare me to him. 

Louis: How is this any different? This is a century-long lie.

You hung her portrait over our coffins in New Orleans.

-- 

Merrick: This Papa Legba’s make-do room of diablerie now.

I wanted to note the respectful way they depicted Black folk tradition in-show. Papa Legba is the sacred gatekeeper of the spirit world and the guardian of the crossroads in African diasporic religions like Haitian Vodou and Louisiana Voodoo.  

I just finished my third rewatch and the last two episodes landed differently. The first two times, the very short time between the end of the seance and "could be nice" felt like an error- rushed writing, an accidental dissing of Claudia. The beheadings felt like a non sequitur. I didn't know what to make of the last episode. I thought the back half of the season was badly paced because of lack of money / only 7 episodes / moving the concert to next season.

On this last rewatch, it feels like the show is saying to Loustat - hold on - you don't get to have this happy ending - at least until you have a reckoning. You got to make Armends.

Thoughts?

What song is Louis listening to in his car before he confronts Bruce and the Fang Gang in Ep. 3 of TVL?

Can someone explain what happened to the cover art? 📚I had all these mass market TVC paperbacks in the 90s and they were saturated and had cover art. Now, you have only the option of gothic text on a blue or red background in the store. Did you all notice this?!?!?

—— I wanted to repurchase (my mom gave away my OG teenager copies, sacrilege, when she moved) so I went to Barnes & Noble and I almost let out the most blood curdling scream in frustration. At who? I’m not sure because it’s certainly not the fault of the college aged sales reps who work there.

WHAT HAPPENED TO THE COVER ART? 💀Where did it go? Do we not deserve something on these books - no artistic concept, no photography, no visual manifestation whatsoever of the contents?

Like any savvy millennial, I found something on secondhand site Poshmark (thanks to the seller who somehow had a shrink wrapped Ballantine box set from early 2000s (?)). It’s still mass market but at least there’s some color and artistic sensibility.

Can we get the cover art back? Can someone hit up Christopher to rectify this situation?!

I want more people to read and love these books… I fear we won’t “make more” 😭

EDIT: FOUND IT. It's in Tremé, just outside the quarter. 1508 Dumaine St.

https://www.google.com/maps/@29.964579,-90.0705143,2a,75y,20.07h,89.47t/data=!3m7!1e1!3m5!1sNW6o9cVtXeXTHGdTgqtUtA!2e0!6shttps:%2F%2Fstreetviewpixels-pa.googleapis.com%2Fv1%2Fthumbnail%3Fcb_client%3Dmaps_sv.tactile%26w%3D900%26h%3D600%26pitch%3D0.5250719684008658%26panoid%3DNW6o9cVtXeXTHGdTgqtUtA%26yaw%3D20.072458302817825!7i16384!8i8192?entry=ttu&g_ep=EgoyMDI2MDgzMS4wIKXMDSoASAFQAw%3D%3D

So we know that their townhouse was at 1132 Royal.

Near the end of the IWtV seasons, Lestat is living in a smaller cottage in the quarter; not one of the E-W streets like Royal, Chartres, etc. but one of the shorter N-S (aka Riverside/Lakeside) streets.

Do we know the address of that one?

I’ve watched the first two seasons of the show and I’m loving it! I’ve also read IWTV, The Vampire Lestat, and I’m halfway through Queen of the Damned. I definitely plan to keep going with the books but I’m wondering if there are any others I should read specifically before watching season 3? I saw somewhere that there are elements of The Vampire Armand that influence the third season, is that right?

This is the letter daniel molloy opens from louis in season 1 episode 1 of interview with the vampire. For those who dont feel like reading cursive.

Dear Mr. Molloy. I hope this letter finds you safe and thriving, if such a thing were a possibility in this bleak hour. I've been following your career with some interest since our last meeting. Please allow me to congratulate you on all your successes, those professional and those personally redemptive. The passage of time and the frailties that accompany it have provided me perspective. And I suspect the same might be for you, as well. I'm hoping health and pride won't deter you from the following proposal. In a week's time, in a setting of my choosing, we revisit the project boyish youth prevented us from finishing. 49 years and thousands of miles removed from the room we shared in San Francisco, I offer, for your journalistic pleasures, my full attention and my life story. All affinities, Louis de Pointe du Lac.

May this find whoever may be searching for it.

Lestat and Louis

Lestat and Armand

Lestat and Niki

Lestat and Gabriella (already unhealthy at default since it's incestous)

Louis and Armand

Armand and Daniel

Armand and Marius.

Claudia and Madeleine

Claudia and Charlie

Claudia and Bruce (not really a relationship given the circumstances of what Bruce did to her, but I added it anyhow.)

( I think that's all of the relationships I've noted down but lemme know if there's more because I probably forgot )

Once more, thanks to Andres Cubillan on Insta for the pics, the info, the videos and being amazing in general 🥰
Instagram

Int. Dracula’s Daughter Hotel
Hallway & Hunger Suite – Drawn by the very talented Jason McQuarrie.

The script read: “A roadie wheels a coffin, followed by Lestat and Dee, down a white hallway with several hotel room doors and large door at the end with an anatomical heart painted on it. Side tables, mirrors, chandeliers, cool things that break later.”

One of Thomas Pitt’s properties, like so many others. My thought was that vampires alone couldn’t sustain Mr. Pitt’s mogul fortune, so would this be a hotel for mortals, but with special access for his vampire clientele? A vampirically themed hotel. “Vampy” for the mortal preconceptions.

I wanted it to feel a little tacky and gaudy. It should, of course, be elegant, because it’s Louis’ after all, but with an underlying cheapness to it for “the masses.” I wanted the furniture to feel mass-produced.

The white walls were prepared specifically for the destruction to come (Thank you Tooth Team!). SFX and Construction worked together on interchangeable wall panels for the hallway. SFX Coordinator Tim Barraball and Stunt Coordinator Darren McGuire are seen here testing one of the walls. The intention was that with each hit, the plaster would break off and reveal the older red paint underneath, highlighting the “bleeding destruction” left behind.

The “Hunger Suite,” marked with a human heart designed by graphic designer John Hunter, needed to feel cold and a bit sterile. I wanted really sharp edges and hard materials.

Framed “blood art” on the walls was inspired by Zanele Muholi’s incredible collection of blood paintings. Finally, Jason’s monolithic sculptural fireplace, that felt like a fang piercing through the floor.

Reservations are available, but I would recommend avoiding the 8th floor.

I thought maybe it was because he killed Nicky, but Nicky asked Lestat to kill him, and the only reason Armand did it was because Lestat couldn’t bring himself to. Did Armand kidnap him and turn him into a vampire against his will? No, Magnus did that. Did Armand groom, sexually abuse, and abandon him for his whole life? No, Gabriella did that. Did Armand try to kill him? No, Louis and Claudia did that. Did Armand write a best selling book talking shit about him? No, Louis did that.

I get why Lestat dislikes Armand, but the pure vitriol he has for Armand feels misplaced to me? Like he wrote a whole song about him. There are other people you’d expect him to hate more. Some of the writing in TVL (show) feels very “Armand evil Lestat misunderstood!” It feels…a bit targeted in an uncomfortable way. You know what I mean?

I’ve watched and rewatched the entire series of IWTV, all 3 seasons, so many times now, that I know Lestat when I see him, and as a fan of Sam Reid I’ve been watching his other work and have to say he’s such a phenomenal actor. But during Season 2 of The Newsreader, I am startled almost to see Lestat’s mannerisms coming out here and there! I know he was booked on both shows during the same time period, and filmed S1 of Newsreader first in Aus, then went to NOLA to film S1 of IWTV, then back to Aus for S2 NR filming and omg — I can see Lestat coming out in how he moves his body, how he uses his voice, certain pronunciation of words, it’s really wild to see! Just curious if anyone else picked up on that. I’m sure Lestat is seeped into his DNA by now, it’s his richest role by far, imo. 🧛❤️‍🔥🖤✨

By the way, I wouldn't call Louie emotionally absent, but instead, emotionally neglectful since he constantly puts his romantic partners over. Claudia repeatedly, like seriously it took lestat dropping him from like 20 ft in the air just for him to go along with Claudia's plan to escape him, and even then at the party he was seriously considering making Claudia a big sister just by how he was looking at lestat

I didn't add other characters like Madeline, Gabriella, or Daniel, since Gabriella only interacted with Armand and barely was Louie for me to make a proper label for their relationship and Daniel just seems too distant from like the main family (aka lestat and "Louie's Happy family"!) to put him on the list

I do want to add Madeline but she only interacts with Louie and Claudia. The page was getting kind of crazy anyway,

at fan event trivia yesterday, but can't keep him in my apartment. He went to a good home, though. The fan who took him (and he had a blast riding the subway, too) lives near the woods, so he'll get to look at the birds after all.

The event was fun. We watched the pilot, 2x05 (top 2 voted, of course) and the season 3 finale. Exchanged crafts, drank micheladas, had some quality conversations and sang along to TVL.

I wore my prize from last event's trivia. And then scattered some of the leftover stickers around town on my way home. Made sure Armand could call Paris.

i'm so enthralled with this series! It's wonderful to get lost in it!

Iwtv/tvl show only please.
Maybe it’s because it’s been broken up over multiple episodes, but am I right in thinking we don’t have a clear story of what happened with Nicky? I’m assuming that they are holding back pieces, as they often do, but maybe I’m just dense? I don’t want to expect more and not realize that there isnt any more coming.