I wanted to like it. At first I thought there might be some potential, even though the story is unlike Anne Rice's original narrative. But each episode became less and less interesting. While most of the characters became more and more annoying.
The problem appears to be in the nature of vampires. How can there be a character arc to creatures who never change? Lifeless and eternally the same. The show is not well cast. Lestat is so unappealing, that I found myself looking away from his character. He is not seductive, but alternatingly catty, imperious, needy, pompous, manipulative and petty. Worse yet, the promise of his first episode powers is never explored. The actor playing Louis is talented, but the mopey misfit characterization in the script makes him more like Charlie Brown, than Louis from the book. Reporter Daniel is so one-note tedious, that I had to fast forward through many of his scenes. He scowls and verbally attacks, as if his only director's note is to "play it angry." The owl-eyed, long-faced Armand made me cringe, with his skulking, charmless presence - so unlike the cherubic muse I envisioned.
Claudia is an exception. I found her portrayal and situation to be compelling.
Without going into an elaborate comparison to the book, I will only say about the script, that where it strays, it does not improve on its source material. Part of the magic of the book is its long-view of a vampire's existence. In truncating the timeline, the show loses the depth of perspective shown in the book's antebellum South, with its cruel charm and doomed future. Which fittingly describes the vampire life - where nothing is truly immortal.
The problem appears to be in the nature of vampires. How can there be a character arc to creatures who never change? Lifeless and eternally the same. The show is not well cast. Lestat is so unappealing, that I found myself looking away from his character. He is not seductive, but alternatingly catty, imperious, needy, pompous, manipulative and petty. Worse yet, the promise of his first episode powers is never explored. The actor playing Louis is talented, but the mopey misfit characterization in the script makes him more like Charlie Brown, than Louis from the book. Reporter Daniel is so one-note tedious, that I had to fast forward through many of his scenes. He scowls and verbally attacks, as if his only director's note is to "play it angry." The owl-eyed, long-faced Armand made me cringe, with his skulking, charmless presence - so unlike the cherubic muse I envisioned.
Claudia is an exception. I found her portrayal and situation to be compelling.
Without going into an elaborate comparison to the book, I will only say about the script, that where it strays, it does not improve on its source material. Part of the magic of the book is its long-view of a vampire's existence. In truncating the timeline, the show loses the depth of perspective shown in the book's antebellum South, with its cruel charm and doomed future. Which fittingly describes the vampire life - where nothing is truly immortal.
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