I enjoyed the show overall, it was a fun ride for someone who already needs to rewatch things several times in order to understand them completely anyway. it was fun having the story unfold in layers as I rewatched the episodes, waiting for the next episode each week. I feel like it wasn't a bad idea to lean into the "gotta watch each episode at least twice" thing considering how analytical the fandom is, and the episode release schedule

as for the criticism about how race has been handled this season, specifically for Louis and Claudia, I really hope that if we get a s4 they get black writers back in that room. black American writers, specifically. I think a lot of the complaints here make sense, and I can understand why people are so hurt and upset by how these writing decisions have been handled indelicately to say the least. and if they are going to delve into tva, and expand Armand as a character at all (and it feels like next season would naturally try to do that, based on how they have handled him so far) they need someone in there who is qualified to speak on their portrayal of him as well. they need to get some consultants at least. other than that I don't feel qualified to comment, just to read and digest what others are saying about it

as for the adaptation, story wise, I'm quite sure they didn't hit the mark fans were expecting and that includes me. I was really hoping for it to be more tvl and less setting up the story for adaptation of the later books. I think I understand why they did the things they did, but unfortunately it was a big swing and, to me at least, it missed. I wonder about this.. maybe they don't really understand that most people have not read the entire series. most readers have read the first 3 books, and that's what they want to see.. I think even most fans of the entire book series expected them to explore tvl and set up qotd, and that's about it, maybe a little body thief and tva sprinkled in. then again, maybe I'm speaking for "most people" here the way Lestat speaks for most vampires lol could be talking out of my ass. the last episode, unfortunately, reminded me a lot of the last season of game of thrones in that it seemed like surprising the audience - specifically the audience that spends time theorizing and memeing online - became more important than delivering a solid story, even if it didn't surprise anyone. again, I could be talking shit here, but that's how it felt to me at least

as for the portrayal of the characters, how they have changed them in the show from their book characters, I have always found all that very fascinating. I loved these books as a teenager, and I enjoy reading them now; I think, for seasons 1 & 2, most of the changes brought more depth to the characters, made them more interesting to me, and made rereading the books more fun as well. I'm not sure I can say the same about this season. imo tvl the book brings some much needed perspective and sympathy to the characters that we really don't get this season, especially for Armand and Gabrielle, but also for Lestat.. that seems like quite a failure considering the name of the season and its supposed source material. other people have said it better than I can myself, so I won't get too into it, but I'm still chewing on all of that and probably will be until AMC pulls the plug on the project, whenever that is

finally I need to speak on Armand. he is my very favorite book character, and I am fascinated (heh) by the overall show's portrayal of him. books tvl and qotd feel like their own little series to me, and the plot lines blend together a lot in my recollection, I'm not surprised that we haven't gotten much of his whole story yet. I'm also not surprised that he has a villainous arc this season, as the understanding and shaky forgiveness between he and Lestat simply has not been earned yet. it makes sense to me. it also makes sense that they left a whole lot of dm up in the air, yet to be addressed or resolved. if you walked away from the finale thinking Armand and Daniel are actual companions at this point, taking Armand's word for it, well I am thinking of what Daniel says to bowling bag Lestat. he's still really angry and unhinged and only looking out for himself, at least that's how it sounded to me, and I have every confidence that their connection isn't so much companionship as a truce with some kind of goal in mind. I feel like that ultimate plan still isn't really known to us. at least, I hope so. was Armand's entire agenda revenge, confrontation with his lovers, stopping the great conversion? did Daniel's motivation to join with him have anything to do with anything besides revenge against Lestat? these are only a couple of the MANY questions I still have about them at the end of the season, and even though they are being really weird for much of this season, I still really hope that we get to see dm play out with the romanticized sickeningly codependent dm we all know and love from qotd!