Episode 5, and I don’t even have it in me to be angry anymore. I’m just tired. Random negative thoughts under the cut:
I’ve been thinking a lot about the first two seasons, how deeply the show made you feel not just for Louis but for every character, how clear they were on the story they were telling, and how every scene worked in service of that story.
This season, I don’t even really know what story they’re trying to tell.
The only parts for me that worked at all were the Louis/Claudia scenes, and that was due to Delainey and especially Jacob giving it their absolute all. It’s weird and dark and fucked up, and I understand people being dubious about giving this story to Louis. I am too, mainly because I’m just not sure if it’s going anywhere that would justify it. But it did make me feel something other than irritated, and it was the only part of the episode that did.
The Lestat Claudia of it all was affecting enough as long as you don’t think about it too hard. Because we STILL haven’t addressed his role in the trial, and until you do, sorry not going to feel anything for Lestat crooning a sad ballad for Claudia, especially not with Sam Barclay nodding along six feet away. Again, please tell me this is going somewhere. Sam and Delainey are also acting their hearts out, but it just rings hollow to me.
Speaking of, thank you Assad for shining in the five fucking minutes you got on screen, but even you couldn’t save this. The DM scene was so stiff and weird in execution and just dropped in out of nowhere. There’s no buildup, no emotional weight, no scaffolding to support it. It’s not developing these characters or their potential relationship at all. It’s just a few minutes of Armand telling us he’s in love with Daniel without showing or earning it in any way. Why does he love Daniel? Dunno. How and when did it happen? Who cares.
I don’t mind the lack of past DM, if that’s what they stick to. (Disclaimer: I like DM but am not a hard-core DM shipper by any means). Mostly because it’s present-day DM that I find most interesting. The idea of old Daniel, with all he knows about Armand, knowing the worst things that Armand has done, still falling in love with him is delicious to me. Because Armand performs and masks, he moulds himself into what he thinks people want, but here that’s pointless. It’s impossible. That could be an amazing arc.
Also, Assad has hinted in a couple of interviews that Armand did not realise he was in love with Daniel until during or after Dubai. Which I also find fascinating, potentially. Because there is of course a recurring pattern of Armand latching on to the outside force that blows up his life and this could be a means to explore that.
So if you’d told me before season three this was where they were going, I would have been quite happy with it. As it is, well, not so much. Firstly because I think this potential arc is complex, and needs a lot of screen time to work, and I just don’t believe they are willing to spend the necessary time and care on this relationship, or on Armand at all frankly. Secondly because one-sided past DM felt OK in my head in theory. But now it’s part of a season has been so ruthlessly committed to hammering home the idea that Armand is a pathetic loser pining for people who hate him, who despise him, who look down on him. Stupid ugly rag doll thinking he could possibly deserve love. And I hate it.
Meanwhile, Marius and Akasha was done well enough, but like everything else felt rushed and I have no idea what sense you would make of it as a casual viewer. Also, once again, the racial implications of Marius discarding Armand and recruiting blond blue-eyed Lestat as his apprentice are completely discarded. On the plus side, Sheila Atim absolutely delivered during the Akasha monologue, but on the other, great, yet another brilliant actor being absolutely wasted.
Briefly, what the hell was the I, Amel thing they slipped in? And fuck the implication that uwu innocent baby Lestat is only so violent because of Amel/Akasha. If that’s where they go, that would really be the last straw for me. But I can’t be bothered even speculating about it.
I know everyone keeps saying, wait, it will all make sense. I really struggle to see what they could do that would redeem it for me. I get that Lestat is avoiding the subjects he really needs to confront, and I hope we’ll get to it in the last couple of episodes. But even then I don’t think it would justify all the weirdness and the sheer waste of time in so much of these preceding episodes. So. Hanging on by my fingernails, but just really disappointed and deflated.
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