Interview With the Vampire on AMC and it found Louis and Claudia in a new situation in the wake of the Season 1 finale. With Lestat dead back in New Orleans, the duo have gone off to Europe in search of more vampires like themselves to better understand where they came from. Unfortunately, they’ve gone to Europe during World War 2 which adds its own complications to a situation that is already difficult given the tensions between them. Meanwhile, in the present in Dubai, everything has changed with the interview now that “Rashid” has been revealed to actually be the centuries old vampire Armand — and that he was present during the original interview back in the 1970s. There are a lot of questions as the story moves forward — and not just “what’s next?” Here’s what happened in the Season 2 premiere, “What Can the Damned Really Say to the Damned”.
Warning: Spoilers for Interview With the Vampire Season 2, Episode 1, “What Can the Damned Really Say to the Damned” beyond this point.
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The episode opens with an aerial view of a battlefield in Europe while Louis, in voiceover, reads from Claudia’s diary an entry where she says that she does not dream, something Louis says she also said to him. On the ground, Louis and Claudia emerge from the earth and Claudia finds an injured soldier that she feeds upon, throwing Louis the heart. Louis, still in voiceover, continues to recount how they have been in Europe over recent years and how the atrocities of World War 2 only made Claudia more determined to find others like them. In Dubai, Louis reflects on the horror of never dreaming. Armand offers his thoughts, but Daniel strikes his comments from the record.
In Europe, Claudia and Louis encounter German soldiers and make quick work of them, revealing how Claudia has evolved on her quest. Things remain tense between her and Louis as she does not really speak to him. Louis says that the misery is in the blood and they are taking it in. As they work their way across the countryside, they find evidence of vampires, but it’s been a very long time since they were there. She does not stop her quest. Louis wants to go home. Claudia writes in her diary that it’s an offensive idea and writes that Louis is dead weight. In the present, Louis thanks Daniel for restoring his memories, but Daniel is frustrated with how the interview is going. The Real Rashid also makes his entrance — he’s one of Armand and Louis’ servants.
Back in Europe, Louis finds himself haunted by Lestat, seeing his bloody lover and maker lying on the battlefield. The apparition of Lestat tells Louis he misses him and taunts him about the futility of their years wandering Europe. A tormented Louis tells Lestat he’s sorry, but Lestat tells him he’s going to kill him and that he’s merely waiting until Louis is happy to strike. It’s all in his head, however, and he and Claudia continue on. They eventually make it to Romania where they find Soviet soldiers opening coffins and shooting at the dead inside before putting them back in the earth. They find bolted shutters and garlic around doors — precautions against vampires. They’re approached by soldiers and questioned but are stopped by a local who warns them off and tells Louis and Claudia they shouldn’t be travelling at night.
The woman, Amelia takes them to a shelter where others are also staying for safety — stone walls and metal doors. It’s suggested there’s something worse outside to be worried about than soldiers. They also meet a British war correspondent who is there as well. Claudia has questions about what’s going on outside, but she’s sent to the other children — however, as he’s recounting the story in the present, Louis realizes that Amelia wouldn’t have things about “something worse” in front of Claudia. Louis insists they need to get every detail right. Armand wants to take a break. Daniel is sure that there’s something Armand is wanting to hide because he’s not getting all of the story.
In Romania, Louis tells his cover story to the British man and Amelia and hears about the villagers’ superstitions — something out there has a “soul disturbance”. The man realizes Louis’ cover story is a lie but suspects him of being either a deserter or a Bolshevik. He tells him that he should leave rather than have to deal with Stalin. Meanwhile, Claudia explores the woods and comes across soldiers who are soon attacked by a hulking figure. It’s a vampire, but it’s not like Claudia. It’s decayed-looking and sees her as a threat, attacking her before dragging off one of the soldiers. Claudia returns and tells Louis about what she’s seen but he tries to cast doubt. They fight and she calls him out for bringing Lestat with them in his heart and says she’s only known four vampires in her life and they’ve all been worst. She’s just looking for one that isn’t. That night, Louis wakes up to the sounds of chaos, and also discovers that Claudia does in fact dream because she’s having a nightmare. In the present, that memory emotionally devastates Louis.
Claudia wakes up to the noise as well and they go to investigate and find Amelia seriously wounded with a neck wound and there are soldiers everywhere. Amelia’s clearly been attacked by a vampire and the soldiers and others want to kill her to ensure she does not turn. The British man is desperate to save her and pleads with Louis to do something. A villager says Amelia’s head must be cut off. Claudia and Louis leave as it is being done. Their concern is in the woods, where they go and injure a soldier to use as bait for the vampire. It shows up and they reveal themselves to also be vampires to it and let him know that they are not threats. There is another, however, and it attacks Louis and a vampire fight of sorts breaks out. In the brawl, Claudia blinds the male vampire, causing the female vampire — who is more like Claudia and Louis — to demand why they would blind a child. She then bashes its head in and wails in agony before heading away. Claudia and Louis follow.
They find her in an old castle of sorts that is littered with the dead and dying. She’s trying to make other vampires, but her efforts are failing. Claudia makes introductions and the woman vampire tells her how bad things have been. Louis tells her his theory about the blood being bad from too much sadness and pain and maybe she needs better blood. from over the ocean in America. The woman tells them that there are no other vampires left but her now. Claudia invites her to come with them. She says her name is Daciana and tells them of how they will have a lovely time before throwing herself into the fire in front of them.
In Dubai, Louis tells Armand he wants to see the pages from Claudia’s diary that they removed. Armand is reluctant to give them to him and wants Louis to end the interview and send Daniel away. Louis refuses. Armand agrees to have Rashid put the pages together but tells Louis that the fumbling boy reporter Daniel once was is still inside him and they can manipulate him if they work together. The next day, they come to the interview together and Armand is ready to go on the record. Louis tells Daniel that after Daciana’s suicide, they headed to Paris. As they are riding into Paris on a truck, Claudia is still broken by their experience in Romania and Louis tells her that their lives are shit and to stop feeling sorry for herself and they can’t run away again or forget what they saw. He promises her that as long as she lives, he will never go into the fire and they will find others like them. They will keep going until they do. He also tells her that if she was the last vampire on earth, it would be enough. But even as he says it, the specter of Lestat is sitting next to her. And then, they arrive in Paris at last.
New episodes of Interview With the Vampire air Sundays on AMC.
