Interview With the Vampire Season 2 Episode 2 Recap With Spoilers: "Do You Know What It Means to Be Loved by Death"
Louis and Claudia meet the Theatre des Vampires.
Last episode of Interview With the Vampire, Louis and Claudia made it to Paris after wandering Europe for years in search of vampires like them — and after enduring the tragedy of finding one Old World vampire who threw themselves into the fire. This week, Their time in Paris finally brings them into contact with more vampires, but also puts them into a precarious position when the present has an unexpected connection to the past. Here's what happened in "Do You Know What It Means to Be Loved by Death."
Warning: Spoilers for Interview With the Vampire Season 2, Episode 2, "Do You Know What It Means to Be Loved By Death" beyond this point.
In Paris, Louis and Claudia start to build a new life as they are healing — reflecting back, Louis says that while it's different for him, it was a city of happiness for him. Claudia is pickpocketing to get money, but people are broke so it is slow going but Louis says Paris is coming back. However, they are being observed. Armand says that it is customary for traveling vampires to introduce themselves but Louis did not know that. In the present, Daniel challenges facets of Louis and Armand's retelling as well as Armand's involvement.
For five months, Louis and Claudia lived undisturbed. Armand says he and his coven were cleaning up after them constantly. However, the coven was confounded by the American vampires. Louis takes up photography as a hobby. One evening, Claudia asks who Louis is outside of her, what he wants and how is he going to get there. He doesn't really have an answer. Daniel goes into Claudia's journals and says that she's miserable but Armand and Louis turn things on Daniel about his own failed relationship. Daniel presses on.
While out alone, Claudia happens upon a dress shop. She's warned by someone to stay away from the dressmaker, but Claudia goes in anyway. Claudia wants to buy a dress in the window and have it altered to fit her. In Dubai, Rasheed brings Daniel photos from the time period that Louis took. Armand picks up the story, saying that he could tell by Louis' walk that he was American. Armand finally confronts Louis in a park where gay men would go. Armand tells Louis he will never harm him and invites Louis and Claudia to the Theatre des Vampires. Louis excitedly shares the news with Claudia and they head off to the Theatre where they are treated like welcome guests.
The show begins and the vampire Santiago takes the stage to welcome the audience to the show — letting the audience know that what they are going to see is real and that they are all complicit, repugnant, and appalling. Claudia pegs right away that his theatrics are actually his vampire powers. Claudia loves it, especially the final play. A woman comes out onto stage hysterical, screaming that they vampires are going to kill her. The terrified woman tells the audience how she was taken from her hotel room and that the actors are real vampires and she begs someone to call her husband. She says she doesn't want to die. Santiago, as the reaper, says that if they were to let her go someone else would have to take her place. He gives her choices of her husband and son, but she says no. He then chooses a man in the audience, and she says yes. Santiago tells the man to remember that this woman was willing to give him up before going back to the woman. He says it's not the man's time and then calms her down, telling her death awaits everyone everywhere. He says that they — vampires — are conscious death and that makes her a bride. He kisses her and asks her if she knows what it means to be loved by death and tells her no pain. He then bites her and drinks from her right on stage. before a pack of vampires emerge from the shadows and take her, feasting, into the darkness. The lights come back up. The woman is dead, The actors take their bow. Claudia is thrilled Louis is horrified.
Backstage, Armand gives Louis and Claudia a tour and introduces them to the company. The arrival of the Americans is celebrated, but things get a little awkward when they are asked about their maker. Claudia lies on the fly and says their maker's name was Bruce and come up with a cover story. Claudia spots a portrait on the wall and asks about it — it's Lestat. He co-founded the Theatre. In Dubai, Daniel mocks things and points out the whole thing is a telenovela and points out that Armand not only knew Lestat before Louis but was his lover as well. In Paris, Louis panics about Lestat being connected to the Theatre but Claudia thinks it will be okay and she wants to go back. She also calls out Armand and Louis for being attracted to one another. Louis is on edge and needs confirmation that Lestat is dead so he goes to a manager's office that Lestat had used in the past. He gets confirmation that there has been no communication from Lestat since February 1940. While they cannot confirm or declare Lestat dead, Louis is given a box. Inside is a letter to "My Louis". The letter tells Louis not to seek revenge for who killed him and that Louis should carry on living. Lestat professes his love for Louis in the letter.
In Dubai, Daniel makes jokes about Lestat and the relationship and an aggravated Louis lashes out at Daniel with memories from his own life. Daniel's tremors get worse and suddenly, Daniel has a memory from the 1970s, a clear one of Armand having been there. Having tag team disturbed Daniel, they return to the interview with Daniel merely asking, "what happened next". In Paris, the group of vampires go out together though Louis' relationship with the Theatre is strained after he falls asleep during a performance. They end up at the estate of a wealthy family profiting off the poor. The coven attacks while Armand and Louis stay outside and talk. Armand notes that Claudia is good at blocking her thoughts and Louis needs to do better. He notes the trepidation at the mention of Lestat. Armand warns him to never visit the managers again and to be careful. As they leave, Claudia is having the time of her life. Louis is deeply concerned.
New episodes of Interview With the Vampire air Sundays on AMC.
