Interview with the Vampire – Season 1 Episode 4 Recap & Review

Is My Very Nature That of a Devil

Episode 4 of Interview With The Vampire starts with Daniel left to his own devices. Louis is resting, so it gives him a chance to pore over old diaries. These are from the perspective of Claudia though, who calls Louis a black angel that saved her from a fiery fate.

Louis pleads with Lestat to turn Claudia in order to save her life, hurriedly bringing her to the mansion. Despite being badly burned, he does just that and Claudia becomes stronger than before. She’s revitalized, and shown around the house.

Interestingly, Louis and Claudia can also talk telepathically to one another – something Lestat can’t overhear and what could become integral to the plot moving forward. We shall see! The two men promise no secrets though, and teach Claudia the ways of the vampire together.

Claudia goes hunting and her appetite is insatiable. She certainly spices the place up though, but also writes everything out in her diary, which we know Daniel is currently reading. As she does, she spies Lestat and Louis sharing their coffin together. Given their original promise not to keep secrets, it seems they’re doing just that!

That night, out on the water, Louis brings up the dangers of being a vampire to Claudia. He tells her that killing has consequences and she settles into more of a rhythm than before. In fact, an entire year passes and Claudia celebrates her death day in typical Claudia fashion, with some fresh kills and bloodlusting.

Everything is good…until Louis receives a phone call that changes everything. His mother has passed away. Of course, things re inevitably awkward at the wake, especially with socially awkward Claudia who’s more nonchalant about the whole idea of death than before.

There’s an interesting undercurrent of passion that ripples throughout the episode too, with Claudia – as Lestat puts it – flowing with hormones. Thankfully she meets a guy called Charlie, whom she ends up catching feelings for.

Eventually the pair do end up having sex but Claudia loses control in the process, biting into his neck. With blood dribbling down her chin, Claudia realizes she’s killed her lover.

Lestat shrugs it off when Claudia shows up with Charlie’s body, pleading with him to help turn her. The thing is, he’s completely dead and that’s out of the question. Instead, Lestat teaches her a lesson and has Claudia watch as Charlie’s body is burned. It’s a lesson never to get too close to mortals.

Claudia is consumed by grief though and harms herself, allowing the sun to sink into and destroy her flesh. With Charlie’s last words ringing in her ears, calling her an angel, Claudia is convinced she’s on the right path and believes there’s so much more fun to be had out there. Promising she’s just getting started, things are left on an ominous note moving forward.

The Episode Review

Interview With The Vampire comes to a close this week with an enticing change of pace, one that follows Claudia instead of Louis. It works well to get into the mindset of this young girl and understand the highs and lows of vampirism. The fact that she’s struggling to control her abilities, whilst simultaneously setting this trio up like a dysfunctional family, has a nice poetic edge to it, harking back to the idea of teenagers being rebellious and difficult to control

The episode does well to work as an allegory for coming of age… just with more bloodshed and killing! However, it does also give this show a slightly different edge, allowing us to switch perspectives so we can see things from an alternate point of view.

Although this chapter is a little shorter compared to the others, there’s enough here to enjoy all the same.