Official Trailer
Rating: 10/10 | Genre: Drama, Sci-Fi & Fantasy | Seasons: 1 | Episodes: 7 | Status: Returning Series
Starring: Sam Reid, Jacob Anderson, Assad Zaman, Eric Bogosian, Delainey Hayles
I just finished The Vampire Lestat and I’m still kind of reeling. This show had no right being this good. Like, I went in expecting camp and aesthetic drama, which I got, but also somehow got something that actually works as television. The whole thing is peak vampire fiction right now, and I’m not even exaggerating.
Here’s the thing: this show knows exactly what it is. It’s based on Anne Rice’s character who spent a whole book complaining about how he was portrayed in the previous book. So instead of making a straightforward vampire drama, they made a show about Lestat literally going on tour with a band to tell his own story. It sounds ridiculous. It absolutely is ridiculous. And it works so well that I watched all seven episodes in two days.
Season 1
Season 1 follows Lestat as he kicks off his rock tour across the midwest. The first episode sets everything up in Detroit, and honestly, the opening is genius. We get flashbacks to how Lestat formed the band, why he’s doing this whole tour thing, and what he’s running from. Sam Reid plays Lestat with this perfect mix of arrogance and actual vulnerability. He’s not trying to make the character likeable. He’s just playing him as this centuries-old ego in a very attractive body who thinks the world revolves around him. Which it kind of does in this show.
The early episodes work because they balance the rock tour stuff with actual vampire lore. Like, this isn’t just a show about a guy performing music. It’s about how his performances are literally awakening vampires all over the place and messing with the balance of their whole world. Other vampires have to deal with Lestat just existing and being magnetic. Jacob Anderson, who plays Louis, is in this and the dynamic between him and Lestat is everything. There’s history there. There’s resentment. There’s still something underneath it all that neither of them wants to admit.
The “muses” aspect is where things get weird in a good way. Lestat is haunted by people from his past, and these aren’t just regular flashbacks. They’re like actual presences that interact with him. It could’ve been gimmicky but it works because it grounds the story emotionally. We understand why he’s doing this even if his reasons are kind of selfish.
The cast is stacked. Assad Zaman is great. Eric Bogosian shows up and immediately makes an impact. Delainey Hayles brings this energy that keeps everyone honest. Even in seven episodes, you get a real sense of who these people are and why they matter to the story.
The only thing I’d say doesn’t quite land is some of the tour stuff in episodes two and three kind of drags a little. Like, I get that they’re building the world and showing Lestat’s influence growing, but sometimes it felt like the show was spinning its wheels. Nothing major happened in Toledo or Toronto that couldn’t have been condensed. But it’s a minor complaint because the character work is always there to carry you through.
By the end of the season, the show sets up something called the Great Conversion and honestly, I have no idea what that means but I need to know immediately. The finale just hits different. It’s got stakes. It’s got style. It makes you understand why this show got a perfect rating on TMDB.
The best part is that this show trusts its audience to understand that Lestat is kind of a villain and still root for him anyway. He’s not redeemed. He’s not trying to be better. He’s just fascinating to watch. If you haven’t checked this out yet, do it. And if you have, come tell me what the Great Conversion is going to be in season two because I’m losing my mind waiting for it.
Episode Guide
Season 1 (7 Episodes)
Episode 1: Detroit
Lestat reflects on the events leading to his tour, including the formation of his band.
Episode 2: Toledo
Episode 3: Toronto
Episode 4: The Devil's Road
Episode 5: Episode 5
Episode 6: Episode 6
Episode 7: Episode 7
Where to Watch
Streaming availability varies by region. Check your favorite streaming platform to see if this title is available in your country.