Mari

Which probably won't get there for 3 years, given how much TP the girls bought. Seriously. Those boxes hold a LOT of toilet paper. I'm rooting for the girls. If I'd said that during season 1, you'd know I was next to be exorcised, but the girls have really grown on me. Plus, Andy might have refused contact. Addiction centers aren't allowed to even confirm or deny someone is there if the patient pulls their permission; I've neither/nored people that dropped off patients because the patient wouldn't sign the form that allows us to acknowledge them. As freaked out and worried as Andy was, I could see him denying contact and pulling permission. This bugged me, too. Especially when you add in her reaction to Sheryl at the grocery store. Yes, I know she's deep in denial and her job is to be a skeptic, but there comes a point where you've had weirdness after weirdness and you won't even suspend the tiniest bit of disbelief? It seems like that bit was there just to make Kristin extra sad and guilty when Sheryl died.

Okay. I was kind of dreading the rock star Lestat, because I figured it would be hard to pull off without being incredibly cringey, but this looks like it should work. It looks like we'll be bouncing between Lestat's current day life--which is where they'll use Anderson, somehow--and is past in the documentary. The trailer did its job; I'm excited, now. Thanks for sharing the clips @nodorothyparker

My headcanon: The Devil is all about lies. I'm betting the jar fluid gives you--and anyone else taking it--an energy bump and the illusion of youth. If it gives you an energy boost and causes you to see yourself (and other takers) as years younger, you're going to act that way. Probably with some extra confidence, which would change people's reactions to you. And the withdrawal from something like that would be hideous. People go to terrifying lengths to make sure they get their next fix of regular drugs, let alone something that convinces you it's the fountain of youth. Plus, you know that the Devil and demons would be getting a lot of sadistic glee out of convincing their followers they're getting something when everyone but the purchasers know it's an illusion.

We also do have to remember that Armand is likely stronger than Louis. Louis might have been used to being in charge of their relationship and the more dominant partner, but that seems to be a combination of Armand's mind twisting skill and Armand choosing to be submissive. Armand could easily have killed Daniel and strewn small pieces around the apartment, and I'm not sure that Louis would really have been able to do much about it. I don't think fear of Louis killing or maiming Armand is going to stop Armand. Maybe? I'm undecided about it, honestly. The problem is those episodes seem to have been told through mostly Claudia's POV, and Claudia was a teenager. She might have been a teenager who wanted to be older and was brilliant, but there are things her brain just wasn't able to do; it wasn't fully developed, yet, and because of the vampire thing, it never would. I have no problem believing Lestat was jealous and resentful of Claudia--especially during the years Louis was so depressed after her absence and the years after the drop when Claudia seems to be the reason Louis would not reunite with him. But, teenagers rarely see their parents and guardians in a neutral light, especially if they blame that parent/guardian for a decision or consequence. Lestat could love her fiercely and want to protect her, and she may not be able to see it.

Okay. Not convinced of ShowArmand's stability at all, but he does seem to be slightly less horrible than BookArmand.

Did Lestat have a lot of choice in the Akasha thing? Because my spotty recall thinks of it as questionable consent. And the production team has said that Lestat and Louis are endgame, so how do you think they're going to keep Louis around when they do The Vampire Lestat? Subconscious Louis won't work for a lot of Lestat's story and they're surely going to have to figure some way to incorporate the actor?

Oh, Armand had to have orchestrated at least some of that. Anything that wraps together so many of one character's wants into one event that leaves him primarily blameless? Santiago might think it's all his idea, but I've doubts. Claudia's gone--Armand wanted that. The Lestat appearance and participation--that was designed to drive more distance between Lestat and Louis, and Armand was all too aware of Louis inability to really move on from Lestat. It also, arguably, might give Armand an in with Lestat. After all, Lestat's traitorous offspring are being dealt with. Louis is now more vulnerable and has confusion and doubts about his own mind. It would be easier to rearrange his thoughts and/or memories into something more aligned with Armand's wants/needs. There is no way that old, powerful Armand was unable to get away from one measly little junior guard. And there was one or two cut-aways to Armand's box, and his face was definitely not overcome with sorrow. It wasn't quite smiley and smirky, but it had that feel. As for the Lestat performance (and Sam Reid performance, I guess)--I think, too, that at least the majority of the woodenness is intended to emphasize Lestat's difficulty and possible unwillingness to be there. There was a script. How much of that was Lestat given input into? And how much of it was his actual thoughts/feelings? It's not out of the question that Lestat is being controlled or influenced at times. He was nearly killed at Marde Gras and might not be back to full strength, yet. I think you're right. It doesn't substantially change things. It does present a slightly different point of view--but we all remember things slightly differently. It's difficult to know how much of that was Lestat's true feelings in this third-hand, scripted retelling (You know Santiago and Armand had say in that script.), but there was clear guilt and clear acknowledgement that Lestat was to blame for some of it.

It was extra evil and selfish. It purposely drives a wedge between them and their mother, and the girls are getting older, but the situation is unusual and complicated enough that even if they understood the circumstances, they are likely not emotionally prepared for it. And that's not even including the Baby AC and Leland angle. Plus, didn't Kristin change the locks? How did Sheryl get them in--call a locksmith? Would a locksmith require proof Sheryl lived there, or would the girls living there be proof enough? The only thing I can think of is the hole is connected to something outside. It has to be a tunnel, because they need to get out and eat somehow. Which, extra gross, creepy, and worrisome. Because that hole could be tiny or a Leland size access.

I'm glad things are starting to move. Armand and Louis billing and cooing could only be interesting for so long. Watching them set themselves and everything else (figuratively) on fire should definitely be fascinating. I particularly enjoyed the redecorating fight that was clearly just a proxy fight for their other issues. Probably in the minority, but I'm ready for Claudia to go. The actress(es) have done a brilliant job, but I don't think I'm seeing the same character the production team. Claudia is very clearly incredibly intelligent, but she doesn't come across to me as an adult stuck in a child's body, she seems like someone who is stuck permanently with the body and with the emotional processing (and brain) of a teenager but smart enough to know she's missing something--and I don't mean that she'll never grow full breasts or be okay independently. As part of that, she and Madeline were sweet in their little bits, but I can't help wondering how long it would be before she's done with Madeline, too. After Claudia's achieved something, it seems as though it is not long before she's done with it. The after interview mentions that Armand has kept Louis and Daniel in their own boxes through the years. Does that mean Armand has been more involved with Daniel than Daniel and Louis even realize?

I did appreciate Baby AC's Exorcist levels of projective spewing quite a bit. Maybe because it felt like a nod to the Exorcist and acknowledged the ridiculousness of the whole thing. Still struggling with Suspiciously Clean and Ginormous Baby from last episode, but maybe the "He's the AC" logic will work if I rewatch it. Good for Sheryl for extorting Leland before helping him. And I'm so proud of poor, traumatized Andy. Yikes. Considering how deep Leland's claws are in him, that was impressive. Deciding to vacate himself from his family is the best idea, but will it work as long as he's got his phone? Leland can just call and Feliz him back to Kristin and the girls.

We know Armand can delete or cover up memories. Can he implant them? If he wanted Daniel or Louis to believe they saw a platypus eating a pickle, could he? And, if he can, what are the limitations? Because there might be a difference between implanting relatively trivial bits and retconning huge events in someone's life. Or could he just amplify the impact of events that really occurred?

Could it be a combination of things? Louis is young enough Armand can remodel his brain occasionally when necessary, is challenging in interesting ways, and extra-shiny-bonus--Lestat wants him. Plus, it seems like Armand has serious abandonment issues.

I read a couple of the books, but it was very very very long ago. Therefore, the details are quite foggy. I'm treating the TV series as its own thing, since they've made enough changes, it might as well be, in many ways. Armand made a comment about Lestat chasing/coming for Louis again. Do you think Lestat has tracked them down before in the TV version? And if so, does Louis know that? Armand's motive--was it jealousy/possessiveness of Louis, of Louis' relationship with Lestat, or just general ownership? And how much editing of Louis' brain has he done? Because that is not something I see happening just once. It seems more likely it happens whenever Armand feels it is necessary.

I have issues with the baby scenes. 1. That baby was huge and obviously not a newborn. Especially since she was going into labor early. (Not scary early, but not big big baby time, either.) 2. That baby was super clean. Super clean. Nope. Doesn't happen. 3. What about afterbirth? They aren't finished the minute the giant, suspiciously clean baby pops out. There's other stuff to take care of, too. 4. Has anyone ever seen a maternity room in the US that's got beds for 4 moms? Because I haven't. They might exist, but I've never seen one. 5. That baby popped out really fast. Kristen's had 4 kids and medical training. If Giant Clean Baby was that far along his journey, pain meds and epidurals are not exactly something that would happen. Kristen should know that. Why is she demanding pain stuff? The whole thing was so obviously fake and had so many issues that it pulled me out of the show, and I'm not someone who stresses too much about accuracy in a fantasy show. Sheryl and her ladies circle was an interesting image. Like I said before, she deserves to deal with a little karmic payback, and I'm looking forward to her doing her best to get some karmic payback on Leland and the men. It wouldn't surprise me if they made sure she got in touch with Kristin. Maybe for cruelty, maybe so that someone else deals with several years of baby/toddler/preschooler demon baby. It is her egg, after all, and is there the possibility of suing for custody? And they should tear up the NDAs. NDAs should happen _before_ they let you witness stuff they don't want disclosed.

I think Armand being so different from Lestat is the point. I think he's meant to foil Lestat. Lestat didn't seem to be particularly manipulative, to me. He was very much in charge of their lives--a mix of his personality, his greater knowledge and far greater strength, his willingness to be violent, and, yes, his charisma. Did he arrange things to get Louis to react? Some. Example: the Antoinette version of his "Come to Me" song. But it seemed like he would be more likely to just say what he wanted and try to make sure it would happen that way. But I think what set their relationship into a toxic fire was a combination of things. Louis was filled with self-loathing and depression for a long time, and the "Just get over it." isn't something that works for serious depression. Louis shuts down, which aggravates Lestat, who acts out trying to pull Louis out of it. Add in the attitude of Louis family--he had to feel like they threw him away. Then add in Claudia, who decides that Lestat is what she has to fight against? No wonder it was fascinating to watch but would be horrific to live through. Armand is dark. Lestat is pale. Armand is calm and steady. Lestat is mercurial and volatile. Armand has other vampires around and shares information. Lestat would not talk or look for other vampires. Armand let Louis decide if they were casual or serious. Lestat very loudly demanded serious. Armand is understated. Lestat is flamboyant. You could go on. It's too many opposites to be accidental. It's like the biggest rebound-opposite relationship ever. And I think as the season goes on, we're going to see more and more cracks in the facade of perfect relationship.