Review: The Vampire Lestat, "The Devil's Road" | Season 3, Episode 4

“He told himself he was in control. We all did that year.”

Lestat’s observation about Louis lingered with me after the episode ended. It is a comment made without the showman inflection that dominates much of the narration on “The Failures” recordings. It lacks Lestat’s bravado while emphasizing his close bond with Louis and their parallel paths. While we have only seen the pair share two scenes in the present timeline, Lestat’s knowledge of Regina implies that Louis will eventually tell Lestat about the twentysomething mortal's resemblance to Claudia. Hindsight is a crucial part of the narrative framework of this entire show, and the different dysfunctional pairings add more fuel to the fire as Lestat barrels toward a disaster he has long been teasing. We have now passed the halfway mark of this third season, and the overarching conflict among factions of vampires is moving to the foreground as Lestat starts to lose control. 

Part of the thrill of watching The Vampire Lestat lies in the chaos; it is hard to predict where this band’s tour will head next. But so much gets crammed into an episode that the options of what to discuss are dizzying. As Lestat’s account of events to Daniel diverges further from the flashback, the ghosts of his past like Nicky contradict previous utterances. Lestat is at his most unreliable when discussing Gabriella, whose vampire persona is the opposite of his description to Daniel. Her absence in the present contributes to Lestat’s unraveling, as he fears she has abandoned him once again, and the mommy issues continue to build. Lestat is not alone in experiencing familial tension, as Armand’s return exposes Daniel’s abject loneliness, and Louis crosses a line with the young woman who resembles his surrogate daughter. 

The return of Armand also delivers another musical highlight, as Lestat, in pigtails, heavy eyeliner, and show pony-like moves, goes full “Hey Mickey!” when performing “Big Boss” for the first time to needle and humiliate the 500-year-old vampire. There is no breaking the incredible song streak or Sam Reid’s stage presence as he tackles the different material. Lestat has already provoked Daniel, and now he is going after Armand in a very public setting. I find Armand and Lestat’s seemingly one-sided ongoing antagonism fascinating. Of course, there is more to come. Lestat’s voiceover offering another teaser regarding the impending global catastrophe and the role Armand will play: “He would do more damage than the Queen ever did.” For now, Lestat takes every opportunity to flaunt his physique (hello, blood shower) and throw Armand’s amends back in his face. While Lestat doesn’t take his ex seriously, we know better than to underestimate his power.