titled

a place to rant

[grimportents]

this blog exists for me to offload my grievances

if you don't want to see that then filter the tag "tvl critical" or block me

[cosmic-day]

Episode 5, and I don’t even have it in me to be angry anymore. I’m just tired. Random negative thoughts under the cut:

I’ve been thinking a lot about the first two seasons, how deeply the show made you feel not just for Louis but for every character, how clear they were on the story they were telling, and how every scene worked in service of that story.

This season, I don’t even really know what story they’re trying to tell.

The only parts for me that worked at all were the Louis/Claudia scenes, and that was due to Delainey and especially Jacob giving it their absolute all. It’s weird and dark and fucked up, and I understand people being dubious about giving this story to Louis. I am too, mainly because I’m just not sure if it’s going anywhere that would justify it. But it did make me feel something other than irritated, and it was the only part of the episode that did.

The Lestat Claudia of it all was affecting enough as long as you don’t think about it too hard. Because we STILL haven’t addressed his role in the trial, and until you do, sorry not going to feel anything for Lestat crooning a sad ballad for Claudia, especially not with Sam Barclay nodding along six feet away. Again, please tell me this is going somewhere. Sam and Delainey are also acting their hearts out, but it just rings hollow to me.

Speaking of, thank you Assad for shining in the five fucking minutes you got on screen, but even you couldn’t save this. The DM scene was so stiff and weird in execution and just dropped in out of nowhere. There’s no buildup, no emotional weight, no scaffolding to support it. It’s not developing these characters or their potential relationship at all. It’s just a few minutes of Armand telling us he’s in love with Daniel without showing or earning it in any way. Why does he love Daniel? Dunno. How and when did it happen? Who cares.

I don’t mind the lack of past DM, if that’s what they stick to. (Disclaimer: I like DM but am not a hard-core DM shipper by any means). Mostly because it’s present-day DM that I find most interesting. The idea of old Daniel, with all he knows about Armand, knowing the worst things that Armand has done, still falling in love with him is delicious to me. Because Armand performs and masks, he moulds himself into what he thinks people want, but here that’s pointless. It’s impossible. That could be an amazing arc.

Also, Assad has hinted in a couple of interviews that Armand did not realise he was in love with Daniel until during or after Dubai. Which I also find fascinating, potentially. Because there is of course a recurring pattern of Armand latching on to the outside force that blows up his life and this could be a means to explore that.

So if you’d told me before season three this was where they were going, I would have been quite happy with it. As it is, well, not so much. Firstly because I think this potential arc is complex, and needs a lot of screen time to work, and I just don’t believe they are willing to spend the necessary time and care on this relationship, or on Armand at all frankly. Secondly because one-sided past DM felt OK in my head in theory. But now it’s part of a season has been so ruthlessly committed to hammering home the idea that Armand is a pathetic loser pining for people who hate him, who despise him, who look down on him. Stupid ugly rag doll thinking he could possibly deserve love. And I hate it.

Meanwhile, Marius and Akasha was done well enough, but like everything else felt rushed and I have no idea what sense you would make of it as a casual viewer. Also, once again, the racial implications of Marius discarding Armand and recruiting blond blue-eyed Lestat as his apprentice are completely discarded. On the plus side, Sheila Atim absolutely delivered during the Akasha monologue, but on the other, great, yet another brilliant actor being absolutely wasted.

Briefly, what the hell was the I, Amel thing they slipped in? And fuck the implication that uwu innocent baby Lestat is only so violent because of Amel/Akasha. If that’s where they go, that would really be the last straw for me. But I can’t be bothered even speculating about it.

I know everyone keeps saying, wait, it will all make sense. I really struggle to see what they could do that would redeem it for me. I get that Lestat is avoiding the subjects he really needs to confront, and I hope we’ll get to it in the last couple of episodes. But even then I don’t think it would justify all the weirdness and the sheer waste of time in so much of these preceding episodes. So. Hanging on by my fingernails, but just really disappointed and deflated.

[grimportents]

if they weren't sure how to adapt and/or reveal past devil's minion (in a satisfying way that doesn't feel wildly ooc) or how to incorporate the idea of armand stalking daniel in the past within their vision for the show then why turn daniel into a vampire at the end of season 2 at all?

why not keep him as mortal and do DM fully in the present day instead? have armand release him unharmed a few days after the explosive events of episode 8, according to louis's wishes. the talamasca still publishes the book, daniel has the same success mixed with a drop in reputation, his daughters still won't talk to him. but he can't let go of his renewed fascination with these vampires and the knowledge that he could have taken louis up on the offer to be turned. perhaps his parkinsons has got worse, he's deteriorating and wants a cure. we see him following lestat's tour, hoping to interview him and, at the beginning, not being granted access and so interviewing everyone on lestat's peripherary. or maybe lestat does welcome daniel on board, same as the show, and we see an actual interview taking place (because that really is what works best here, rolin), with a decent amount of time accorded to the flashbacks.

but daniel seems unsettled the whole time, paranoid. we see vampires approaching as if to attack him but they're quickly taken out by an unseen force. we also see glimpses of armand, appearing to stalk daniel at every tour stop. perhaps these are interspersed with flashback nightmares of armand in dubai, after louis has left, telling daniel he'll hound him, stalk him, never let him rest for what he's done. that maybe he'll kill him, maybe he won't.

show-only viewers assume present day armand is still angry and building up to kill or hurt daniel in some way, book readers know we're in the chase.

once the tension and horror have been sufficiently built, armand sits down next to daniel in a diner or on a park bench or wherever, immediately launching into a slightly manic ramble about philosophy, or perhaps he sees daniel's reading a book and asks whether he's enjoying it as much as he thought he would. his face lighting up in a way we've never seen before.

daniel sighs irritably but can't completely suppress a smile. we're thrown off kilter and wonder what the fuck has been going on here (they liiiiiike each otheeeeer)

why not condense the chase into happening over the past 3ish years since dubai and combine it with lestat's tour? armand's secretly started taking out vamps who try to hurt daniel because of the book and his proximity to lestat, they've become close and daniel's switched from dreading to craving armand's appearances even with personal knowledge of just how fucked up and dangerous armand is

a satisfying arc!

maybe not a perfect one because i've just thought of this on the spot but at least it's fucking something. there's something in there that would be interesting to watch. at least it's not two guys talking about shit that happened off screen again.

[glitteringpoet1685]

I would rather they have just put dm completely in modern day than have Armand fall in love with Daniel completely onesidedly because I guess the writers thought that the mere act of stalking someone is what makes Armand fall for him in the book. If we're genuinely not going to get any of the human/vampire dynamic between them (which is sorta the whole thing with dm but I digress) why not have this be our chase/reverse chase season and actually adapt something resembling a reciprocal relationship in the qotd season.

[grimportents]

i have a post about this in my drafts, imagining what modern day dm could've looked like had they not had armand turn daniel at the end of s2. this half-measure they're doing isn't satisfying for anybody. it's such a strange decision. and i maintain that even if they decide to reveal a past relationship between the two, the way they've gone about it is lackluster and sucks all the mystery and tension out of everything

i actually really liked the reverse chase theories people were coming up with in the interim of daniel tracking down armand, searching for information about his whereabouts and stalking him for answers. it would work either with past dm--as an in-universe mirror of armand's earlier pursuit of him--or without, as a nod to readers of QOTD

the way they're currently--apparently-- adapting it is by having all of the interesting stuff happen off screen. again. why was all of the stalking happening off screen. why did we find out about it via somebody fucking talking about something. again. why won't they let us see shit this season lmao

[grimportents]

it's a new day which means it's a new opportunity to rant about how they're (mis)handling armand/daniel in AMC's the vampire lestat (2026)

i've got grievances and gripes. i may even have some fucking grumbles

i don't understand what is going on with the dialogue this season. what the hell is "that was my gag reflex at 'i'm in love you'" about? why is daniel not like WHAT THE FUCK DO YOU MEAN YOU LOVE ME. EXPLAIN. NOW.

like it's just not a believable response! as far as we and daniel know, armand tortured him in the 70s, got mad at him in the 2020s, turned him into a vampire as punishment, and then left. that's the extent of it (on the surface. who knows if they'll reveal more next season but if they do it won't be as satisfying as it could've been if they hadn't done whatever this is first)

i don't think he'd be like "ugh whatever 🙄 prove it" he'd be like "what the fuck are you talking about???? what do you mean?!" lmfao

like he has no context at that point for how/why armand would even think he's in love with him. why would he not be like "you fell in love with me during the interview? that's all it takes for you??? are you addicted to being humiliated or something?"

and after finding out he's been stalked for more than half of his life he should've looked more horrified. not just stand there with an uncomfortable expression. he should've left! he should've called armand crazy and a bunny boiler. when he found out louis knew about this the whole time he should've called them sick fucks, said he was happy to provide entertainment in their shitty marriage or something. he should've been interjecting when armand provided those examples of watching him, telling him to shut the fuck up, muttering "what the fuck" ANYTHING! anythiiiiiiiiing why's he just standing there!?

he should've reacted like DANIEL, the snarky, abrasive, doggedly determined character we've spent 2+ seasons with, not like some cardboard cut out

even if they didn't want him yelling, if they wanted a more quietly horrified response, he still should've been asking questions. he should be confused as fuck rn

who are any of these people ;-;

why is he acting like they're bitter exes?

[calliticebergs-blog]

Do they actually explain how Lestat flips from being so petty towards Louis in the next episode and lead up to them hanging out again (since even their last scene didn’t end great) or do they just move right into them being okay with each other?

They start talking to each other again but it happens off-screen. In episode 6 their friendship is more or less established.

[glitteringpoet1685]

It's kind of insane how quickly the goalposts move every week when the things that 'doomposters' say will happen keep happening and all the miraculous development that will make this season good that people keep saying is going to happen any episode now... keeps not happening.

[grimportents]

it's already happening. apparently season 3 is just here to set up season 4. which isn't a thing btw. i keep seeing people excuse underwhelming seasons of shows with "just wait for the next instalment in x years where this all pays off" and it never does because nobody actually sets out to make a bad season of tv

[callmepastah]

I am deeply sad about how this season is slowly becoming more and more difficult to watch for me. I’ve always praised the two first seasons of this show for its brilliant writing and the way the changes they made didn’t disrupt the og characters and if anything they made them more real and deep ( with Louis especially). And now what I’m left with is atrocious writing, akward dialogues not even the brilliant cast they have can save, a weird throwing stuff around with no explanation pacing, dm just being there in the most awkward and painful to watch way and a tell don’t show narration which is maybe the worst you could give us.

The reason why the line about Armand directing the play hits so hard is to be found in the fact that was the catharsis of an entire season of buildup. At that point the tension was so high that a simple phrase made of less than 10 words conveyed a powerful release of it all that shifted the narrative and the view of both audience and characters in an irreparable way. That was brilliant writing.

In this season instead even the big revelations feels bland because there is no tension, no buildup. It’s all so fast and thrown around that even the “I’ve loved you for 52 years” or whatever doesn’t have the power it should have because they are just there with not enough scenes in this season to build that cathartic feeling we should have felt at that revelation. We went from the hey son dad here monologue to it was love to this in the spawn of 15 minutes AT BEST of screen time. It’s not nearly enough for two characters who have such a deeply shared history.

I am just mad and sad.

[crithir]

I don’t understand how anyone thinks a wry “Rotten boy” about the fledgling he abandoned for 500 years is OOC when book!Marius was calling Amadeo a “horrid devil” while beating him bloody in TVA and called him a childish savage when they had a fight in Realms of Atlantis.

[crithir]

The problem is not Marius calling Armand “rotten boy.” He would do that and worse.

The problem is that every other major character on this show has spoken to and about Armand with nothing but disdain or participated in the framing of him as boring, unloveable, undesirable, uninteresting. They’ve mocked his trauma, publicly humiliated him, insulted him to his face and behind his back. The problem is that set against this, Marius calling him “rotten boy” isn’t shocking at all, it’s just piling on and continuing the pattern of how all of the other characters who are not Marius talk about and treat Armand.

The problem is that in the books, when Armand is spoken of negatively, it’s with either fear and respect for his power or it’s in a wryly affectionate way. Armand is called a devil or a demon. He “drinks death.” He’s horrible and terrifying. He’s a “vile miscreant” or “notorious.” He’s a killer, a terrifying ancient power, an angel with the fires of hell burning behind his seemingly innocent eyes. He’s incredibly beautiful and even his enemies or people who fear him acknowledge that. If he’s unwanted as a companion, it’s because he’s frightening (putting a spell on Lestat and biting him makes Lestat afraid of the power Armand has to destroy him and Gabrielle), because he did something heinous (he murdered Claudia to get Louis all to himself and then turned Louis into an empty husk of his former self before walking away from him), or because he was kidnapped tortured and brainwashed and hadn’t been groomed hard enough to make him resist falling in with the cult (Marius is a fucking prick). Not a single character in the books ever called white redheaded twink book!Armand boring, insulted him on the basis of the fact that he was a child sex slave or his sexual preferences, or insinuated that he’s just so blah such a drag has “no presence” and is sexually unappealing or uninteresting.

The show, on the other hand, casts an incredibly beautiful and alluring South Asian man in the role and then decides to have every other character—even those who ostensibly ought to be afraid of him—treat him as if the problem with him is that he’s a joke, as if he’s just so boring, as if he’s just unloveable and undesirable. And then frames it like it’s supposed to be funny and you’re supposed to laugh.

[awhitetulip1997]

Hallucination Nicki in episode four was with Lestat the whole time in the present day except for the two times Lestat was interacting with Armand in the tour bus and then later at the concert. Hallucination Nicki was even present at the record label meeting/party when Lestat and Daniel were arguing. What’s that about?

[ourholiestlove]

now that we’re halfway into it, tvl is not… good writing. the jokes don’t land. many of them are actually offensive. the narrative frames are interesting but don’t work. the metafictional elements end up being unbearably cringe. the co-lead of the season drags down every scene she’s in (not because of the actress, i love her!!! the writing is atrocious). so much unnecessary racism and misogyny.

this is not a tonal shift this is a destruction of everything the show was in s1-2

[grimportents]

every response i've seen to criticism of this season so far boils down to "stop being so negative! all you have to do is brainwash yourself into thinking these are good choices and you'll enjoy them!"

[grimportents]

this is the most annoying fandom on earth lmao

[grimportents]

yeah yeah louis and claudia but what about this one white guy we barely know?

[yuiyuuji]

So. They had one fucking job, right? One. Devil's Minion. And they fucked it up, right? Like.. this is not even a.. Ok, it's not ideal. This is a total fuck-up. This was the only thing I personally was very interested in. The thing I was hopeful about. And they just decided to throw it at us. Liek that. There is no love, that is my problem. The writers seem to do not care or love Devil's Minion and it shows. They just give it to us because the fans were screaming. But then why built it up LIKE THAT in S1 and S2? What happened!? I just don't understand. It makes me sad. All the stuff the fans theorized about and all the ideas the fas had.. were 100 x times better than what they gave us. We are in episode 5 / 7. This won't get any better. Stop gaslighting yourself. And if it does I will formally apologize to everyone.

[grimportents]

ok i have a bad headache and i'm irritable but i also have a lot of thoughts about this season so i'm going to be rambling all day and i can't guarantee coherency

it's also possible i'm misremembering things because i am really not invested in this season and i don't watch to rewatch the episodes we've been given

why tf didn't they have daniel discover armand had been stalking him by having him look into the talamasca files about armand instead of finding out through a bland conversation in a park? am i supposed to believe he's been "on retainer" for the talamasca this whole time and didn't once think to look up info on his maker within their archives?? that he wouldn't at least be curious to see if they had info on armand's powers that might indicate why people kept disappearing for him? why wasn't he more curious about this?? why wasn't he needling raglan and rashid and whoever else for more information? if they still wanted to do a proper past dm reveal in future they could just make it so he's only given partial access or whatever. or just show him searching for info on armand in some other way. anything

as much as i love seeing assad, and don't think we've seen nearly enough of him this season, why not hold off on bringing armand back for another episode (or actually show some of his connection with daniel first rather than making the mention of it to louis our introduction)

why not build up some tension with daniel trying to figure out what's going on with armand, why he turned him, why he abandoned him, why they have this strange connection that's haunting him (and which, again, we should've seen before it was spoken about), then make the park scene their first meeting since dubai. let daniel be confronted with creep shots of armand stalking him over the years, intervening in his life

let the horror creep across daniel's face as he speaks to people in the park only to realize it's his absent maker's voice, finally. have him slowly walk up to armand with dread. get some fucking tension in there so that we get to experience some emotional pay-off. there's no tension, no catharsis, no drama. nothing about this is satisfying. oh we got a little fan fic-y wall slam and then oops sorry we have to cut away and we'll just pick up one episode later with a line about how they needed to continue this conversation in a different city (lol)

this is all so DULL

how was "yeah i love you and stalked you btw. this time and this time and this time" the best option these writers could come up with over literally anything else i've seen fans theorize over the past few years?

how are other dm fans finding any of this satisfying? i wish i could!

[beneath-the-willow-tree]

I think that… perhaps… if you are going to adapt a character as a brown man, and take his traumatic history of over-sexualization since youth (which is the crux of his backstory in the source material) and make that a shared trait between him and a white character, and then treat this trait as something that makes the brown man worthy of derision while simultaneously using it to help humanize the white man and rationalize his abusive actions, you should be prepared for people to point out the racist implications of that choice.