#iwtv commentary

[fluffycakesistainted]

"We were finding our way back again when the book dropped. It hurt him."

I love reading these lines as Lestat saying/thinking it, because that's essentially what it is--within a scene he fully admitted to basically making up. He won't just tell Dan or the cameras or even the “Failures” recording that the book's take on him hurt his feelings, as well as the mending of his and Louis's relationship, and how much that hurt. So he maintained a certain degree of emotional separation by putting it in Louis's mouth instead. and having louis call himself a lying liar who lies lol

[sarcsticfangirl]

I still cannot believe we got textual “Armand goes to therapy” before we got textual “Devil’s minion”

And it’s in AA my behated.

Although AA is absolutely made for someone with Armands damage. Culty origins of shaming and screaming at people into becoming better. Religious overtones. Clear steps to salvation and you can chastise yourself endlessly. You have a designated go to person.

I’m almost surprised Armand didn’t invent it.

[thevampirearchive]

Commentary on Interview With The Vampire - Episode 1 (Spoilers)

Shorter thoughts vers

Barely fully in and it already looks beautiful. Was the budget in the billions because this shit is so crisp, fuck!

Hannah Baker was out-fucking performed. TAPES RO HARRASS A DYING MAN WHO DIDNT USE YOUR VAMPIRE SECRET? Lestat would be so proud!

I am so happy this is the direction they chose — brining us to modern time, the only time I wanna hear about the pandemic in entertainment media. And all while humanity does, Louis is stuck in his high tower with some high tech ass Dubai apartment? Purr.

Nvm, Mans seem sick of it lmao. Stuck there in his own personal house-coffin (I’d still prefer a coffin, and I feel like Lestat would have never chosen a place penthouse. He’s too French for modern builds. “Louis? NO QUALITY WOODEN COFFIN?” He’d say, in a French accent, in disgust.

I am a whore for period piece and they’re taking us to 1910 AND New Orleans? Spoiled. We’ve been spoiled.

Gosh the vulgar language, I am shaking from excitement! Pls!

I know a lot of black folks hate it when they have the white say the n-word, but that ‘unhand me nigger’ comment killed me, that white man forgot where he was for a second

I too agree, anal without consent is against god (I screamed, the whores are funny)

Not Paul tryna play captain save a Ho, man’s brough a Bible Too — I love him.

THE BRAWL! And this whole time Lestat is watching like it’s forplay for later.

HE PULLED A SWORD ON HIS OWN BROTHER? That’s cold Lou, but I respect it, gotta do what you gotta do.

Lestat watching, BRICKED UP, and I cannot believe nobody’s falling in love like this ANYMORE. WE USED RO BE A SOCIETY! (How I imagine Lestat internally, as he watch his man pull a whole sword out of his Pimp 3000 Cain)

Pls not the disgusted faces on the white men watching Louis walk in!!! Fighting for their lives to not say sum — TRY IT :^b

The lines should have been “damn so they just letting anybody in” so I could have really lost it. His racism wasn’t racist enough — I predicted they’d make him a proper French (racist) but they didn’t drive it all the way, and I get why. Can’t have the protagonist calling the other protagonist a nigger after all (well I haven’t seen Ep. 2 so perhaps) but it would be accurate. I just don’t believe white ppl weren’t racist, even the DOCTOR was sliming it around and that’s the homie, y’a know?

Awww Lestat is like a tarot girlie after watching one Tiktok reading and suddenly she sees 11.11 everywhere. “Ah Louis?! I was heading to St. Louis? Hahah so you’re my saint haha”, Lestat pls you look desperate pls breath baby breath (same tho)

His French is so good!  Ça m’a pris par surprise! Qu’est-ce qu’il est français ou il est juste un bon acteur? I could Google it, but how else will I flex that I too, speak French. Lestat is actually my cousins neighbor, oui oui baguette.

LMAOOOO “that explains the attire” SHOTS FIRED. Man’s came for his whole fit, and Lestat laughed it off cuz he’s in love, wow.

Lestat is such a scorpio sun libra Mercury scorpio mars because who tells a story, LEANS FOR A SLUTTY KISS and continues with the same elegance? He’s such a slut, I love it!

The way he just had foreplay and the whole time Louis fighting for his life to not bust. Cuz what? Watching a man touch a woman that way with their gaze fixed on you only? He’s playing with you Lou! RUN (not to fast tho, make it clap as you go tihi)

Am I wrong for thinking Louis was not just mad that Lestat froze him but that he knows without much effort? He knows Louis a raging homosexual and it’s been what? Minutes? Pls!

“I’ve emptied a bank volt to sample” LESTAT! He’s a whore but I’m still shocked, I knew this BUT IM STILL SHCOKED!

He really saw Louis in the act for seconds and decided to not just stay but get a home, furnish it, get a wardrobe, ignore that it’s basically a red light district (sure there’s buisness but he comes off too french to ever accept to live near the sound of cheeks being clapped) JUST cuz Louis is there. When will it be me god?

“You are his destiny Louis”— istfg if I do not experience this soon I will combust. PlS!

The bidding war was so hot and then he placed his ring and I felt it in every fiber of my being. Can’t beleive Lilly didn’t say ‘just get y’a cocks out and let’s do it the proper way’ the way they were slinging

Louis’ idk if I wanna be him, beat him or fuck him moment was real, man’s was fighting gay thoughts with all his might (and looses, later)

His mind filled with just Lestat huh? So the gay thought’s won? I wonder if he tells Lestat that? If he does I think lestat’s head will grow too big for his hats.

Thé poker game was smooth and I love how Louis just went meh, and didn’t question the time freezing, the voice in his mind or the enormous compliment — you are worth more, king. Big ups.

Pls Not them having put and Louis bring smt to read, he’s such a weirdo bro we know you know he’s basically taking you out on dates and you love it! PUT THE BOOK DOWN AND FLIRT BACK *holds up a gun*

THE CINEMA! Such cultured lads! I love them. Out here watching while Lestat watching his snack, I MEAN HIS MAN, I MEAN HIS BUISNESS PARTNER

‘He’s not white he’s French’ — this is what all white Man’a whore tell themsleves. Didn’t I fucking predict they’d say that? Lmaoo I did!

NOT HIM CALLING HIS MOM MAMMA DU LAC! He’s tryna fit in and Paul fighting back from saying sum (not too hard tho cuz now he’s going in lmao GET HIM LIL BRO)

“What’s the nature of your relationship with my brother” All my mind can think off is ‘everybody knows… everybody knows that he fucks you’. Cuz why would he ask that? Clearly that’s your future brother in law AND PAUL KNEW! The voices told him he was amongst the gays tihi

Okay Lestat pls don’t trauma dump on Paul lmao, answer the question or politely ignore it cuz I feel like Paul has some ‘you’ve got the wrong time but the right bitch’-him and just swing cuz what? But I think he’s being pulled in so he couldn’t even move if he wanted to.

NOT LOUIS SETTING IT STREIGHT! Idk why I thought he’d be a pushover after all the dreamy stairs Lestat has given him:)

This is all I can imagine Lestat thinking as he dinned with black ppl probably for the first time ever — rich and educated at that.

Please! A Lilly for his front pocket and a Lilly for Louis to do nothing with but entertain him, tihi

Not her revealing he’s gay, girl, bffr. “It’s okay” this strange white man now knows too fucking much babes but whatever

THE ALMOST TOUCH! I had to close the screen sorry I am used to fluff only (no I am not, but that yanked me)

now he’s in his head, fucking his mind and eyes and watching him get hard for him cuz Lilly ain’t doing shit but be a buffer. A pretty buffer getting a taste of Lestats man FOR NOW! Good *gets closer to screen* IS THAT FINGER SUCKING? Even pulling away in disgust was not convincing babes, !BE WHO YOU ARE!

THE FIGHT FOR DOMINANCE! MY GOSH AND THE RELEASE! It’s like he was pretending before going full ‘yeah now after we’ve kissed and touched titties, you know I’m into it so let me chill’ and he went lax, and now they floating, fucking and sucking. Gosh, this better win an award.

No because I fully beleive being drank from by a vampire is the closest thing humans will ever get to experience true euphoria and that’s why I will not simply be turned immediately. MAKE ME YOUR BLOODBAG FOR AT LEAST SEVEN DAYS AND SEVEN NIGHTS PLS I need to feel the THRILL

That was the most romantic, tender yet agressive love making bloodsucking scene I’ve ever witnessed. I’m bricked up, down there and up here (holds heart)

The wedding! This about to be good cuz y’all know black ppl know how to celebrate!

ARGH THE MONEY TO HER DRESS! The diaspora is ALIVE!

Thé dancing! Arghhhh this show is so freaking black, I love it! Anne is probably rolling in her grave, arguing with Satan to be resurrected so she can sue. Love it here

THE THROWN MONEY! YAAAAAAAS! Y’all don’t understand! This how we really be!!!! Black folks RISE! This one’s for us!

Now they climbing a whole roof just to … see the sunset? Babes… bffr.

Awww “I love you-“ why did that sound like a Goodby! Where is HEGOING NO-

NOOOOOOOOOOOO

Noooooooo! I’m fenna cry, PLEASE NOT PAUL! (I knew he dies but I also forgot but I also was just enjoying myself and they caught me slipping. Now I’m pausing to take deep breaths…)

And that was his last sunrise? Yeah, cuz the fucking cameras.

Pls not death is boring… Speak for yourself, some of us have yet to try >:( ( but I’ll probably agree. It’s so inevitable like boo, give us smt fresh, smt unexpected!)

Not his mama tryna blame him… pushed? Babes be fucking Fr rn. Fuck sakes. And his sister not defending or nun. She probably wanted him gone and now she got it.

I just feel bad cuz suicide is a sin and still he did it :/ sad.

MANS PULLED UP TO THE FUNERAL! Lestat you are sick (I love it). PLEASE NOT HIM ACTUALLY NOT GAF! Didn’t even wear black, even tho I know that wardrobe fully stocked!

“Not here” Louis says and Lestat is on sims ‘I texted, I called, I send a pigeon and nothing, ignoring me huh?

THE GASP THAT LEFT ME! NO LESTAT YOU CANT SAY THAT AT THE WALK TO THE FUNERAL! All in attempt to ‘pick me, choose me, love me’ into Louis’ heart, now Louis ready to fist fight you in the same streets you fell for him tsk me tsk tsk. Maybe y’all should step to the side and kiss. Cuz clearly Lestat was NOT leaving …

This is the lvl of toxic and possessiveness I thought I’d see in twilight… y’all fooled me. Cuz Bella would have loved this ngl and I’d have loved it more but Edward is a runner and a track star. Lestat tho? He’d probably kill the whole town for Louis to notice him.

This man went to the burial, didn’t even wait for his obsessive fangirl behavior, AND he killed Lilly leaving nobody for Louis to turn to. Now man’s fighting for his life and all I’m wondering is why no other vampire in history has ever been this obsessive so I’d know this is how fucked up I am (derogatory) wow. Went to every fucking limits just so Louis wouldn’t know peace.

NOT THE CONFESSIONAL WITH THE PRIEST! Louis you don’t even beleive! It’s giving “Ariana! What are you doing here!”

Did Lestat not think of the priest? Tsktsk didn’t even eliminate all sources of outlet! Should have burnt the church, house, brothers and had every townsman flee just to get a text back. For legal reasons I am joking…

Nvm, he barely got into the juicy bits before man’s was dragged out and is now being devoured. (Kinda hot. Didn’t even let Louis finish)

At this point, whenever Louis doesn’t breath is Lestat direction it’s PICK ME CHOOSE ME LOVE ME. He’s so obsessive *plays obsessed by Mariah Carey*

All I see is Lestat being so angry and hurt that Louis went to confess to a god he does not beleive in before he came to Lestat. Like damn. You’d rather come here then come to me ? “Do I mean that little to you-“ type of hurt. :( Aww babes, he’s just afraid cuz once he comes to you, it’s over. That’s the beginning of a life he doesn’t beleive he can have and he’s want all of you … can’t be gay and black in these parts (time + place) I fear

Please not the stabbing! 😭 babes pls you know this man isn’t a regular man, he drank from you and you decided to never speak to him again for a reason.

Pls not the slowmo! It looks so fucking cool! Even when he eats ppl it’s so agressive and looks so painfull! Love messy eater vampires.

“I’m not the devil- but I can give you death-“ Pls why has nobody offered me this ?? It’s not fair! “I love you Louis, you are loved.” Nawl I’m fenna cry. (And I am crying)

Envious that this is not my character arch, I am stuck consuming it rather then being CONSUMED! He wanted to create an infinity Between them. Remove death AND life from the equation!

That was the most beautiful asking ever. The way their just :’) This is such a tender, romantic, loving moment. That moment was … beautiful. I have no words! I too forgot the barbaric scene (lmao as did Louis ofc)

AND THEN CAME THE NOD! THE KISS AND THE BITE! The way he kissed him, alone, I could tell he released all fears and pain he had in this life. Fear of loving a man, of being who he was, pain of being at fault for things — for his role as a pimp, him as a son, a brother to his brother, a provider for his family. The one who promised his father strength without truly ever wanting it but doing it because he was good at it. He was hurting so much and Lestat just liberated him (too bad Louis doenst realize this too is a prison, but with a nice view, unhinged love of your life and a future daughter, have fun)

That was perfect. The description of the transformation — THE HAARTBEATS! Gosh I wanna be able to have senses heightened this much! ImGAINE!

I am SCREAMING it was so quick! I’m a whore for varsity in transformations! Some vampires die and require burials. Some are dead for much longer! EVERYYING! EVERYTHING

This was dead ass the best vampire tv show I’ve ever seen. They gave me black ass moments and I am living! TENDERNESS, POSSESSION! OBSESSION, trauma, laughter, depth! Script was INCREIDBLE! These are really good writers! What a team! And the actors? Give those two their fucking awards RIGHT NOW!

I cannot believe we’re witnessing the best vampire show unfold right before us.

[fluffycakesistainted]

Louis’s main “coping” mechanisms come in two types:

1) The paying someone to sit in a room and talk with him—actually, mostly to listen to him—in an attempt at a kind of pseudo-therapy. For this, he chooses people that are convenient, non-judgemental, and who he genuinely likes—Miss Lily, and Daniel (well, older Daniel is not non-judgemental anymore, but regardless, Louis needed him in order to revisit and reappraise their first interview).

2) Then, there’s the “replacements”—stemming from his loss of and yearning for family, and in which he projects people onto other, newer people. At this point it’s been a straight generational line—Paul and Grace begat Claudia begat Regina. While in Claudia’s case, she was also a stand-in for the child(ren) “of [his] own” Louis couldn’t biologically or legally have, being both gay and undead; as well as for companionship whenever he was (physically or emotionally) estranged from (or just annoyed with) Lestat. Really, she was a lot of roles and symbols to him, which is why he became so emotionally dependent on her (‘my daughter was my sister was my throw pillow…’) and they became so enmeshed. 

It’s interesting that young Daniel attempts to become a “replacement” (guess he clocked the pattern)—“I could be your Lestat, your Claudia, but better”. Which doesn’t happen, partly because Louis already had his “replacement Lestat” in Armand, partly because he was only in the mood for some pseudo-therapy at the time.

Regina is kind of an intermingling of both. Drawn to her like a moth to a flame (“She’s calling me”) due to her resemblance to Claudia (even more particularly, a hypothetical Claudia who got to physically age to her twenties), when she questions him he initially tries to talk to her about his feelings and Claudia and his feelings about Claudia, eventually just pointing her towards Interview with the Vampire. Once she knows the whole deal, she (similarly to young Daniel) clocks Louis’s compulsion for “replacements”. But (unlike young Daniel) vehemently rejects the idea, then remembers she got bills, plus he’s still stalking her anyway, so she’s like, Ok fine. And he—the whole implication and agreement mostly unspoken—goes along with it, sans any more attempts at denying it, because it is ultimately what he wants. Maybe to try to process (role play is an actual therapeutic technique… 🤷🏽‍♀️ ), but mostly to soothe his loss, grief, guilt, etc (only for it to end up doing the opposite).

[fluffycakesistainted]

I know it’s usually said in jest or as shorthand, but when it comes to actual discussion of amc’s Interviewing with the Vampire, I dislike the narrating characters being called liars, and I wouldn’t mind the term “unreliable narrator” being retired at this point. Since the core narrative concept of the show isn’t following a stream of lies (what would the point of that be?), it’s first-person subjective perspective (which is inherently “unreliable”; the very reason eyewitness testimony isn’t as prioritized in legal cases as it used to be, before video surveillance, dna, forensics, etc). Only the “present day” is shown to us via the more typical or default third-“person” omniscient/objective perspective, through no other lens than the “fourth wall” of the screen we’re watching it on. Sam and Jacob did the most succinct breakdown of this in a Collider interview for season 2: 

SR: “The way things are remembered or told, or the way that we interpret our feelings in a past process, is always gonna be different from the reality. Because we’re in a first-person narration style story, there’s always gonna be room for conflict, and the more narrators you’re bringing in, the more conflict is created.” [...] JA: “All those different truths tell a single story.”

And “different truths” really got me—I was like ...That’s the show! For the most part, everyone’s just telling their own story (or having it dragged out of them). Within their own scope of knowledge, their own memory (and how inherently faulty that is), their own feelings and state of mind—whether at the time or during the recounting or both—their own biases, and what they feel is relevant or not. Like, Lestat’s scars and how he got them just was not relevant to Louis’s story or why he was doing that interview, so it was none of Daniel’s business (as far as we know Lestat still hasn’t told Dan about the wolves). Tangential Nicki was mainly relevant to Armand’s summary of his and Lestat’s relationship in Paris in how his abduction and rescue connected them, while Gabriella was just there, so didn't warrant a mention. 

Then there’s the context of the storytelling framing device and why it’s being utilized, in addition to why the story’s being told in the first place. Then there’s editorializing, editing, emphasis and de-emphasis based on wish fulfillment or personal/self-serving preference (Lestat unequivocally reciprocating Armand’s feelings vs the love/hate thing he has for him; Cluadia definitely wanted to burn his ass, Louis). 

And while it’s meta-hilarious that Lestat acknowledged the glaring untrustworthiness of recounting events and conversations that he wasn’t in or didn’t see just take his word for it, leading myself and others to be like, lol he’s making shit up…he didn’t actually say that. He said that “when tertiary figures appear…I will be speaking for them” (also, lol that he considers characters like Louis and Daniel “tertiary”, but within his story/“The Failures”, they are). Based on this, and just common sense and logic, clearly he’s not pulling those (story- and plot-relevant) events and conversations out of thin air based on nothing. I’m assuming they’re based on and pieced together from first- and second-hand accounts, from those and/or other characters. And then there’s the editorializing, editing, and fancifying that makes it his own personal take (even more so than placing the convo “in a bar with a view” bc why not?). Like, having Louis call himself a lying liar who lies, which I highly doubt he said, and is much more likely the voice of Lestat’s hurt feelings. And Dan bringing up “the part about him and Claudia on the train”, clearly the specific section of the book that’s stuck in Lestat’s craw the most. 

Basically, there’s so many factors contributing to the various personalized tellings and takes, and whatever holes, inaccuracies, and conflicting narratives therein. But no one’s trying to like, get one over or pull a con, or present a completely made up narrative from scratch. It’s all way more nuanced, and therefore, much more compelling and substantive than just, so-and-so lied about or omitted such-and-such. And even when there are (or supposedly are) lies, secrets, and omissions within a tale of the past, that’s part of it! All part of the respective character’s first-person subjective odyssey of recollection. And being too concerned about or trying to get to how it “really” happened is besides the point.

[fluffycakesistainted]

“...this idea that Claudia belongs to him. In his mind, he's like, she's my Claudia. [...] She was supposed to be like me...

(x x x x)

...but she was more like him.” (Jacob Anderson)

Still not over the subtext that Louis grew to resent that Claudia was more like Lestat than like him (how smug he was in that first scene, lol 😩). That's like, Lestat-level petty (the irony). All because of a sense of ownership over her, since he was the one who found her, rescued her, abducted brought her home and begged for her to be turned so she could be his replacement family, his "redemption", and apparently, an extension of himself.

[fluffycakesistainted]

"Snatching me from mortal hands like two grim monsters in a nightmare fairy tale..." (Interview with the Vampire, Part III)

Even before the turning her into a vampire/trapping her in the body of a child part, Claudia was a victim of child abduction, in whichever version you read or watch. In the book, passers-by find her unconscious (after Louis drained her) and take her to a children's hospital ward (because that's what a good Samaritan does after finding a child in critical condition). Then Lestat takes her from there, after leaving money for the doctor, implying he basically bribed him to just take Lestat's word for it that he was her father. Literally the kind of thing that, today, will get even biological parents charged with kidnapping, if they don't have legal custody. The movie bypasses the hospital, but it's basically the same thing, Lestat just yoinks her directly from her house instead. In the television show it's Louis, from a fire, and Claudia gives him an even more direct call-out for this a few years after her turning:

"...why'd you take me home? Why not to a hospital?" "You were barely breathin'." "But I was breathin'!" (1x05)

He can't give her an answer, because what was he gonna say? "I was mostly out of my mind, wanted a replacement family, and a bunch of other stuff I projected onto you that has nothing to do with you or your well-being"? I love the line "My light. My Claudia. My redemption," but the key word there is "My." He wanted her, he claimed her, so he took her. That's about it. He was not thinking about a hospital (especially after she called him "an angel"). It was a rescue that became a kidnapping the second he turned towards his house instead.

When you really think about it, and put aside the vampirism, Claudia's story doesn't sound far off from those instances of children being kidnapped and indoctrinated into believing their abductor(s) is/are their family. In Claudia's case, a major part of her arc is realizing this, processing it, reconciling it, and choosing to be Louis' family anyway.

[fluffycakesistainted]

“~Do you love them, your silent children? Do they love you? […] The Dark Trick never brings love, you see, it brings only the silence. […] They never satisfy you, the ones you make. In silence the estrangement and resentment only grow.~ [...] Go then to your silent ones. Even now they say to each other what they cannot say to you.” “You’re lying…” “And time will only strengthen their independence. But learn for yourself.” (The Vampire Lestat, Part IV, Chp. 5)

(as this gif set by @pissbataille points out) Season 1 of AMC’s Interview with the Vampire plays on this in a way that seems to deliberately harken to that passage, using it as both inspiration and thematic foreshadowing (beyond the foreshadowing implied in context). Because in the IwtV novel, telepathy isn't much of a thing, especially within the de Pointe du Lac-de Lioncourt family (iirc, only Armand uses it in some form, and it's vaguely implied to be due to his advanced age). It's not until TVL that mind-reading is established as a typically standard vampire ability—that makers and their fledglings lack between them—and is explicitly and extensively portrayed. And even then—Lestat was upset (and confused) about not being able to read Gabrielle after her turning, and mentioned once after Nicolas’s turning that he could tell they were communicating telepathically—which is part of why Armand’s later assertions rattled him with a “humiliating curiosity and vulnerability”—but that was pretty much the extent of that specific issue.

Contrasted with s1 of the show, where they milked the heck out of vampire telepathy, Lestat’s use of it, and particularly his non-use of it with Louis and Claudia. Starting with Claudia’s very first scene as a vampire, which basically lays out the dynamic and the potential/upcoming issues around Claudia and Louis having this form of communication that Lestat’s left out of. I mean, it’s all in there:

Ls: We can hear people’s thoughts.  C: What?  Lt: It's true.  C: Prove it. What am I thinking now?  Lt: Well, I can't. I’m your maker.  Ls: You're wonderin’ if your nails will be like that forever, and the answer is, yes. ~It’s a special trick only folks like us have, like the nails and the teeth.~ C: ~So you can hear me, but he can't? That make him the dumb one?~ Ls, C: *Laugh* Lt: What's funny? Ls: ~If he makes you, he can't hear your thoughts anymore. Somethin’ about the sacrifice of creation.~ C: ~Did he make you, too?~ Ls: ~He did.~ Lt: What's she saying?  Ls: ~He has to rely on my words to understand me, just like a human.~ [...] Lt: Well, I can see where this is going... Bonjour! C: How’d you do that?  Lt: Well, you'll do it, too, in time, my little milkweed. I’ll teach you, just like I taught Louis, here. But not if we're going to have family secrets. (1x04)

First of all, Louis was absolutely loving this. He was already relishing finally having this kind of connection with another vampire, but especially having a connection to Claudia that Lestat could not have (with either of them). Giggling at his expense, ignoring him when he tries to interject… Things that make the scene hilarious to me, but were probably slightly triggering for Lestat, considering. Which is why he abruptly tried to nip things in the bud—by re-asserting his status as their maker and “head” of the family, telling Claudia and reminding Louis that he taught Louis everything he knows about vampirism and still has that to offer Claudia, despite lacking the ability to speak with her telepathically; and by making the point that Louis and Claudia shouldn’t use their telepathy to keep secrets from him.

Which, of course, eventually went all the way out the window. But Louis and Claudia did “behave” at first, mainly by not speaking telepathically in Lestat’s presence—with Claudia even lightly taunting Louis that she’s “gonna tell Uncle Les you talkin’ to me this way” when he telepathically cautioned her—with Lestat next to him—as she went out for the first time by herself in adult clothing. And when Claudia was gone and Louis was in his depression, it’s indicated that he saved his “sending out telepathic thoughts of remorse in every direction” for walking listlessly around the city, or when Lestat wasn’t home (1x05).

But after Louis let Lestat move back in, all bets were off. Louis and Claudia spoke telepathically around him whenever the heck they felt like it. Culminating in them plotting his murder “behind his back”/right in front of him. “family secrets,” indeed. They were so audacious and blasé about it, of course Lestat figured that they were communicating that way. Which makes it plausible that maybe one reason—probably the main reason—he turned Antoinette was to be a spy for him (and he sure didn’t give a crap what she was thinking, so that was no sacrifice). Which Claudia then took advantage of to use against him.