One of the reasons why i think Armand is not as popular as Lestat, is because I think Lestat's pain is often chaotically beautiful. It's like, relatable to large audiences, it's charming in a way, it's funny, it's fun to watch and it's hurts quite beautifully. It's explosive. (yes I did just see the season 3 teaser again.)
Whereas I don't know that Armand's pain translates the same way. When Armand is in pain, he's a child in a corner fiddling with bones and it's just sad. It's literally just sad. and it's a little pathetic and you just feel really sorry for the guy. It's not theatrical, it's actually kind of mundane and boring if you think about it. Just a vamp being crushed under the weight of his life. (a horrific life, at that)
Well, that's not very entertaining, is it? not that Lestat's pain is just entertaining, obviously not. Of course you feel for him. You feel for both of them. but maybe, just maybe when the pain comes with hahas or oh-my-gods, it hits different. (I'm only talking about the majority of the general audiences here. for those of here, with character focused bogs, every single scene hits! may god help us.)
Small mild-anxiety inducing part: In future seasons, if and when we see Armand's backstory and him being done justice, it will certainly garner a lot of sympathy, empathy and understanding. People will have a greater comprehension of him and his motivations, thoughts etc. But again, I don't know that, that is the same thing as being liked. (only talking about the show here, not the book-show fans. book fans are generally fond of him?) However, its a little upsetting to know that I give a fuck about the general audiences liking Armand as much as I do, but here we are.
Additionally, when Armand is in deep depressive episodes during his life, which I'm guessing would happen when there's no one there for him to control and/or love, he is just stripped of everything. Stripped of feeling and identity. (since its usually his counterparts' desires that give him identity.)
What I'm failing to convey here, is that Lestat's pain is additive while Armand's is additive inverse. (yes, i am talking about the seething day-to-day pain you have when dealing with difficult things. Not to say that, both of them don't have full blown breakdowns sometimes, of course they do). I feel like Lestat's pain might sometimes result in funny stories in the future. We had three deaths on the banger sisters. Like how our old embarrassing stories is current - good dinner times.
While Armand curls inwards, Lestat expands outwards. While Armand's pain takes and takes from him, Lestat's pain gives and gives Lestat.
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very IMP ps: i just wanted get my thoughts about this out of me. They're hazy and mercurial and I might be very wrong.