"Memory is a monster."   This season explores the full extent of memory's precarious nature. It's a burden, a joy, a revelation, vulnerable to manipulation, and something worth holding onto. Louis' story is held together and ultimately torn asunder by this intangible force. Over the course of the season, we shift between Dubai, Paris, San Francisco, and New Orleans. We float between time periods. Decades and centuries go by. Empires rise and fall. It's a complex tapestry seamlessly woven together and spun by the vampires who endure it all (and the ones who don't).   Any narrative worth its salt begins with a great script. Interview with the Vampire's second season displays the highest level of storytelling possible. Every block of action and each line of dialogue is meticulous. There's no shortage of callbacks and smoking guns. The tropes we know and love are spun on their heads. As good as the written word may be, the onus is on the cast to breathe life into the poetry. There's no question of whether or not Jacob Anderson, Assad Zaman, Eric Bogosian, Ben Daniels, and Sam Reid were up to the task. Whether it's because of horror, delight, or more often than not a mix of both, you're drawn in and transfixed by their performances. It's always a joy to watch people dedicated to their craft. That level of devotion manifests in the subtlest of ways. A glance, a touch, a smirk, a furrowing of the brow. All minuscule acting choices that make a huge impact. In an odd twist of fate, the unforeseen circumstances that led to replacing Bailey Bass worked out surprisingly well in part two's favor. It inadvertently added more depth to a season centered around theatricality and the fragility of memory. Delainey Hayles is a wonder to behold. To take up the mantle of Claudia with such fervor and tenacity and little time to prepare is quite the feat. This role has all the makings of a star being born for Hayles. In today's television landscape, Interview with the Vampire only has to contend with itself. Literally, AMC's approach to promotion has been absolutely abysmal. From a lackluster online presence to wonky streaming services. Any and all slights in regard to viewership are self-inflicted. However, news of a potential run on Netflix does offer a glimmer of hope for the gothic horror. I trust audiences are ready to receive this dark gift.