Recently, Interview With the Vampire (IWTV) returned for its second season and I was enthralled by just about everything.
It is one of the best series on air right now. The writing is exquisite. Characters have layers upon layers which are continuously peeled back each episode. The different relationships and dynamics are beautifully complex, giving you much to think about. And the dialogue. So intentional, affective and remarkably poetic.
What’s so compelling about the show is that it’s tragic on all accounts. Characters are haunted by past mistakes and filled with regret. Trauma is pervasive. No one is truly content and any glimpse of happiness is quickly taken away.
Despite how bleak IWTV can get, it is absolutely thrilling to watch. The high stakes and the heightened emotions are engrossing. We naturally invest in the characters’ stories and anxiously await what’s to come. We also feel for them, experiencing a roller coaster of emotions alongside them.
Tragic stories like IWTV can be gut-wrenching but we continue to put ourselves through it. We know it’s going to hurt and we keep watching anyway. It’s a bit strange and twisted but I think that’s why we love tragic stories. They’re evocative. We want to feel and we want to be moved. We want to have a deeper connection to something.
What IWTV does so well is pull at your heartstrings. Claudia’s entire arc was beyond depressing. She was doomed the minute we met her as Louis and Lestat forced vampirism on her, trapping her in the body of a child for eternity. We then see how her parents neglected her, how she was assaulted, how she escaped an abusive household, and how loneliness consumed her.
However, she managed to defy the odds — she excelled as a vampire. Cunning, predatory, and remarkable, she had Lestat’s best tendencies. She surpassed Louis very quickly. She continually proved everyone wrong as she persevered and fought for a better life. Claudia was truly the best of them.
She even found a companion in Madeline, someone that put her first. So when the Paris coven executed them, it was heartbreaking. Claudia finally found happiness despite everything and it was brutally ripped away.
We don’t just feel for Claudia, we feel for Louis as well. This is his child. His greatest regret. Her death haunts him. His grief is the basis for the entire interview — the first two seasons. Louis goes on his own journey of self-discovery as he reconciles with the events leading up to Claudia’s death and what followed.
It’s impossible not to feel intensely watching this show (especially with the stellar cinematography, score, and performances).
Of course, the harrowing moments typically stick with us but I don’t think that’s always the point. Sometimes it’s seeing a character endure and resist that resonates. Sometimes it’s about relating to a character’s grief or trauma. And sometimes it’s about healing and recovering.
Even though Claudia’s ending was sad (and much of the beginning and middle too if I’m being honest), her strength is meaningful. Her defiance is meaningful. She stands her ground and is true to herself until the very end. She’s no coward.
She fought for love and companionship. One that was kind and honest and courageous. Madeline chose Claudia knowing it would mean death. Claudia had something every other character was desperate for but couldn’t obtain (or maintain).
As for Louis, we see that there’s life after tragedy even if it takes decades. In the season 2 finale, Louis starts embracing life again. He moves forward. He’s even wearing colour which we haven’t seen at all in the present day. That’s major.
Knowing that we all go through life and encounter different periods and kinds of pain is validating. That kind of representation is important. It helps us tremendously. We’re resilient beings and it’s nice to be reminded of that.
Through fictional characters and stories, we’re able to embrace pain and sorrow at a distance, without risk. We get to sit with and reflect on emotions that are ‘negative.’ It’s cathartic and freeing. There’s no shame in sadness. There’s no shame in crying. Crying is self-soothing and brings relief. It even releases feel-good chemicals such as oxytocin, which increases calmness as well as social bonds.
A study at Ohio State University found that tragedies can even briefly increase happiness. College students were asked questions before and after watching Atonement (2007), a romantic tragedy, to compare levels of happiness. The study found that Atonement helped participants reflect on their relationships and appreciate them more. Tragedies can illuminate more positive aspects of life like our loved ones, increasing happiness.
The researchers also suggested that negative moods allow for more critical thinking of relationships and tough circumstances, whereas, positive emotions may indicate that everything will be fine, reducing a more careful examination of one’s life.
Tragic stories celebrate humanity - the good, the bad, and the ugly. This is another reason why I love IWTV. It is utterly human. Past the bloodlust, fangs, and supernatural abilities, the characters are all just looking for connection and companionship. The need for it is so potent that it drives them to make unconscionable choices.
Lestat and Armand were both abusive in their own ways to control and hold onto Louis. Louis neglected Claudia for Lestat and Armand. And Claudia killed many people in an attempt to have an immortal companion of her own.
But morality isn’t the focus. The characters’ complexity is what’s fascinating. Their flaws and desires mirror our own as well as appeal to our sympathies and our ability to understand. Ultimately, tragic stories deal with human themes. IWTV touches on domestic abuse, racism, sexuality, sexual assault, and mental illness. Stories like these open us up to experiences different from our own.
Tragic stories allow us to feel, reflect, and expand our worldview. No matter how painful the watch experience may be, it’s gratifying in the end.
Yeah, tragedy stories can help positively change people’s perspectives about their circumstances. It definitely makes you sit back to appreciate more of what you have.