1x03 "Is my very nature that of the devil"

The writing on this episode (like every episode) is so good. I love how the narrative beautifully demonstrates the fundamental schism between Louis and Lestat. Louis attachment to his humanity and irreconcilable view that vampirism is evil puts a deep uncrossable barrier between him and Lestat. And Lestat sees Louis angst at the Dark gift as a fundamental rejection of him. Both of their hiporacies are just laid naked and bare in this episode beautifully. Not to mention this episode just brilliantly weaves in that theme about the odyssey of memory for funsies.

My rewatch of this show has made me increasingly apoplectic that Jacob Anderson hasn't been universally recognized for his performance here. Like just in this episode we see him access so many facets of Louis, his rage, his self loathing his guilt. He plays through all that internal angst so compellingly. Almost every other iteration of Louis de Pointe du Lac and the broody vampire archetype in general is whiny and annoying but Anderson conveys all that pathos with a complexity that bred intrigue first and foremost. And the writing here both conveys that internal shame with care and nuance while fully recognizing Louis' capacity for cruelty and selfishness is equal to Lestat's. The moment that gagged me the most in this episode wasn't Louis brutally murder the alderman (though I do respect that say and the pure menace of it was so satisfying) it was him arily spitting to Lestat that he'll always be alone when Lestat tried to comfort him. Just the way he threw Lestat's biggest insecurity that he shared when he was him most vulnerable back at him was undeniably vicious.

Not to mention the pure selfishness of "saving" Claudia from the riot. Just brilliant.