Interview With the Vampire Season 2 Episode 2 Recap: Do You Know What It Means To Be Loved by Death?

Welcome to the Théâtre des Vampires! Episode 2 (or 9, if you’re keeping track of the show’s timeline) of Anne Rice’s Interview With The Vampire Season 2 just premiered this past Sunday on AMC, and wow, it was a bloody (pun intended) ride. Titled Do You Know What It Means To Be Loved by Death?, this episode dives into the fascinating relationship between Louis (Jacob Anderson) and Armand (Assad Zaman), as they share with Daniel (Eric Bogosian) how they first met, what happened in Paris, and of course, serves as an introduction to the Théâtre des Vampires.

In this episode, Daniel really struggles to navigate the new dynamic of the interview. With Armand now fully present in the conversation, he really has to work his way through what the old vampire and Louis are recounting of the past to try to find the truth behind their words. Because let us tell you, Armand is sketchy af and we don’t blame Daniel for doubting him. 

Anyway, if you missed our recap of the first episode of Season 2 What Can the Damned Really Say to the Damned, no worries—you can catch up here. And don’t forget to check out our spoiler-free review of the first 6 episodes of the second season of Anne Rice’s Interview With The Vampire here.

Just like in our first recap, we’ll make things easy to follow by starting with Louis and now Armand’s recounting of the past before jumping into all the details of the present-day interview. And boy if things take a turn in the present-day interview, but let’s start from the past, shall we?

PSA: If you haven’t caught up on the second episode of the second season of Anne Rice’s Interview With The Vampire titled Do You Know What It Means To Be Loved by Death?, you might want to hit pause on this recap and come back once you’re ready. From this point forward there will be a lot of spoilers for the episode. You’ve been warned, so tread carefully.

In the Past: Welcome to the Théâtre des Vampires!

Do You Know What It Means To Be Loved by Death? kicks off with Louis and Armand sharing what Paris meant to Louis back then. It was an awakening, a place he could, despite everything, associate with happiness. Paris helped Claudia (Delainey Hayles) and Louis heal and patch up their relationship despite all the horrors they’d been through—the war, their lives in New Orleans, etc.

Despite some initial struggles, Louis and Claudia rent an apartment and settle into their new life. Claudia starts pickpocketing strangers to keep them living comfortably, while Louis picks up a hobby (yep, even vampires can have hobbies!): photography. He really gets into it, using it to take his mind off things (probably Lestat (Sam Reid) and everything that went down with him).

One night, at a cute Parisian café, Claudia asks Louis what he looks for when he takes a picture. Louis admits he doesn’t really know—he looks for surprises, feelings, new things. Claudia then questions who he is, and he quickly responds that he’s her brother. She presses further, asking who he is outside of her. Louis dodges the question, so Claudia insists: if there were no Claudia or Lestat, who would Louis be? Unsurprisingly, Louis doesn’t have an answer. 

Claudia knows Louis needs Paris, even though she’s not as happy as she thought she’d be in this new city. She feels alone but doesn’t want their happiness to depend on each other. During a stroll, Claudia meets a dressmaker (Roxane Duran) who isn’t very welcoming at first, seeing her as too young. But Claudia pays a lot of money for her to tailor a dress. Claudia’s need to fit in and find a place is very clear in this scene. 

Meanwhile, Louis meets Armand for the first time at a park. Armand says he could tell Louis was American by the way he walked. Louis mentions he’d heard about a park where people went for illicit activities, looking for the “wrong kind of love”—where men went looking for other men. In the park, you can see Armand has been observing Louis for some time, but waits until he’s alone to approach him. Louis says that his first impression of Armand was of a boy dressed like a gentleman, but that he immediately sensed his age and power. Armand says his impression of Louis was of an awkward man trying to blend in.

Initially, Louis thinks Armand is there to kill him, but instead, Armand gives him a card, inviting him and Claudia to the Théâtre des Vampires where he’s the artistic director. And so the love story between Louis and Armand starts to write itself.

When Claudia learns there are other vampires in the city, she gets excited and immediately gets on her best dress (the new one) to go with Louis to the Théâtre des Vampires. And because Armand himself invited them, the “Americans” get the best seats in the house. 

Now, the theater isn’t packed; most of the audience consists of lingering English soldiers or a few human devotees who are die-hard fans of the theater. Some even dress up like vampires and can recite parts of the opening monologue—total groupies. 

And speaking of the opening monologue, it’s absolutely fantastic. With it, we’re introduced to Santiago (Ben Daniels), the theater’s hypnotic lead actor. In his opening monologue, Santiago theatrically welcomes the audience to the Théâtre des Vampires, with a clear warning: everything they’re about to see is real. The audience should remember this as they leave tonight because they will all be complicit in what’s about to happen. The audience seems blissfully unaware that this is as real as it gets.

The play runs smoothly, filled with exaggerated farces and death scenes, lulling the audience into a false sense of security before the real show begins. Suddenly, a sobbing woman bursts onto the stage in torn clothes and smudged makeup, begging for her life and warning everyone that she’s about to be murdered by real vampires. 

Santiago, dressed as Death in a black hood and carrying a scythe, mesmerizes her into willing submission by telling her that being loved by death means suffering no pain (this show, folks!). Anygays, the audience thinks it’s all part of the act and so the rest of the company joins Santiago on stage and feeds on her until her last scream fades away. Louis is absolutely disgusted by it all, but Claudia is thrilled. The human audience members are either uncomfortable and unsure if what they saw was real or giving a standing ovation as if they’d just witnessed the best play of their lives—there’s no in-between.

Backstage, Armand formally introduces Louis and Claudia to the company. Amid the introductions and Santiago’s pointed questions about where they come from and why it took them five months to visit them, Claudia spots a portrait on the wall and asks about the handsome man in it. Armand reveals that he’s the co-founder of the Théâtre des Vampires and one of the best actors to ever grace the stage: Lestat de Lioncourt. The fucking odds!

But anyway, upon learning this, Claudia and Louis decide to keep up with the lie they came up with when Santiago started interrogating them, claiming their sire is a vampire named “Bruce” who threw himself into a fire in front of them. But Santiago seems skeptical, and Armand isn’t entirely convinced either.

Later that night, Louis talks to Claudia about the lie they told. He’s worried the vampires at the Théâtre des Vampires will discover they killed their co-founder and kill them in revenge. Claudia insists they don’t have a way of knowing unless one of them confesses. Louis points out that they could read their minds, but Claudia reassures him that she invaded their thoughts and no one had a clue, so they’re safe. Claudia wants to go back to the Théâtre des Vampires and asks Louis not to ruin it for her because she needs this. 

Louis, however, can’t shake the feeling that Lestat might still be alive. In his anxiety-induced desperation, he remembers that Lestat used to write to a Parisian law firm for business, so he drops by to inquire about the last time they had contact with him. The firm hasn’t heard from Lestat for a long time, but the lawyer knows who Louis is and gives him a box meant for him in the event of Lestat’s death. 

Inside is a letter from Lestat himself addressed to “My Louis,” reaffirming his love and trust for the man. In his letter, Lestat asks Louis not to seek revenge on those who killed him (the irony, right?) and to carry on with his life, as Lestat loves him “above and beyond himself.” The romance is killing us, y’all! We want a toxic vampire for ourselves, but we digress!

Some weeks pass without incident, and the coven decides to invite Claudia and Louis on a hunt, feeling that Claudia has proven herself worthy. Louis isn’t Santiago’s favorite (he once offended him by falling asleep during a performance), but he’s allowed to join because of Claudia and whatever is developing between him and Armand. 

The coven rides motorbikes to a mansion where a party is happening and feeds on the guests. Louis and Armand stay outside, chatting and flirting over cigarettes. Their attraction is mutual, but Armand is skeptical about Louis’ connection with Lestat.  Armand advises Louis to keep his emotions in check around the coven and to tell him the truth when he’s ready. 

After a while, the vampires leave the mansion in flames and bring a live body back with them for the next performance (lol). As the scenes from Do You Know What It Means To Be Loved by Death? fade, one thing is clear: Claudia is living her best life, while Louis is deeply conflicted.

In the Present: Uncovering Hidden Truths

In the present-day portion of Do You Know What It Means To Be Loved by Death?, Daniel makes it clear he’s not a fan of Paris, despite having proposed to his ex-wife there. Armand explains that it’s customary for new vampires to introduce themselves to the local covens, but Louis and Claudia missed the memo. Louis shares that he was just relieved not to face the same type of racism he had encountered elsewhere, so he and Claudia decided to live their lives, unaware of other vampires in town.

As the joint interview continues, Daniel starts to get frustrated as Louis and Armand keep finishing each other’s sentences. Louis explains that after 77 years together, it’s only natural. Armand chimes in, noting he’s been with Louis 47 years longer than Louis was with Lestat. Clearly, Armand’s insecurities are showing, but hey, everyone’s got their baggage.

As they recount their past, Louis and Armand’s connection appears genuine. Armand waited five months after Louis and Claudia arrived in Paris to make contact, and even now, Louis teases him about it. Louis points out that Armand knew he was there the whole time but never reached out. Armand explains that Louis lived just 2km away from their theater, but Louis counters that after spending decades with Lestat in the theater, he wasn’t eager to visit a new one.

In Do You Know What It Means To Be Loved by Death? the lines between past and present start to blur when Armand, using what he knows about Daniel, suggests that Daniel’s opinions about Paris are colored by his memories of Alice, his ex-wife. 

In a true cryptic vampire way, Louis and Armand probe these memories, and oh boy if it’s a chilling scene to watch. Daniel really tries to deflect, but Louis and Armand are relentless, and we all know it’s only a matter of time before they break him.

Anygays, as the recount of past events continues, Real Rashid (Bally Gill) presents Daniel with Louis’ photographs from his time in Paris, taken when photography was his hobby. Daniel asks about the young men in the photos. Louis casually mentions that they’re humans; some have died, while others are still alive but very old.

As Daniel listens to Armand and Louis narrate how they met, his skepticism is palpable, adding a delicious tension to the interview. Daniel isn’t buying the whole lovey-dovey story, and we can’t help but wonder: is he right? His instincts seem spot on, making us question if all this is just a charade. When Louis recounts that Armand promised never to harm him and Armand confirms he never has, Daniel (and us) remain highly skeptical.

Naturally, the revelation that Lestat is the co-founder of the Théâtre des Vampires sets off alarm bells for Daniel. What a coincidence that Armand met Lestat before Louis and then went looking for Louis, right? It’s suspicious af and Daniel even finds it amusing, suggesting the whole thing is like a telenovela worthy of a spot on Univision. He’s bemused by the idea that Armand and Louis not only both knew Lestat but seemed to have fucked him and dated him at some point down the line.

So when Louis shares the content of Lestat’s letter—which clearly still hurts him—and Daniel wonders aloud if Lestat was the love of their lives or just a rebound, Armand gets mad. He feels that Daniel is only mocking Louis’ pain. Louis, feeling uncomfortable, turns the tables on Daniel, pushing him to revisit painful memories with his ex-wife Alice, including his failed proposals and his reaction to her pregnancy.

What happens next is a twist even Daniel didn’t see coming. Being forced to relive those memories triggers new recollections from Daniel’s first interview with Louis—things he’s never been able to recall before. Specifically, a memory of Armand’s face. It’s all very hazy, but his presence back then is crystal clear. But before Daniel can fully connect the dots, Louis snaps him back to the present, mocking him about Alice rejecting his proposal. 

Armand, sensing that Louis hit a very sensitive nerve with the whole Alice situation, tries to reassure Daniel by saying that Alice wanted to say yes but didn’t trust him because he never gave her a reason to. It initially seems like a kind gesture, especially when Louis offers to delve into Alice’s mind to see if she still thinks about Daniel. 

However, it quickly becomes clear that it’s not entirely benevolent when Armand suggests they could do that or simply get back to the interview, which is Daniel’s job. Daniel realizes he’s treading on dangerous ground here. These are vampires, after all, and while we love them (we really do), they’re still vampires. Shaken but determined, Daniel decides to carry on with the interview, despite his discomfort and his new discovery.

This new revelation in Do You Know What It Means To Be Loved by Death? sets the stage for what’s to come. What other memories does Daniel have? What else is there to remember about that first interview? We always knew Louis’ recollection of events couldn’t be fully trusted, especially after THE Armand revelation, but now Daniel’s memory is sketchy too, so we’re on the edge of our seats! Also, the fact that Armand is involved in both instances is super suspicious. We’re hooked! We need more.

But until then, make sure to keep an eye on our website for our recap of Episode 3 No Pain (episode 10) once it airs Sunday on the East Coast. Until then, stay sharp and keep your fangs ready for more drama!

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The second episode of the second season of Anne Rice’s Interview With The Vampire ‘Do You Know What It Means To Be Loved by Death’ is available to stream exclusively on AMC+. Interview With the Vampire airs every Sunday on AMC. Follow us on X and Instagram for all queer stuff!

Featured Image: Image Courtesy of AMC. Photo Credit: Larry Horricks/AMC