I Own the Night: Interview With the Vampire Returns

The Novel Returns to the Screen

Well, for starters, the time period of the story moved from the late 18th century to the early 20th century. While the beginning was still set in New Orleans as it always had been (mostly), Louis de Pointe du Lac went from operating this type of business:

Vampires and Mayfair Witches From Page to Screen

Something the two shows have done is to tuck in little surprises here and there, similar to the "Easter eggs" found on DVD Extras. Little references in episodes of one show to the other show. With Merrick, the Mayfair Witches were introduced slowly to the Vampire Chronicles. In their own little ways, the two AMC shows do something similar.

Anne Rice Immortal Universe at San Diego Comic-Con 2023 (Temple of Geek)

If diverging from the source material--the novels--is so unacceptable, then what does this look like to you?  Adding even a small reference to the "Mayfair sisters" in the first season of Interview With the Vampire, based on the novel published in 1976 that had no mention of Mayfairs whatsoever is a divergence.  A small divergence, but a divergence.  The quip refers to characters in a novel Anne Rice did not publish until 1990.  The Witching Hour was a novel she didn't even begin writing until sometime in the 1980's.

Of the two series, when it comes to timelines of the novels vs. the shows, it is actually Mayfair Witches that sticks much closer to the original timeline of the story.  I realized that very recently as I was going through content during the migration of this website.  This might end up being a sore spot for some, but I will say what I have to say.  And what I am saying is that if the basis of criticism of one show is that it:

• Diverged too far from the source material;

• Changed names of characters;

• Eliminated characters;

• Added characters;

• Changed backstories of major characters;

• Altered timelines, in some cases significantly;

• Altered settings and geographical locations; and/or

• Mixed vampires and Mayfairs where there was no mix before.

Then the same criticism must be applied equally to the other show.

Both shows have their strong points and their weak points.  Interview With the Vampire has been better received than Mayfair Witches.  Both have also received criticism that when it comes to mainstream media, was earned.  For all the flaws, though, there is no need to get nasty about them.  

Not even when the occasional description of one of the shows as "badly written fanfiction" leads to the other show being described as "fanfiction".  

I TOLD you the Parlor is haunted.