If the project of “Interview With the Vampire” was to make these interactions legible for those of us with finite lifespans, “The Vampire Lestat” adds a new weapon to that arsenal, one that lands with all the force of a stake through the heart.

Filled with deep complexity, staggeringly emotional performances, and a protagonist who's captivating in so many layered ways, this season of Interview with the Vampire is not only the show at its best, but one of the best seasons of TV in 2026 so far.

An alternately rollicking and gutting work of apocalyptic camp. .... Lestat becomes, like its predecessor, an empathetic portrait of an immortal monster with human psychology.

Through six episodes made available for review, “The Vampire Lestat” proves itself to be the show’s wildest, most risky and probably funniest season yet.

For the third season, lead showrunner Rolin Jones pulls off a hell of a hat trick and puts a lot onto the chiseled shoulders of Sam Reid, reprising his role as the sexy, witty bloodsucker Lestat de Lioncourt. Good news: Reid is electrifying and looks, acts and struts around like a legit rock star from the Bowie and Jagger age.

Beyond Gabriella, new characters never develop beyond props, as “Lestat” too closely mirrors its namesake’s narcissism. (The band is named The Vampire Lestat and, fittingly, the other band-members couldn’t matter less.) But if you can give yourself over to his melody, Lestat repays your indulgence with complete immersion. .... It’s rare to find television bold enough to commit as fully as “The Vampire Lestat” does, and rarer still to see a performer as magnetic and multifaceted as Reid to carry it through.

The Vampire Lestat is a bit of a left turn in the Interview With The Vampire story, but it’s campy fun with good music and a Lestat that is funnier the more seriously he takes himself.