In Throes of Increasing Wonder...
Written by series creator Rolin Jones and directed by executive producer Alan Taylor, the episode premiered in the United States on AMC on October 2, 2022.
It received critical acclaim for its premise, direction, writing, tone, cinematography, score, production design, costumes, characterization, and the performances of Anderson and Reid.
In 2022, journalist Daniel Molloy receives a package in the mail from his old friend Louis de Pointe du Lac who lives in Dubai.
Louis later meets Lestat while visiting Miss Lily, a sex worker with whom he covers up his closeted homosexuality and whom he has affection for, at her workplace.
During dinner talk, Paul's question to Lestat about whether he is "one with Christ" angers him and causes him to almost use his powers on the family but is immediately stopped by Louis.
On May 13, 2020, AMC Networks announced that it had made an agreement to acquire two of Anne Rice's literary works, The Vampire Chronicles and Lives of the Mayfair Witches, consisting of 18 novels.
The recurring cast includes Steven G. Norfleet and Kalyne Coleman as Louis' brother and sister Paul and Grace, and Assad Zaman as Rashid.
[16] On linear television, an estimated 0.622 million viewers watched "In Throes of Increasing Wonder..." during its first broadcast on AMC, with a 0.15 ratings share.
[21] Tony Sokol of Den of Geek gave the episode a rating of 5 out of 5 stars and said, "'In Throes of Increasing Wonder' is a fully satisfying introductory course, serving up preface as first chapter.
In his review, Wheeler wrote, "Interview With The Vampire gets off to a good start, with some beautiful cinematography, gorgeous characterization and a smart premise.
[25] Sean T. Collins of Decider, called it a "marvelously melodramatic production" and praised Jones' writing, Taylor's directing, Hart's score, the costumes, set design, and Anderson's and Reid's performances.
[26] In his review of the first season, Daniel Fienberg of The Hollywood Reporter praised Jones' writing and Taylor's directing in the episode, especially for making sense of the relationship between Louis and Lestat and "[letting them] embrace their queer identities.
/Film ranked it as the tenth best TV episode of the year and wrote, "'In Throes of Increasing Wonder...' is the dazzling, Alan Taylor-directed first outing that seamlessly melds Rice's existing story with new updates, and introduces a firecracker cast led by Jacob Anderson's brooding Louis, Eric Bogosian's deadpan reporter Daniel, and the wild-eyed, delightfully malevolent vampire Lestat, embodied perfectly by Sam Reid.
[...] [It] also grounds the story in genuine emotion, revealing the unique strain Louis faces as a Black businessman in 1910 New Orleans.
