TV Talk: ‘Interview with a Vampire’ draws blood; ‘Doc Martin’ pulled from PBS stations

Already one vampire series debuted this fall – teen-focused “Vampire Academy” on Peacock – and soon there will be three more, beginning with “Anne Rice’s Interview with the Vampire,” previously adapted as the 1994 Tom Cruise-Brad Pitt movie.

This new “Interview,” premiering at 10 p.m. Sunday on AMC and streaming on AMC+, was adapted by writer Rolin Jones (HBO’s “Perry Mason,” “Boardwalk Empire”) and restores the book’s complicated vampire love story between Louis de Pointe du Lac (Jacob Anderson, who played Grey Worm in “Game of Thrones”) and Lestat de Lioncourt (Sam Reid, “Hatfields McCoys).

In a change from the book, this version’s Louis is Black, which adds layers of complexity and gives the story –particularly the 1900s New Orleans scenes – something new to say.

“Interview,” already renewed for a second seaon, begins in the present as a skeptical journalist, Daniel Molloy (Eric Bogosian, agreeably disagreeable), begins interviewing Louis. While this framing device could be a second thought, Jones’ two-hander scenes between Molloy and Louis, as directed by Alan Taylor (“Game of Thrones,” “The Sopranos”), crackle with tension, particularly in episode two where Molloy shouts the question viewers will wonder after a flashback: “Did you eat the baby!?”

This is a show that knows what viewers want and gives it to them. “Interview” is not precious about its subject matter. Jones knows viewers have seen vampire shows and he treats the subject matter, particularly in Molloy’s scenes, with an admirable brusqueness.

After Louis retells the story of killing a priest, Molloy refers to the aftermath as a time for Louis to be “blissing out post-priesticide.”

Then there are the period flashbacks that develop the characters and their relationship, particularly the queer gothic romance and sensuous love-loathe dance between Louis and his maker, Lestat.

Unlike some self-serious vampire dramas, “Interview” loosens up. Episode five, which introduces the child vampire Claudia (Baily Bass), is particularly entertaining with shades of “Three Men and a Baby,” but two vampires in place of the three men (or maybe it’s a gay “My Two Dads”).

The inaugural season of “Interview” will cover the first half of Rice’s novel and through the first five (of eight) episodes, it’s got all the makings of a deserving cult hit.

‘Reginald the Vampire’

The second of two Syfy 2022 series with titles that sound fun but the shows turn out not to be, “Reginald the Vampire” (10 p.m. Oct. 5, Syfy) is more competently made than “Astrid & Lilly Save the World,” but it’s similarly low-budget.

Based on the “Fat Vampire” book series, “Reginald the Vampire” is written by Harley Peyton (“Project Blue Book,” “Twin Peaks”) and follows Reginald (Jacob Batalon) as he gets made into a vampire by Maurice (Mandela Van Peebles, who deserves better).

Reginald’s life gets upended in all the ways one expects. Through the first two plodding episodes, little unexpected happens.

Press notes say “Reginald” takes place in a world of fit and vain vampires, but the series merely references this obliquely rather than diving into it headfirst, which could result in something interesting.

Similarly, in episode two Maurice is living with a guy who’s … a fellow vampire? His friend? His lover? “Reginald” never makes it clear and soon it doesn’t matter.

“Reginald” lacks much dramatic or comedic bite. Better to take another stab at “Chucky,” returning for its second season at 9 p.m. Oct. 5.

‘Let the Right One In’

All these vampire shows prove how elastic this horror sub-genre can be. “Interview” is a gothic romance, “Reginald” serves as a coming-of-age tale and Showtime’s “Let the Right One In” (10 p.m. Oct. 9, streaming on the Showtime app and on-demand Oct. 7) is a story of parents and children with vampirism as a metaphor for addiction or a virus.

Inspired by the Swedish novel and 2008 film (already remade once as the 2010 American movie “Let Me In”), Showtime’s iteration follows Mark (Demian Bichir, “Weeds”) and pre-teen daughter Ellie (Madison Taylor Baez, “America’s Got Talent”), who 10 years prior was made into a vampire.

Mark moves Ellie to New York in hopes of hiding her kills in plain sight and maybe finding a cure to her affliction. Their new neighbors are a police detective (Anika Noni Rose) – of course! — and her awkward, bullied son (Ian Foreman), who befriends Ellie.

Elsewhere a father (Zeljko Ivanek, “Damages”) dying of cancer enlists his scientist daughter (Grace Gummer, “Mr. Robot”) in finding a cure for vampirism after it impacts their family.

“Let the Right One In” features strong performances, particularly from Bichir and Rose, but it’s a slow burn and doesn’t have much new to say about the themes it embraces.

Final ‘Doc Martin’ episodes

Long-running British import “Doc Martin” will debut the first two episodes of its final 10th season on streaming service Acorn TV Oct. 17. After that, one episode will debut Mondays on Acorn TV through the penultimate episode on Nov. 28, which will be followed by the documentary “Doc Martin – A Celebration” on Dec. 26 and the series finale, a Christmas special, on Dec. 31.

For viewers still waiting for season nine (and eventually season 10) of “Doc Martin” to come to WQED-TV or any PBS station, you’re now out of luck.

“In spite of American Public Television’s best efforts, the distributor of ‘Doc Martin’ (Acorn Media) has decided to discontinue its relationship with public television,” per an APT spokeswoman. “Acorn Media recently informed APT that they will not offer new seasons to public television and will not be renewing seasons 6-8 to public television stations after the rights expire at year’s end. We apologize for any inconvenience this may cause to our audience and loyal fans of the series.”

Soon the only way to see any episodes of the show, including the final season, will be via a subscription to streaming service Acorn TV, which confirmed it will retain exclusive rights to seasons nine and 10 of “Doc Martin.”

Kept/canceled

FX’s Hulu series “Reservation Dogs” has been renewed for a third season.

Peacock canceled its “Queer as Folk” reboot after a single season.

Of local note

Lily Bradley, a Johnstown native and current morning anchor at WOWK-TV in Huntington/Charleston, W.Va., will join WTAE-TV as a reporter Oct. 24 after her wedding and a name change to Lily Coleman. She joins another recent general assignment reporter hire, Mike Valente, formerly of WLEX-TV in Lexington, Ky.

On Sept. 29 Bryant Reed, who joined KDKA-TV in January 2021 as a freelance reporter, announced on Twitter that he’s leaving the station. Sept. 30th will be Reed’s last day at KDKA. He’ll head to WFSB-TV, the CBS affiliate in Hartford, Conn., where he’ll be a weekend evening anchor and weekday reporter.

It’s been a ride, PA ????????: pic.twitter.com/erxcDjLXms

— Bryant Reed (@Reed_Reports) September 29, 2022