Draft:Is My Very Nature That of a Devil

"Is My Very Nature That of a Devil" is the third episode of the first season of the American gothic horror television series Interview with the Vampire, an adaptation of Anne Rice's novel of the same name. Written by series creator and showrunner Rolin Jones and writer Hannah Moscovitch, and directed by Keith Powell, the episode first aired on October 16, 2022, on AMC.

"Is My Very Nature That of a Devil" marks the first appearance of Claudia (Bailey Bass). In the United States, the episode garnered a viewership of 0.45 million during its premiere night on linear television alone. It received highly positive reviews from critics, with praise for the writing, character development, cinematography, production value, and performances of Anderson and Reid. Cinematographer Jesse M. Feldman received an ASC Award nomination for his work in the episode.

Plot
Louis proposes that he and Lestat only prey on the worst of humankind. Lestat participates in the experiment, but Louis still has qualms that drive him to feed off animals instead. Louis feels threatened when Lestat takes a blues singer, Antoinette, as a lover, so Louis has sex with Jonah, a childhood friend in town on leave. Louis finds that he is unwelcome at his family's home, as his mother Florence sees what he is. Alderman Fenwick targets Azalea Hall as part of a push by white business owners to force Louis and other black owners out of Storyville and take over their properties. This is the last straw for Louis, who murders Fenwick and hangs his mutilated corpse in public. The white citizens retaliate with fire and destruction. A despondent Louis hears the thoughts of a young girl in a burning boarding house and rushes in to save her.

Writing
"Is My Very Nature That of a Devil" was written by series creator and showrunner Rolin Jones and Hannah Moscovitch.

Casting
On October 5, 2021, Bailey Bass was announced to have been cast as Claudia. The series' version of Claudia differs from the novel series in terms of race and age. While she was originally depicted as white and five years old, the series reimagines her as mixed race and 14 years old. Despite these changes, her character remains essentially true to the source material.

Filming
The episode was directed by Keith Powell, while Jesse M. Feldman worked as the cinematographer. The first season's principal photography took place in New Orleans and lasted from November 8, 2021, to May 18, 2022.

Release
"Is My Very Nature That of a Devil" aired on AMC, on October 16, 2022, but was released a week earlier on the network's streaming service AMC+.

Ratings
On linear television, an estimated 0.445 million viewers watched "Is My Very Nature That of a Devil" during its first broadcast on AMC, with a 0.09 ratings share. This was a decrease from the previous episode, which was watched by 0.525 million viewers, but with the same ratings share.

Critical reception
The episode was met with highly positive critical reviews. On the review aggregator Rotten Tomatoes, it holds an approval rating of 100% based on five reviews, with an average rating of 7.9/10.

Tony Sokol of Den of Geek awarded the episode 5 out of 5 stars, praising the series for consistently maintaining high quality in production value, cinematic scope, character development, suspense, romance, and moral exploration. He wrote, "'Is My Very Nature That of a Devil' breaks rules and liberates the series to mix Jones' vision with Rice's story. It feels both revelatory and revolutionary, musical in its language, and eloquently instrumental. It is a high point in a series that has been building steadily and suspensefully." Sokol also commended the performances of Anderson and Reid. Sean T. Collins of Decider echoed this sentiment, lauding the writing, character development, and performances of Anderson and Reid. He remarked, "[The two] remain absolutely terrific as Louis and Lestat, the former rough around the edges but morally sensitive, the latter aesthetically refined but a brute at heart, using that refinement to justify that brutality." The episode also received strong ratings from other critics: 4.5 out of 5 stars from Ashley Bissette Sumerel of Tell-Tale TV, 4.3 out of 5 stars from Whitney Evans of TV Fanatic, 3.5 out of 5 stars from Greg Wheeler of The Review Geek, and 3 out of 5 stars from Kathleen Walsh of Vulture.

Accolades
At the 37th American Society of Cinematographers Awards, Feldman was nominated for Outstanding Achievement in Cinematography in an Episode of a One-Hour Series for Commercial Television. Meanwhile, at the 2023 HPA Awards, the episode received a nomination for Outstanding Supporting Visual Effects – Episode or Series Season.