A horror series based on books by Interview with the Vampire author Anne Rice has shot up the Netflix charts since being released at the weekend.
In 2023, Mayfair Witches hit screens. Based on the novel trilogy Lives of the Mayfair Witches, it starred Alexandra Daddario as neurosurgeon Rowan Fielding, who discovers she is ‘heiress to a dynasty of powerful witches haunted by a sinister spirit’.
Then, leaving San Francisco and making her way to New Orleans to meet her newfound family, Rowan seeks to find out more about the unexplained powers she’s been experiencing.
Reviews for the first season were mixed; however, some publications praised the show. In its review, ComicBook.com glowingly wrote: ‘Bolstered by nuanced and complex performances all against a gorgeous backdrop of New Orleans, this series is easily the best Anne Rice adaptation yet — and may be one of the best television adaptations ever.’
‘A welcome addition to our screens, a dramatic and sometimes sexy saga that fully believes in the story it wants to tell,’ The Wrap shared.
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‘Alexandra Daddario finally gets a rich role to sink her teeth into and helps make Mayfair Witches strong enough to stand aside Anne Rice’s other popular works of fiction,’ THN added.
Meanwhile, many viewers also shared their thoughts.
‘Having not read the books, I watched it without expectation or prior knowledge, and it blew my mind! I’m not an avid fan of supernatural storylines, but I was swept away by the twists and turns and power play of Mayfair Witches. What an adventure!’ user Rachela123 wrote on IMDB.
‘If you enjoy the witchy, supernatural genre and keep in mind that this probably won’t compare to the books, then you should give this show a shot! It has definitely kept me on the edge of my seat and wanting more!’ leighaparker shared.
‘I thought this was amazing – it really captivated me from the get-go,’ imdbfan-677380 added.
A few days ago, the first season of Mayfair Witches was added to Netflix. Although it only has a 59% rating on Rotten Tomatoes, viewers have rushed to tune in, with the series currently the fourth most-watched TV show in the UK.
The second season was released earlier this year; however, those episodes are yet to be uploaded onto the streaming service but can be watched on BBC iPlayer.
It has also already been renewed for a third season.
When Mayfair Witches premiered, its star Alexandra shared that while she hadn’t read any of Rice’s work before taking on the role, she knew fans would have high expectations for the series.
‘I’ve been part of book adaptations and I’m well aware, as an avid reader myself, fans have a deep love of the story and characters and want it to be true to the books,’ she told The A.V. Club.
‘The idea is to go in with the best intentions and try to be true to the story; it’s why they’re adapted in the first place. It’s how we approached it.’
A year before the show premiered, a TV adaptation of Interview with the Vampire also hit screens.
It starred Jacob Anderson as Louis Pointed du Lac and Sam Reid as Lestat de Lioncourt, beginning with the vampire Louis recounting his past and tumultuous relationship with fellow vampire Lestat.
In 2020, broadcaster AMC purchased the rights to intellectual property encompassing 18 of Rice’s novels.
Mayfair Witches is streaming on Netflix.
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