The Alienist
By Charlotte Dekle
logline: Newspaper illustrator John Moore meets with criminal psychologist (alienist) Dr. Laszlo Kreizler to investigate a serial killer in New York during the late 19th century.
Source: IMDb
I love psychological dramas. Any show that can entrance the audience while also teaching us about our subconscious is a win in my book. This one is a late 19th century police procedural, sounds like it’s straight out of an Arthur Conan Doyle novel. From the trench coats to the petticoats to the general heavy coats, you’d be excused if you thought this was just another Sherlock Holmes impersonation. But, the cobblestone streets of late 1890s New York City paves the way for one of the most intricately constructed shows in recent memory. I have to admit, I had not heard of this show until I was recommended to write a review about it, but I’m glad I gave it a watch. It’s a quite intriguing show about gender politics, sex, homosexuality, mental illness, and a splash of anti-Semitism that’s set at the end of the 19th century. All intertwined in the fact that gender identity and expression that were not in line with society’s standards was considered a mental illness at this time. It’s honestly a quite gruesome show, I mean it is about a serial killer who mutilated male teenage prostitutes and there are multiple sex scenes so warning is advised. To praise the show, the costume design is gorgeous. Every character is decked out in the most specific wardrobe of most period dramas. But the costumes are just as layered as the characters. The three main actors are always present in every scene they are in. Dakota Fanning is dazzling in her complexities. Daniel Bruhl is captivating as the alienist himself. Luke Evans steals the show. But I’ll dive into their characters in the favorite character section. The set design is sinister as the camera flies through the New York City streets. The cobblestone streets, the taverns, and the building facades are masterfully constructed to convey the unsettling undertones lurking just beneath the surface. This show infuses the typical psychological drama with historical context. Like the epigraph at the beginning of each episode “in the 19th century, persons suffering from mental illness were thought to be alienated from their own true natures. Experts who studied them were therefore known as alienists,” the women’s suffrage movement going on in the background, and the inclusion of Theodore Roosevelt as the newly appointed Commissioner of the NYPD. Though the historical significance of Roosevelt has been dampened by recent events. But nonetheless, these factors contribute to setting the mood of this drama, it really puts you in the 1890s. With all of these factors, you might think that it’s a refreshing take on the hackneyed and tired police procedural show, but sadly it’s not. With all of the aforementioned heavy topics that this show touches upon, it only seldom addresses them in its intricate plot. It does little to differentiate itself from other similar shows and doesn’t really move either period dramas or police procedurals forward. It’s still an interesting watch if you enjoy psychological dramas or Luke Evans.
My Favorite Characters:
Luke Evans as John Moore - he steals the show in my opinion. Every scene he is in, he captivates. He is handsome and charming who will swoon you with only a few words and a tip of his hat. But he has many deeper complexities hidden beneath the confident swagger. He is an alcoholic and frequenter of brothels, and remains unmarried after his fiancée left him for another man. With barely tamped down anxieties about love, Evans gives a wonderful portrayal of a complex character.
Daniel Brühl as Dr. Laszlo Kreizler - the alienist himself. An alienist is basically a psychiatrist and he definitely does a lot of psychoanalyzing. Called by Moore “pigheaded and impatient at times,” he is the heart of the show. A brilliant man with a viscous temper. Bruhl portrays all of the idiosyncrasies that come with the “brilliant mind” trope that we so often see, being antisocial and stubborn and yes...pigheaded.
Dakota Fanning as Sara Howard - her character is loosely based off of Isabella Goodwin, New York’s first female detective. She is composed and determined to not allow her male colleagues to disparage her. This personality would make the character boring in lesser hands, she is anything but boring and I attribute that entirely to Fanning’s acting.
This show is rated TV-MA. Here’s why:
Sex and Nudity
Violence and Gore
Mild Profanity
Alcohol, Drugs, and Smoking
Frightening and Intense Scenes
My Favorite Part: I love the theme song. Not the song itself but the video that accompanies it. It’s eerie and really does set the tone for the show you are watching. With the jarring cuts, and dissolving structure, it puts you off balance. With visuals and obscured faces, it really creeps you out. The brash music coupled with the accelerated imagery sets the mood much like the epigraph that proceeds each episode. As the names of the actors and creators flash across the screen coupled with dramatic shots, it’s a visual that you’ll never forget.
How Many Seasons: 1, Season 2 premiered July 19th on TNT
Where to watch:
IMDb and Reddit Thread links:
