‘The Alienist’ Is an Intriguing Case Worth Uncovering

Alex Aronson

The transition from book to screen can be a challenging endeavor to accomplish. For “The Alienist,” the journey has been a rollercoaster ride, stuck in production for over two decades. But now, the period mystery-crime thriller, based on the bestselling novel by Caleb Carr, finally makes its premiere on the small screen in the form of an attractive 10-episode miniseries for TNT.

Following the gruesome murder of a young boy dressed in women’s clothing, Dr. Laszlo Kreizler (Daniel Bruhl), a doctor on the forefront of studying the mentally “alienated,” assembles a small team to investigate what could be the latest in a patterned serial killer’s repertoire. Due to the young victims’ lower-standing status, the case is of no great interest to the police. Kreizler enlists New York Times illustrator John Moore (Luke Evans), along with Sara Howard (Dakota Fanning), who has fierce ambitions of becoming the first female police officer, and Theodore Roosevelt (Brian Geraghty), a then police commissioner. Bruhl and Evans come to the show fully equipped with their respective star power, but it is Fanning who has comfortably transitioned into an adult leading-lady. Their journey leads them to the seedy underground of Manhattan brothel houses and dimly lit alleyways.

Aiding in their mission to uncover the real mystery are twins, Lucius (Matthew Shear) and Marcus (Douglas Smith) Isaacson. Fascinated with the early forms of forensic science, the Jewish brothers use their primitive techniques to help Kreizler and his team as they study the forensic evidence in the mission to provide not only a killer’s identity but also the motive behind the young boy’s unjust mutilation.

In a recent conversation with Entertainment Voice, actor Douglas Smith notes that the “forward thinking and outcast” brothers involvement with the case “leads them down a rabbit hole.” For Marcus, the brother is “kind of a hot head,” Smith continues, “and he becomes a little less buttoned up about the case as it starts to hit his character a little more personally.” By the end, “He doesn’t come out clean.”

“The other real value that the Isaccson’s bring to the case, and to the show, is that you get to go home with us. [The viewer] gets to see this other side of Manhattan in the 1890’s,” says Smith about the rich setting.

The most intriguing character in the series is turn-of-the-century Manhattan. Filmed in Budapest, the period locale is lush. From the damp and glazed cobblestone streets dawning horse-drawn carriages to the craftsman interiors, everything about Mara LePere-Schloop’s production design feels very complete. The story is elevated with the added visual element as described in the historically accurate novel. In terms of source material, everything is presently alive.

The concept to delve into the psyche of a serial killer is nothing new in the crime drama genre. Most recently, Netflix’s “Mindhunter” did it best, and the small screen is no stranger to the forensic design. But in the case of “The Alienist,” strong polished aesthetic, paired with top-notch performances outweigh the slightly unoriginal formula.

“The Alienist“ seaon one premieres Jan. 22 at 9 p.m. ET and airs Mondays on TNT.