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- TNT
- Jan 21, 2018
- TNT
- Jan 21, 2018
Summary The adaptation of Caleb Carr's novel set in 1895 where after a series of murders of prostitutes in New York City causes police commissioner (and future president) Theodore Roosevelt (Brian Geraghty) to ask for help from an alienist (aka criminal psychologist) Dr. Laszlo Kreizler (Daniel Brühl) and New York Times society illustrator John ...
- TNT
- Jan 21, 2018
- TNT
- Jan 21, 2018
Summary The adaptation of Caleb Carr's novel set in 1895 where after a series of murders of prostitutes in New York City causes police commissioner (and future president) Theodore Roosevelt (Brian Geraghty) to ask for help from an alienist (aka criminal psychologist) Dr. Laszlo Kreizler (Daniel Brühl) and New York Times society illustrator John ...
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Metascore
Generally Favorable
Based on 26 Critic Reviews
61
38% Positive
10 Reviews
10 Reviews
62% Mixed
16 Reviews
16 Reviews
0% Negative
0 Reviews
0 Reviews
Metascore
Generally Favorable
Based on 26 Critic Reviews
61
38% Positive
10 Reviews
10 Reviews
62% Mixed
16 Reviews
16 Reviews
0% Negative
0 Reviews
0 Reviews
The production design and costumes often speak more eloquently than any of the characters, and work overtime to communicate subtext that feels a lot more fresh than most of the text. Despite the apparent dependence on CGI, which is true of nearly everything these days, the images are still overwhelmingly tactile. The direction by Jakob Verbruggen is consistently superb, with flourishes that can sincerely be called virtuoso. And the totality of the thing can’t fail to impress.
The Alienist is a gripping, multilayered detective story, prompting us of course to want to know who is killing the boys and for what perverse reason, but also wanting to know the men and the woman who are trying to find those answers as well.
User Score
Generally Favorable
Based on 106 User Ratings
6.5
62% Positive
66 Ratings
66 Ratings
17% Mixed
18 Ratings
18 Ratings
21% Negative
22 Ratings
22 Ratings
User Score
Generally Favorable
Based on 106 User Ratings
6.5
62% Positive
66 Ratings
66 Ratings
17% Mixed
18 Ratings
18 Ratings
21% Negative
22 Ratings
22 Ratings
The Alienist plays like a time-traveling installment of True Detective--Cary Fukunaga was even set to direct at one point and retains an executive producer credit, along with several collaborators from previous incarnations--or a 19th century version of Mindhunter, still delivering in sumptuous period production values and strong ensemble casting what it maybe lacks in freshness.
Those who book full passage for Season One’s 10 episodes may or may not get full closure. The Alienist, which closes out Episode 2 with Moore at the mercy of gangland forces and their young boy prostitutes, so far is trying terribly hard to be darkly spellbinding. Toward that end, it has yet to make its case.
The early hours are mostly placid, even docile. What must have come to life in the pages of the book struggles to find so much as a spark on the screen — difficult, admittedly, through the pall of smoke and shadows that tend to choke it. The characters are bland, too.
The pace is breathless, the music propulsive, the dialogue delivered almost pugnaciously--why is everyone leading with his or her chin? But there’s also sufficient breadth to give the show depth. That said. ... The dialogue is frequently dull, when not being very deliberately decorated with archaic slang. The acting is mixed--Mr. Bruhl is wonderfully intense, Ms. Fanning stiff and Mr. Evans still, perhaps, awaiting his moment.
All the good acting here, and all the lush Gilded Age costuming, can’t distract us from the tedium of the storytelling.
A good series, with good characters and a good plot that keeps you looking until the last episode, recommended to see in a marathon.
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SEASON 1
I can't really give this an honest review as I never got beyond episode two. I never took it any further as the end of the episode has a character being **** by children. Perhaps that will be crucial to the plot later, perhaps not. My thoughts are that it was there simply to shock and build support for the character. This turns the production away from artistic endeavour and toward simple entertainment. Other than that, I had no qualms with the show, but that was enough to discourage me.
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SEASON 1
This first episode has the same grim humorlessness that turned me off of True Detective. It's very focused on atmosphere but not so focused on character, at least to start. Even Teddy Roosevelt just comes across as part **** group of serious men being serious about a serious thing.
I'm also not big on serial killer stuff.
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SEASON 1
