The Alienist (TV series) explained

Genre:	Period drama Crime Thriller
Starring:	Daniel Brühl Luke Evans Brian Geraghty Robert Ray Wisdom Douglas Smith Matthew Shear Q'orianka Kilcher Matt Lintz Dakota Fanning Rosy McEwen Melanie Field
Composer:	Rupert Gregson-Williams Bobby Krlic
Country:	United States
Language:	English
Num Seasons:	2
Num Episodes:	18
Executive Producer:	Hossein Amini E. Max Frye Steve Golin Rosalie Swedlin Chris Symes Jakob Verbruggen Cary Joji Fukunaga Eric Roth
Location:	Budapest, Hungary
Cinematography:	PJ Dillon Gavin Struthers Chris Seager Larry Smith
Runtime:	43–55 minutes
Company:	Paramount Television Studio T Anonymous Content Vanessa Productions, Ltd. Stuma Productions (season 2)
Network:	TNT

The Alienist is an American period crime drama–thriller television series based on the 1994 novel of the same name by Caleb Carr. The ten-episode limited series^{[1] [2]} first aired on TNT as a sneak peek on January 21, 2018, before its official premiere on January 22, 2018, airing until March 26, 2018.^[3] The series stars Daniel Brühl, Luke Evans, and Dakota Fanning as an ad hoc team assembled in mid-1890s New York City to investigate a serial killer who is murdering street children. The series incorporates fact with fiction by including the characters that are historical figures, such as Theodore Roosevelt, who held the post of police commissioner from 1895 to 1897.^[4] On August 16, 2018, TNT ordered a sequel series based upon the 1997 follow-up novel The Angel of Darkness.^[5] The second season, titled The Alienist: Angel of Darkness, premiered on July 19, 2020,^[6] and aired through August 9, 2020.

Premise

The first season is set in 1896, when a series of gruesome murders of boy prostitutes has gripped New York City. Newly appointed police commissioner Teddy Roosevelt calls upon Dr. Laszlo Kreizler, a criminal psychiatrist, and John Moore, a newspaper illustrator, to conduct the investigation in secret. Joining them in the probe is Sara Howard, Roosevelt's headstrong secretary, as well as twin brothers Marcus and Lucius Isaacson, both detective sergeants in the New York City Police Department (NYPD).

The team finds opposition within the NYPD, primarily from Captain Connor and the recently retired Chief Byrnes, both of whom are more committed to protecting the reputations of New York's high society than they are to finding the perpetrators of the crimes; as well as from the working poor and lower class citizens who distrust them for being outsiders.

In the second season, set a year later, Sara has opened a private detective agency. She, Kreizler, and Moorenow a New York Times reporterteam up to find the Spanish consul's kidnapped infant daughter. Their investigation puts them on a path of another elusive killer, while showcasing institutional corruption, income inequality, yellow journalism, and the role of women in 1890s society.

Cast

Main

• Daniel Brühl as Laszlo Kreizler, an alienist (or psychiatrist)^[7] who has focused recently on children suffering from mental illnesses, called upon by his former Harvard classmate Theodore Roosevelt to try to understand the psychology behind grisly child murders. He is Hungarian and comes from a well-off family. He lives alone save for his maid, valet, and stable boy. He has a lame arm, and frequently seeks out the insight of former patients and criminals for help with his investigations and research.
• Luke Evans as John Schuyler Moore, a New York Times cartoonist and illustrator, as well as a society man who attended Harvard with Kreizler and Roosevelt. He lives with his grandmother, and is estranged from his father following the drowning death of his brother. He is handsome and charming, but is an alcoholic and frequenter of brothels, and remains unmarried after his fiancée left him for another man. Like Roosevelt, he has known Sara since she was young.
• Brian Geraghty as Theodore Roosevelt (season 1), the newly appointed commissioner of the NYPD. He is portrayed as commanding respect from certain people, but remains malleable by society's most venerable as well as veteran NYPD officers. He attended Harvard with Kreizler and Moore, both of whom he calls upon to mount a secret, parallel investigation into the child murders. He employs Sara Howard as his secretary, having known her father, and thinks highly of her.
• Robert Ray Wisdom as Cyrus Montrose, Kreizler's valet whom he employed after testifying on Cyrus' behalf during a murder trial
• Douglas Smith as Marcus Isaacson, a young Jewish detective sergeant with the NYPD whom Roosevelt enlists to work with Kreizler, Moore, and Howard. He is Lucius' twin brother, and like his brother, is well versed in science and general crime scene investigation. He becomes involved with a Jewish socialist.
• Matthew Shear as Lucius Isaacson, Marcus' twin brother and another detective sergeant with the NYPD. He is much more cautious and restrained than Marcus, and eager to utilize the latest scientific techniques to solve crimes.
• Q'orianka Kilcher as Mary Palmer (season 1), Kreizler's maid. Like Cyrus, she was taken in by Kreizler after she was acquitted for murder. She is mute and uses sign language to communicate, and has an affection for Kreizler.
• Matt Lintz (season 1) and Dominic Herman-Day (season 2) as Stevie Taggert, a youthful ward and stable boy of Kreizler's who often assists Cyrus, and gets involved in the team's investigation
• Dakota Fanning as Sara Howard, a young society woman who becomes Roosevelt's secretary and the first woman employed by the NYPD. She spent time in a sanitarium after the death of her father, whom Roosevelt and Moore both knew. She is composed and determined to not allow her male colleagues to disparage her. She gets involved with the team as a liaison between Roosevelt and Kreizler and Moore. By the start of the second season, she has left the NYPD and opened her own private detective agency. The character is loosely based upon the story of Isabella Goodwin, New York's first female detective.^[8]
• Rosy McEwen as Libby Hatch (season 2),^[9] a young nurse at the Lying In Hospital
• Melanie Field as Bitsy Sussman (season 2),^[9] Sara's assistant at the detective agency

Recurring

• Ted Levine as Thomas F. Byrnes, a retired police chief who steers Connor toward protecting the rich and wealthy from being persecuted for their crimes and indiscretions
• Martin McCreadie as Doyle, a police sergeant who works with Connor and is promoted to captain following Connor's departure from the NYPD

In season 1

• David Wilmot as Captain Connor,^[10] an Irish police officer who dislikes Roosevelt and who tries to subvert the team's investigations at every possible turn
• Antonio Magro as Paul Kelly,^[11] a mobster who runs a brothel frequented by high society men
• Jackson Gann as Joseph,^[12] a young boy who works at a brothel and who endears himself to Moore
• Michael Ironside as J.P. Morgan, a financier and banker. He uses Connor and Byrnes as his muscle to enforce protecting his fellow members of high society.
• Sean Young as Mrs. Van Bergen, the matriarch of the fictional van Bergen family. She is generally unperturbed by rumors about her son's actions, but nonetheless is compelled by Byrnes to take action to protect him.
• Josef Altin as Willem Van Bergen, a young man who preys on prepubescent boys. He suffers from syphilis.
• Peter McRobbie as William Lafayette Strong, the mayor of New York City from 1895 to 1897. He echoes Morgan and Byrnes' concerns for the city's upper crust.
• Bill Heck as John Beecham, a former Plains resident now living in New York

In season 2

• Matt Letscher as William Randolph Hearst, the editor of the New York Journal
• Michael McElhatton as Dr. Markoe, director of the Lying In Hospital
• Heather Goldenhersh as Matron, the head nurse at the Lying In Hospital
• Emily Barber as Violet Hayward, John's fiancée, who is Hearst's goddaughter
• Bruna Cusí as Señora Isabella Linares, the Spanish mother of a missing baby
• Brittany Marie Batchelder as Joanna Crawford, Cyrus's niece, a trained reporter who runs a seedy bar
• Georgia Lowe as Milly, another assistant to Sara at the agency
• Diego Martín as Narciso Linares, the Spanish ambassador-general
• Demetri Goritsas as Bernie Peterson, John's editor at The New York Times
• Frederick Schmidt as "Goo Goo" Knox, a street criminal who is Libby's lover
• Lara Pulver as Karen Stratten, a professor of psychology with interests similar to Kreizler's
• Gavin O'Connor as Murphy, a detective at the NYPD
• Peter Coonan as Ding Dong, a henchman of Goo Goo Knox.

Production

Development

In April 2015, it was reported that Paramount Television would adapt The Alienist as an event television series in partnership with Anonymous Content. Paramount also announced that Eric Roth had come on board the project as an executive producer, as had Hossein Amini as both writer for the series and executive producer. It also announced that Cary Fukunaga would direct all the episodes and serve as an executive producer.^[13]

In May 2015, it was reported that TNT had made a deal to produce the series at $5million per episode.^[14] In July 2015, writer and director John Sayles announced on his blog that he was joining the series as a writer.^[15] On July 21, 2015, Caleb Carr made an announcement that he was coming on board the series as a consulting producer.^[16]

In September 2016, director Jakob Verbruggen replaced Fukunaga as director due to scheduling conflicts, though Fukunaga remained an executive producer.^[17]

Casting

On November 28, 2016, it was reported that Daniel Brühl was cast as Dr. Laszlo Kreizler and Luke Evans as John Moore.^[18] Dakota Fanning was later cast as Sara Howard on January 14, 2017.^[19] On February 8, 2017, it was reported that Robert Wisdom was cast as Cyrus Montrose and Q'orianka Kilcher as Mary Palmer.^[20] Matt Lintz was cast as Stevie Taggert on February 15, 2017.^[21] On February 17, 2017, it was reported that Matthew Shear joined the cast as Lucius Isaacson.^[22] Douglas Smith was cast as Marcus Isaacson and Ted Levine as Thomas F. Byrnes on February 28, 2017.^[23] It was reported that Emanuela Postacchini was cast as Flora on March 17, 2017.^[24] On April 19, 2017, it was reported that Brian Geraghty was cast as Theodore Roosevelt.^[25]

Episodes

Season 2: Angel of Darkness (2020)

Broadcast

International rights for the series were acquired by Netflix.^[26]

Reception

Critical response

On review aggregator Rotten Tomatoes, the first season has an approval rating of 67% based on 78 reviews, with an average rating of 6.86/10; the site's consensuses states, "The Alienist boasts an impressive cast and superb production design, but a sluggish pace and too many tropes keep it from truly standing out in an overcrowded genre."^[27] On Metacritic, the first season has a weighted average score of 61 out of 100, based on 26 critics, indicating "generally favorable reviews".^[28]

In the second season, Rotten Tomatoes has an approval rating of 81% based on 16 reviews, with an average rating of 7.03/10; the site's consensuses states, "Tense and thrilling, if not terribly distinct, Angel of Darkness takes The Alienist in a darker direction while giving the superb Dakota Fanning more time to shine."^[29] On Metacritic, the second season has a weighted average score of 55 out of 100, based on 5 critics, indicating "mixed or average reviews".^[30]

Ratings

Season 2

Accolades

	Award	Category	Nominee(s)	Result
2018	Primetime Emmy Awards	Outstanding Cinematography for a Limited Series or Movie	data-sort-value="Dillon, PJ"	PJ Dillon (for "The Boy on the Bridge")		^[31]
		Outstanding Limited Series	data-sort-value="Alienist, The"	The Alienist
		Outstanding Main Title Design	data-sort-value="Wall, Angus"	Angus Wall, Lisa Bolan, Yongsub Song, Charles Khoury, Heidi Berg, Felix Soletic
		Outstanding Period Costumes	data-sort-value="Kaplan, Michael"	Michael Kaplan, Rudy Mance, Beáta Merkovits, Andrew Hunt (for "A Fruitful Partnership")
		Outstanding Production Design for a Narrative Period or Fantasy Program (One Hour or More)	data-sort-value="LePere-Schloop, Mara, Bill Crutcher"	Mara LePere-Schloop, Bill Crutcher, Karl Probert, Alice Baker (for "The Boy on the Bridge")
		Outstanding Special Visual Effects in a Supporting Role	data-sort-value="Houston, Kent, Wendy Garfinkle, Tim Barter"	Kent Houston, Wendy Garfinkle, Tim Barter, Rasik Gorecha, Martin Lake, Doug Larmour, Alison Griffiths, Steve Murgatroyd, Harin Hirani (for "The Boy on the Bridge")
	Saturn Awards	Best Action-Thriller Television Series	data-sort-value="Alienist, The"	The Alienist		^[32]
		Best Supporting Actress on Television	data-sort-value="Fanning, Dakota"	Dakota Fanning
	Golden Trailer Awards	Best Drama TV Spot (Trailer/Teaser) for a Series	TNT, Zealot (for "Game")		^[33]
		Best Horror/Thriller TV Spot (Trailer/Teaser) for a Series	TNT, Trailer Park, Inc. (for "Monster" Trailer)
2019	Art Directors Guild Awards	Excellence in Production Design for a Television Movie or Limited Series	data-sort-value="LePere-Schloop, Mara, Karl Probert"	Mara LePere-Schloop, Karl Probert, Bill Crutcher, Robert Cowper, Zsuzsanna Borvendég, et al.		^[34]
	British Academy Television Craft Awards	Best Special, Visual & Graphic Effects	data-sort-value="Houston, Kent, Asa Shoul, Peerless, Freefolk"	Kent Houston, Asa Shoul, Peerless, Freefolk		^[35]
	Golden Globe Awards	Best Actor – Miniseries or Television Film	data-sort-value="Brühl, Daniel"	Daniel Brühl		^[36]
		Best Miniseries or Television Film	data-sort-value="Alienist, The'	The Alienist
	Satellite Awards	Best Actor in a Miniseries or TV Film	data-sort-value="Brühl, Daniel"	Daniel Brühl		^[37]
		Best Actress in a Miniseries or TV Film	data-sort-value="Fanning, Dakota"	Dakota Fanning
	Visual Effects Society Awards	Outstanding Supporting Visual Effects in a Photoreal Episode	data-sort-value="Houston, Kent, Wendy Garfinkle, Steve Murgatroyd"	Kent Houston, Wendy Garfinkle, Steve Murgatroyd, Drew Jones, Paul Stephenson (for "The Boy on the Bridge")		^[38]
	Costume Designers Guild Awards	Excellence in Period Television	Michael Kaplan		^[39]
	MPSE Golden Reel Awards	Outstanding Achievement in Sound Editing – Episodic Short Form – Music	Andrew Glen, Alistair Hawkins, and Fiona Cruickshank (for "A Fruitful Partnership")		^[40]
	ICG Publicists Awards	Maxwell Weinberg Publicist Showmanship Television Award	Gabriela Zapata		^[41]
2021	Art Directors Guild Awards	Excellence in Production Design for a Television Movie or Limited Series	Ruth Ammon		^[42]
	MPSE Golden Reel Awards	Outstanding Achievement in Sound Editing – Episodic Short Form – Effects/Foley	Matthew Skelding, Al Sirkett, Tom Jenkins, Mathias Schuster, Barnaby Smyth (for "Belly of the Beast")		^[43]
		Outstanding Achievement in Sound Editing – Episodic Short Form – Music	Alistair Hawkins (for "Belly of the Beast")
	Canadian Cinema Editors Awards	Best Editing in TV Drama	Jay Prychidny and Liyana Mansor (for "Gilded Cage")		^[44]

Notes and References

1. Web site: TNT's The Alienist Doesn't Have to Be a Limited Series . TV Guide . Megan . Vick . January 11, 2018 . January 29, 2018.
2. Web site: The Alienist Premiere Brings Gilded Touch to Paramount Backlot . Variety . Cynthia . Littleton . ...the long-awaited limited series adaptation of The Alienist. . January 12, 2018 . January 29, 2018.
3. Web site: The Alienist Series Finale Recap: "His Awful Mystery" . The New York Times . Sean T. . Collins . March 26, 2018 . April 23, 2018.
4. Web site: The Alienist on Netflix: Was Theodore Roosevelt really New York's police commissioner? . Daily Express . Neela . Debnath . April 21, 2018 . April 27, 2018.
5. Web site: The Alienist Sequel Angel of Darkness Ordered at TNT, Lead Cast to Return . Dave . Nemetz . . August 16, 2018 . August 16, 2018.
6. Web site: Alienist Season 2 Premiere Moved Up, Will Air Two Episodes Every Sunday . Matt Webb . Mitovich . . June 18, 2020 . June 18, 2020.
7. Web site: Definition of ALIENIST.
8. News: The True Story Behind Dakota Fanning's Serial Killer Show, The Alienist . Purdom . Gwendolyn . POPSUGAR Entertainment . August 10, 2018 . en-US.
9. Web site: Melanie Field & Rosy McEwen Join TNT's Alienist Sequel The Angel Of Darkness . Deadline . Denise . Petski . June 3, 2019 . July 20, 2020.
10. Web site: The Alienist Is the Grisliest Period Drama Yet . The Atlantic . Sophie . Gilbert . January 22, 2018 . April 23, 2018.
11. Web site: The Alienist: Antonio Magro to Recur on TNT's New Series . tvseriesfinale.com . May 28, 2018 . March 14, 2017.
12. Web site: The Alienist Casting Notes . Tumblr . November 24, 2017.
13. Web site: Cary Fukunaga Behind Event TV Series The Alienist Reteaming with Anonymous Content & Paramount . . Ali . Jaafar . April 14, 2015 . December 12, 2015.
14. Web site: The Alienist Lands Big Bucks Series Order from TNT . Variety . Cynthia . Littleton . May 13, 2015 . December 12, 2015.
15. Web site: John Joins All-Star Writing/Producing Team for Series Based on The Alienist . John . Sayles . July 22, 2015 . November 24, 2017.
16. Web site: The Alienist Author Caleb Carr Boards TNT Series as Consulting Producer . Variety . Elizabeth . Wagmeister . After twenty years of tough struggle and countless failed attempts, I'm delighted that Paramount Television, Anonymous Content and TNT have decided to join forces and bring The Alienist to life in what, based on the material I've read, has the potential to be a faithful and exciting TV series. The array of talent already gathered for the project, for whom I'm pleased to be acting as consultant producer, is deeply impressive: Cary Fukunaga, Eric Roth, Hossein Amini, Gina Gionfriddo, E. Max Frye and the legendary John Sayles seem determined to do what many people said couldn't be done: adapt the story in the Alienist for live action in a way that both preserves the intellectual and historical integrity of the tale, while adding a gripping cinematic dimension to it. It's my hope and expectation that, working together, we can all make this effort meet the standard expected by the very patient fans of the book, whose loyalty I consider a trust that I personally will do everything I can to protect. . July 21, 2015 . December 12, 2015.
17. Web site: The Alienist: Jakob Verbuggen Replaces Cary Fukunaga as Director of TNT Series . TV Series Finale . Cindy . McLehman . September 26, 2016 . September 30, 2016.
18. Web site: The Alienist: Daniel Brühl & Luke Evans Cast in TNT Drama Series . Deadline Hollywood . Denise . Petski . November 28, 2016 . November 28, 2016.
19. Web site: Dakota Fanning to Star in TNT Drama Series The Alienist – TCA . Deadline Hollywood . Nellie . Andreeva . January 14, 2017 . January 14, 2017.
20. Web site: The Alienist: Robert Wisdom & Q'orianka Kilcher Cast in TNT Drama Series . Deadline Hollywood . Erik . Pedersen . February 8, 2017 . February 8, 2017.
21. Web site: TV News Roundup: Matt Lintz Joins The Alienist as Series Regular, Cloak & Dagger Adds to Cast . Variety . Dani . Levy . February 15, 2017 . February 25, 2017.
22. Web site: Casual Casts Maya Erskine for Season 3; Matthew Shear Joins The Alienist . Deadline Hollywood . Denise . Petski . February 17, 2017 . February 25, 2017.
23. Web site: The Alienist: Douglas Smith Cast as Regular, Ted Levine as Recurring in TNT Series . Deadline Hollywood . Patrick . Hipes . February 28, 2017 . February 28, 2017.
24. Al Sapienza Joins Amazon's Tom Clancy's Jack Ryan; Emanuela Postacchini in The Alienist . Deadline Hollywood . Erik . Pedersen . March 17, 2017 . March 17, 2017.
25. Web site: The Alienist: Brian Geraghty Replaces Sean Astin in TNT Series . Deadline Hollywood . Nellie . Andreeva . April 19, 2017 . April 19, 2017.
26. Web site: Netflix Finalising Global Deal for TNT's Caleb Carr Adaptation The Alienist . TVWise . Patrick . Munn . February 15, 2017 . August 23, 2017.
27. Web site: The Alienist: Season 1 (2018) . Rotten Tomatoes . August 12, 2020.
28. Web site: The Alienist: Season 1 . Metacritic . July 20, 2020.
29. Web site: The Alienist: Season 2 (2020) . Rotten Tomatoes . August 12, 2020.
30. Web site: The Alienist: Season 2 . Metacritic . July 27, 2020.
31. News: Emmys.com list of 2018 Nominees & Winners . July 14, 2018.
32. Web site: Black Panther, Walking Dead Rule Saturn Awards Nominations . Variety . Dave . McNary . March 15, 2018 . March 15, 2018.
33. Web site: GTA19 Program Book (2018) – Golden Trailer Awards. August 29, 2021. goldentrailer.com.
34. Web site: ADG Awards Winner & Nominees. August 29, 2021. adg.org. en.
35. Web site: March 28, 2019. BAFTA Television 2019: Winners of the Virgin Media British Academy Television Awards + British Academy Television Craft Awards. August 29, 2021. www.bafta.org. en.
36. Web site: The Alienist . May 24, 2020 . GoldenGlobes.com.
37. Web site: 2018 Awards Nominees . International Press Academy . December 11, 2018 . November 29, 2018 . https://web.archive.org/web/20181129220303/http://www.pressacademy.com/2018-nominees/ . dead .
38. Web site: Hipes . Patrick . VES Awards Nominations: Avengers, Lost In Space Lead Pack . Deadline Hollywood . January 15, 2019 . January 15, 2019.
39. Web site: 21st CDGA (2019) – Costume Designers Guild, I.A.T.S.E. Local 892. August 29, 2021. en-US.
40. Web site: January 29, 2019. MPSE Announces Golden Reel Noms. August 29, 2021. ProSoundNetwork.com. en-US.
41. Web site: . February 22, 2019. 'Crazy Rich Asians,' 'The Late Show with Stephen Colbert' Feted at 2019 Publicists Awards. August 29, 2021. The Hollywood Reporter. en-US.
42. Web site: Art Directors Guild Awards 2021: Full List of Nominations . . Jazz . Tangcay . February 25, 2021 . March 9, 2021.
43. Web site: Sound Editors Nominate Wonder Woman, Sound Of Metal, Tenet & Others For Golden Reel Awards – Full List . Deadline . Erik . Pedersen . March 1, 2021 . March 2, 2021 . March 1, 2021 . https://web.archive.org/web/20210301182122/https://deadline.com/2021/03/golden-reel-awards-2021-nominations-sound-editors-mpse-1234704003/ . live.
44. Web site: June 14, 2021. 11th Annual CCE Awards Nominees and Winners » Canadian Cinema Editors / Les Monteurs et Monteuses de cinéma canadien. August 29, 2021. Canadian Cinema Editors / Les Monteurs et Monteuses de cinéma canadien. en-CA.