Dakota Fanning’s Two-Season Sci-Fi Thriller with an 80% Audience Score
Fans of dark, stylish mysteries will appreciate The Alienist, a Dakota Fanning-led series that skillfully blends crime and psychology. At first, it appears as another gloomy period mystery featuring cobblestone streets, gas lamps, and corseted intrigue. However, a closer look reveals one of the most thoughtful, slow-burning thrillers of the last decade.
Series Overview
Starring Dakota Fanning, Daniel Brühl, and Luke Evans, this two-season TNT series explores the origins of criminal psychology, forensic science, and early women's equality advocacy. Set against the atmospheric, detailed backdrop of 1890s New York, The Alienist offers a rich historical context.
Plot and Setting
Adapted from Caleb Carr’s 1994 best-selling novel, the story follows Dr. Laszlo Kreizler (Brühl), a criminal psychologist—referred to as an “alienist” during that era. He is enlisted by Police Commissioner Theodore Roosevelt (Brian Geraghty) to investigate a series of brutal murders involving street children.
The series paints a stark portrait of 1896 Manhattan’s divided society, where opulent mansions sit just blocks away from brothels and impoverished tenements housing street children.
Main Characters and Dynamics
- Dr. Laszlo Kreizler (Daniel Brühl): The pioneering criminal psychologist leading the investigation.
- John Moore (Luke Evans): An illustrator who partners with Kreizler.
- Sara Howard (Dakota Fanning): Roosevelt’s determined secretary and the first female employee of the NYPD.
“The Alienist examines the roots of criminal psychology and early feminist strides, set in a meticulously crafted 19th-century cityscape.”
This unlikely trio navigates the darkness of a city split by wealth and despair, uncovering chilling crimes against the most vulnerable.
Author’s Summary: The Alienist is a captivating blend of period drama and psychological thriller that reveals early forensic science and social challenges through compelling characters and a rich historical setting.