TV Review: TNT’s The Alienist Shows Class VS Chaos
The Alienist CONTINUES to leave me riveted, but, most importantly, pensive. If you read my last review, with each week that passes The Alienist continues to blend its observance of the forensic psychology world with commentary on classism. The result is a show that reveals sins can be commodified but justice cannot.
I use to believe that justice could be corrupted, but, the truth is, it can simply go unserved. You cannot corrupt a virtuous absolute; you either have it or you do not. It is in this notion that The Alienist thrives as a paced, grim noir that affronts those that believe you can conjure a “look” of justice through money and no morality. As Dr. Laszlo Kreizler (Daniel Brühl), John Moore, (Luke Evans), Sara Howard (Dakota Fanning) try to serve justice to a society that has abandoned the poor, the youth, and immigrant population, its wealthier, interest groups are there to stop them.
The Alienist is truly nuanced, and helps you realize there is a frustrating difference between protecting society and protecting a status quo. It is an argument we see all the time splashed across media; those that want to protect their luxuries over those that want to protect humanity. As “the Alienist team” confronts, is blocked, and surpasses this “ideological” battle, you grow with a quiet disappointment to know that a show based in the 1800’s is still relevant and poignant to how society works today. Sure, we may not be “just discovering” how to use a fingerprint or figuring out the notion of a “serial killer”, but for all that we have progressed as a society, The Alienist shows we are not growing.
I love The Alienist because, in part, it stresses me out. Not only are you tethered to your seat trying to find a murderer, but this thriller makes your nervous that you will not find morality. This could explain why you salivate at the chemistry between John and Sara. Luke Evans and Dakota Fanning play with the coyness, elegance, and the massive dreaminess of having two people fall in love. Both their characters are so intelligent and ambitious, but, more importantly, are respectful of each other for having such qualities. It is a refreshing, potential romance that briefly simmers in scenes between another, more curious investigation of humanity: Dr. Lazlo Kreizler.
Lazlo Kerizler is a growing mystery that Ms.Howard makes you realize from episode 6. We know so much and so little, all at once, on our lead Alienist. Bruhl plays Kreizler as if he was spiritually in a straight-jacket. He seems so pinned in his movements, but eager to break free over “something”. The mystery of Kreizler will, definitely, grow, and could explain his own fascination with those that release their darkness to its fullest potential. Living in a society where the rich mask their evils with charity events, Kreizler is rightful in his obsession to analyze those that do not care how their wickedness looks, and, instead, focus on how it can act. Watch The Alienist on TNT Monday’s at 9.
