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Season 1 – The Alienist

Play trailer 3:09 Poster for Season 1 – The Alienist Jan 2018 Crime Drama Mystery & Thriller Play Trailer Watchlist
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68% Tomatometer 80 Reviews 79% Popcornmeter 1,000+ Ratings
The best-selling book by Caleb Carr is the basis for "The Alienist," a psychological thriller set amidst the vast wealth, extreme poverty and technological innovation of 1896 New York. A never-before-seen ritualistic killer is responsible for the gruesome murders of boy prostitutes, and newly appointed police commissioner Theodore Roosevelt calls upon criminal psychologist Dr. Laszlo Kreizler, newspaper illustrator John Moore and police department secretary Sara Howard to conduct the investigation in secret. The brilliant, obsessive Kreizler is known as an alienist -- one who studies mental pathologies and the deviant behaviors of those who are alienated from themselves and society. His job, along with his controversial views, makes him a social pariah in some circles. But helped by a band of outsiders, Kreizler's tireless efforts eventually answer the question behind what makes a man into a murderer.
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The Alienist — Season 1

The Alienist — Season 1

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Critics Consensus

The Alienist boats 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.

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Critics Reviews

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John Doyle Globe and Mail 08/03/2020
The theories of early, 1890s psychology are at the heart of what is a simultaneously sumptuous and unnerving thriller series, moving along at a stately pace. Go to Full Review
Euan Ferguson Guardian 04/23/2018
The unceasingly high production values mean at least the sound guys had fun, even if we and (I'm assuming) the cat didn't. Go to Full Review
Ed Power Daily Telegraph (UK) 04/20/2018
4/5
Squalor and sleuthing are blended with sadistic verve. Go to Full Review
Alix Turner Ready Steady Cut 05/10/2021
3.5/5
The Alienist is a stylish mystery drama series set at the end of the nineteenth century. It follows an unofficial team of investigators led by a psychologist (or "alienist") trying to identify and stop the murderer of young boys in New York. Go to Full Review
Fausto Ponce Alta Fidelidad Magazine 04/27/2021
A fascinating story, full of blood, romance, drama and psychological depth... well worth a second season. [Full review in Spanish] Go to Full Review
Miles Surrey The Ringer 07/28/2020
The Alienist is far more entertaining than its reputation might indicate... Go to Full Review
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Audience Reviews

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PERCY B @P.BADINAGE Jan 30 Big fan of the talented Daniel Bruhl, but this series is horrible and disappointing. Didn't make it past 15 minutes. The dialogue is awful and unnatural, and the bleak depressing subject matter and dark sets are painful to watch. How can anyone think this is entertainment? See more John F @JohnFierce Aug 10 As a longtime fan of the Caleb Carr book series, I have long wanted a truly good version done with an amazing cast and a true period production of the Alienist and Angel of Darkness. I am amazed at how well they pulled this off. The cast of Dakota Fanning, Luke Evans and Daniel Bruhl are perfection, Fanning is luminescent and extraordinary, but also the supporting cast is extraordinarily good. Everything about this has a touch of realism and the same creepy cool mystery of the books; a profoundly excellent achievement in filmmaking. I’m sure it was very expensive to make, but the result is a masterwork. For fans of the darkly descriptive and vivid mysteries, I highly recommend this as one of the best we’ve seen on television in a very long time. John Fierce See more Marco B @Mbhshs Jul 1 While The Alienist is visually majestic, presenting an excellent and immersive representation of the late 1800s, its narrative falters significantly. The script, which initially shows promise, struggles to maintain its coherence and intrigue, particularly from the fifth episode onward. The latter half of the series is largely salvaged by the compelling performances of Luke Evans and Dakota Fanning, alongside a handful of plot twists that, despite their potential, often feel underdeveloped or poorly executed. See more Georgan G 02/09/2024 Very intense period crime drama. Viewers see the world as it really was. New investigation techniques by those trying to use scientific methods. See more Michael Antony A 10/26/2023 Mikey's TV Review: The Alienist (2018) Based on the novel by Caleb Carr, the show has a mood and aesthetic more in line with Martin Scorsese's 'Gangs Of New York' than with TNT's usual output such as 'Law & Order', 'Supernatural' or 'Castle'. The three leads are excellent. Luke Evans (Professor Marston And The Wonder Women, The Hobbit), as New York Times reporter John Moore, a natural leading man surely destined for bigger things, child star Dakota Fanning (Man On Fire, War Of The Worlds) as Sarah Howard, successfully transitioning into a visually striking and emotive adult actor, and Daniel Brühl (Goodbye Lenin, The Avengers: Civil War) a constantly surprising actor, who may have found THE perfect role for himself as Dr. Laszlo Kreizler. While the subject matter may cause a few raised eye brows (a serial killer of underage male prostitutes), there is no escaping the attention to detail, the slickness of style and occasional biting dark humour that drives these 10 episodes to binge watching status. Involving certain real life characters such as future President Teddy Roosevelt adds a believability and credibility to the story, along with a tangible grime and squalor. The dialogue is smart and the crime solving itself full of clever misdirection, as we enter a world perched at the edge of a new Century, and a new science that will ultimately become, Criminal Psychology. A suitably sinister score by my old pal / Sförzando keyboard player Rupert Gregson-Williams (The Crown, Wonder Woman) underlines the mood and wets the appetite for another slice of must-see-TV! Mikey's TV Rating: 4/5* See more Gareth v @geewah 06/24/2023 A well written series that doesn't break any new ground but does enough to keep you interested. See more Read all reviews
The Alienist — Season 1

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Episodes

Episode 1 Aired Jan 22, 2018 The Boy on the Bridge A psychologist, a newspaper illustrator, a secretary and a police commissioner begin an investigation outside the law to find a serial killer targeting boy prostitutes in 1896 New York City. Details Episode 2 Aired Jan 29, 2018 A Fruitful Partnership The investigation heats up as Sara gets her hands on a clue and Kreizler tries to connect the evidence left behind by the serial killer; tensions rise within the police department. Details Episode 3 Aired Feb 5, 2018 Silver Smile Innovative evidence leads the team to discover a crucial element in the case has gone missing; Kreizler and Moore interview a witness to find out what happened to Moore at the brothel; Sara attempts to live in a world outside the investigation. Details Episode 4 Aired Feb 12, 2018 These Bloody Thoughts Kreizler and Sara discuss the capacity to kill; Moore goes on a date; Byrnes and Capt. Connor keep an eye on a potential suspect; Roosevelt finds himself under public scrutiny. Details Episode 5 Aired Feb 19, 2018 Hildebrandt's Starling The team learns more about the killer; Moore and Sara share an intimate moment; Kreizler seeks advice from an old mentor; Roosevelt takes action. Details Episode 6 Aired Feb 26, 2018 Ascension The team hatches a plan to catch the killer; Moore checks in on a friend; Kreizler faces his own self-doubt about the investigation; Roosevelt attends an event with the city's elite; Sara looks into Kreizler's past; Connor acts on impulse. Details Episode 7 Aired Mar 5, 2018 Many Sainted Men Kreizler and Moore follow a lead; Sara visits a hospital and is forced to confront her past; Cyrus, Kreizler's carriage driver, recovers from his injuries; Byrnes and Connor plot against the team; Detectives Marcus and Lucius Isaacson work on a clue. Details Episode 8 Aired Mar 12, 2018 Psychopathia Sexualis Kreizler and Moore travel to Washington, D.C.; Sara goes rogue in pursuit of the truth; Lucius tells Marcus a secret; Byrnes and Connor tighten their grip on the investigation. Details Episode 9 Aired Mar 19, 2018 Requiem Kreizler mourns the loss of a friend; Sara pushes the team to forge ahead; Moore warns his friend the killer will strike again; Cyrus seeks revenge. Details Episode 10 Aired Mar 26, 2018 Castle in the Sky Kreizler confronts the demons of his past; Moore tells Sara the truth; Connor takes matters into his own hands; the team closes in on the killer as time runs out. Details
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Season Info

Director
Jakob Verbruggen
Executive Producer
Jakob Verbruggen, Cary Joji Fukunaga, Eric Roth, Hossein Amini, E. Max Frye, Steve Golin, Rosalie Swedlin, Chris Symes, Marshall Persinger, Jamie Payne
Network
TNT
Rating
TV-MA (V)
Genre
Crime, Drama, Mystery & Thriller
Original Language
English
Release Date
Jan 22, 2018