Dakota Fanning’s 2-Season Sci-Fi Thriller Is a Hidden Gem Worth Watching
Fans of dark, stylish mysteries will appreciate The Alienist, a Dakota Fanning-led series that expertly blends crime and psychology.
At first, The Alienist appears as just another gloomy period mystery with its cobblestone streets, gas lamps, and corseted intrigue. However, a closer look reveals an intelligent, slow-burning thriller that stands out among the past decade’s best.
Series Overview
Starring Dakota Fanning, Daniel Brühl, and Luke Evans, this two-season series from TNT explores the origins of criminal psychology, forensic science, and early efforts for women's equality. The story unfolds against the detailed, atmospheric backdrop of 1890s New York.
Plot and Setting
Adapted from Caleb Carr’s best-selling 1994 novel, The Alienist follows Dr. Laszlo Kreizler (Brühl), a criminal psychologist—known then as an “alienist”—tasked by Police Commissioner Theodore Roosevelt (Brian Geraghty) to solve a series of brutal murders targeting street children.
The series paints a haunting portrait of Manhattan in 1896, where luxurious mansions stand just blocks away from brothels and tenements filled with vulnerable children.
Main Characters
- Dr. Laszlo Kreizler (Daniel Brühl): A pioneering criminal psychologist
- John Moore (Luke Evans): An illustrator who joins Kreizler's investigation
- Sara Howard (Dakota Fanning): Roosevelt’s driven secretary and the NYPD’s first female employee
"The Alienist is one of the most intelligent, slow-burning thrillers of the past decade."
The investigative trio navigates societal divides and emerging scientific methods to tackle chilling crimes that reveal the dark underbelly of a wealthy but fractured city.
Author's summary: The Alienist is a captivating period thriller blending crime, psychology, and social change through compelling characters and richly detailed 1890s New York.