Dakota Fanning’s 2-Season Sci-Fi Thriller Is a Hidden Gem
Fans of dark, stylish mysteries will appreciate The Alienist, a captivating series led by Dakota Fanning that combines crime and psychology. On the surface, it appears as a typical gloomy period mystery featuring cobblestone streets, gas lamps, and corseted intrigue. However, a closer look reveals one of the smartest, slow-paced thrillers of the last decade.
Series Overview and Setting
Starring Dakota Fanning, Daniel Brühl, and Luke Evans, this two-season show from TNT explores early criminal psychology, forensic science, and the fight for women's equality, all set in the detailed, moody atmosphere of 1890s New York.
Source Material and Plot
Adapted from Caleb Carr’s 1994 best-selling novel, The Alienist follows Dr. Laszlo Kreizler (Brühl), a criminal psychologist—known then as an “alienist”—who is asked by Police Commissioner Theodore Roosevelt (Brian Geraghty) to investigate a series of brutal murders of street children.
Social Context and Characters
The series paints a stark portrait of a divided Manhattan in 1896, where wealthy mansions stand just blocks away from brothels and tenements housing street children. Kreizler partners with illustrator John Moore (Evans) and Sara Howard (Fanning), Roosevelt’s determined secretary and the NYPD’s first female employee, forming an unlikely investigative team.
“The Alienist looks like another gloomy period mystery, yet it is one of the most intelligent, slow-burning thrillers of the past decade.”
Author’s summary: The Alienist is a gripping blend of crime, psychology, and social tension, offering a rich, atmospheric journey through 1890s New York with standout performances and deep storytelling.