When The Alienist aired on TNT in 2018, the reception was generally mixed as it failed to compare favorably to some of the top-tier prestige dramas of recent memory. Yet, this story about about criminal pathology during the late Gilded Age offered a a suspense-filled murder mystery with compelling characters which made for a pleasant enough use of your time. It has been a long journey to a follow-up season, but the team is back once again for The Alienist: Angel of Darkness. This new subtitle works to signal a sense of rebirth in various ways. Most practically, this story is one that is tackling a new novel in the series by author Caleb Carr, which itself allows this to feel more like a sequel to the inaugural entry rather than a straight continuation. Beyond that, it is a subtle hint that there is a renewed energy behind the scenes, as this installment comes equipped with a new showrunner and primary directors. The show learned a lot from its first time out in the world, and this second season looks to improve upon it in nearly every way imaginable.
It is a year after the events of the first season and a great many things have changed. Its 1897 and Dr. Laszlo Kreizler (Daniel Brühl, The Falcon and Winter Soldier) is still putting his skills as an alienist to good use – that’s basically a criminal psychologist for those coming into this story blind. One notable omission to this season is the departure of Teddy Roosevelt, who was never made as compelling of a figure in this series as he could have been. This frees up the ambitious Sara Howard (Dakota Fanning) to take the next impressive step in her journey by running her own detective agency. The first batch of episodes found Sara as the first female employee of the NYPD, and this season finds the narrative leaning into the groundbreaking nature of this arc. The dynamic she has with John Moore (Luke Evans) is slightly different after turning down his proposal, but their lives are still very much intertwined despite his departure to write at the New York Times, not to mention a further odyssey into the world of high society politics.
The first season of The Alienist pushed the boundaries of what audiences were used to seeing on cable television in terms of grotesque imagery. The series retains its darkness with the opening gauntlet of dead baby imagery and only continues on as another baby is kidnapped in what Sara believes is a likely serial killer. This goes hand in hand with a disturbing, likely wrongful execution of a woman accused of murdering her child, which protests from Sara and Laszlo cannot halt. The trio are reunited from their respective paths to embark on a perilous, soul-draining excursion to discover who is taking these babies and how to stop them. The larger picture of what this season is exploring, though, is the fight for female agency in this time period. From the previously mentioned execution that is predicated on the ineptitude of men to the everyday dehumanization of women that put them at a stark disadvantage in society, the topic is broached with force as led by a greatly-improved Dakota Fanning. The great strength of this show is that it never feels like it is trying to teach you something as it weaves in topics of wealth and gender inequality into its grand mystery.
The rise of Sara does leave Laszlo with a slight diminishment of screen time compared to the previous season, but one could argue that he has always been a figure that works better when used judiciously. The addition of a female alienist portrayed with zeal by Lara Palver helps alleviate some of the heavy darkness that comes with the territory. The witty repartee she exchanges with Laszlo are some of the best bits of the season. For fans of Sara and John, there is a great deal that arises between these two over these eight episodes that will make for great conversation fodder. It is this eight-episode number that might account for the bump in quality afforded to this outing. The structure of the season feels more tightly coordinated with a greater emphasis on character development. The only victim of this lower episode count would perhaps be the somewhat clumsy way the story attempts to handle some of the various social issues on its plate, as not every storyline is given the consideration it deserves. Angel of Darkness gets credit, though, for taking a decent season of television and learning the right lessons to make something more worthwhile. If the trajectory continues, audiences should be on the lookout for something stellar if this show ever gets a third go-around.
Video Quality
The Alienist: Angel of Darkness comes to Blu-Ray with an excellent 1080p presentation in 2.00:1 that handles all of the various darker settings with ease. This is a very dark show, both thematically and visually, which allows the show to build tension within the mystery. This presentation provides incredibly deep black levels that handle subtle details really well. With a quick comparison to the streaming option, the Blu-Ray disc holds up slightly better in the depth of field during these scenes, and quite a bit better in digital artifacting. One of the most impressive aspects of this series is the eye-popping production design. Clothing and other elements of the sumptuous production design show off a pleasing amount of texture all around. There does not appear to be any issues with compression artifacts, digital noise or any nuisances of the sort on the disc. There are not many instances of intense color, but brightly lit sequences during the day reveal pleasing hues within nature. Skin tones likewise look quite natural with subtle features easily distinguishable. This presentation really does the show justice.
Audio Quality
This Blu-Ray comes with a DTS-HD 5.1 Master Audio track that delivers an enveloping journey into this world. The show features an effective score from The Haxan Cloak that permeates the channels in a really pleasing way that flows through you at all the right moments. Dialogue primarily stays in the center channel, and is crisp and clear without ever being clipped by sound effects or music. The track has a defined sense of directionality that accurately places the sound in the mix. There is some impressive engagement in the low end, mostly in the bustling setting of the city center. The show does employ some panning effects when necessary, and ambient details are an essential part of every episode that allows the world to feel more lived-in. Overall, the audio mix is a fantastic part of the package.
Special Features
- Inside The Alienist: Angel of Darkness – The Hunt For A Killer: A three-minute promotional piece in which the cast and crew members discuss where the characters are at the beginning of this installment, while teasing some of the thematic developments that arise throughout the season.
- Inside The Alienist – Building The World: A three-and-a-half minute piece in which the cast and crew discuss the period in which this show takes place and how the creative team brought this world to life. There is discussion about set construction, costume design and more, along with how it ties into the characters.
- Inside The Alienist – Dressing A Modern Woman: A three-minute piece which delves further into the costumes on the show with Costume Designer Rudy Mance in relation to the character of Sarah. There are some great insights into why the team chose certain aesthetics for the narrative.
- Inside The Alienist – Walking The Set 2.0 with Luke Evans: A two-minute featurette in which Luke Evans takes you on a brief tour of Budapest. This is mostly Evans speaking from the set with footage of Budapest inserted, and it works really well.
Final Thoughts
The Alienist: Angel of Darkness builds upon the strength of its inaugural season and delivers a follow-up that is better is almost every way. The ambition of the story continues to expand while deepening what we know about these characters in a way that makes them even more empathetic. The series has always been a standout on a technical level, but the narrative has finally caught up with its potential. Warner Bros. Home Entertainment has released a Blu-Ray set that features a fantastic A/V presentation along with a couple of fun special features. If you are looking for your next binge-worthy crime drama and would appreciate a period-setting twist, be sure to check this one out. Recommended
The Alienist: Angel of Darkness is currently available to purchase on Blu-Ray and DVD.
Note: Images presented in this review are not reflective of the image quality of the Blu-Ray.
Disclaimer: Warner Bros. Home Entertainment have supplied a copy of this set free of charge for review purposes. All opinions in this review are the honest reactions of the author.
Dillon is most comfortable sitting around in a theatre all day watching both big budget and independent movies.
