The Alienist Review: Hildebrandt’s Starling (Season 1 Episode 5)

On The Alienist Season 1 Episode 5, “Hildebrandt’s Starling,” privilege within New York is considered as the team narrows the search for their killer.

Generally, the more focused a show becomes, the stronger it is in its scope. With The Alienist, a series that is largely a mood piece dwelling on the gothic nature of the turn-of-the-century New York, it has remained just that. It’s difficult to say that it’s strictly about something other than a psychological investigation with a unique victim.

However, it has often felt that there isn’t much substance to this world they’ve created.

This could be nothing more than a change in the type of episode that The Alienist has delivered up to this point, but “Hildebrandt’s Starling” by far feels like its tightest hour to date.

Where so much of the series thus far has been, by design, very serialized and has progressed rather a bit like molasses, this episode is less of that and more like a series with something to say about class and power within the police and New York in this time.

It might not be the most sophisticated observations on the subject, but it is at least something. Although, perhaps tricking us into thinking that this is a show that has something to say and maybe it doesn’t. That’s entirely possible and should it actually have a thesis to state, it’s also possible that will be entirely banal.

It’s a small thing, but one of the most notable aspects of the episode is the way that characters are finally allowed to crack a smile. So often, with shows like this, there’s a huge emphasis placed upon being a “prestige drama” which is somehow interpreted as being a dour, lifeless husk devoid of any humor.

On “Hildebrandt’s Starling,” however, there’s the smallest attempt at making jokes. Granted, it goes back to being the very type of show that’s been described above. Again, this isn’t some huge thing that’s being done, but it does point to a different kind of show that The Alienist is capable of becoming at some point.

There’s a very specific segment of the series that does not work, and never has, is the brother duo/Detective Sergeants that the show continues to dedicate time to and this could be well and good, except that we don’t necessarily care about them outside of their work with the team.

It often just feels like time that could be better spent elsewhere.

On the other hand, Dakota Fanning’s performance as Sara never ceases to give the series a wonderfully stoic yet vibrant feel that often feels sorely needed, especially in comparison to her screen partners. She moves in and out of scenes with an almost aggressive force that she makes look graceful and soft in a way.

Despite our hope that The Alienist will somehow link itself with Penny Dreadful (that’s a joke, partly), this is a show that keeps showing promise for the kind of show it can be and this is the closest it’s come so far, but it still has a way to go.

What did you think of this episode of The Alienist? Share your thoughts with us in the comments below!

Reviewer Rating:

User Rating:

 

The Alienist airs Mondays at 9/8c on TNT.

Follow us on Twitter @telltaleTV_

Want more from Tell-Tale TV? Subscribe to our newsletter here!