The Alienist: Angel of Darkness Review: Gilded Cage (Season 2 Episode 4)

A lot can happen over the course of an episode, and The Alienist: Angel of Darkness Season 2 Episode 4, “Gilded Cage,” upends so much that’s come before.

Over the course of the hour, the killer is essentially revealed and some confessions thought dampened prove to be just as deep as before. It’s with both that the episode becomes one of the strongest of the season so far, and also sets up a fascinating second half ahead.

The ball and William Hearst’s behavior in general leads to a fascinating display of classism, where both John and Byrnes are put upon as lower than the rest.

Byrnes resorts to his own form of classism in response, trying his best to cling to any form of authority he can muster. Ted Levine plays the scene with such rankled indignity, and the comment about enjoying the food but only down in the kitchen really sells how Hearst sees him, after such a generous gift (the cigars).

For John, it is more a dressing down than a facing of his worth. He is not as high on the totem pole and his adamant stance on the Linares family’s innocence doesn’t make him many friends in that crowd.

But it is John’s harsh words to Sara after the fact that settles his view. He is unkind because he is facing a life he doesn’t want but needs; he really wants to share all of it with Sara, but she doesn’t share that with him.

And so he is essentially debasing himself, a word Sara uses, in order to settle into a new life of luxury (with one of the very first cars!) and family that he doesn’t entirely want.

John’s reputation is only being beaten down by choosing this life, and it is clearly affecting him. It’s almost like he is punishing himself, putting himself through hell in a self-destructive act.

His confession to Sara is a sign that he can’t have what he really wants, and though he is willing to settle, it’s going to eat him alive and tear him apart in the process. He is still sticking to water at this point, but this sort of pressure may have him turn back to the bottle, unfortunately.

The ball itself is a gorgeous production on behalf of The Alienist team, not only with its elegant and extravagance, but with the brilliant costume work. It gives the episode an extra level of prestige alongside the wonderful setting that finds overindulgence and secrets about to bubble over the rim.

Kreizler finally finds his match in Karen Stratton, another alienist. It’s a fantastic moment of turning the tables, again keeping the focus on women on the rise in bringing forth an equal for the genius doctor. Since she makes her presence known at the ball, it will be curious to see if she is merely a guest like Kreizler or if she is on the side of Markoe, and could prove a tough foil.

While it could be great to have a battle of the minds on the level of Holmes and Moriarty on the show, it could be even greater to have her join the fold and maybe even show Laszlo up a little. Based on this one scene, though, it’s looking like Lara Pulver will make a great addition to the show.

Some of the most interesting characters on the episode rise from the supporting field and become helpful to the show as a whole with their presence. Bitsy (Melanie Field) is an endless help undercover at the hospital, and Joanna Crawford (Brittany Batchelder) looks to be a great addition with John at the newspaper.

Joanna will hopefully keep an active role on the show, and it’s looking that way with how, episode-to-episode, she’s been on the rise from helping Cyrus at the bar. She is helping out sifting through information at the ball, at least, a good sign that she will be helping out for the long-term.

Colleen (Liadan Dunlea) is a tricky suspect, as she is quick to temper and she may be willing to share but only to a point. But it’s a smart move on the show’s part to nearly convince us of her guilt to immediately becoming a help to Bitsy when Libby’s revealed.

But now that we essentially know, as do the main players, that Libby is the killer, it will be curious to see how things play out from now on. Will it be a hunt for her, or will there be a form of protection due to the potential fallout that could come down on the Lying-In Hospital and its rich benefactors?

Her murder of the matron feels more vindictive than part of some larger strategy, which makes Libby a more dangerous foe: we don’t know what she is capable of, if children are her main focus. We don’t have an answer as to why she has charcoal in her mouth at the time of running into Bitsy, though perhaps she is caught in the middle of making her concoction.

Is she potentially poisoning herself and therefore poisoning the babies through her breast milk, as hinted at during the end of the previous episode? It’s a pretty weird method of murder, that’s for sure, if so.

But the way the episode ends, with Libby laying next to her new victim with painted eyes, suggests she may be beyond help. The strange whispers and cries that echo during the scene gives off the potential of insanity, as does what Libby is saying to the matron before attacking her.

Perhaps it means something to Libby but not us, at least not yet. But she is a frightening character because she can appear competent and helpful but is infinitely dangerous when she has you in her sights.

But The Alienist: Angel of Darkness has smartly revealed its villain at the halfway mark, rather than nearly at the end like last season. Now it becomes a matter of finding Libby, which may become an even darker notion with the Linares child still missing.

Since Libby arrives at the matron’s home rather than escaping to her hideout, we don’t know if the child has already suffered or not. That’s the true horror of Libby Hatch: the fear of the unknown.

 

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The Alienist: Angel of Darkness airs Sundays at 9/8c on TNT.

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