The Alienist: Angel of Darkness Review: Belly of the Beast (Season 2 Episode 5)
Close calls and the darkness of the mind are the main focus on The Alienist: Angel of Darkness Season 2 Episode 5, “Belly of the Beast,” as Sara finds herself hot on the trail of suspect Libby Hatch.
Most of the characters find themselves out of their element, stuck between wants and needs. For Kreizler, they cause him to question the way he dissects the mind of women; for Sara, it’s the unending torment of finding not only the Linares child but taking Libby from the streets; and with John, it’s his affection for Sara, constantly eating away at him.
The sequence at the matron’s apartment may be a simple scene, but the way it plays out is quite unnerving. It’s almost like a horror sequence, the way Sara observes the crime scene and is snapped from the dream world Libby has created for herself.
Libby casually going through the motions of the morning, while juxtaposed against the terrors she has committed in that very room, is like a window into Libby herself, where she levitates above the very violence she causes.
It’s only when the Linares baby bites her, earlier on, where she’s snapped back to reality. It’s her own pain that awakens her to the room where she has caused pain herself.
Rosy McEwen plays Libby Hatch with a haunted lightness, as though she glides through the horrors of life, both of her creation and of those around her. It’s an unsettling performance, one that’s fascinating as she can turn kindness into a crude weapon.
Something random to remember, now that we know Libby’s last name is Hatch, is that the initials that picked up the dolls from the toy store on The Alienist: Angel of Darkness Season 2 Episode 2, “Something Wicked,” are “E. H.” Could this be Libby’s real identity, or are they initials that mean something to her? A relative, maybe?
Libby’s ties to the Duster gang definitely makes finding her again a tough proposition. With her shot and the Linares child saved, it’s likely she will go underground both to let the heat die down and to recuperate from Sara’s gunshot.
There’s the potential that she will seek out a new child for her whims, though maybe she will grow bold and make a break for the Linares compound again. There’s no telling what she may be thinking now, though it’s likely she takes refuge with the Dusters.
Kreizler finds himself at odds with Libby’s procedures, and it leads down an intriguing path for him. For someone who is so in tune with the mind, his uncertainty and second guessing of the mind of women proves rather elusive for him.
It’s what makes the scene between Kreizler and Stratton so interesting, as you can see his attempts to read her, but he’s drawing a blank. Her responses can be read either as curious or dismissive, especially her retort that they are colleagues, though it’s up to interpretation which way her words could possibly go.
Is this because Stratton is indeed an enigma, or is it because there is more to unravel with her character? She appears rather receptive of him, though, and there looks to be a closeness forming, as brief as they have known each other so far.
One moment that is a little disheartening is when the boy who enjoys magic attempts to perform for Kreizler. There’s this pang of worry to the entire scene, that Kreizler’s dismissive tone toward the boy may send the wrong message. It’s not that he does not care, it’s that he is lost in his own thoughts.
But the way the scene plays out is as though the boy feels rejected, especially with the way he looks back at the end of the scene. It’s a sad moment, one that hopefully doesn’t leave a lasting impression.
Byrnes’ loyalties also may not be as ironclad as originally suspected, with his threat against Markoe over the research wing of the hospital. Even he has his limits, and wherever the babies are being taken after being marked stillborn appears to be that limit.
We still don’t quite know where they are ending up, either sold off to families or worse, but it does come as a surprise that Byrnes does see past loyalty and opportunity, and that children is where he fortunately draws a line.
There is a happy ending, a much needed one, with the Linares child safe and John and Sara finally acting on their feelings.
For the Linares child, hopefully there’s nothing serious with the multiple poisonings, though with the joyous atmosphere of the scene, it looks like that may be the happy ending the family always wanted. A nice bow on top of their story, essentially.
With Sara and John, however, their moment of accepting each other is just as optimistic and hopeful. It’s been a long time coming, but at the same time, there’s this sense that it may only be fleeting. Sara has been rather adamant that she does not feel the same way, so perhaps the events (especially the close call with Libby) have changed her.
Or it could very well be a one night stand, which is likely to hurt John even more. Their relationship is messy, and this will no doubt make it messier, but the mutual love and respect they have for each other will hopefully win out and can keep them on the same page, whichever direction it may head them toward.
As an episode of The Alienist, “Belly of the Beast” is touching on the fears of its leads and doing so by tempting them with the very things they always wanted. Kreizler has someone he can relate to on an intellectual and scientific level who can see things in a different light, while Sara completes her task and John grows closer to the love of his life.
But in a way, giving them what they want is by no means a satisfying victory. There is a compromise to these moments, where they must face inadequacies and momentary victory with the realization that tomorrow is another day.
Kreizler may never understand the mind of women, as brilliant as he is; Sara may have protected the Linares baby but Libby is still out there; and there’s this deep-seated regret that runs over John and Sara finally acting on their emotions. The show is smartly making its characters be careful what they wish for, because there’s always another day ahead.
What did you think of this episode of The Alienist: Angel of Darkness? Share your thoughts in the comments below!
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The Alienist: Angel of Darkness airs Sundays at 9/8c on TNT.
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Kevin Lever
Kevin Lever has been following television closely for most of his life, but in starting to cover it, he has grown a further appreciation. He strives to give the blockbusters their due, and give the lesser known shows a spotlight to find more fans.