The Alienist: Angel of Darkness Review: Memento Mori (Season 2 Episode 6)
An eventful investigation brings Sara a new client and Kreizler some tragedy on The Alienist: Angel of Darkness Season 2 Episode 6, “Memento Mori.”
The Hearst hit piece in the news may squash the Sara/John situation for now, but it’s a fun little wrinkle for Sara’s record of success to become a weapon against Hearst’s own smears in regards to Mr. Vanderbilt.
It’s such a satisfying moment to see clear work ethic and results giving Sara a chance among all of the voices of men, despite their multiple attempts to discredit her. Her work speaks for itself, and that’s what gives her the all-clear to move forward with finding Libby on the family’s behalf.
But it also means Byrnes is under her supervision, a move that will likely prove to be a detriment as he likely will try to spin the case to his benefit rather than the team as a whole (an idea Hearst himself places in his head).
Luckily, Sara is smart enough to know this, so it will lead to his own detriment than theirs.
Over the course of the episode, not only do Sara and John manage to find Libby’s lair (a particularly creepy place we have only witnessed snippets of before), but potentially finds her origins with the information of her father’s hanging. There is progress, and it points to Brooklyn.
For Sara and John, their relationship may be stagnant, but their gazes are many and longing.
There’s one shot in particular, of them both in Libby’s mirror, that is a striking moment, as they see themselves together and pause for a moment, as though they are seeing it for the first time and allowing the idea as a possibility. It ends, of course, but it’s a nice little moment for their characters.
And at least it isn’t affecting their investigation, as they prove to be incredibly resourceful over the hour.
For Libby, returning to Brooklyn to hide out appears to be more out of necessity than a deep desire to do so. It’s a reminder of how fleeting life is, after all, with the story of her father’s death in front of the Brooklyn Bridge.
But given how off-kilter she’s been since the Linares child is gone, fleeting is the least of Libby’s problems.
The way Libby scoops up the Vanderbilt child is a chilling moment, as we see how simply she can steal away with her prey. Any parent will likely recoil and tense up at this scene, where only a moment is the separation between joy and fear.
It’s done so effortlessly in front of so many eyes, and becomes one of the frightening moments of terror that the show has displayed during the brightness of day (providing a similar vibe to The Alienist: Angel of Darkness Season 2 Episode 1, “Ex Ore Infantium,” with the baby in the toy shop).
The boy with the rope is certainly one of the more sudden and tragic moments on the season. It all starts so well, with the Houdini show on the street and his love of rope tricks.
Luckily it’s not lethal, but it does potentially take away the boy’s one love, on top of the damage this may do to Kreizler’s institute and all of the children he helps.
There’s also the potential that it isn’t a failed magic trick, and that it’s a cry for help. Kreizler may never know the full extent, but he does have his theories, and is blaming himself for the event. It’s a rock and a hard place situation, where he is a father figure to a flock that is in desperate need of his attention that he cannot always give.
It’s an emotional pain to place upon him, but with his friends, the Hatch investigation, and now Ms. Stratton at his side, Kreizler is looking to have the support system he needs, the very kind he turned away after Mary’s death.
He will need them, if Markoe is in charge of the investigation.
This is progress for Kreizler, and continues to show that softening over the season. His conversation with Stratton especially allows for a battle of the flirting wits and allows for Daniel Brühl to play the scene with a bit of a dashing and a bit of vulnerability.
The Alienist: Angel of Darkness Season 2 Episode 6, “Memento Mori,” does a fantastic job of tying the investigation’s moments to the struggles of its characters as they try and settle their personal demons.
But with the “E.H.” from the doll purchase now likely identified (as Libby’s potential real name) and Brooklyn as the new focus of location, there’s a lot at risk with going into the past to help with the present. Libby is right there with them, back in the place she knows well from childhood, a potential source to further unravel her.
There is a level of fear playing on every moment, of how long Libby will go before she decides to poison again. Her words at the end of the episode strikes a sense of urgency, and the team may have the Dusters (especially with their leader Knox) and Byrnes to worry about on top of it all.
Going towards the final episodes of the season, The Alienist: Angel of Darkness is in very good shape.
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.