The Alienist - Not There Yet

I had mixed feelings about The Alienist. It’s a good one, can’t really deny that, but, for me, it’s also a bit too slow.

The Interest in Mind

The first few episodes were somehow boring, and I merely didn’t stop watching because I was too curious about who the killer was.

A bit like The Mindhunter, the production team focuses mainly on creating a high level of psychological intensity, but in The Alienist, I felt it lacked something.

I’m a psychologist, I love criminal psychology, and even I found myself bored at some points. They focused mostly on the occult side of the mind, showing the alienist far outside practical reality. Maybe it was like that in the 19th century, but it makes the show too slow, which might tire you.

Slowly Getting Into you

After a couple of episodes, I finally started to feel immersed in the 19th-century atmosphere.

As the events unfolded, and the empathy with some of the characters grew, I could finally start feeling like a part of the investigation group, turning the show way more interesting as a result.

Slow Character Development

The characters are definitely good; however, they only gain enough depth (at least in a meaningful way) after a few episodes.

We need to connect with the characters faster, so we care about them.

Last Thoughts

Generally speaking, the show can make us curious. The atmosphere, the characters, and the story are good, so we want to know more. However, it did struggle a bit to make me attached to it all.

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