MovieChat Forums > The Alienist (2018) Discussion > First episode wasn't compelling...

First episode wasn't compelling...

posted 7 years ago by Sandoz (2021)
20 replies | jump to latest

I'm going to give it one more chance with episode two, but if it doesn't improve I think I'll cut this show loose.

Seems like to me like it's just a transposition of a Jack The Ripper-type story, crossed with a character who's sort of a low-rent Sherlock Holmes. Changed from London to NYC, and instead of female prostitutes, the victims are transvestite boys. Very gloomy and/or squalid atmosphere, too, which I don't mind in a movie, but I don't think I want to commit to watching on Monday or Tuesday nights.

[–] [deleted] 7 years ago

[deleted]

[–] BlueeyedSara (90) 7 years ago

I enjoyed the first episode enough but the second episode just draaagged. I will watch the third episode this weekend but if it doesn't pick up, I will probably drop it.

[–] Sandoz (2021) 7 years ago

hey Sara, just out of curiosity... Did you used to post on the Under The Dome board back on IMDumB ?

[–] BlueeyedSara (90) 7 years ago

No, never watched that show. I heard that it did have an active following.

[–] Sandoz (2021) 7 years ago

The "active following" on there only watched it because it was one of the silliest sci-fi tv shows ever made...a bunch of us used to make fun of it unmercifully. That's one of the things I miss about the old boards--so many different viewpoints from a lot of people, you could have a lot of fun on there. This board is nice, but it really needs to increase its number of users about a hundred-fold at least.

[–] BlueeyedSara (90) 7 years ago

I had heard that the "Under the Dome" was pretty bad, which is why I never watched it. :-)

It really could vary by board - I stopped visiting "Once Upon a Time" a few years ago because it felt like it had been hijacked by some very extreme viewpoints, but I miss the "Lucifer" board, which had a lot of good discussions.

[–] QuickieCalzone (378) 6 years ago

So tell all your friends about this board so it will grow.
We have to market it better.

[–] letess (1388) 7 years ago

To say - give it a chance - seems unfair. The caliber of this show is way above others. It is compelling with the very first scene - blood dripping onto the snow of a horrific killing of a young boy in a dress. I watch each show more than once and turn CC on. Woven into the time period are aberent revelations of all kinds of stuff. The sets and costumes alone are worth millions. You learn that mercury treated for syphlis produces silver teeth. You feel the deliciousness of Delmonico’s. The abject poverty and filth that immigrants had to endure - well, on the screen I can only be reminded of Se7en in it depiction of disgusting images. How the rich lives versus the poor is a visual that shakes you. All the leads are spectacular and each one has a history that involves an obstacle of some kind. The psychological studies or stories are very interesting. The early CSI that the brothers use is also fantastic. This is a brilliant recreation of a certain time period and watching the art of it alone is amazing. And, the plot which is kind of like Jack the Ripper but nevertheless is a horror realized and not yet told on the screen.

[–] BlueeyedSara (90) 7 years ago

I liked the third episode so intend to stick with the series.

[–] letess (1388) 7 years ago

3rd was really good. So is 4th.

[–] TaRaNRoD (1579) 6 years ago

"Seems like to me like it's just a transposition of a Jack The Ripper-type story, crossed with a character who's sort of a low-rent Sherlock Holmes"

Wow, I've had this exact same feeling. I enjoy it really much, though.

[–] Sandoz (2021) 6 years ago

I did manage to stick around until the conclusion of the season, but it was more due to the fact that this spring there didn't seem to be as many series airing I wanted to watch as there had been in the recent past. If there had been, I would have jettisoned this show.

The main plus, for me anyway, of The Alienist was it's recreation of NYC over a hundred years ago; you could really tell they put a lot of effort into getting that right, from the sets, to the costumes, to the CGI work. The story and the characters never became very compelling for me, though...it still felt like something I'd seen in other fiendish-killer-being-hunted-by-a-troubled-detective films/series ad nauseam. I don't regret watching it, but I'm not going to return for season 2 (if there is one).

I kinda feel the same way about this show as I do about another recent series that I watched season 1 of but gave up on after that due to it being all flash and style but having no real substance: Legion. Pretty to look at, but never hooked me emotionally.

[–] TaRaNRoD (1579) 6 years ago

Yeah, I get your feeling. Dakota Fanning is quote uni-dimensional here. I just can't get into her acting. I know, she tried to behave like a woman of that era. But, she just looked like if her face was frozen and couldn't make any kind of expression.

I enjoy the suspense. I don't know if I'll watch the second season. But I enjoyed it, without thinking that it's out of this world.

[–] PaladinNJ (21351) 6 years ago

I still have the last episode on DVR. Just haven't been motivated to watch it but still won't delete it. Go figure?

[–] [deleted] 6 years ago

It took me forever to watch the last episode, as well. It lingered on my DVR for about a month or more, then I finally watched it.

[–] PaladinNJ (21351) 6 years ago

I finally watched the last episode over the weekend. My DVR cut off just as Laszlo sat down to talk to the priest. ARRRGGHH!!!!

[–] [deleted] 6 years ago

You missed nothing. Lol! Just end it where your DVR cut off -and thank your DVR.

[–] AnubisRaydeen (7897) 6 years ago

It wasn't good. They made a big budget attempt at the greatness of similar period pieces of yore. They sadly made a dog's breakfast out of it. Unengaging and trite. Watch Taboo and Ripper Street instead. Those two will illuminate everything that is wrong with Alienist.

[–] Sandoz (2021) 6 years ago

I've heard good word of mouth about Ripper St, will check that out when I have some more time. Not familiar with Taboo (is it a UK show, too?).

[–] AnubisRaydeen (7897) 6 years ago

Taboo is a US production. Stars Tom Hardy, if you can believe it.