TV Review: The Alienist Season 1 Episode 3 "Silver Smile"

TNT’s newest crime drama THE ALIENIST is officially underway and seems to have been received well by it’s record breaking viewership. The show gave TNT it’s highest drama premier since 2012. We’ve spent the first two episodes getting acquainted with the cast of characters and the beautifully grimy backdrop of 1896 New York City. In the third episode, “Silver Smile”, we begin to dig deeper into the investigation and the personal lives of our protagonists. I will keep this review short and sweet and attempt to not spoil anything for those of you who, like me, have not read the novel.

After waking pants-less in Doctor Kreizler’s study, John Moore attempts to remember the events of the previous night. Once he returns to his home we are introduced to his grandmother who offers us a small glimpse into his alcoholic past. The stern woman sets him up on a date in the hopes of him settling down for a more stable and quiet lifestyle. Sara Howard attends her Vassar College reunion. Buckling under the societal pressures on ladies to marry, Sara lies to her classmate, telling her of her beau. After examining a fingerprint Lucius and Marcus go to the morgue in hopes of finding a matching print on Giorgio’s body, only to find the body has gone missing. Doctor Kreizler heads to the streets to interview Sally and get a little more insight into Giorgio’s disappearance. We also get to meet two of Kreizler’s house staff and learn about their dark and morbid pasts.

Another body is discovered on the roof of the old immigration hall and Roosevelt hurries to allow Kreizler and his team to examine the scene before the police station is alerted of the crime. The corruption within the force becomes more and more evident every moment. Sara is taken aback by seeing the gruesome attack first hand, stepping aside for some fresh air. While pondering she begins to see a pattern in the killings that can lead to more clues surrounding the killer’s identity.

Every answer we are given presents us with more questions. It is still too early for me to form an opinion on who the killer may be, but I’m certainly enjoying journeying further down the rabbit hole. I hope this series will keep me guessing until the very end.

“Silver Smile” will premiere on TNT on Monday, February 5th at 9pm.