The most recent episode of The Alienist strings together the missing pieces of the serial killer puzzle with an in-depth insight into who Willem Van Bergen is. As has been previously established, the killer seems to come from a place of status and privilege. This fact comes to fruition in this episode when we learn exactly who Van Bergen is. After a few weeks of the mystery taking us down dark, gloomy roads, we come face to face with the man who brutally tortures, murders, and eats his young victims all while flashing his silver smile – courtesy of his syphilis treatment.
But the beauty of this episode is we find ourselves questioning whether the series is truly going to reveal the man behind it all this early. The episode name “Hildebrandt’s Starling” brings light to this notion, by pointing out that in order to understand something, you have to keep looking at until it reveals itself to you. This is perhaps the notion behind the episode, for the audience to realize that the killer may not be working alone or may not be Willem at all.
Kreizler’s quest to understand the psychology of killers and murderers stays strong as he visits child murderer Jesse Pomeroy at Bellevue. It appears every single lunatic at the time had once been a patient of Kreizler’s and Jesse was no different. Moore went along for the ride and immediately shows signs of regret as Jesse completely unravels in front of them. It appears his time in the asylum has not changed him one bit, which helps Kreizler understand that such individuals may be too far gone in every capacity.
This episode introduces Bergen in a very interesting and petrifying way, and takes us right into his home and family life. His iconic silver smile has become a recognizable symbol for the series and seeing it up close is truly creeps the audience out. Throughout the episode the group continues to search for the killer, however, everyone else is set on believing it is Willem. It becomes very obvious that something weird is taking place in the police department, a fact that the mayor points out to Roosevelt.
It is great to see Roosevelt take a place at the forefront of the series because his character is very determined and gung-ho to discover the killer and bring him to justice – regardless of his bank account and status. In an attempt to weed out the killer, Roosevelt confides in Sara, who takes this information to Kreizler. The two share an odd semblance of a romantic dinner, even though at this point Kreizler has made Sara feel emotionally exposed.
There is an exciting twist of events in the episode when two scenes begin to play out simultaneously, between Willem and a child prostitute, and Roosevelt rushing to Van Bergen’s home to arrest him. As expected, the two moments are not one and the same and we learn Connor has fooled Roosevelt with the wrong address. Of course, Connor pretends he was unaware of this mistake, but Roosevelt is onto his antics and removes him from active service. While Roosevelt ends up at the wrong house, Willem’s parents are the one knocking on his door to interrupt his night with his guest.
The episode spent quite a bit of time exploring who Van Bergen is but we are still not convinced he is indeed the killer. Kreizler is still exploring the psyche of the murderer and continues to inch one step closer to discovering him. He comes to the conclusion that the murderer is killing boys that remind him of who he was as a child and lurks around churches to find them. In an epic discovery at the episode’s end, Kreizler discovers that the murders are taking places on holy Christian days. This in turn allows them to find out when the next murder will take place–and perhaps once and for all tell us who the real killer is.
The Alienist is doing a great job of keeping the audience entertained and invested in the story behind it. This episode was a refreshing (if that’s what one can call it) change to the overall series because it plays mind games with us even when we aren’t aware of it. The episode name itself reminds us that everything is not what it seems and we have to take a closer and more careful look to truly learn what is going on. Whether it was Roosevelt showing up at the wrong house or the audience being led to believe the killer is truly Willem, the episode really steps up the mystery and tension.
I particularly enjoy the increased character development in this episode because we see a side of Moore, Kreizler, and Sara we haven’t quite seen yet. Their connection with one another and the case at hand is making for some great television and epic performances. Kreizler’s character seems to be the strongest and most powerful in the series so far as he falls further and further in the rabbit hole of the murders.
As the series reaches its halfway point, it will be riveting to see what we learn about the murders and the killer behind it all. Is it possible that Willem is indeed the mastermind behind it all? Or is it someone else entirely? I have a sneaking suspicion it will be someone the audience does not see coming – perhaps Kreizler himself? That could be a potential plot twist given that his mental state is far more intense than some of the people around him. And if he is not the killer, is it possible he carries such notions somewhere in his mind?
This is why The Alienist is a groundbreaking show because it pushes the audience to question every plot choice and every action the character takes. We can’t wait to see where the show is headed in the coming weeks and what surprises are in store as we head into the back half of the premiere season.
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