We all have this notion that motherhood is (always) perfect and beautiful and while this is mostly true, most of the time, there is also the ugly, complicated and sometimes even traumatic side of it. There is so much toll that childbirth brings to a woman, physically, emotionally, mentally and it is because of the pressures of society and gender roles, or dealing with personal guilt that mothers who may be undergoing difficulties would rather bury them than admit it and ask for help. The second season of the The Alienist, entitled ‘Angel of Darkness’ looks into the good, the bad and the ugly of motherhood in New York during the 1890’s -oh and there’s a gruesome murder of an infant that needs to be solved.
I mentioned this in my vlog review, I am actually a graduate of Nursing and spent time in the hospital, some of those in delivery rooms and maternity wards and sad to say, the series reminded me of some of my not so favorite memories and brought back truths and realizations, such as the importance of proper maternal healthcare for all. Patients in public hospitals tend to have a different experience to those in private ones, like mothers being shamed while in labor- was surprised when I saw that in the series and it was too much of a reality check for me, since I also witnessed it in real life. I was also assigned to a patient who was suffering from postpartum depression and again, its another reality check on the support that new mothers need. I myself suffered from postpartum cardiomyopathy, which is basically my heart weakening after childbirth. I have an enlarged heart and also have hypertension, so yes, its not all rainbows and butterflies.
Which goes back to my point on the importance of support from a great many factions to be given to mothers. This must also extend to public health, where maternal health is also given a priority. To have decent facilities for safe delivery and to be treated in a humane manner. Support must also extend to mental and emotional support after giving birth. It’s a whole new health plan I know, and the government also has a lot to do in this case and as someone who has had but a peek into what needs to be done, I was reminded of its reality through ‘Angel of Darkness’. I cannot simply write my review and share my thoughts without sharing this and I have to commend the writers for holding the mirror to this unpleasant truth.
Okay, going back to the series – Based on the novels by Caleb Carr or otherwise known as the Kreizler series, of which the first book (and series) is simply called ‘The Alienist’. It follows the adventures of Dr. Lazlo Kreizler (Daniel Bruhl) -a psychologist (during the period of the series, known as an ‘Alienist’) as he investigates gruesome murders in 1890s New York, he is assisted by reporter John Schuyler Moore (Luke Evans) and policewoman (in the series, she has her own detective agency by the second season) Sarah Howard (Dakota Fanning). Historical figures and names, such as Theodore Roosevelt sometimes make an appearance or are mentioned.
The first season was a fan favorite and even earned an Emmy for outstanding visual effects in a supporting role and an Art Directors Guild award for excellence in production design – which is evident in their costumes and props in the series and something that they carried on to the second season. Unfortunately, they also carried the same pacing problems that plagued the first season. Also I felt some of the minor arcs were not fully resolved, might do some reading to make sure. Although, ‘Angel of Darkness’ was for me, more nerve wrecking, probably because I am a mother and the cries of a baby in distress is enough to make me nervous.
I had a couple of good screams and gasps in the first two episodes followed by what could only be described as stress, as I said. Fortunately or unfortunately, whichever way you put it, killing babies isn’t taboo for ‘The Alienist’ and I guess its just traumatic for me, I still think about the baby from Robert Egger’s ‘The VVitch’.
I have confirmed that there are three more books in the Kreizler series “Surrender New York” which was published in 2006, while “The Alienist at Armageddon” and “The Strange Case of Miss Sarah” are still yet to be released. As to whether the series will be renewed for a third season is still something to be seen. I have a copy of the first book but I am not yet done reading it.
The three leads, Bruhl, Evans and Fanning all have such good chemistry, I would love to see them in more adventures. I did appreciate a twist in the gender roles in the characters, like it was Luke Evan’s John Moore who wanted the family life, while Dakota Fanning’s Sara Howard had more career oriented goals, she was called “a man in a corset” and I think it more of a compliment actually. Also in the ‘Angel of Darkness’ Kreizler takes a step back and Sarah gets more time in the spotlight. In the first episode alone, is a line that goes:
“Miss Howard is a lady with a constitutional right to speak her mind” and I just had to write that down and post it on Facebook, given that ‘The Alienist’ is set in 1897 New York but we are still fighting for the same things in 2020, what with the red tagging among female celebrities who have spoken for women’s and children’s rights.
I seem to find myself always surprised when the things that we are fighting for now are also the same things that have been relevant and being fought for decades ago. We may have ditched the horse drawn carriages in 1897 and now have cars and airplanes in 2020 but women are still placed in a box and expected to act a certain way and portray a specific role. It will be fictional characters like Sarah Howard, a “man in a corset”, a former beauty queen, a former Darna and an actress whose continued fight will remind us that we still have a long way to go but we will never stop fighting.