The latest Paley Front Row is a tease of The Alienist: Angel of Darkness
The Paley Center, which brings us PaleyFest, has brought us Paley Front Row 2020. It’s Paley@Home, bringing us interviews with the cast and showrunners of various TV shows, especially new ones. Today, it’s all about The Alienist: Angel of Darkness.
Daniel Brühl, Luke Evans, and Dakota Fanning spoke about the series, starting with how they met; that first moment together as they realized they would need to get along. Fortunately, it was a fast friendship, despite Fanning being so much younger than Brühl and Evans. It’s no wonder their bond on the screen works so well.
There was also a chance to learn more about the experience of filming in Budapest, Hungary. That’s right. None of the series is filmed in New York City. And it’s not in a studio either. Locations in Budapest have been located, allowing the team to create streets that would look like New York City in the 19th century.
Looking deeper at the characters
Something that made the first season so successful was how well developed the characters were. It was a chance to see three people who weren’t necessarily suited for their time. While Dr. Kreizler is sometimes a man of his time, there are elements of him that are progressive and futuristic. John Moore is an intelligent but fragile man, giving him deep layers. Then there’s Sara Howard who is a woman ahead of her time, focusing on turning weaknesses into strength.
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This is something we’ll get to see more in the second season. While the trailer made it clear that this is Sara’s season, a chance to prove herself, we’ll also see the other two characters grow and develop further.
John was certainly a different man between the beginning and end of the first season. Evans teases that there’s more growth for him at the start of the second season. He has a new job and a new life, and that’s certainly going to be exciting to see.
Dr. Kreizler will also see some development. In the first season, he was arrogant and passionate. While the passion for his work hasn’t gone, he has had the chance to accept his own trauma. He was able to express himself, which is something Brühl tells us will continue in The Alienist: Angel of Darkness. Something to look out for is a “kindred spirit,” who Brühl will be able to connect to.
Of course, there is still some more development for Sara Howard. Fanning shares that we’ll see more development now that Sara has been able to share some of the trauma she faced. She’s freer and that allows her to push herself forward.
Connecting to a modern audience
There is a lot within The Alienist: Angel of Darkness, like the first season, that will connect to the modern audience. And Fanning admits that it may not be in a good way—that it’s a shame we haven’t already learned from the past.
While the first season touched on some of these elements, Fanning shares that the second season will touch more on women’s rights and the problems with the media. There’s also a touch on racism more than the first season delivered.
The show may be set in the late 19th century, but there are some topics that viewers can learn from. There are talking points and plot points that will allow for further research. However, keep in mind that it’s also dark!
If you are worried about not seeing the first season yet, don’t! Fanning shares that the two seasons can sit separately. They have their own storylines. There’s also a little about a potential future to the series.
Check out the Paley Front Row 2020 panel with The Alienist: Angel of Darkness below:
What do you hope to see on The Alienist: Angel of Darkness? What makes the series so topical for you? Share your thoughts in the comments below.
The Alienist: Angel of Darkness premieres Sunday at 9/8c with two episodes on TNT.