The alienist and his allies certainly didn’t lack for despicable suspects when searching for the kidnapper of Martha Napp’s and Isabella Linares’s infant daughters.
Unfortunately, the unhinged abductor revealed was much closer to them than they realized on The Alienist: Angel of Darkness Season 1 Episode 3 and The Alienist: Angel of Darkness Season 1 Episode 4.
Sara got played big time, and Bitsy nearly paid dearly for that.
Maybe she never learned one of the most important rules of procedurals: The perpetrator will try to inject himself or herself into the investigation.
That’s a little strong in this case since Sara approached Libby during her skulk around the Lying-In Hospital.
That being said, Libby was wily enough to read Sara and insinuate her way into the case. Keep your friends close and your enemies closer and all that.
And didn’t she play her role as a mole well? She was just hesitant and bungling enough to be totally believable.
She also misdirected Sara with a couple of primo suspects: the nasty matron Maureen and the spurned Osgood mistress Colleen.
Throughout these two episodes, both were proven innocent, of kidnapping at least.
Colleen just had anger issues, to which, considering how she’s been treated, she was entitled.
Maureen was a nasty dictator, but still, she didn’t really deserve the end that Libby gave to her.
Libby proved herself to be insane with that one concluding scene. Next comes the explanation of what made her that way. There must be a lost child involved.
The final suspect was Markoe, who Kreizler wanted so badly to be guilty.
But no. While he was a horrible person and his Maternal Research wing was certainly morally bankrupt and likely criminally liable, Markoe wasn’t the kidnapper.
Kreizler’s hypnosis finally worked on Isabella, who was able to pick out her baby’s kidnapper from what had to be the first photo lineup in history.
Only halfway through this series, the kidnapper has been revealed. Now comes the race to find Baby Anna before Libby gets bored of her.
It won’t be easy because the team members are distracted.
Lucius confessed to Marcus about telling Byrnes about the Linares kidnapping, which unfortunately gave Hearst more anti-Spain fodder.
Still, the Isaacson brothers are needed, so I don’t see this indiscretion having any further ramifications.
Kreizler met the female Kreizler in Karen Stratton, and sparks flew. So now Laszlo is going to be distracted, just when he needs most to be focused.
It will be intriguing to see how Kreizler reacts when he’s not the smartest person in the room. Let’s just hope she’s less socially awkward than him, though.
Then there’s Sara.
This is her case. Yet she’s diverted by John’s engagement.
As John pointed out, Sara turned down his marriage proposal. So she really shouldn’t have a say in to whom he chooses to get engaged.
But someone had to say it: John deserves someone more substantial than Violet.
And man! Isn’t Violet insecure?
She must have pouted about John getting rides with Sara. So Hearst went out and bought one of the first motor cars for them.
Violet saw John in frequent and serious discussions with Sara. So she seduced him in one of her godfather’s rooms. One thing John has proven he can’t resist is a woman seducing him.
Plus, Violet was taking the side of Hearst, who enables her, rather than the man she’s about to marry?
Sara was right that Violet isn’t challenging enough for John.
All the while, Sara was blowing off Oggie, who frankly isn’t challenging enough for her.
John is just starting to get his act together. He’s got a handle of his drinking, he’s done whoring, and he’s got a serious job.
So why does he want to get thrown back into the Lifestyles of the Rich and Frivolous?
Wasn’t that engagement party absolutely bacchanalian? That was the last thing that clean and sober John needed.
But it was the perfect place for the Laszlo and Karen meet-cute, as they snidely commented on the goings-on down below.
Bitsy was quite a proficient undercover agent for Sara at the hospital. She was a capable lockpicker and was lucky that it was Colleen who caught her in the drug room and not the matron.
She was too inexperienced to be thrown into that situation, however. She overplayed her hand with Colleen, which led to her being attacked and fleeing into a locked room with the actual danger, Libby.
She’s a fun addition to the cast, so, thankfully, Lucius was able to revive her. Unfortunately, she had blown her cover at the hospital.
That’s because the other big question, besides where is Libby keeping Anna, is what’s Markoe doing at the hospital?
He’s sterilizing rich men’s mistresses for sure, so those men can have fun with none of the risks.
But what is Markoe doing with those live babies that were supposedly stillborn? Selling them to rich, sterile couples, or something more sinister?
And why is Byrnes involved with this racket?
Didn’t Hearst treat Byrnes like crap? So Byrnes took out his feelings of rejection out on Heart’s assistant Moncton instead.
There’s just no way Irish immigrants could aspire to be accepted by the WASPs.
To follow this case, watch The Alienist: Angel of Darkness online.
Were you surprised by Libby?
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Has Kreizler found his soul mate?
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Dale McGarrigle is a staff writer for TV Fanatic. Follow him on Twitter.