The Alienist premieres tonight on TNT: Here’s what you need to know

TNT has an all-new psychological thriller premiering tonight titled, The Alienist, and we’ve got the information you need to know ahead of the first episode.

The Alienist makes its debut tonight on TNT, and from all the considerable marketing the network has done for this show, it appears as if viewers could be in for one heck of a dark and twisted ride. Based on author Caleb Carr’s novel of the same name, the show is a  period drama that really should be called a period psychological thriller.

Set in 1896 New York, The Alienist follows Dr. Laszlo Kreizler, a criminal psychologist, or an “alienist,” as he has been brought in by New York City police commissioner Teddy Roosevelt to help investigate a series of horrifying murders of male prostitutes, specifically boys.

More from Show Snob

• The Santa Clauses season 2, episode 6 recap “Wanga Banga Langa!”
• Lawmen: Bass Reeves season 1, episode 7 preview: Non-spoiler thoughts for Part VII
• Goosebumps season 1, episode 6 recap: “Night of the Living Dummy”
• Beacon 23 season 1, episode 3 recap: “Why Can’t We Go on as Three?”
• Upload season 3, episode 2 recap: “Strawberry”

According to the official description and synopsis from TNT, an alienist was an expert who studied mental pathologies. The cast of the show includes:

• Daniel Brühl (Captain America: Civil War) as Dr. Laszlo Kreizler — the alienist.
• Luke Evans (The Hobbit) as John Moore — the newspaper illustrator.
• Dakota Fanning (Ocean’s 8) as Sara Howard — the headstrong secretary.
• Robert Ray Wisdom (The Wire) as Cyrus Montrose.
• Douglas Smith (Big Love) as Marcus Isaacson.
• Matthew Shear (Mistress America) as Lucius Isaacson.
• Matt Lintz (Pixels) as Stevie Taggert.
• Brian Geraghty (Chicago Fire/P.D./Med) as Theodore Roosevelt.

The first episode is titled “The Boy on the Bridge,” and will air tonight, Monday, January 22, at 8 PM CT on TNT.

Next: 20 New TV Shows To Look Forward To In 2018

The show certainly seems promising and has the feel of Showtime’s Penny Dreadful or even Cinemax’s The Knick. If TNT has put its considerable resources into making a great show worthy of an all-star cast like the one above, then The Alienist could see be one of our favorite new shows of 2018. Let’s watch tonight and find out.