Daniel Brühl’s Beard Is ‘The Alienist’s’ Real MVP

There are a lot of things vying for your attention in TNT’s The Alienist. The filthily accurate recreation of 1896 New York City, the aggressively TV-MA treatment of dead bodies, the fact that those dead bodies are gender-bending preteen boy hookers, and all those in-it-to-win-it performances from all the leads. Also, as if all that ain’t enough, there’s Teddy f’ing Roosevelt in a supporting role. But there’s one thing that rises above all these engaging peak TV trappings, one thing that is definitely the MVP of this buzzed-about show:

It’s Daniel Brühl’s beard, honey!

As a sometimes beard-haver and all-the-time beard-lover, I can fully appreciate the level of work that has gone into crafting this face coif. As Dr. Laszlo Kreizler, Brühl is serving severe criminal psychologist realness on the inside while rocking a beard will make viewers scream “solve that crime, zaddy, solve it!”

Okay, yes, on a purely superficial, the beard is hot. It is perfect. It is lush without seeming unruly and ultra trim without being overly manicured. It is an ideal beard, the beard of beards, and it hugs Brühl’s face warmly.

But would I really write an article about a beard if all I had to say about it was “it’s hot”? Okay, yes, I would, but the beard actually accomplishes something deeper than being #stylegoals. It is a bold, deliberate signifier that Dr. Kreizler is an outsider in the secretive and corrupt world of law enforcement at the turn of the century. He’s a Spock/Bones in a world of crazy amoral Kirks, and the beard helps set him apart.

It’s not like Kreizler is the only dude with facial hair, because The Alienist is hella hirsute. But every other dude’s face looks unkempt compared to Kreizler. Look:

On the far left is Kreizler’s college bud turned Watson-to-his-Holmes John Moore (Luke Evans), who has the stubbliest of subtle mustaches going on. Is it there? Is it not there? That stache is as indecisive and non-committal as Moore himself. Next to Moore is Teddy Roosevelt (Brian Geraghty), possessor of the most famous presidential mustache ever. But this show is a prequel to the Teddy history textbooks have immortalized. Therefore his mustache isn’t at full power, as Teddy isn’t yet at full power. Then to the far right there’s Brühl as Kreizler, with his full beard standing in contrast. He’s an outsider because he practices the witchcraft of psychology, but also because everyone else in NYC wishes they could grow something as full as that beard!

Aside from being a hot look, it’s such a character choice. The show is set in 1896, which was a period of facial hair transition in America as men moved away from full beards and ridiculous sideburns and gravitated towards mustaches. You see that in The Alienist, as Kreizler is practically the only man with a beard; the other beardo is Lucius (Matthew Shear), and his is way less luxe.

Knowing that dudes were more into mustaches at the time and beards had become passé, it makes Kreizler’s look more of a head-turning statement. And it matches his brainy, scientific profession, which pretty much everyone looks on with derision and disbelief. His brain and beard go hand-in-hand, showing off that he’s an alienist that’s alienated from the normal way of doing things. He’s a deep-thinker and a beard-haver, two things men were decidedly not in 1896. And also, he takes great care to make sure that beard is on point using what I can only imagine are rusty scissors. Ain’t no beard trimmers in 1896!

There’s a lot to keep track of in The Alienist, for sure, and that’s why I don’t want you to miss out on the brilliant beard that is low-key setting the mood and making the show’s lead character stand out from the crowd. As comfy and fluffy as it looks, do not sleep on Brühl’s beard. It’s The Alienist’s MVP and it’s something to treasure.

Where to stream The Alienist