How The Alienist Recreated 1897 New York City in Modern-Day Budapest

The visual intrigue of The Alienist lies in its contradictions. The show shifts back and forth between the stunningly beautiful and the darkly disturbing as a trio of protagonists—Sara, John, and Dr. Kreizler—navigate the parallel worlds of Manhattan's 19th-century high society, and the city's criminal underbelly.

The show's production designer, Ruth Ammon, is the person who brought those worlds to life, recreating the 1897 New York we see on screen, but in modern day Budapest, where the show films. Here, Ammon takes T&C behind the scenes of the production, and breaks down the stories behind the show's iconic sets.