2013 is only halfway done, but there’s a fair chance that, in a television context, it might well be looked back upon as the year any and all accepted rules of “quality television” became utterly meaningless and the promise of great things arrived in all shapes and sizes, from all directions. Consider Netflix’s House of …
Hannibal Season 1, Episode 13 ‘Savoureux’ Written by Bryan Fuller, Steve Lightfoot & Scott Nimerfro Directed by David Slade returns for season two in 2013 (note: Randy is filling in for Ricky this week. You can read Randy’s reviews of Hannibal and other shows at Processed Media). As we’ve seen, Hannibal Lecter is a fan of the …
The penultimate episode of Hannibal’s first season offers up a much more low-key hour of television, but it sets up what is promising to be a hell of a finalé. Hannibal is sure to deliver its finest course next week with tensions escalating to a fever pitch. Lives and reputations are on the line and Will (Hugh Dancy) is slowly putting the pieces to the puzzle together. The death of Georgia Madchen (Ellen Muth) leads Will to realize the truth about the copycat killer, while Jack (Laurence Fishburne) begins to have suspicions, and Hannibal (Mads Mikkelsen) reveals his true self to poor Abigail Hobbs (Kacey Rohl). For a series that is usually dialogue-heavy, Hannibal does an excellent job in ratcheting up the tension.
Hannibal serves up another delicious course with its eleventh episode of the series, “Rôti,” as Dr. Abel Gideon (Eddie Izzard) escapes and Will’s descent into madness escalates to a fever pitch. While Will turns to Hannibal for help with his continued mental breakdown, Gideon searches for the Chesapeake Ripper, leaving behind clues body parts so he’ll know where to find him.
Underneath the dense psychology of ‘Buffet Froid’ is a pretty fantastic little ghost story, albeit one told in Hannibal fashion, where the mind of the ghost proves to be more interesting than her gory actions. Maybe I’m just reeling from the great news that NBC renewed Hannibal for a second season (seriously: good fucking job, NBC), but ‘Buffet Froid’ was a beautiful little hour of drama, a bit hard to follow at times, but ultimately a satisfying – and oddly, emotionally touching – episode.
Hannibal serves up another carefully cooked up course of events with its ninth episode of the series, “Trou Normand,” as Jack and Will’s pursuit of a new killer (Lance Henriksen) takes a toll on Will’s psyche. Will is really is beginning to crack under the pressure this week. He’s suffering from time lapses (losing a total of three and half hours of his life), and teaches the killer’s design to an empty class. As we see each and every week, Will is exposed to unimaginable horror every day.
Breaking Bad; Boardwalk Empire; Mad Men, Justified; Sons Of Anarchy; Louie; Girls; Shameless, The Americans; Game of Thrones; The number of new quality TV series keeps growing and we can now add Hannibal to that list.
Once again the cinematography, art direction and set design is breathtaking, as is the fine tuned sound design and crisp editing. On a visual level, Hannibal is an opulent feast for the eyes, with sights and sounds that inspire legitimate awe and disgust.
Hannibal, Season 1, Episode 6: “Entrée” Directed by Michael Rymer Written by Kai Yu Wu and Bryan Fuller Airs Thursdays at 10pm EST on NBC The focus this week turns to the Chesapeake Ripper. Who exactly is the sociopath who continues to elude the F.B.I.? He hasn’t killed in over two years, and his last …
A recurring theme in Hannibal’s first three episodes has been an exploration of how getting into the mindset of serial killers affects Will, as he is unable to slip out as easily as he slips in, something that is beginning to take its toll on him. Each case that Will has taken on has chipped away at his psyche a bit more, and while Dr. Lecter is ostensibly helping Will retain his sanity, the psychologist clearly has another plan in mind. The toll that working with the FBI is having on Will’s sanity is further explored this week, in another atmospherically scary episode that gives the audience a look at the life of Jack Crawford.
Hannibal, Season 1, Episode 3: “Potage” Directed by David Slade Written by David Fury, Chris Brancato and Bryan Fuller Airs Thursdays at 10pm EST on NBC Hannibal, only three episodes in, has already surpassed expectations. As Hugh Dancy and Mads Mikkelsen exchange barbs and witticisms every week, the desire to keep watching only grows. As …
In framing Hannibal as a weekly procedural, showrunner Bryan Fuller populates his world with so many serial killers, that it becomes hard to believe that so many of these insane, yet brilliant men can all reside in the same city at the same time. Only two episodes in and we’ve already been introduced to three killers, with the possibility of a fourth. Yet, while the second episode of Hannibal does introduce a new ‘killer of the week’ formula, the series remains elevated by four things:
How many TV shows about serial killers can networks create before audiences grow tired of the genre? Earlier this year, we welcomed FOX’s The Following and A&E’s Bates Motel to the already crowded TV lineup that already includes Dexter and Luther, to name a few. Doctor Hannibal Lecter was first introduced in the 1981 novel Red Dragon followed by The Silence of the Lambs and Hannibal.