Hannibal

[Christian Slater]

I caved in and watched the first three episodes last night, already gasping for more.

The second episode bordered on a pretentious uni film production, but I'll let that slide.

 

[Captain Scumbag]

Bryan Fuller gave an interview not that long ago in which he stated bluntly that the show was a tough sell and that NBC has no obvious financial reason to keep ordering it. Not quite sure why he felt compelled to point this out when he was being interviewed to promote the new series, but he was basically right.

The thing is, its viewing figures (until this series) were pretty good for a show of its type; the problem was it being a cable quality drama that somehow ended up on network TV. HBO would have been delighted with 2.3 million to 2.8 million viewers per episode, and would have probably stuck with it through a ratings slump if the quality had remained high and the critics had continued to masturbate themselves silly over it. But NBC were never going to do that.

I don't really blame them, either. This series' ratings have dropped for a reason. Some of it has been stellar, but some of it really has been plodding, portentous wank of the most annoyingly kind. I swear at least 20 minutes of the last episode consisted of close-up shots of snails. The Italian detective is bloody awful. I miss the hot ginger. And Mason. I made a point of watching episode 1 when it originally aired. The others I've taped. It needs to get going.

 

[BCFC Jordan]

It has been slow but I think the last two have been an improvement. As I said before, I think it's a show best watched in one go. I'm sure the earlier episodes will be better when mixed in with the latter ones.

I really hope it gets renewed but won't be expecting it to. All my favourite shows get cancelled - lost Boardwalk Empire last year.

 

[JimJams]

 

[BCFC Jordan]

That ending was great.

 

[Ebeneezer Goode]

Don't worry about all that broken glass Jack, just walk through it in your socks, you'll be fine.

 

[Captain Scumbag]

Fuller confirmed yesterday that both Amazon and Netflix have passed on the opportunity to pick up the show. T'was also confirmed last week that Darcy and Mikkelsen's contracts have expired.

What other options are there? Hulu, maybe?

Looks dead, doesn't it?

 

[Ebeneezer Goode]

It's dead Jim.

 

[BCFC Jordan]

Yeah, I never had much hope for it being renewed - the only hope was Netflix.

Just need to hope it has a fitting ending in the next eight episodes.

 

[Captain Scumbag]

Up to episode 5. Quite liked the end because I'm a sucker for shameless Clockwork Orange rip offs (especially balletic violence), but I found the rest rather tedious. At least Pazzi has been done away with. Can someone kill Chiyoh next, please? The scenes with her and Will on the train had me convinced that the show had jumped the shark,

Persevering in hope that the Tooth Fairy stuff, which is supposedly just a few episodes away, will serve as a sort of mid-season reboot.

 

[JimJams]

Yes it's all very dull at the moment. As you say episode 5 ends well but fuck me it takes time getting somewhere.

 

[BCFC Jordan]

I still enjoy watching the show but S3 is definitely a lot worse than S2. It's all gone a bit too over the top now. The pretentious sort of scenes are now the majority, whereas before they really added to the show because they weren't constant. Now it's almost like an art project or something like that.

So far this season Will has

Spoiler

sailed across the Atlantic, walked to Italy after being pushed off of a moving train and had his head cut open with a saw, only to seemingly have no repercussions from that and now finds himself hanging upside down in a farm.

 

[JimJams]

 

[Captain Scumbag]

^
Looks good, doesn't it?

I've watched a few series 2 episodes recently, and what really came across is how much the show depends on the more procedural, investigative elements for narrative structure and purpose.

Don't get me wrong. I dig nightmarish surrealism, aphoristic psychobabble and lavish food porn as much as the next fan, but it was that on top of a decent investigation yarn that made the show really good.

It needs a fresh story about the FBI methodically tracking down a lunatic. Doesn't matter if it's a case-of-the-week thing or a longer arc comprising multiple episodes. It just needs something to anchor it, because without that (see the first third of the current series) Fuller gets caught up in his own arty-farty conceit and the show disappears up its own fundament.

So, yeah, thank goodness the Dolarhyde stuff is coming. Get it back to the US. Make it about criminal psychology and investigation again. Throw Lounds, Zeller and Price back into the mix. Ditch the whole pretentious 80s arthouse schtick and go back to being a stylish, creative and entertaining riff on the procedural thrillers that Harris wrote.

 

[BCFC Jordan]

I adore this show but admit S3 has been a bit of a slog at times, to say the least. But then they go and produce an episode like this week's, at a much faster pace than most of the episodes this season - and it really illustrates how much I'm going to miss it.

S2 was a masterpiece, S1 was compelling viewing and S3 has had its moments, but I'd say about 4 of the 7 episodes were far too slow paced and I think the show has paid the price in the end. Will go down as one of my favourite ever TV shows regardless.

Love how they've brought this back in a few scenes over the last two episodes -

 

[JimJams]

Ep 7 (Digestivo) was the show back to its best. Only one slow-mo teacup moment.

 

[Captain Scumbag]

^
Yeah, preposterous from start to finish, but great fun. Out with the snails. In with (literal) face-offs, death by Chekhov's eel and Alana cutting a dead baby out of a pig! (I laughed uproariously at the pig-mobile). Much, much better.

Sad to see the end of Mason, who was such a diabolically funny villain. Would have loved to have seen what Michael Pitt would have done with the season 3 material but Joe Anderson did a great job taking over. Loved the dinner scene, especially the contrast between Will's horror and Hannibal's amused smirk as Mason explained his plan.

Episode 8 was a bit of a snooze fest by comparison. Definite place setter, though.

 

[Nilsson]

"I love a good finger-wagging." "Yes, you do. How is Margot?"

 

[BCFC Jordan]

Just caught up. Enjoyed the second half of the season very much and it was a good way for the series to end if that is it's final conclusion. But also leaves it open for a return one day.

I think episodes 1-6 of S3 were a bit of a mess, elements of quality but far too arty, with the plot not really being driven enough, and could have been narrowed down into about 3/4 episodes. Aside from that, the show was quality throughout. Season 2 probably being one of, if not the best series of television I've watched.

Mikkelsen, Dancy, Fishburne, Esparza, Pitt, Dhavernas - just so many great actors. Fantastic writing for the vast majority of its run and stunning cinematography (albeit a bit over-the-top in early S3). Won't be many shows like it ever.

 

[Christian Slater]

Just caught up. Enjoyed the second half of the season very much and it was a good way for the series to end if that is it's final conclusion. But also leaves it open for a return one day.

I think episodes 1-6 of S3 were a bit of a mess, elements of quality but far too arty, with the plot not really being driven enough, and could have been narrowed down into about 3/4 episodes. Aside from that, the show was quality throughout. Season 2 probably being one of, if not the best series of television I've watched.

Mikkelsen, Dancy, Fishburne, Esparza, Pitt, Dhavernas - just so many great actors. Fantastic writing for the vast majority of its run and stunning cinematography (albeit a bit over-the-top in early S3). Won't be many shows like it ever.

I think that sums it up nicely. Metaphysical to the point of becoming boring and time wasting, but it refocused when Red Dragon was introduced.

I thought going in to this series it'd end with the introduction of Clarice. Apparently they only have the rights to the Red Dragon novel, although there are scenes that come from the Hannibal novel, such as Pazzi's disembowelling.

They left the ending with enough ambiguity and closure to wrap the series up or conclude it which was clever. Obviously we're hoping it gets picked up again.