Hannibal Review - Season 3 Episode 2

Primavera 

Episode 2 of the final season of Hannibal replays what occurred at the end of season 2. Consider it a refresher folks, at least for the events concerning Will Graham. The episode is solely based around Will and him having to try and come to term with the events that happened. He wakes in hospital, Abigail (survived?) convinces him that Hannibal wanted them to live, Will does not believe that. He's convinced other wise that Hannibal left them for dead. Abigail does convince him to go find Hannibal. He then has a flashback to the night before the stabbing, where he and Hannibal talked about Hannibal's future plans. Will sees a bunch of drawings of the clock he drew. In an unusual moment he has some sort of vision of a church, similar to the one where Hannibal planted the heart. 

Another issue comes up, the quick jump to 8 months later. Why is Will not in prison or go to court? Hopefully all will be explained in the next episode. Will and Abigail are now in the church where Hannibal plans his next master work, as he has not done it yet. This means that Will is there when Hannibal is too. He and Abi talk about god and religion and Hannibal's views. Will talks of how Hannibal doesn't want to be god but knows the power it holds. Could Hannibal be an Atheist?  

Will Graham of course gets called in by the european police (Italian?) not sure. Another thing not clearly explained in the second episode is where Will and Abigail have travelled to. Will eventually meets Detective Reinaldo Pazzi, played in the film by Giancarlo Giannini. The two discus their views on Hannibal and Will finds a little history on Hannibal. With question of course Hannibal is nick-named, The Monster of Florence.  Reinaldo does lead Will to thinking as to why he is on the search for Hannibal. Does will consider Hannibal a friend still? Will contemplates what he may do to Hannibal when he sees him. 

Eventually Will gets back to what he does best, but things don’t go as planned as he tries to decipher the crime scene a headless black man crawls out of the grotesque heart. The thing grows antlers and slowly walks towards Will, who backs away until Abigail wakes him up. At this point it is strongly believed that see lived but Will, after talking with her, confesses that this was the only way he could keep her alive, by imagining she was in his mind. So, Abigail Hobbs is dead. Will had known it all along but needed time to accept it. 

When Rizzo comes back Will goes on to forewarn him. Hannibal is not someone you wish to cross. It is then, in between arguments with Rizzo, that Will realizes Hannibal is still here. They enter the catacombs under the church. Rizzo has his gun drawn but when he and Will cross paths again, he tells him a gun won’t help, go back to the station. Rizzo eventually heads back to the police station, leaving Will to confront Hannibal on his own. 

The episode ends with Will forgiving Hannibal. What I felt is this came as a surprise, tier could a twist where Will just used what he said as a way to get to him. Though I don’t think that kind of manipulation is totally like Hannibal. 

A good solid filler episode to fill the audience in on Abigail and Will Graham. 

Episode Rating:  B 

Hannibal Season 3 Binge/ Cancellation

Apologies for my absence but as you all know the series has been cancelled. I am sure most of you have finished the show and are now busy getting on with life so not sure if this blog will last but I will maybe turn it into a fan blog, hell maybe I'll do a comic of season 4 to Hannibal. Wait and see. I will post a review for episode 2 of season 3 soon, will need to re-watch the episode. I am working too on bingeing all of season 3 so I am excited.

May we all continue to dine together, bon appetite!

Dealing with things

Hello Hannibals, by now all of you have heard the news that Hannibal has been cancelled. I have been going through a lot lately and this just cuts me deep. I apologize for not keeping up with the reviews. I plan to re-watch the season 3 opener and then get caught up from there as I have been to miserable to continue watching. It is such sad news and looks even more that this season is going to be the end of the show as Bryan Fuller has left to produce Neil Gaiman's American Gods for Starz television. That just makes me feel Bryan has essentially given up on Hannibal and that just makes me want to go cannibalistic on his ass.

Hopefully this season will end on such a high note. I am happy that they decided to follow the third book for the third season as now the series is coming to an end. Only difference is the third book is now taking place before the events of Red Dragon, as in this season we will get a taste of a new Red Dragon.

Such a shame the series has to end but I guess we can just watch as Bryan put in a strong effort this season so lets all sit back and enjoy.

Antipasto - S3 ep.1

Its officially summer and our favourite cannibal returns to the small screen. Having left behind his life in the U.S Hannibal is now seeking refugee in Paris and Florence, and he also didn't leave empty handed as his psychiatrist (played by the great Gillian Anderson) tags along out of shear curiosity.

The episode is focused on the two dealing with the aftermath of what happened, Hannibal flashes back to the final moments he had with Abel Gideon (again played by the fantastic Eddie Izzard) I feel in a way Hannibal must of felt some connection with Gideon, or wanted there to be one, as Will Graham has turned out to be a turn-coat in disguise.

As for Bedelia, she is coming to terms with joining Hannibal on his escape, as we learn in a flash back to the Red Dinner (S2 finale nicknamed after Throne's Red Wedding episode) where she returns to her home to find Hannibal in the shower. Its a great scene where Hannibal steps out of the show and she contemplates shooting him, there and then. But curiosity gets the better of her and she and Hannibal leave for Europe.

We also get a first glimpse of how Hannibal helped her cover up a sinister murder that she may have been manipulated into concocting. Its a gruesome scene, but poetic in the same and in those moments it is like she is being reborn.

The rest of the season premiere deals with Hannibal trying to obtain a new identity, he takes over the role as a museum curator for a while until a new friend gets suspicious, that and who wants in on what Hannibal and his supposed wife (Bedelia) are up to.

This leads to Bedelia almost making a quick get away before Hannibal ties her back in with him as she becomes his accomplice to the murder of his new found friend. They then go back on the run as Hannibal concocts something of a crime scene, wonder if he is leaving bread crumbs for Will (as it has been announced Will is alive and on the hunt.)

Antipasto is a great opener as this season shows it has a new style and flow. The development of Bedelia and her relationship with Hannibal is also a huge plus and it is what makes me even more excited to what else is to come this season.

With a new change in location and story the show has gotten even more character driven, and I am loving every minute of it.

Rating: A-

I'm so Happy!!!!

This just in, Hannibal has been renewed for a third season, YES!!! All raise their glasses, its a fine night to dine with a cannibal!

Season 2, Episode 10 - Naka-Choko

I missed reviewing the last few episodes, sorry, I will try and do reviews for the remaining three.
Here's my review for episode 10.

When last on Hannibal, Lector sent a former patient (Randall Tier) after Will. Will kills him with his bare hands (which Hannibal is pleased by) and drops him off on hannibal’s door step. “even Steven” replies Will. Not so fast. As this episode shows, Hannibal informs Will that he owes Randall a debt (seeing as he has made Will feel more alive) That debt, to show the world, and give Randall what he always wanted, to be an animal. 

We are presented with a very interesting scenario. Jack is informed of a murder, and is the first on the scene to find Randall formed into a beast (supposedly by Will himself) When Hannibal and Will arrive on scene, you can tell they know more than they are letting on. Jack suspects something but doesn’t poke. In fact, this episode is a very fascinating one, as it focuses on the relationship between Hannibal Lector and Will Graham and a certain feminine presence, Alana bloom. 

The threesome scene in this is not what you think. It is done very elegantly and shows how Will so desperately wants Alana, but he knows Hannibal has her ensnared. It is sad with the falling out of Will and Alana. But once her man Will axed her from the court at his hearing and almost killed her dear friend Hannibal, well she just was not going to be having any of that. I wonder what she will do when she learns Hannibal sent someone to kill Will. 

Alana may be the one to get jack peering in Hannibal’s direction again as Freddie Lounds makes an appearance (final???) in this episode. She catches up with miss. Red riding hood after class and informs her of Will’s sudden change on Hannibal. He is no longer shouting his name from the heavens that he is a killer, in fact he is going on saying Chilton was the killer, when we all know who really killed Abigale Hobbs and it was not Dr. Chilton. As Freddie makes note to will, “Chilton moved to psychology because he could not risk the embarrassment” how did she find this out? is Chilton alive in a wheel chair somewhere? She goes on to say she may now know who the killer(s) is, Hannibal and will. Alana does beginning poking. 

She starts at dinner as Hannibal has invited Will and Alana to join him in a feast, on pig. This pig, where did he get such a thing, Mason Verger. Yes, the villain who captures Hannibal in the third novel of the series. He finally appears in this episode alone with again his sister Margot Verger (played wonderfully again by the great Kathrine Isabelle) she a knock out once again, and is practically topped by Michael Pitt’s performance as Mason Verger. Not only does his hair and outfit work, but he even works up a perfect accent to really accentuate the character. 

All can praise this episode, there’s a lot of mystery and surprises. It’s quiet the meaty episode and still leaves you to hunger for next’s weeks plate. 

The gears are turning as Freddie was on Will’s farm. Is she dead? Kidnapped? and by will, for what reason, purpose. to shut her up. Come on, it had to have been for more than that. I sense that will is putting something into motion. I’ll have no clue as to what it is until the final episode is upon us. 

A great beginning to the finale of the season. 

Can’t wait for the trilogy (last 3 episodes) that will close out the season. 

A- 

Season 2, episode 7 review - Yakimono

Well, like with all seasons of television shows there comes an episode that changes the stakes for everyone. In the seventh episode of Hannibal a huge surprise happens, and it involves Miriam Lass.

The episode starts off essentially where the last left off, Miriam is whisked off to medical treatment and is then given to opportunity to identify the Chesapeake ripper. Is it hannibal? She can't recall or remember.

Will Mr. Graham be set up yet again. Now, and that is where the twist in the episode comes from. It builds on the fact that Will is not the ripper and he is now being set free. Will gives Chilton a warning to come out into the light and away from Hannibal (who hides in the shadows). He tells something similar to Alana. But she is in love with her old friend and won't be swayed by the fact that Will tried to have him killed.

What Will convinces Chilton to do is confess that he and Hannibal did the same thing, they manipulated their patients to become something they were not.

Sadly, Chilton continued to blame Hannibal, and yet in offering his services to uncover Miriam's memories Jack said that she is not his patient.

Will is now back to essentially where he was in season one, just not so dysfunctional. He is helping Jack on the case, and informs him that the ripper has been caught before and is only letting himself be known so that he can slip away again. In other words, everyone was playing into Hannibal's hands, and Will I think comes to realize this.

(Spoilers ahead, highlight if you wish to know)

Dr. Fredric Chilton, runner of the institution for the criminally insane. This is the twist, the big shocker. Hannibal goes from framing his best friend Will so that he does not get caught to realize he can't so he figures out a way to set him free, be revealing himself and framing Chilton for his crimes. Along with the murder of Abel Gideon and two officers. Chilton won't have any friends fighting for him in his corner, everyone discredits him, and to add to all the shockers when Miriam sees him, she breaks and shoots him with Jack's gun. Chilton, Dead!?

Yakimono is the game changing episode for this season. The moments that occurred here will affect the outcome of future episodes. The opening season's fight scene between Hannibal and Jack will continue to become more powerful as the season progresses. For now, things are back to the way they were. Will and Hannibal have resumed Will's therapy.

Episode rating: A++ (gore-ific episode and so tensely thrilling)