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01
Hannibal has some tremendous food pr0n
Consider this the amuse bouche of the list.
So, Hannibal cooks a lot. Don't think quite yet about what he's cooking, just know that the show does an exceptional job of showing you beautiful food prepared in simply magnificent ways.
It's not an enormous part of a season of Hannibal, but it's a noteworthy example of how the show highlights the details in order to provide a holistic show filled with both pretty and terrifying images.
It spawned a whole Tumblr dedicated to the food on Hannibal, appropriately called nothing vegetarian.
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02
It's just SO terrifically gory
Those CBS serial crime shows always have gruesome murders and terrible acts of evil, but nothing on television, and we mean nothing, goes as far as Hannibal.
Now, for ye squeamish, this might prove too much and rightly so — the show is about serial killers and cannibals after all. But it's undeniable that the creators try to make something visually striking out of some incredible imaginative mayhem.
Just nasty stuff.
But it's not just a way to glorify violence. The show actively tries to get into its characters' heads through dream-like story telling and disturbing images. What better way to convincingly do that to characters than to do that to the viewers.
The motifs are striking and horrific. They also serve as a tremendous balance to the pretty food pictures, and it's never hidden that the disgusting scenes often provide the substance for the gorgeous food... -
03
It's just so damn weird
We also rolled our eyes when we heard this show was being made. It just seemed like such a cash-in on a well-worn property.
We're here to tell you that the show's writer/producer Bryan Fuller and his creative team wanted to make something unique out of the material and spin the show in a new way. They totally succeed.
So much of it either is a dream sequence, could be a dream sequence or explores the characters' subconscious in a way that doesn't feel boring or forced.
Hannibal clearly has a vision of how it wants to tell the story. And even though Fuller has said they want to cover the events of the films Red Dragon, Silence of the Lambs and 1999's Hannibal, they have a very specific dark and introspective mode for telling those stories.
It's foreign and strange and exciting. Sometimes, especially in the early going, it borders on campy silliness, but even then it's a hell of a good ride through Campy Town. -
04
Mads Mikkelsen is fantastic as Hannibal
The Danish actor brings with him this built in mystique and aloofness that makes the character even more compelling. He plays so many different roles within this one and although he does each with relatively the same tone, each note is so convincing has he goes from confidante to murderer to lover to chef.
And that wardrobe. Sure he probably doesn't dress the character, but he sure wears it well.
It should also be noted that this international actor provided a pretty big international draw. So much so that NBC was able to successfully sell the rights to many overseas distributors. This is super notable because with these extra funds, NBC will more likely keep this weird ass show around.
Which is great.
Calm down, Hannibal. -
05
Two words: Gillian. Anderson.
The always wonderful Gillian Anderson had a brief bit part as Dr. Lecter's psychotherapist where she played a mysterious role as a victim of one of his former patients, but when the show returns June 4, she will have a recurring role on the series.
We've got a pretty good idea of what that is, but we don't want to spoil it for any new watchers that might want to jump on board.
Still, it should add yet another really interesting dynamic to an already crazy show.
Well, if we managed to sway you to give Hannibal some of your time, definitely start at the beginning. Don't try to hop on this bandwagon when it rounds this third season bend — you'll surely fall off.
Lucky for you, you lucky person, NBC has both seasons available on their website for free.
What are you waiting for? Go watch this great show!
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