"Hannibal" NBC Series 1, Episode 12 "Releves" review

This penultimate episode started with a horrific incineration scene. The comb of death reminded me of the comb the queen/witch/pedlar gives to Snow White in the longer version of the fairy tale.

This series has featured some stunningly conceived set pieces – Will’s surreal dream sequences are highlights. Lots of morphing and weirdly moving/speaking humans(David Lynch “Twin Peaks” territory).

Will (Hugh Dancy) has made the big link between all the copycat killings. But will he be believed? Who was the patient swallowing his tongue with Dr Du Maurier (Gillian Anderson)?  She definitely knows more about Hannibal than anyone else – apart from Abigail, but I don’t think Abigail is long for this world , from watching the final scene.

Jack (Laurence Fishburne) confiding in Hannibal, telling him his latest theories makes for delicious viewing. No, there were no extravagant dinner party scenes this week, except for Chef Lecter brewing up some exotic, but medicinal chicken soup for the disturbed Will.

Gillian Anderson is much in demand on telly at the moment. She seems to have the sexy, but knowing ice queen down pat, if you have seen BBC’s “The Fall” series. Note the lush greenery feature wall in the female psychiatrist’s office (similar to Hannibal’s dining room).  A link or just the style of the set designer?

Liked it when she tells her patient, Lecter, that he needs to “maintain the boundaries”.  Just when you think the FBI is getting closer to cracking the case, the cool, unflappable Hannibal is one step ahead, playing his trump card: Poor Will. Perhaps not that poor – he can afford Business Class seats for 2 (his misguided jaunt with Abigail).

Looking forward to final episode of Series 1.  

"Hannibal" NBC TV Series Episode 9, "Tros Normand" review, spoilers

Best murder tableau yet.
The towering body part totem pole on the wintry beach confirms what a visually arresting show this is. God, it looks cold on that beach.
A great episode. Abigail (Kacey Rohl) is back. We find out she used to procure girls for dad so he wouldn't have the desire to kill her. Obnoxious tabloid parasite Freddie Lounds is sniffing around again. Invited, with her new bestie Abigail, to Lecter's dinner party. She is a vegetarian - wouldn't ya know it?
Hannibal takes advantage of a vulnerable Will - Will to keep stum about the Nick Boyle arrangement with the doctor and Abigail.
What a great question psychologist Dr Bloom asks Will, "Do you feel unstable?" He vigorously nods.
Great to see stalwart Lance Henriksen (remember Bishop, the loyal android in "Aliens") as the cold psycho sitting back complacently in his Naugahyde armchair. But Will has the last laugh.

Interesting side note: Hugh Dancy and Mads Mikkelsen became good friends while "King Arthur" (2004) according to Bryan Fuller in an interview for "Time Out". Fuller wanted to capitalise on that link when he cast these two.

"Hannibal" NBC TV series Series 1, Episode 4 COMPLETE "Ceuf", Episode 5 "Coquilles" review

Unfortunately, due to the pulling of Episode 4, the series has lost some of its impetus. I applaud Bryan Fuller's sensitivity. This is me, being purely selfish -  it has stuffed up the flow of the series. After watching the complete "Ceuf" episode (thanks to Sony run cable, AXN Asia), I am bewildered why it was pulled. Sure the family dinner scenes were disturbing, the bodies slumped around the dinner table, but the violence was mainly off camera and part of Will's mental reconstructions. There is so much violence on TV. For example, "The Following" Ep. 14 "Carrie"-like gym massacre. Was it merely timing with "Hannibal" Ep 4?
I hope we can return to the fascinating relationship between Hannibal and Abigail. Didn't quite know where the magic mushroom scene was going.
It is a shame Episode 4 got reedited so drastically in the web version. Veteran director Peter Medak directed "Ceuf". The theme was family - Will's family of stray dogs, Joe's lack of children, Lecter trying to make Abigail a new family and the families of  'the lost boys'. The web version was a waste of time. Scenes referenced previous scenes, so it made no sense.
Molly Shannon plays a great psycho - I remember her deranged character in "Will & Grace". The 'lost boys' and Molly should have been a two-parter, there seemed a lot of back story, more could have been explained about how the mock-family of runaways operated. "You don't know what it's like" says the kid to Joe about his real family. Perhaps it is best if we didn't find out the background to these affluent but twisted families.

Episode 5 was noteworthy because of Laurence Fishburne's fine underplaying - where he gradually realises his wife has cancer (while listening to the angel-maker's wife talk about his cancer) was a classy scene.
Lots of scenes of Will sleepwalking in these 2 episodes. Is this so the audience can see more of Hugh Dancy in his boxers? Funniest line: Will turns to Hannibal, "Did you just smell me?"

The 'angels' tableaux created reminded me of Dexter, Season 6 with Edward James Olmos.
Hannibal's sumptuous banquets staged in his "Architectual Digest" dining room are becoming my favourite scenes in the series. Jack asks what he is eating. "It's rabbit" Lecter replies. Jack, "He should have hopped faster!" (Cut to a running, strumbling man).  Also liked when Lecter stressed that he "only uses an ethical butcher".

"Hannibal" NBC TV series Episode 1 review

"Hannibal" has Bryan Fuller ("Pushing Daisies") as the creator/writer. The first flashy scene establishing William Graham's (Hugh Dancy) credentials as a profiler grabs the viewer. William is a flawed, tortured  character, but that's the way we like 'em.
Ever see U.K.'s "Wire in the Blood" about a flawed, tortured profiler played by Robson Green. Well, perhaps other people in NBC have.
I never thought I'd hear "Willie Wonka's Golden Ticket" in the same breath as "serial killer"....well done NBC!
The connection with Dino De Laurentiniis brings back memories for this old fart (Martha, Dino's later wife), is executive producer - connection with "Hannibal" (2001) movie I guess. And wasn't that a  real shitty sequel?
Casting Mads Mikkelsen (Le Chiffre in "Casino Royale") was inspired. Bond villain=Serial killer/psycho?
Stylish art direction - the white and blood red Men's room scene. Some surreal dream sequences  involving antlers and bodies. There's not a lot of laughs in this first episode, but it's delicious to see profiler Graham and boss Laurence Fishburne in the same room as Hannibal Lector - on the same team!
An intriguing first ep. It blitzes "The Following" in many ways. Well done, Mr Fuller, sorry people didn't like "Mockingbird Lane". I did.
Bring on Ellen Greene and Gillian Armstrong in coming episodes.