“Who is going to help Will Graham?” That is the question on the tongues of those who have managed to survive Hannibal Season One unscathed. After all, we all are completely aware that the FBI investigator is utterly innocent when jailed for dozens of disturbing murders. And with that dramatic irony of screaming at the characters on the screen that Hannibal is the true perpetrator and every meal they eat at his is people, we all want people to cotton on that Hannibal is in fact a cannibal (after all, it rhymes.)
Hannibal is still devilishly good. The translation of the original book and film series into this modern day setting is superb. Now show-runner Bryan Fuller has laid foundations for his characters and world, with season two, he can play with the characters and their journey’s like a master chess player. With an audience already aware that Hannibal is a psychopath, Kaiseki sets the bar high for an adventure into how far Lecter is willing to go to frame Graham and whether or not the rest of them are going to figure out the truth. There is a new atmosphere on the show; rather than Graham’s descent into madness due to Lecter’s manipulation (Season One) we see the dynamics shift becoming more of a rise from madness. From the amazingly well done first five minutes, the Hannibal and Jack battle, we know that people are eventually going to cotton on and hunt Lecter down. And that is a wonderful way to entice the audience and drag them along this brilliant story.
The problem with Hannibal is the looming dread that it may all lose steam. True, there is incredible acting here (everyone has developed into their roles really well now) and the story is still as clever and twisted as it can get. But Kaiseki struggled with it’s pace today and some parts dragged on slower than others. However, there is a new psychopath on the scene that is now a lovely mystery to delve into and everyone’s favourite psychopath is on form. Hannibal is still the best thing on television right now. It is a masterfully well done drama that haunts with this flare and beauty. It screens like gothic poetry and satisfies like a grand meal.
A grand meal that is definitely people.