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Hannibal
http://forum.theobelisk.net/viewtopic.php?f=10&t=6767		 Page 1 of 4
Author:  Bullio [ Fri May 24, 2013 12:11 am ]
Post subject:  Hannibal
Please tell me I'm not the only one here watching this.

I was not initially sold on it after seeing the TV ads despite being interested in seeing how Mads Mikkelsen handled the part of Hannibal, but word of mouth convinced me to check it out. I ended up binging on the first 7 or 8 episodes (depending how you count the yanked episode) over two days (and felt quite dirty and depressed for a day or two afterwards).

This is one of the most beautifully shot shows on TV, let alone network TV. I'm very, very rarely grossed out by gore on TV and even in film. This has me turning my head repeatedly and feeling like I need to take a shower after every episode. It's absolutely disgusting and nauseating on a visual level with crime scenes as visceral as shit out of Seven. The show itself strikes the same tone to me as Seven on a whole, but I think it's more artfully put together than Seven was (anyone that saw "Coquilles" should know exactly what I'm talking about). But it hits just as hard on an emotional and mental level due to the strong writing and even stronger acting. The writing is among the strongest on TV right now, and almost all of the main characters (and even some of the supporting ones) are portrayed with an Emmy-worthy performance by their actors during every episode. Yeah, the Asperger's patient-turned-superhero-detective bit is rather played out at this point, but the portrayal of that angle is the best that's ever been done on TV and is never made to seem glamorous (quite the opposite). I'd feel quite comfortable with calling this my favorite show on TV right now (yes, even above GoT) and one of the strongest currently-running shows alongside stuff like The Americans and Louie. I've completely turned around on it. It absolutely blows my mind that something this good, and this visually intense, is on NBC.

I'm going to miss it dearly when NBC cancels it after this season.
Author:  Bullio [ Thu May 30, 2013 8:47 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Hannibal
Image

Best news I've seen all week.
Author:  h.p. taskmaster [ Thu May 30, 2013 9:52 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Hannibal
You know, I kind of meant to start watching this show and then wound up totally missing it. Dig the whole mythology.

They handle the character well? Is it possible to capture the spirit without Anthony Hopkins?
Author:  Demon Lung [ Fri May 31, 2013 5:20 am ]
Post subject:  Hannibal
The best show on network tv right now...
Author:  Bullio [ Fri May 31, 2013 12:51 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Hannibal
h.p. taskmaster wrote:
You know, I kind of meant to start watching this show and then wound up totally missing it. Dig the whole mythology.

They handle the character well? Is it possible to capture the spirit without Anthony Hopkins?


I've only seen about 20 minutes of Silence, and it was a long time ago so I can't speak with much authority on the subject, but Mikkelsen is really fun and creepy as hell to watch play the character whether he's serving guests at dinner or inserting himself as a father figure. I've seen some people say that Mikkelsen is more compelling in the role, and Silence actually rather tame compared to the show, but again I can't speak from personal experience. Lecter had obviously already been revealed by Silence, but that's not the case here. This is well before any of that, even before Red Dragon, so he's still working his psych practice and maintaining the public facade. So it's not exactly the same character, or at least the same portrayal, but he's definitely been killing and eating people for awhile as The Chesapeake Ripper is well-established by the time of the first episode.

I would say, bare minimum, watch until the second episode ("Amuse-Bouche") if the first episode doesn't grab you for some reason; but you really ought to watch up to the fifth episode "Coquilles." Also keep in mind that the fourth episode ("Ceuf") wasn't aired in the US because of the Boston bombing. You can watch the "cannibalized" version that's on NBC's website as webisodes which skips over the procedural case and just shows the serialized stuff, but I would strongly recommend tracking down the whole episode as it's one of the strongest of the season.

And don't let that procedural comment scare you off. This is a serialized show, but it takes the procedural format and flips it on its head. The characters and larger plots are very much the focus and meat of the show whereas the procedural cases are the background and are used to develop the characters and highlight the episode's theme.
Author:  Crutch [ Sat Sep 07, 2013 4:01 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Hannibal
Finally got around to this. I'm about halfway through and it's great. Considering it's a network show, it's pretty daring and dark. I'm surprised how surreal it is. Like a Twin Peaks episode or something.
Author:  Bullio [ Sun Sep 08, 2013 7:09 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Hannibal
I think Fuller refers to the feel of the show as a "heightened sense of reality" or something like that. I call it a "feverish nightmare".

Always good to see someone new get into this. The season finale has me jonesing hard for season 2. That final scene, it's a real "oh shit" moment.
Author:  Crutch [ Thu Sep 26, 2013 12:54 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Hannibal
Yeah, networks should be encouraged to do more shows like this.

There seriously isn't a light moment in the show. Even Scott Thompson provides some peppering of comedic relief, but you still can't get out from under all that dread.

Even the "theme song" is hopeless...
Author:  Crutch [ Thu Dec 19, 2013 6:51 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Hannibal
New season begins Feb 28th. Awesome.
Author:  Bullio [ Sun Dec 22, 2013 3:22 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Hannibal
There are four things I'm really, really looking forward to next year. New Godflesh stuff, a new season of Orphan Black, season 5 of Community (that's a weird feeling), and this. Absolutely cannot wait to see what's in store for us.

Also, Amazon and Best Buy have the first season on sale for $20 on DVD and Blu-ray. The BR hasn't been cheaper, and I don't think the DVD version has either. Well, well worth the money. Do yourself a favor and pick up the BR if you have something that can play it. This is a show that begs to be seen in HD.
Author:  Adam [ Thu Jan 09, 2014 7:06 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Hannibal
Awesome. I had assumed this show got cancelled. Glad it isn't.
Author:  JkFlesh [ Mon Jan 13, 2014 10:45 am ]
Post subject:  Re: Hannibal
I just watched the second of three BluRays of season 1. I avoided this for a while because I'm sort of burnt on Lecter and serial killer movies/shows, but I've been pleasently surprised. It's extremely dark, visually impressive with some very interesting and aggressive sound design. And of course Mads as Lecter was an inspired choice. I don't think the show would work without him. I'm really intrigued to see how this season will end and where the next will go.
Author:  Ala [ Mon Jan 13, 2014 10:53 am ]
Post subject:  Re: Hannibal
Love the Hannibal-films, but haven't gotten more than a few episodes in on the series. How does it hold up?
Author:  Crutch [ Fri Jan 17, 2014 11:48 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Hannibal
Ala wrote:
Love the Hannibal-films, but haven't gotten more than a few episodes in on the series. How does it hold up?


I'll say this, I challenge anyone to find a better drama on network TV than Hannibal.
Author:  Mr Neutron [ Wed Jan 22, 2014 4:08 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Hannibal
So i streamed about half of the first season last night. Fantastic. Very dark, and definitely moments that border on twin peaks style surrealism (particularly the visions of the elk.)
Mikkelsen has an absolutely delicious slow burn thing happening with Lecter.

Ill get caught up too soon, but something this good helps bide the time until Orphan Black, and Continuum return.

Funny that I get rid of my television subscription, and now find some really great shows. Thank jeebus for streaming.
Author:  Bullio [ Sat Mar 01, 2014 12:36 am ]
Post subject:  Re: Hannibal
That opening scene...holy shit.

God damn was that premiere worth the wait. Everything about this episode makes me so happy to have this show back. Some very welcome fleshing out for Alana tonight, who was lacking things to do last season. Seems like she's going to be quite busy this season though. And this is still the best looking show on TV. The sound work was in fine form tonight too, especially during Will's dinner scene in his cell.

Did Hannibal's dining room and office seem blacker and more ominous to anyone else? The light seems to have gone out of his office (and I don't mean the fact that Will is locked up) and the walls of the dining room looked black on my TV whereas I recall them being mostly more of a dark purple last season. The quick glimpse of the white horns over the mantle during his dinner scene with Jack was a nice touch. I didn't notice them in the scene with the shrink, or last season, but I might just have missed them during the former and I wasn't looking for them at all during the latter.
Author:  Crutch [ Tue Mar 04, 2014 11:52 am ]
Post subject:  Re: Hannibal
Fucking great season opener. Set up the whole direction of this season nicely. I love it when a show establishes characters relationship to one another and spends the rest of the show twisting that.

People are going to regret sitting out on this show.
Author:  Mr Neutron [ Thu Mar 06, 2014 2:32 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Hannibal
Yeah, the first episode was intense. Glad that this came back right as True Detective was winding down.

Hannibal's back, Orphan Black is on the way....good times.
Author:  Adam [ Fri Mar 07, 2014 7:19 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Hannibal
Forgot about this, fortunately the DVR did not. Gonna watch the season opener now.
Author:  Adam [ Sat Mar 08, 2014 1:13 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Hannibal
I can't remember the last time I had to turn away from the tv/movie screen, but I definitely had to turn away for much of that opening scene in last night's episode.
Author:  Bullio [ Sun Mar 09, 2014 3:15 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Hannibal
ugh, yeah. Except the sound effects were just as gross, so turning away didn't help much.

"There is no God."
"Certainly not with that attitude."

This show doesn't get enough credit for its sense of humor.

Also, AV Club has been publishing interview/commentary features with Bryan Fuller for each episode after they air. If you haven't been following along I'd recommend doing so if you have any interest in the production aspect of the show. For instance, in the latest one he reveals that Kade Prunell is a stand-in of sorts for Paul Krendler from Silence and Hannibal. I love reading and listening to Fuller talk about the show. His enthusiasm for the source material, especially the books, is infectious.

http://www.avclub.com/article/bryan-ful ... mie-201684
http://www.avclub.com/article/hannibals ... mur-201919
Author:  Demon Lung [ Sun Mar 09, 2014 5:16 pm ]
Post subject:  Hannibal
The guy that plays Hannibal resembles Putin to me.
Author:  Bullio [ Fri Mar 14, 2014 9:53 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Hannibal
What. In. The...of course a seemingly routine trial episode would be anything but.
Author:  Adam [ Mon Mar 17, 2014 9:29 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Hannibal
That was clearly Hannibal's only course of action to protect Will.
Author:  Mr Neutron [ Sat Mar 22, 2014 2:42 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Hannibal
Fell a little behind, just watched S2E2. One of the better episodes of TV I've seen in awhile. Creepy, and gory. The "eye of god" rivals last year's "totem pole" for cool kills.
Mads Mikkelsen is so good in this, it is unbelievable. He gets better and better as the series progresses.

Watched last night with headphones on, the music in this show is really well done. Does a good job complimenting the atmosphere, and isn't all Bear Mcreary tribal drumming stuff (which im rather sick of)
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