Hannibal – Season 4 not on the books, but could it be?
We’re just a few episodes in and NBC has already announced they won’t be renewing Hannibal for Season 4. This has lead to lots of rumors and speculation about the future of the show. Is someone else going to pick it up? Will Netflix, who seems to be everyone’s hope at a TV savior these days, swoop in and add another show to their exclusive catalog? Is anyone brave enough to take up the mantle of a show with such dark underpinnings? Is it even possible someone wants to take the helm and recreate the 3 Hannibal movies in serial form using this cast of characters?
I always thought from the first couple of episodes that Hannibal shouldn’t be on regular "broadcast" TV. It’s content is far too niche and the audience would be relatively small, but devoted. It wouldn’t generate the kinds of numbers commercial based TV would need to say it’s viable. I’m surprised it even made it to air, let alone came back for a second or even third season.
But here we are with a deep and dramatic story that is drawing to a close. And one that still has several more chapters to tell. Can it continue on?
I personally don’t think Netflix will pick it up. Instead, I would look to either Amazon, who already has broadcast rights under Amazon Prime, or Starz, which is known for broadcasting niche content with "mature" themes. Out those choices, I’m not sure which I would prefer.
Amazon certainly has the money and they have dabbled in some darker offerings by renewing "Ripper Street". Based on the cost of putting the show together, it wouldn’t be hard for them to turn a profit and garner an audience. Plus, they already offer Hannibal, so it would easily blend in.
Starz has put together several niche shows like Black Sails, which has it’s violent and sexual side, as well as Outlander (plenty of violence and sex there) as well as Da Vinci’s Demons which isn’t exactly General Audience fair. Black Sails has certainly been a slow build, but has garnered a pretty stout audience. I’m a fan of the show and liked that not every show had to have explosions and backstory was an important element. Same can be said for Outlander, which moves at a steady pace, but isn’t "action packed".
If we’re throwing names and fanciful ideas out there, what about Showtime and Hannibal as a replacement for Dexter? We had multiple seasons of Dexter and serial killers certainly aren’t new territory. I would be content to see a meeting of the minds between those groups.
In all cases, Hannibal would do well on a "cable" station or with a streaming service. Best to keep it away from the prying eyes of younger viewers and away from those who might "stumble" upon it and then cry foul over what they saw.
I would very much like to see the show continue and as I said before, I would like to see this cast and this crew remake the Hannibal movies. We’ve already been introduced to many of the characters from those, so why not just go all the way? I would like to see that trilogy redone and put that other horrible set of movies to rest.
Will someone take up the challenge to keep the show going knowing there is already a committed audience? They are exploring all avenues, so who knows. We might get lucky, but I don’t see a reason to do any more than 3 more season. This would complete the movies and finish things off nicely. If they wanted to venture into the unknown and make a fourth season where Hannibal disappears into society again, I would certainly be along for the ride.
What do you think? Netflix? Amazon? Starz? Showtime? Or is this the final dinner engagement of Hannibal?
Update: Just read that Amazon owns the exclusive streaming rights of Hannibal so that effectively shuts out Netflix. Also, Bryan Fuller has a new show coming out on Starz, so clearly that’s a possibility as well.
Other Articles of Interest:
- Hannibal – Coming back for another Season February 28th
- Hannibal makes it to Season 3, Dracula gets a stake through the heart
- Hannibal Revealed
- Hannibal – S01E08
- Hannibal – The Series
- Hannibal Season 2 Finale
- Hannibal – Takiawase – S02E04
- Hannibal – Season 2 Premiere
- Da Vinci’s Demons Set To Return March 22
- Hannibal returns for Season 3
Hannibal returns for Season 3
I just had a chance to sit down and watch the season 3 opener of Hannibal. There was some doubt we would even get this third season, but this first episode has me intrigued as we learn all sorts of secrets about Hannibal, his former therapist Dr. Bedelia, and that Hannibal had Dr. Abel Gideon for dinner on multiple occasions and their discussion were quite revealing.
We catch up with Hannibal who has managed to escape from Will and Jack and has made his way over to Italy. He has started a new life for himself as a professor focusing on the works of Dante. How strangely fitting. But there is far more to this story. Odd how a position just happens to come open right when Hannibal is looking for a job. Further, we see there is a whole lot more to relationship between Hannibal and Dr. Bedelia. Seems they were more than colleagues, more than doctor and patient and without giving too much away, they had much more than a passing knowledge of each other. It also comes out that Dr. Bedelia is quite aware of who and what Hannibal is.
As we look to the recent past, we see that Dr. Gideon and Hannibal had quite a few interesting dinners together. There was a lot of conversation about how Gideon wondered how Hannibal would feel when it became his time to be the hunted animal. I have to say, those scenes got a little more disturbing each time we meet up at the dinner table. Gideon looks worse and worse each time and something about him seems to be missing. I’ll let you chime in when you get to that point.
We also get a glimpse into how Hannibal seasons and prepares the meats that go into his recipes. He takes great care to marinade his cuts with sauces and spices and even shows how he grooms and feeds the snails he will later use in his cooking. There was some awkward moments with that one. And the way Gideon looks on at what he is going to be served actually makes you feel sorry for the guy.
Strangely, as Hannibal begins to settle in with this new job, a new visitor shows up on their doorstep. He gets invited over for dinner and Dr. Bedelia is actually shocked Hannibal, "lets him go". Ok, that is pretty grim business. Bedelia knows exactly what Hannibal is capable of and even makes the unusual comment that Hannibal "wants her to taste good" when a comment is made about the food she is eating. This makes for some raised eyebrows at the table and their guest begins to wonder what sort of party he’s been invited to.
But the new visitor is brought back and it seems Hannibal is back to his old tricks and Bedelia is right at his side.
I have no doubt this is going to be an eye opening, jaw dropping season. I think Hannibal is an incredibly suspenseful and dramatic telling of the Hannibal story that is far superior to the crap movies that Anthony Hopkins put out. That Hannibal was laughable and pathetic. Not once did he instill any sort of fear, nor did he ever come across as anything but a buffoon. When I first watched Silence of the Lambs, I thought it was a stupid movie and Hannibal was a joke. Why would anyone be afraid of this guy? He comes across with the mental capacity of an ice cube, not someone who is calm, calculated and always one step ahead in the game.
The Hannibal of the TV series is far more compelling. He is sophisticated, soft spoken, elegant, refined and hides all his misdeeds behind a wall of calm that keeps you completely on edge. Strangely, Hannibal from the series is someone you’d actually like to know.
Who knows where this season will go and if there will be a season 4. I really hope there is as I would love to see them remake the 3 movies as season long episodes. The previous movies would pale in comparison as to what this team would be able to pull together.
We are off to an extremely dangerous start and so much has already been revealed and set in motion. We haven’t seen Will or Jack yet, and we have no idea how many of them survived, but I have no doubt they will be back with a vengeance and will be hell bent to catch Hannibal and have their revenge. Just like the other seasons, this is going to be great and we are in for a treat full of deception, lies and misdirection. And even when we think we know what’s going on, more will be revealed that will completely throw us for a loop.
Who else caught the opening episode? What did you think?
Other Articles of Interest:
- Hannibal Season 2 Finale
- Hannibal makes it to Season 3, Dracula gets a stake through the heart
- Hannibal – Season 4 not on the books, but could it be?
- The Rise of Hannibal. The Decline of Will Graham.
- Hannibal – Coming back for another Season February 28th
- Hannibal – Season 2 Premiere
- Hannibal – The Series
- Hannibal – Tome-Wan – S02E12
- Hannibal Revealed
- Hannibal – S01E08
Hannibal Season 2 Finale
Well, if you haven’t watched the final episode of Hannibal then look away!!
Oh my goodness, what a season! We end where we started with Hannibal in an epic using anything and everything available in the kitchen. Jack was getting far too close to discovering the truth and Hannibal had to protect himself. However, this comes at the expense of both Will and Alana. Hannibal and Alana may have spent intimate nights together, but that’s not going to stop him from throwing her out the window!
And in the midst of all the chaos we see a surprise visitor. Where the devil has Abigail been hiding all this time? But before we can even ask the question, Hannibal follows through on what we all thought he did several episodes earlier and uses her as an instrument of his getaway. As Hannibal heads out the door into the rain, the potential body count is at least 4.
Now it’s time to put some distance between him and the FBI, so on a plane he goes bound for what we assume to be France. But who’s this sitting alongside him? Wherever did Dr. Du Maurier come from and how did Hannibal convince her to take a plane ride with him? Sure, we can she is the victim here and is on the plane against her will, but she doesn’t seem all that traumatized to be there. Perhaps she’s not enjoying the champagne as much as Hannibal, but she doesn’t have the look and dress of the average prisoner. And whatever will the two of them do when they get to their cozy destination?
Lots of very exciting things to think about for Season 3. And thank goodness we get a Season 3. If that was then end it would be horrible let down. I think this series is so much more complex and intriguing than the movies and that Mads is a far superior Hannibal Hopkins ever hoped to be. Sure, the show is a bit graphic at times and the whole scene of Mason causing great harm to himself and feeds bits to the dogs was a little over the top, but Hannibal is portrayed as the super villain of all the serial killers so this sort of behavior and imagery makes sense. This is the sort of Hannibal you should fear not that movie tripe.
I think I will now go back and watch the entire series over again just to get all the sublety in both action and dialog. I have no doubt clues were left all over the place just waiting for me to discover them on the second viewing.
And let’s not forget the plot twists with that wiley Freddie Lounds!
Other Articles of Interest:
- The Rise of Hannibal. The Decline of Will Graham.
- Hannibal – Tome-Wan – S02E12
- Hannibal – Season 2 Premiere
- Hannibal returns for Season 3
- Hannibal makes it to Season 3, Dracula gets a stake through the heart
- Hannibal – Coming back for another Season February 28th
- Hannibal – Takiawase – S02E04
- Hannibal – Season 4 not on the books, but could it be?
- Hannibal – S01E08
- Hannibal – The Series
Hannibal – Tome-Wan – S02E12
So we’re now just one episode away from the season finale of Hannibal and things took a grizzly and unexpected turn. Not only are Hannibal and Will playing a dangerous game, but we see hints that Jack may be pulling the strings and intends to risk everything to get what we wants. Dr Du Maurier has resurfaced and offers some shocking insight into both Will and Hannibal. And there is more to the attack on her from a patient than we previously knew. While Hannibal may be sympathetic to the incident, there are a few more details.
Hannibal has also grown tired of Mason Verger and feels that it would be in everyone’s best interest if he and Will took care of the problem. Hannibal thinks Mason’s behavior toward Margot is quite terrible, but the way Mason treats his desk and furniture simply can’t be tolerated. The physical torture and abuse is one thing, but putting your feet on a desk is taking things too damn far.
Of course everything is spiraling out of control as to who gets caught first, Hannibal or Will. Which murder is each one guilty of? Is Will a protégé of Hannibal or simply being manipulated? What the devil is going on around here? I can already tell that the last episode is going to make me throw things at the TV. I damn glad there is a Season 3 to explain all this.
I will also say this is by far the most graphics and violent episode in the series. I thought sewing a bird into a man’s chest and then sewing that man into the cavity of a horse was over the top, but the scrimshaw to the face was pretty brutal. The team at NBC is dreaming up some pretty wild and scary plot lines these days.
Other Articles of Interest:
- The Rise of Hannibal. The Decline of Will Graham.
- Hannibal Season 2 Finale
- Hannibal Revealed
- Hannibal – Coming back for another Season February 28th
- Hannibal – Takiawase – S02E04
- Hannibal – The Series
- Ghost Mine – Secret Passage – S01E05
- Hannibal – Season 2 Premiere
- Hannibal returns for Season 3
- Hannibal makes it to Season 3, Dracula gets a stake through the heart
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