TV REVIEW: "Hannibal"

Courtesy of NBC

One of the biggest clichés about film and television – and I have to count myself among the writers who perpetuate it – is that the industry is so bereft of ideas that it has to keep churning out sequels, reboots and remakes. Granted, there’s a kernel of truth to the notion, but it’s not like the process is anything new.

Just look at The Wizard of Oz. The 1939 film starring Judy Garland might be the most famous, but three other versions preceded it in less than 30 years. That would be like Sony rebooting Spider-Man two more times before 2032.

Those with less pop culture acumen might guess that the newest adaptation frontier is remaking movies as television shows, but that has been going on for more than 50 years. Sure, there are plenty of stinkers, but the process has also given us classics like The Odd Couple, MASH, Buffy the Vampire Slayer and – one of my personal favorites – Friday Night Lights.

However, NBC’s Hannibal, which finished its second season back in May and will return in early 2015, is an extraordinary example of how a gifted creative team can take even the most cynical critic by surprise. It breathes new life into a tired premise, which once seemed impossible after the cinematic franchise fizzled out in a big way with 2007’s Hannibal Rising.

The biggest pleasure of Hannibal is how it manages to capture my attention and get me emotionally invested in a character I’d stopped caring about long ago. Writer and executive producer Bryan Fuller (who was also responsible for the canceled-too-soon Pushing Daisies) completely reimagines Hannibal Lecter (Mads Mikkelsen), Will Graham (Hugh Dancy), Jack Crawford (Laurence Fishburne) and several other characters Thomas Harris introduced in his novel Red Dragon back in 1981.

Instead of going way over the top, like Anthony Hopkins did with his iconic performance in The Silence of the Lambs (which veered even more into caricature with the lackluster sequels), Mikkelsen underplays everything. His version of the character is more far more evil because of his subtle judgment the other characters, as well as their reactions to the deadly, twisted experiments he sets into motion just so he can see what happens.

Fuller has stated in several interviews that he and Mikkelsen approach the character as if he’s Satan, tempting everyone around him and leaving utter devastation in his wake. The ongoing narrative is even more disturbing – and darkly funny – when viewed through that prism. That also holds true when it comes to the series’ many cooking scenes.

Those unfamiliar with the original source material likely still know the serial killer’s nickname: Hannibal the Cannibal. Fuller plays on those expectations by including gorgeously filmed scenes featuring the title character preparing exotic gourmet meals in his kitchen. The dishes practically have viewers salivating – until they think about what’s in them, of course.

Honestly, there’s nothing on television quite like it. (The closest equivalent might be FX’s masterful Fargo, another seemingly impossible adaptation of a famous film, which just finished – as of now – its only season.) Fuller even keeps fans of Harris’ novels on their toes.

For instance, a few characters switch genders: the book’s Alan Bloom becomes Alana Bloom (played by the intriguing Caroline Dhavernas), a potential love interest for FBI consultant Will Graham. Irritating tabloid reporter Freddy Lounds becomes crime blogger Freddie Lounds (Lara Jean Chorostecki).

Also, just because a character meets a certain fate by the end of Red Dragon doesn’t mean that outcome is guaranteed on Hannibal. One likable character dies a horrific death even though he or she is still alive at the end of the book. And one character who runs afoul of a serial killer in the book is – so far – still alive on the show, even though the episode pulled a nasty trick on those who remember that particular scene from the novel.

I’ve already sung Mikkelsen’s praises, but the rest of the cast is great as well. Dancy’s offbeat choices take some getting used to, but they make sense by the time the story shifts gears at the end of the first season. Fishburne is fantastic as Will Graham’s FBI handler, portraying a man who’s simultaneously gruff, fiercely intelligent and vulnerable. His scenes with real-life wife Gina Torres are heartbreakingly beautiful.

However, Hannibal is not a show for the squeamish. It’s shockingly violent for network television, although the gore is typically presented in an operatic, otherworldly fashion. And Fuller’s not afraid to twist the knife when it comes to cliffhangers. Both seasons end in maddeningly frustrating narrative pauses, though latecomers won’t mind since they can breeze right through.

Those who want to catch up with one of the best shows on television have plenty of time. It’s streaming on Amazon Prime and you can usually find the DVDs pretty cheap online. Just be ready for an addictive, disconcerting look at the dark side of human nature. And do yourself a favor – don’t watch it while you’re eating.