Margaux and I talk about the best episode of Hannibal‘s third season.
Trevor: One thought that keeps occurring to me in Hannibal’s third season has to do with its use of frequent flashbacks to the second season finale. I think in many ways, “Mizumono” might be the most important episode the show has ever done, which is why this season keeps circling back to it. But somehow that doesn’t weaken season three, which is an impressive feat. It’s hard to constantly remind viewers “look how good our last season was!” without undermining your current season.
Margaux: Last seasons finale was, for a lack of a better word, so epic, it honestly makes sense that it’d take 3-5 episodes of the various characters touched by that trauma to basically digest the events. You don’t get thrown out a window, get your neck stabbed, or eat parts of your own face without some…stuff to work through after the fact. I think the boldest choice Hannibal makes is essentially casting off its titular character to a supporting role, other than appearances via flashbacks, we didn’t see Hannibal much last night.
Trevor: I like that too. It’s not even the first time this season has done that; Hannibal was barely in the second episode. The one line he spoke – “I’m so sorry about Bella, Jack” – is taken directly from Red Dragon, and no I can’t help but point this shit out. I like little references like that; it shows that Bryan Fuller still has respect for his source material and its author Thomas Harris, and while Fuller might be putting his stamp on the character, he’s not claiming ownership. TV critic nerds on the Internet are saying Fuller owns Hannibal, but that’s not his doing.
Margaux: Fuller has expanded upon and redeemed (in certain ways) characters from the source material so much so that I’d even argue this is best version of Hannibal since Silence of the Lambs. But this conversation is better saved for a BS “think-piece” on Salon or something.
I want to talk about impending wrath of Alana Bloom, and by extension pose a question, was it all part of Hannibal’s plan to basically drive these formerly “innocent” people to “evil.”
Trevor: Hell yes. It was nice to see the return of Caroline Dhavernas, and I’m enjoying how straightforward she is about her motives. I believe the phrase “Old Testament revenge” was used, while the camera inched closer to her face and Brian Reitzell’s score paid homage to Ennio Morricone’s work on Sergio Leone’s spaghetti westerns. She’s getting ready for a showdown. She’s making sure Hannibal “gets to the stage,” as she tells Mason Verger (whose face wasn’t nearly as messed up as I anticipated, weird Vanilla Sky mask notwithstanding).
Speaking of Mason Verger, how did you like the new guy? Michael Pitt is out – because he’s reportedly the biggest asshole in the world – and Across the Universe’s Joe Anderson is in.
Margaux: I thought the actor switch-up was as seamless as it could’ve been, Anderson blended elements of Verger that Michael Pitt had established last season, but added a few original touches of his own that I appreciated, the facial ticks and oddball charm. Maybe it took losing a face for Mason to appear more human, the way he says “show me yours and I’ll show you mine” to Chilton was weirdly erotic, I got some Eyes Wide Shut vibes; between the lighting and face mask, I was half expecting some orgy to break out.
What’d you think about the return of Chilton? He was perceived as dead after he was shot in the face last season, but we all know that unless you see the casket go in the ground, no one is really “dead.” I liked how Chilton was the Angel of Death (or maybe temptation), visiting all of the survivors left in Hannibal’s wake.
Trevor: First, I’m glad you mentioned sexual undertones, because I caught some of that as well. Not only in that scene with Mason and Chilton, but again when Will says, of Hannibal, “I wanted to run away with him.” Later, when Alana enters the Verger estate, Margot says to her “This could be your entrance.”
As far as Chilton goes, we’ve talked in past reviews of the way some characters act as a Greek chorus, which seemed to be Chilton’s primary role in “Aperitivo.” That’s not a bad thing, mind you, and Raul Esparza was great in this episode. I especially liked the way Will “saw” Abigail, only for her to quickly morph into Chilton. The conversation he had with her in the season premiere played out verbatim, but with Chilton on the other end. Creepy as hell. And once more we have a character who doesn’t disguise his motivations. Chilton just wants to see the Will vs. Hannibal prizefight. “It’d be a shame not to have good seats.”
Margaux: It’s interesting how Chilton, Alana, and Mason are using therapy as weapon now, especially Alana, who really wanted to keep Will safe and carries around a lot guilt over failing to do so. Alana almost seemed sad when she tells Mason that Hannibal must of pushed her out a window because she no longer amused him, but Will still does. And holy shit, how chilling was Alana and Will’s scene together at Hannibal’s house? AKA: the scene of the literal crime.
Trevor: That was so well done. Even in such close proximity, they looked so alone. What happened in that house can never be moved past. And the shot of will turning and smiling at a bloody Abigail Hobbs was the perfect level of Hannibal spooky. Gorgeous, bloody, impossible to look away from. This show in a nutshell. Will is getting increasingly unhinged – remember his butterfly tableau from last week – but at least Jack is more or less grounded.
It’s great to see Lawrence Fishburne back, but even better that Bella Crawford got her goodbye. That scene with her and Jack was absolutely devastating. Something about Gina Torres on this show just slays me every time she’s on. And when Jack told her that he called her when he was bleeding out so neither of them would have to die alone, I found myself tearing up. Wonderful, wonderful scene.
Margaux: I felt like my heart was ripped out and fed to me for dinner. Jack and Bella’s good-bye was nothing short of motherfucking gut wrenching. But it does make sense as to why Jack ultimately ends up in Italy because if Bella was still around, he’d still be in Baltimore and it was interesting to see the lead up to Jack’s arrival, or as Bedelia put it, how Jack gets “drawn” there. There was an unbelievable amount of tension throughout “Aperitivo” even though the body count was zero.
Trevor: Yes, very well put. And what season three is doing so well is making it feel like every episode before has actually led up to this. If you missed seasons one and two, you are not going to know what’s happening, and Fuller doesn’t care to catch you up. These characters have history. That’s very confident storytelling, but Fuller must know how rabid his fanbase is.
Margaux: There’s a reason why the hashtag Fannibal is popular.
But you’re right, the best thing Hannibal does is not tell you what just happened in the scene right before it. Between the flashbacks, visions of dead people, and all the other visual tricks this show employs, it leaves it up to the audience to decide what’s real and what’s actually happening.
Trevor: The fluid nature of everything on Hannibal – of life and death, sexuality, real and unreal – is one of the show’s best aspects. It might also be what kept Hannibal from getting a ton of viewers, which is why those assholes at NBC canceled it. Anyway, before I go on that tangent, do you want to talk stars?
Margaux: Please because I can’t handle the news of Hannibal’s cancellation AND Bella’s death in one review.
I’m tempted to give “Aperitivo” 5 stars, I loved the pacing and zigzagging between characters with Chilton as the audiences guide, and vengeful Alana Bloom is welcomed development ( a nice break from the crazy and depressing shit going on otherwise). What do you think, full five stars?
Trevor: To be honest, at the start of the review I wasn’t thinking five stars, but talking about it got me more excited about, as talking about Hannibal often does. There’s no other show like this on the air right now. Five stars.
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