I do my weekly DVR Purges, but let's be frank: they are crap. I don't proofread them at all most weeks. They're collections of scattered thoughts that barely even make sense a week later. What I've decided to do is, with most of these shows I watch taking a break, reflect on where I stand with them, assessing what is in the show's favor (assets) and what could get it in trouble (liabilities).
Now, not every show I watch will be included. In general, I'm sticking to shows that I've kept notes (be them from Purges or otherwise) as I've watched. That means, shows like The Bridge, Looking, Sherlock, and Dexter will not be included. To get my thoughts on those, ask me. This project, supposing I stay on schedule should take all month and I hope it does a good job summing up where these shows stand. In some cases, I'm hoping to convince you to start watching. Other times, it'll be nothing more than a postmortem for a show that's gone.
I hope you enjoy.
Favorite Episode(s): "Mizumono"
Cinematography: This show is gorgeous. This show is grotesque. Those statements are equally true. This shouldn't surprise me. Brian Fuller is also the man who brought us Dead Like Me and Pushing Daisies: Two incredibly visually distinct shows. That shouldn't take away from how great everything looks on this show. I challenge you to find five other shows right now that put as much effort into every shot. From the pit of naked bodies that looks like an eye, to Beverly Katz vertically cut up, to a human bee hive, it is always imaginative and a little hard to look at.
Will: Hugh Dancy is ridiculously good as Will Graham. He's as raw a nerve as you will find on TV and deftly navigates the complexities of being completely insane and also the smartest man in the room. It's nothing short of ridiculous that there isn't greater outrage over his Emmy snub.
Hannibal: Anthony Hopkins won an Oscar for playing Hannibal Lector. His portrayal of the character has made Hannibal one of the most iconic villains in pop culture. That said, I can't remember the last time I thought about Hopkins while watching Hannibal. Mads Mikkelsen is doing something so completely different here that he's found a way to coexist with the other. Sure, Mikkelsen's accent is at times impenetrable. You learn to deal with it. Beyond that, he is suave, imposing, and dangerous. The second season successfully handled all the other characters slowly learning the truth about Hannibal while he carried on a handful of different mind games with everyone simultaneously. That's impressive.
Complexity: As I said when watching the finale, sometimes I don't feel smart enough to be watching this show. By the time we reached the finale, I'd lost track of what was happening and who was where. What convinced Jack finally of Hannibal's guilt? Why were both men so certain there'd be a fight? What side is Will on? How in god's name is Abagail still alive? This is a very cerebral show. If you are going to watch it, be ready to put in some effort. It'll be worth it.
The Books: I spend a large amount of my time watching this show wondering what perspective reading the Thomas Harris books would give me on the show. I know Will and Jack are characters. Of course Hannibal is. Magot and Mason come into play at some point although I'm not sure how. The show is by no means following the books exactly. These first two seasons are based on a couple paragraphs from the books, I believe. I don't particularly like thinking my enjoyment is being compromised by a lack of research (it doesn't get in the way of my Game of Thrones enjoyment, for example). It's not a big issue on the show, but it is a slight annoyance on occasion.
Finale: It's a good thing there will be a third season. Fuller must know something about the foreign company co-producing this with NBC, because that is not a finale you do if you don't feel pretty confident about returning. Every protagonist is either dead or in the ICU. Hannibal is fleeing on a plan...with Dr. Du Maurier! What? If they are going to keep ending seasons like that, all I ask is that NBC announces renewal or cancellation before the season is over.
The ratings for Hannibal are remarkably bad*. It's a series that has no business existing, on network TV no less. It's staying alive almost entirely due to its foreign co-producers, so each season feels like a gift. In a world where shows about serial killers are a dime a dozen, it's hard to do anything new and isn't just the third variation of a similar idea. So far, Hannibal hasn't been a rehash. It is fascinated by the murders but doesn't revel in them. It manages to be as clever as Dexter season six thought it was, as tense as The Following tries to be, and as dark as anything you will find. Anyone who likes smart TV has no excuse for not giving this a try.
*Which means I must keep good company, because I've run into numerous people who also watch it.
Previously this Offseason...
Community
Brooklyn Nine Nine
New Girl
Suburgatory
Modern Family
Parenthood
The Mindy Project
The Michael J Fox Show
The Big Bang Theory
Agents of SHIELD
The Crazy Ones
Back in the Game
Parks and Recreation
The Walking Dead
The Middle
Saturday Night Live
Cougar Town
House of Cards
Louie
How I Met Your Mother
The Americans
Archer
Silicon Valley
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