Catching up with season 3 of Hannibal!

[frelling_tralk]

Episode 3 really wasn't for me I'm afraid, I felt like the director started getting way too artsy when it came to things like the close-ups of snails. I get that the cinematography has always been an important aspect of Hannibal, but it was starting to get so drawn-out that the plot was crawling to a stop at certain points! IMO episodes 2 and 3 could have been condensed down into one episode easily, then we could have got back to the rest of the cast by episode 3, rather than waiting for the fourth episode (And how great was Chilton in the fourth episode! I love that he personally got the copyright for 'Hannibal the Cannibal' lol, I'm kind of disappointed actually that in this version of the canon he's not the one tormenting imprisoned Hannibal and threatening to take away his privileges)

I thought that they could have done more with Chiyoh though, she felt like such a cipher to me, and I didn't really understand why Will was kissing her on the train, but maybe I missed something there?

I loved seeing Bedelia and Hannibal living together as a kind of warped version of how Hannibal and Clarice ended up in the novels, there were some great moments there ('it's not that kind of party'!) At first it came across to me like she was being completely coerced into being with Hannibal, but then of course it was suggested that she was choosing to be with him, that part of her was fascinated by him and seeing what he would do, while always taking safeguards for herself. I loved the resolution to that with her pretending to be high and confused, and Jack can't help but be impressed at how brilliantly she's going to play everyone!

Alana and Margo had good chemistry, although it's a shame there wasn't more of a build-up to them getting together, they really only had the one scene together before their sex scene! I do really love Margot's character though, and Mason was always fun too in his own warped way, "Well no pyjama party for you, Mr Graham" :P That pig scene was too heart-breaking and disturbing for me though, poor Margo :(

I probably shouldn't say too much about Will/Hannibal for fear of embarrassing myself as a really creepy shipper, but I can't help but find something adorable in the weirdest stuff, like Hannibal's proud smile when Will takes a bite of Cordel's flesh :blushes: And I loved that they borrowed the image from the Hannibal film and had Hannibal walking away from Mason's revenge scheme with Will in his arms :D Poor Will though when Hannibal turns himself in so that Will can never put him out of his mind :( Jack's look of disbelief said it all really!

I really enjoyed the latest scenes between Will and Bedelia in episode 10, heh when he calls her The Bride Of Frankenstein, and she points out that we've both been his bride *g* I loved the unexpected flashback to her patient when we see what really happened with him, it seemed like Hannibal deliberately send him to Bedelia to try and bring out the cruel streak that he saw in her? It's going to be more interesting to watch her scenes from seasons 1 and 2 now, she was always kept so ambiguous before that it was hard to know what to make of her, but I feel like I have a better understanding now

I was very happy to see Abigail again in episode 9 (well and in episode 2 as well of course!). It was good to get all of that background on how much she was actually working with Hannibal, in her eagerness to help Hannibal set up the crime scene, we again see someone who was not the helpless victim that she first appeared to be. I was always fond of her relationship with Hannibal, and it was pretty heart-breaking in retrospect watching those scenes when we know how it all ended

ETA Oh I don't suppose anyone has any recs for Hannigram fic or video's that they've enjoyed? I did read one awesome prison AU with Hannibal and Will in a version of HBO's Oz, and ended up getting completely sucked into it *g*




Also I've changed my LJ style completely now, I thought that it was time for a change. It will take a bit of getting used too, especially when I'm scrolling through my friendsfeed (everything looks so different!), but I'm really liking this style at the moment. I will miss my old banner though...The current banner with just my name on it makes me think that I really need to come up with a more interesting name for my LJ, but I can't think of much at the moment

Comments

[silverusagi]

I'm not a shipper, but I'm loving all the fucked up Hannibal/Will stuff.

I'm a bit meh on Bedelia, I kind of feel like her characterization was all over the place.

All of Abigail's scenes were great, particularly the flashback of Hannibal 'killing' her in her father's kitchen.

I'm kind of disappointed actually that in this version of the canon he's not the one tormenting imprisoned Hannibal and threatening to take away his privileges

I'm very disappointed, lol. Mainly because I wanted the payoff of that. I don't really think that canon needed to be tweaked in this instance because it would be predictable because we knew what happened, etc. Plus, even though I know we wouldn't have gotten there this season, I was looking forward to Chilton being horrible so that I could look forward to his grisly death.

[frelling-tralk.livejournal.com]

I didn't know what to make of Bedelia for the longest time when it seemed like everyone else was a huge fan of her character and wanting more Gillian Anderson, but I've definitely found her character a lot more interesting this year since we've had her appear so fascinated by Hannibal. It seems like she's meant to come across as more similar to Hannibal than she's comfortable with, but with more impulse control? Her first instinct is to crush a wounded bird for example, but the only time she gave in to her worst instincts about herself were when Hannibal drew it out of her, first with the patient that Hannibal referred to her, and then when she was living with Hannibal in Florence

And I heard something about Chilton being in every episode once we get to the Red Dragon arc, but they don't seem to have used him that much so far, I get the feeling that it's Alana's death being set up actually with all of the hints of Hannibal 'I always keep my promises'

[silverusagi]

It seems like she's meant to come across as more similar to Hannibal than she's comfortable with, but with more impulse control?

I would agree, except that in 3x01 she was basically terrified the whole episode. Her actions were those of a prisoner, not a nervous accomplice. But yeah, in every other episode, she's come off as really cold. I just can't make sense of her in 3x01. I don't think it was in line with what came before or after.

I also feel like they're setting up Alana's death. I will be disappointed if she dies and Chilton doesn't, lol. I didn't cry fridging when Beverly died, but if another main female character dies without a main male to even the score, I'm going to be annoyed. And Chilton is the most obvious candidate, since he dies in canon and since a theoretical SotL would need Jack. Though, granted, Chilton wouldn't die until SotL anyway (unless they speed things up), which we're not going to get. As it is, I'm halfway wondering if Hannibal is going to escape by the end of the season or something. Because I don't know how he could kill Alana otherwise? Unless, as I saw the theory, he sends Dolarhyde after her family instead of Will's. Though that seems unlikely since we saw him getting Will's address this episode.

[frelling-tralk.livejournal.com]

Hmm that's true, I suppose that you could read it as her being terrified because of her gradually realising what she had let herself in for, but yes she did come across as trapped in that episode

And they probably would hesitate killing Alana for that reason, but then while I understand the talk of fridging when it comes to most of the main deaths being female, I'm not sure how many male characters they've even got as an option to kill off other than Jack (who is canon safe at the moment), Chilton, and the two lab techs? And their deaths wouldn't have that much impact anyway IMO, I can't even keep their names straight :P There's quite a few more memorable female characters to draw from with Alana, Margo, Bedelia, Freddie etc. Well and Freddie is presumably going to die during the Red Dragon arc this season anyway.

I guess that's partly an issue with Freddie and Alana being switched to female from the original canon, they now leave themselves open to criticism if they continue to kill off exclusively female regulars, but with Hanninal, Willow, and Jack all obviously safe, Chilton is their only real other option to kill off among the male characters, and they seem to be having too much fun writing him at the moment for that