Just watched episode s3e2 (and have the others taped), and I'm reminded why I really like this show. I've seen very few things that capture subjective psychology of the characters this well... and to see it on TV versus a movie? (reference "Under the Skin" as one of those movies.)
But at the same time it explains the bad ratings. I like being disturbed, I like knowing not exactly what is real, I like trying to filter through Will's perceptions and see what he is seeing and putting things together, I like things being ambiguous and confusing and unsettling. But TV audiences (especially major networks) just don't really have a high demographic of people like that, I think; it's too art-housey and only a TV niche market at best. Which is why cable might be able to handle the show, if a network can devote proper resources to the project.
Episode 2 was just great. And sad. And hopeful. And disappointing. And pretty brilliant. It really pulled on me mentally and emotionally. We finally get a partial sense of how things went down at the end of Season 2 but... who knows where this is going?
Except to the Tooth Fairy, eventually.
... also, another book character is introduced.
EDIT: Cause for hope? From the wiki:
"On June 22, 2015, NBC cancelled the series. Fuller has initiated talks with Amazon Prime and Netflix for a renewal."
EDIT1: Oh, back in S3e1, at the end, there's this great shot of Hannibal sitting on a train with a luggage chest that reminds me a TON of the end of the movie "Let the Right One In." I can't really believe that's a mistake. (Except it's making you wonder who is representing who.)
EDIT2: Caught up now (through s3e4). Things are kind of falling into place, I think they're trying to set up the placement of all the characters for the beginning of Red Dragon, which would likely start with e7.
well I'm skipping the rest in this thread until I finish episode 5. But you captured the show very well in your "why I like it and why NBC viewers don't"
It's remarkable this show has lasted a single season on a major network. I always watch downloaded episodes, but I can't imagine watching this show with freaking network TV commercials. But the gore in this show, it pushes boundaries graphically, and aesthetically....period. Thinking of the sad, surprising, yet not-so-surprising scene of Abigail's throat being slashed by an an invisible blade, sitting calmly next to Will. Heavy, bloody, graphic on ANY network.
But this season is more dream/horrorscape than the previous 2 and while beautiful, a little annoying at times, like yes yes wonderful, but don't forget to progress the plot. I can forgive it though.
Though I'm just into the beginning, I'm caught thinking WTF?? with episode 5 when the japanese girl says to Will on the train, "you're scared if you don't kill him you'll become him." Say again?? I mean, that's kind of been a running theme this season, but I never quite could buy it. Yes, Will freed the imprisoned man that ate Mischa, probably just "curious to see what would happen," a very Hannibal thing to do, but Will could never be a monster. I don't get that. But maybe it's just Will's own irrational fears/insecurities.
All in all, this show continues to remain one of the most disturbingly bizarre shows I've ever watched. And I'm very pleased that the subject for such is show is none other than one Dr. Hannibal Lecter, a fictional character who is so artfully brought to life, that he deserves a place in mythos next to a Botticelli or a Hieronymus Bosch painting.
