Disclaimer - I didn't read the book(s)
Season 1 is what you would expect from description and themes, pretty linear, pretty straightforward. There is a criminal of the week, crimes were over the top but interesting to follow. Hannibal is a looming shadow in the background until some realizations are made and the tables are flipped, not the most original idea but it works well
Season 2 is essentially in-prison and out-prison bargaining, and I wished it lasted longer honestly. With some more criminals of the week to fill up the space and some shocking moments, topped with a finale which is rightfully rated as the best episode of the show. 9/10
So Season 3 imo was the weakest of the three, 5/10, here's why:
All in all, Hannibal Lecter gives this show a 5 solid stars and the plot shifts for the last season, some loved it, I didn't. One final pet peeve - for a show filled with horrors people survive a lot of injuries with little to no consequences.
Season 1 is what you would expect from description and themes, pretty linear, pretty straightforward. There is a criminal of the week, crimes were over the top but interesting to follow. Hannibal is a looming shadow in the background until some realizations are made and the tables are flipped, not the most original idea but it works well
Season 2 is essentially in-prison and out-prison bargaining, and I wished it lasted longer honestly. With some more criminals of the week to fill up the space and some shocking moments, topped with a finale which is rightfully rated as the best episode of the show. 9/10
So Season 3 imo was the weakest of the three, 5/10, here's why:
- there were no more villains of the week, but rather villains of the first half and second half of the season and the latter was just a waste of time and space from start to finish, no one could've made that look good, the main reason why I watched last 5 episodes or so on double speed, and even that wasn't enough
- there is a lot of dialogue, not much from what was said really resonated with me. Lots of psychoanalyzing, seemed superficial and a way to fill up space. There is a lot of standing, sitting and talking, a jarring contrast to dynamic pacing of both previous seasons
- in s3 there were too many characters to keep track of - Italian police and the rest of Italians, Chiyoh, Verger household, Molly and her son, Reba, Dolarhyde plus everyone previously introduced, it's a lot and really nobody got a conclusive story here and I still have lots of questions. Half of them served very little purpose, not one interesting person was introduced
- Characters repeat the same mistakes over and over?
- so the finale. I laughed, I actually laughed. I lost patience with whatever's up with Will Graham somewhere around half of this season and didn't feel like diving deep. Needless to say, the final episode didn't really strike a cord here, except Hannibal's (and Will 's honestly) final (?) threats. An open ending, something I usually find not liking very much
All in all, Hannibal Lecter gives this show a 5 solid stars and the plot shifts for the last season, some loved it, I didn't. One final pet peeve - for a show filled with horrors people survive a lot of injuries with little to no consequences.