What Do You Think of Hannibal?
I loved the show while also thinking that it had massive flaws. Mads Mikkelson's Hannibal Lector is one of, if not the most endearing character I've seen on television. I wod go out of the way and say his performance is superior to even Anthony Hopkins'. Hugh Dancy as Will Graham and Laurence Fishburne as Jack Crawford are also phenomenal characters.
Hannibal should be one of the best shows ever made, but it's weaknesses are just as prevelnt as it's strengths. The most glaring problem is Caroline Dhavernas. Her character and performance lacks the depths of Mikkelson, Fishburne, and Dancy's, and her removal from the narrative would almost have no impact on the plot whatsoever. The other major flaw is tonal: Hannibal can't decide if it wants to be sleezy, realistic, serial killer thriller like True Detective or Seven, a generic NBC detective procedural, or a Joel Schumacher Batman movie. The acts of violence commited on the show are like nothing else on network or even cable television, but the impact of the depravity is undermined by Dancy and Dhavernas's yawn-inducing will they won't they relationship and the three comedic relief morticians. If you want to insert comedy, do it through the interactions of the main characters. Don't relegate it to supporting characters who have little to offer but comedic relief.
