Hannibal 1x06: "Entrée"

[cleolinda]

OH MY SHIT

YOU GUYS

WHAT JUST HAPPENED

This episode is a thing of beauty and delight once you realize what they're doing. But since I'm largely staying away from spoilers, I didn't know, and thus I spent much of it shouting at the TV in a fit of fangirl pique. Bear with me, then.

Comments

[ceilidh_ann]

This show, you guys. THIS SHOW!

[cleolinda]

I think at this point they do take online viewers into account? (Can they take DVR into account as well? Maybe?) It's getting to be a bit more "every vote counts" than the Nielsen families setup used to be, I think.

[ceilidh_ann]

It may also be worth noting that not only is the show critically acclaimed, something that's alluded NBC for a while in the drama department, but it's sold to 80 or so countries around the world, which will bring in some cash. Plus NBC have nothing else to show so come on guys, don't suck the joy away from me!

Plus Fuller's promised more Dr Chilton in season 2 and I need this!

It sucks being attached to a TV show sometimes.

[cleolinda]

This is basically why I stopped watching actual scripted TV shows, even though I keep meaning to marathon things on DVD. (As opposed to hanging out with the Murder Channel for an afternoon.) They either take it from you and break your heart, or it goes into a massive decline (and breaks your heart). I think Lost might have been the one show I ever stayed with from beginning to end--I want to say I was with The X-Files until the bitter end, but I honestly cannot remember a damn thing about the last two or three seasons. It's like my brain is trying to protect me.

[friggeng]

Haven't read a line of this seeing as I just finished episode 3, but I just wanted to say thank you so much for introducing me to this show. I've been reading your recaps since the first and I finally got brave enough to watch the actual thing, and it is SO GOOD and SO GROSS AND GOREY.

Also, the art direction is absolutely stunning, which is one thing your recaps couldn't really cover, so it was totally worth it. Even if I'm not sure if i'll be able to eat lunch.

[cleolinda]

It really is. I try not to overwhelm the recaps with pictures, but my God, I could if I wanted to. Both the cinematography and the sets.

They do some really interesting things with the gore/horror aspects, but I have to say, it's the suspense that I love. The parts where you either know something's about to happen or you're afraid something might happen (you'll see that in the episode 4 recap)--they do such a good job leveraging the BUT WE KNOW aspect. When you read this recap--there is a scene near the end that I MELTED DOWN over, just from waiting for what I realized was going to happen.

[friggeng]

Gorgeous!! And now I really understand what you mean about Alana's and Freddie's wardrobes. (Abigail's too - I like how she looks like a mini Alana.)
I just finished this episode - and while I couldn't really 'feel' the suspense before, because I knew everything that was coming, thanks to the recaps..... this is the one where i was yelling OH NO, CUTE TRAINEE, GET OUT OF THERE the entire time. And now I DEFINITELY know how you feel.
I know nothing whatsoever about the books (or films) - so EVERYTHING in this episode surprised me. So my inability to see anything coming + the usual excellent writing means this one has been by and far my favorite to watch.

[cleolinda]

I think it's my favorite episode now and I wasn't spoiled for the others beforehand. See, what's amazing about that is that I knew how the Someone Finds the Wound Man Picture scene goes in the book, but because they sprang it on someone different WAY earlier than any of us expected, it was this simultaneous double "I know but I DON'T know" suspense. They managed to pull the rug out from under all of us.

[bienegold]

So in the first episode? There is TOTALLY a wound man illustration underneath the picture of the school.

eta: Also, a question. If NBC cancels it, will the show actually cease to be or merely not aired in the US, since it's foreign production? Does anyone know anything about the international ratings?

[cleolinda]

Heh, I remember Bryan Fuller pointing that out (with picture) at the time, but just didn't have the get-up-and-go to comb his timeline for it.

(You know, you would think Lecter would maybe stash that picture somewhere safe now that he's KILLED SOMEONE over it.)

I actually think they'll run the entire season regardless, because it's shot, bought and paid for, and it's not like they have anything to replace it with. So it's more a matter of renewal than sudden cancellation, I guess.

[bienegold]

That's what I meant, sorry. I know they're airing it in full. But if NBC doesn't renew, will it actually cease to be.

re: the picture. Somebody else was speculating that it was a test/trap. Like, I guess Miriam visiting Lecter was a surprise, but time passed between when the patient left and Jack and Lecter had their chat.

[cleolinda]

I mean, I guess Fuller could try to shop it to another network, but yeah, I'm pretty sure NBC is producing the show itself (I think?).

Somebody else was speculating that it was a test/trap.

Yeah, I could see him kind of wanting to see who was smart enough to notice it. (You know, I guess there's still an opportunity for Will to also see it and shit to go down.) That does suggest that he secretly wants to get caught, though--which I sort of doubt. Unless that's related to actually wanting to be known his crimes, the way he was pissed off that Gideon was getting "credit" for being the Ripper. I guess ideally everyone would know, he would get the "glory," but then elude capture and go into hiding somewhere?

I don't know why I'm trying to get the thought process of a sociopathic cannibal to make sense.

[joonscribble]

YAY!! A recap!

So what you mean to tell me is--you are saying that--Lecter is sitting here in front of his fireplace pensively thinking about how he's genuinely sorry about Bella Crawford, and sorry for Jack because he's losing her, because even cannibals sometimes get the feels, and he felt fairly wistful, indeed, as he was sneaking around Crawford's house TRYING TO GASLIGHT HIM INTO THINKING HIS TRAINEE WAS STILL ALIVE? "Yes," he said to himself, as he set up a phone call to relay Miriam's last words to Crawford (the second time), "I feel such sympathy for this brave, suffering woman--now, should I lay a single blonde hair across her pillow, or should I actually lay Dead Miriam out in the bed for the full effect"? ARE YOU TELLING ME THAT IS WHAT HE DID?

You are literally the absolute worst, sir. He is the absolute worst, but his motives make sense (at least to him). I think he was punishing Jack Crawford because he knew Jack was behind the Freddie Lounds story. But this is separate from the fact that Jack is still a soon to be

[cleolinda]

It's all levels of splitting but this is how Hannibal seems to be in this show.

Yeah, there's a REALLY strong ability to compartmentalize that verges on paradox. Like, that you can have feelings that shouldn't even be able to exist side by side--"I feel really sorry for you, except when I want to punish you, and I feel a lot of sympathy but zero remorse." That's just fascinating to me.

[pevchayagalka]

It sort of reminds me of the evil android in Alien - "you have my sympathies. Up to and including suffocating you, which I must now do."

[bienegold]

I missed her middle name the first time I watched the episode. I mean, I heard the last name, but I never imagined... And then oh my heart.

[prettyannamoon]

We now have no idea how Will's going to find out, or how Lecter's going to get caught, or what's going to happen when he is. Now, ALL BETS ARE FUCKING OFF.

Thisss, sfm. Good job, show.

It kind of killed me that the arm was all carefully displayed in an old observatory, left with a note reading "What do you see?", and no one checks where the telescope is positioned.

Also, I was geekily happy to see Norton grapes featured, and to read about the trouble they had in acquiring them. Yay for local - non-people - cuisine finding its way into Hannibal's kitchen.

[bienegold]

I'm sure it's just a coincidence, but the coloring of the observatory reminded me of the pills in the...pill machine at the pharmacy in episode two.

[cupcakery]

It's the David Dunlop Observatory, in Richmond Hill, I believe. I like this game. It's like a treasure hunt.

[cleolinda]

It kind of killed me that the arm was all carefully displayed in an old observatory, left with a note reading "What do you see?", and no one checks where the telescope is positioned.

...omg.