Hannibal 1x08: "Fromage"

[cleolinda]

To begin: The problem with "I just really want to be your friend," the kind of philosophical rambling you have come to expect from Cleolinda Industries; I am officially threatening NBC with my wrath. Also, here's some fan street art that turned out really, really well.

Also, yes. Korea is very, very excited about this show.

@particle_p: We need

Comments

[chibi_regalli]

This was the first episode I watched live and at home. My dad walked in right on the cello string flashback, watched for about ten seconds, and then went "You WATCH this?" and went back downstairs.

Yeah, Tobias totally handed Will people strings in that spool. The question is whether he serial killered abroad, learning the fine craft of using people to make sweet harmony, or if it was just an Italian musician or someone unfortunate enough to come to town.

The investigators' reactions to Will are just excellent. And considering the way they look at him, I'm going to guess that means it's the first time he's empathed out loud. I guess they haven't been in the room with him while he did one of his full empathings, but his non-reenactment ones usually aren't in first person. Either way, he's going downhill and fast.

I get the feeling Tobias was resisting the urge to go "No, Franklyn, he was played like a CELLO. You can't stand a human to play him like a violin. I am so looking forward to turning you into my next craft project."

[jubilantia]

I get the feeling Tobias was resisting the urge to go "No, Franklyn, he was played like a CELLO. You can't stand a human to play him like a violin. I am so looking forward to turning you into my next craft project."

omg, me too. I feel like their utter abiding annoyance at Franklyn was the main thing they had in common, aside from being utilitarian serial killers (I think that implies what I want it to), and once that was gone, it was all NOPE, not sharing the sandbox anymore, no way no how.

[cleolinda]

Either way, he's going downhill and fast.

Beverly? NOW is the time to ask if he's okay.

This was the first episode I watched live and at home. My dad walked in right on the cello string flashback, watched for about ten seconds, and then went "You WATCH this?" and went back downstairs.

Heh, that was basically what happened with my mother (except that she is very supportive of the whole recapping endeavor; she just can't bring herself to watch). Like, she walked in at THE worst moment, or at least the worst moment that wasn't Will actually playing a guy like a cello.

[sea_of_tethys]

So, I live with my husband's family, right? And occasionally my mother-in-law walks in on us watching Dexter and gets all, "Why do you watch such horrible things? This is crazy! LOOK AT YOUR LIFE, LOOK AT YOUR CHOICES." I would love to just see her face if she walked in on us watching a guy getting played like a cello.

[tabbyclaw]

Well, I've officially given in. I wasn't gonna, but dammit the pilot was free on Amazon and it was the last week to watch that and then be able to catch up with everything on Hulu and not resort to Naughty Internet Sources (television piracy is probably rude), so I clicked. And kept clicking. And now I am almost caught up. I am still planning on staying behind the recaps for the "when not to look" buffer, and I am knitting with fluffy pink mohair as I watch for a sort of security blanket, but I am surprised by how much I'm not freaking out so far.

[cleolinda]

Hee. Yeah, I'm glad that the recaps seem to help people that way, particularly if they wouldn't watch the show otherwise. I mean, I love it and I'm still like "oh God why is this happening why is this a thing I'm looking at right now" (as much as I appreciate the, uh, creativity). I'm really more into psychological horror (which this show is fantastic for) and the character development.

I am surprised by how much I'm not freaking out so far.

One of the reasons I like having the recaps here as sort of a gateway drug is that I really feel like people expect the show to be a lot harder to watch than it actually is. I mean, yes, it's got a So THAT Is a Thing I Saw on Network TV quality, but so much of it is psychological. The most graphic parts are usually near the beginning when the crime scene first shows up, and then it's head games (yaaaay) until maybe the last ten minutes.

[chibi_regalli]

Yeah, and even then the most gory stuff isn't in every episode. It looks like there've just been a few murders where the writers thought up something really spectacular, then filmed it to make the audience scream or vomit while going "Wow, that is the prettiest shot of a dude ripping out vocal cords like streamers ever."

[cleolinda]

I know, right? They're all staged and filmed in this strangely beautiful way. Except... and this is kind of interesting... all the photos of the Chesapeake Ripper crime scenes have been just repulsive. I don't know who's actually noticed them, but I screencapped them for future reference (and really did not enjoy it) since the "tongue as bookmark" thing actually was referenced later in the episode. And maybe it's just the clinical documentary quality that investigation photos are going to have regardless. But they are not something you want to look at, at all, ever. I'm kind of concerned Livejournal might ask me to take them down if I uploaded them to my scrapbook. They're bad. I don't know if that's a "remember: absolute worst" distinction they're making on purpose or not.

Of course, Lecter also had the Cassie and Marissa crime scenes that Will said were ~super artistic.~ But he was also pretending to be a different killer, so who knows.

[citoyenneclark]

I usually don't comment on blogs, but I've exhausted discussing this show with my boyfriend and other friends who watch. *Must convert more friends to the show…bwhahaha* So I figured I'd jump in to the discussion

[hokuton_punch]

Oh yeah, Franklin is totally mirroring Hannibal - with this episode, it even seemed like he was trying to imitate the way Hannibal talks. Or maybe it was just me, but there was really something about Franklin's delivery when he was talking about playing psychiatrist that sounded like he was trying to mimic Hannibal's detached, formal way of speaking.

[darksidhe]

Hannibal's hair totally changes when he's with Bedelia...I've noticed that myself (and I loved him all disheveled after the fight - but disheveled is how I first came into my love of Mads Mikkelsen so that makes sense).

Also, from a totally face value statement the "It's nice when someone sees us Hannibal, or has the ability to see us" it could have been the general, human "us" she was referring to. However, given this show's penchant, nay obsession, with layered dialogue - it could have been any of those things, or all of them, as well. That's one thing I love about this show - is that the dialogue isn't just about the conversation they are having, it's about a conversation they aren't having, or wish they could have, a lot of times. Hannibal does that to Jack and Will all of the time and I love that Bedelia does it to him

[citoyenneclark]

hmm...well it seemed that Tobias was more focused. If he had a weapon, he would use it. Hannibal on the other hand would search out other weapons, and was constantly improvising. More stealthy, and a dirtier fighter. At the same time, he seemed to be more of a brawler compared to Tobais.

Yeah, it was interesting to see Hannibal's "person suit" drop momentarily during the fight. He was no longer polished and put together--much more bestial and monster-like.

Now the question is, when Will arrived, had he had time to put the suit back together again? I think his expression during that brief moment when Will walked through the door was genuine. Of course he then reverts back to his lying self. My boyfriend disagrees. He's of the What level are you playing at? Hannibal is playing at one level higher-school of thought. The mask was back up, he just was tired and that it was all a charade for Will.

[bienegold]

Bryan Fuller, you slick bastard, you made me feel bad for FRANKLYN. And to think, just last week, I was openly calling for his death.

Poor guy. Never realized the room was completely full of lions.

I am so, so glad I'm not the only person who thought of Phantom at that moment in the basement.

[cleolinda]

Heh, the POTO thing clicked when I went, "Well, it's a good thing Tobias couldn't manage to strangle Will because his hands were OHHHHHHH."

[serizawa3000]

Two lions or... a lion and...? AARRGH can't think of appropriate predatory animal analogies... (Cue David Attenborough narration: "Heah, on this lonely stretch of road outside the American city of Baltimore...")

[tabbyclaw]

A lion and a hyena?

[it_grrl]

I imagine Hannibal was a little annoyed he killed TWO Incredibly Rude Persons and was not able to eat either of them. "Well I suppose I shall have to call the police and they will probably notice any missing parts. *sigh* and I had the perfect Beef Bourginon recipe pulled up and everything."

Speaking of, this show is odd to watch as someone who graduated from a culinary school based on the classical French style, which seems to be Hannibal's preferred cooking style. It's making me miss all the fancy stuff I don't get much opportunity to do in the real world but also...people. One half of my brain goes "ooh, en papillote," while the other half yells "IT'S PEOPLE STOP BEING INTRIGUED."

[it_grrl]

Oh and thanks for the mention, of course!

Also I get the impression Will sleeps in his living room? Hence the working on motors in the same room as his bed. I vaguely recall Hannibal nosing through a dresser of clothes in the living room after feeding the dogs that one time.

[cleolinda]

I keep trying to figure out how his house is laid out--it's almost like it's the same room, but they show one side of it in any given scene and so it sometimes looks like two. Because otherwise, that dresser's in the front room and that struck me as a little odd at the time. (This is one of those things that only bothers me because I end up flailing around in the recap like, I DON'T KNOW WHERE IN SPACETIME WE ARE. If I didn't have to describe everything, I don't know that I'd really think about it.)

[it_grrl]

I think it is just weird editing/blocking/camera angles; though part of me likes the idea of Will occupying the living room and letting the dogs have the whole upstairs to themselves. And since I doubt he entertains guests, I don't think he's worried about not having a social space in his home.