+++Warning, this contains spoilers from the prior season, but no major giveaways from season three+++ Hannibal is the critically acclaimed show by Bryan Fuller, who has created many shows (like Wonderfalls and Pushing Daises) that had a lot of critical acclaim and devoted cult followings but never got great ratings. Hannibal falls into that category and ultimately was canceled before it was able to get a proper resolution. Season three picks up months after the events that ended season two in which Lecter was revealed as the Chesapeake Ripper and attacked Jack, Will, and Alana and left them all for dead. We find out the fates of each one of them (and Abagail Hobbs, who was revealed to be alive), but not immediately in the first episode. The first half of the season was adapted from the Hannibal and Hannibal Rising storylines with Hannibal and Bedelia Du Maurier living in Europe under assumed identities. The second half of the season adapts the Red Dragon storyline and brings in Richard Armitage (from the Hobbit movies) as Francis Dolarhyde and Rutina Wesley (from True Blood) as Reba McClane. The season, and thus the series, ends on a pretty big cliffhanger and an epilogue that hints at the outcome of the cliffhanger. The A/V quality of the blu-ray is, like with the prior season releases, very good. There are also a ton of extras included in the set. There are ten commentary tracks, so most of the episodes, which include various members of the cast and showrunners providing commentary. Then there are deleted scenes, a gag reel, and the series of postmortem segments with cast member Scott Thompson (that run about an hour combined). Then there are a series of making-of featurettes, the shortest of which runs just under 17-minutes, and the longest that runs over two hours devoted to reimagining the Red Dragon storyline. So, if you like bonus material, this gives you a lot. Overall, the series is very good. Of course, it is very gory and violent. There is not much in the way of sex, but the gore is over-the-top. The acting is top-notch all around. The writers definitely took a chance ending the show on a cliffhanger without a true resolution, and the show ended up being canceled after most of the filming wrapped so we never do get a true resolution of the story. That said, it is still a great series that is worth watching even if not everything gets wrapped up in a nice bow. Read more
I am mourning the loss of the best show on television. Hannibal was too good of a show to be on network tv. It should have been on HBO or Netflix. With that said, NBC was amazing for allowing what they did and letting Bryan Fuller's vision play out on screen. Mads Mikkelsen is Hannibal for me now. That doesn't take away from Anthony Hopkins in the least. His version was incredible, and should be honored for what it was. But this was Hannibal in action, with his person suit still on. Hannibal before he was caught, and it was glorious. Hugh Dancy was just as amazing as Will Graham. He was damaged, overly empathetic, awkward in social situations, and brilliant. The friendship that unfolded between him and Hannibal was a beautiful thing to watch. There were lots of people 'shipping' for more than a bromance, but I saw their relationship was purer than that. Whenever I see a show like this, that's intelligent and strange, and in this case gory as well, I know it will be canceled. I am grateful we got three seasons out of it, and that Bryan Fuller had a chance to wrap it up, even if it was mashed together. This season should have been two seasons, but they made it work. All in all, I am very happy with how it ended as well, which is more than I can say for most shows that have captured my heart the way this one did. Mads and Hugh should have won accolades and awards galore, but they were ignored. Their acting was a beautiful thing to behold, as was the cinematography, writing, directing and everything else about this show. I doubt there will ever be another like it, but it was beautiful while it lasted. Read more
Mads Mikkelsen and Hugh Dancy, along with the other great actors are absolutely perfect in this series. It is such a disappointment that NBC did not renew it after season 3. There are die hard fans all over the world that were in an uproar about losing their favorite team. As brutal as it can be, it is also one of the most beautiful and elegant show ever. Every episode was a full movie in it's own right, with such great care, hard work, blood, sweat and tears from all the cast and crew and it shows. We can only hope at some time that Bryan Fuller can bring it back in the near future. It is so addictive and in a class of it's own. Must watch all of the three seasons-You will be mesmerized! Read more
I give Hannibal the Show 5 stars. It's the best, most cinematic show that has been on television ever. The cinematography,writing, acting, narrative--all of it is superb, and I don't hesitate to recommend it to everyone. I'm discomfited that NBC canceled it, but that's on NBC and just another bad call by groupthink. That being said, I have to mention the quality of the DVDs. AWFUL. I had to have my first set replaced because 2 of the 4 disks did not play on any of my players or devices, and this replacement set is so dark and pixelated (tested out on 3 TV sets and 2 computer monitors) that I'm more likely to tune in to a streaming service to watch the show than press 'play.' I haven't utilized the digital download option of the set, so I cannot speak to its quality. Read more
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This is an absolutely GORGEOUS series -- full of dark and twisted moments that provoke darker thoughts. It has, by far, been my favorite series to date, and I'm so sad that it's ended. I have loved it from start to finish -- Season 2 is probably my favorite, but I digress -- with each season turning ever-darker corners as we delve into the minds of manipulative Hannibal and empathetic Will. In addition, the DVD I purchased here came in perfect condition. No scratches or loose discs, and each disc has played perfectly. If your tastes are on the psychological-thriller side, and you want to see true horror portrayed grandly, this series will satiate your hunger. Read more
