Welcome back, Fannibals.
Hannibal returned on a quiet note, breaking down its usual episode-by-episode structure to make way for mind games between two powerful players, leaving the viewers in the dark about the aftermath of the finale.
In terms of aesthetics, nothing was done half-heartedly. The flashbacks with Dr. Gideon provided a morbid yet accurate insight into Hannibal's mind that fit neatly into the present. We see a Hannibal who's rearranging his life without Will Graham. And with that revelation comes boredom, hubris and more control. To me, Hannibal was depicted as someone who's essentially playing his part, enjoying it immensely, but missing a vital component. And it shows. “I’ve hardly killed anybody during our residence,” he said. Yes, but he still dragged someone into his darkness, making Bedelia, his "wife", fall into her own dark, bloody landscape.
Of course, she knows that he's the puppet master and her awareness extends so far as to say "I still believe I’m in conscious control of my actions."
Bedelia's point of view was delightful to see. Her struggles with morality, her loss of control, which is so striking and similar to Alana's feeling of drowning, were a direct reflection of the absolute power Hannibal holds over her.
Bedelia's greatest weapon however is her own awareness of that fact. Let's hope she uses it.
Favorite Scene:
Gideon's snarky remark about Hannibal's feelings and how he will feel "when all this happens to" him, coupled with a reminder of Will Graham made me laugh. Hannibal's face was priceless.
At times, the aesthetics of Florence detracted from the actual story. Less decor is sometimes better, even in a decadent world such as Hannibal's. But maybe I'm just a spoiled European.
What did you think of "Antipasto"?
