Note: Episode 4 of Hannibal, titled Ceuf will not air due to the graphic nature of the episode and the current cultural climate following the Boston Marathon Bombing, but can be watched in an edited version of webisodes here.
*MILD SPOILERS*
[pullquote_left]co·quille [koh-keel; French kaw-kee-yuh] noun. any of various seafood or chicken dishes baked with a sauce and usually served in a scallop shell or a shell-shaped serving dish.[/pullquote_left]
It is extremely tough to do a review an episode of television that is aired out of their intended order for a serialized (to an extent) show like Hannibal. Seems that Ceuf was probably never going to see the light anyway, considering that press did not receive the episode on our screeners that were sent way in advance of the Boston tragedy.
NBC got lucky though, because the transition from episode 3 to episode 5 is almost seamless and without any major glaring continuity issues. It also helps that this week’s episode, Coquilles, is another solid one.
Will Graham is losing his shit. Pardon my French, but the work he’s been doing is wearing on him to the point where he’s sleepwalking and losing time on a regular basis. He’s not really getting the benefits of real sleep, so what is Crawford’s solution to Will’s problem? A new bloody case, of course!
Will is Jack’s work horse and wants him tracking down the next nutjob on the loose, the creepy “Angel Maker.” It’s not just a clever name, because this killer makes his victims into living angel displays by carving sections out of their back skin and pulling the skin up into wings with fish hooks. So yeah, it’s quality family television.
This is by far the biggest and best episode for Laurence Fishburne to date on Hannibal. We’re introduced to Crawford’s wife Bella, played by his real-life wife and fanboy favorite Gina Torres (Firefly). The Crawfords have dinner over at Hannibal’s (yeah!) and you start to feel a disconnect between the two by the end. I must say, I was surprised by how this story played out the rest of episode and how touching their scenes were together. The script leads you in one direction and punches you in the face from another. Nice job all around.
Speaking of the good doctor, he is going full Palpatine this week and really trying to drive a wedge between Will and Jack as Will is losing his grip on his mental state. Hannibal wants his new apprentice sooner, rather than later, so he starts drilling into Will the idea that Jack is using him and is very much the devil foreshadowing that Dr. Lecter is getting closer to making his move.
With next week’s episode being titled Entrée things might be closer than we think as we await the main course…
The Good:
Will’s descent. Laurence Fishburne! Gina Torres! The striking “angel” crime scenes. Emperor Lecter.
The Bad:
Hannibal still hasn’t made any real big moves. The actor playing the killer is goofy. The fact I’m reviewing episode 5 and not 4.
The Verdict:
Anchored by a strong performance by Laurence Fishburne, this episode is full of cat and mouse games and striking murder scenes that will continue to please fans of the show.
★★★★☆