‘Hannibal’ 3.1 “Antipasto”

“Hannibal” Episode 3.1 – “Antipasto.” Starring Mads Mikkelsen and Gillian Anderson; Written by Steve Lightfoot and Bryan Fuller; Directed by Vincenzo Natali.

Well. The heateus is finally over. The fannibals will be coming out of the woodwork with their gorgeous fan art and hilariously disturbed memes. And that is most certainly not a complaint – I love the Hannibal fandom almost as much as I love the show. We are weird, y’all.

I’m honestly a little cranky that I volunteered to review this show. I joked to a fellow ‘bot that my reviews would mostly consist of me scream-typing “HOW IS THIS REAL AND SO GOOD,” but it was honestly only a partial joke. There are only so many ways one can rave about the brilliance and originality of a television show, and I still have twelve weeks to go. So I’ll try not to blow all my synonyms this first time around.

The premiere only featured two cast regulars: Hannibal Lecter, and his “wife” Bedelia DuMaurier. They have fled to Italy following the discovery of Hannibal’s shenanigans, and Lecter is posing as a Medieval Italian scholar. Those familiar with Thomas Harris’s novels will recognize this scenario as the events that followed Hannibal’s escape in “Silence of the Lambs,” and the introduction to “Hannibal.” It’s an interesting shift in timeline, considering the creators have stated that this season will follow the novels more closely than its predecessors and the fact that we know the “Red Dragon” story will come into play.

“Antipasto” did little more than explain what Hannibal has been up to since his escape and detail the dynamics of his relationship with Bedelia. To summarize: He has been eating people and scaring Bedelia. My interpretation is that Bedelia has been torn between enjoying the brilliance and opulence that is Hannibal Lecter and, you know, eating people. She at first appears to be enjoying their life on the lam, but when she learns Hannibal has disposed of a scholar in order to assume his identity and scholarly appointment, she gets a little edgy. She psychoanalyzes Hannibal at gunpoint, drinks too much wine, and even at her most relaxed has nightmares of drowning. Hannibal does little to appease her reticence, and firmly reminds her of her place in their relationship: She is not, and has never been, a hostage. She is an accomplice. And she should not consider running.

The episode was peppered with black and white flashbacks to Hannibal’s time with Abel Gideon. You know – the guy that ate his own leg? The dialogue in these scenes seemed to serve as a slight explanation of Hannibal’s motivations and as a refresher of his duplicitous relationship with Will Graham. But they also served as foreshadowing in his dealings with Bedelia. Hannibal’s interactions with Gideon were echoed with Bedelia, and both viewer and character learned that she is merely tolerated; she is not treasured or needed and at any time could end up on a plate.

Though the episode may have been simple in plot, the devil was certainly in the details. Everything about this show is gorgeous. Everything. Even the gore and violence. That might make me sound like a bit of a sociopath, so we’ll reframe that and say “the aesthetic is visceral and the violence is expertly choreographed.” Better. The score is modern and moody, and atmospheric without pretention. It’s filled with percussive drips and plops, and even though I’m a classically trained musician who’s been playing for almost 30 years, sometimes I close my eyes and listen and still think “what the hell instrument is making that noise?”

There were several instances of set symmetry in this episode. They all occurred around or with a character that ended up meeting Hannibal’s hand: at Hannibal’s office, at the dinner table when this guest was invited over for a meal, and in Hannibal and Bedelia’s apartment before the poor guest met his end. Might this be the “Hannibal” equivalent of the orange? And if so, what does this say of the smaller scaled symmetry glimpsed in Bedelia’s bath?  

And speaking of the dinner, my favorite Mads Mikkelson interpretation of this character are the moments when Hannibal looks like he could positively giggle.

I love the choices to highlight objects as art – they receive loving caresses from the camera and soft touches of light. The sword drawn early in the show, the antique handles of the faucet and the phallic angle of the tub spout… And of course, the food. Did you ever think, in your life, that you would look at liver and think “damn that looks good.” I mean, forget the fact that it’s supposed to be a human liver – it’s liver! Gross! But in the hands of this team, it’s damn near heavenly.

The costuming on this show has always been like an Italian Vogue come to life, but this episode exceeded my expectations -especially in the choices made for Bedelia. Her clothing when she is in Hannibal’s company is decadent, but mostly in shades and combinations of black and white. But when she’s out and about on her wine runs, she appears in rich jewel tones or purple and teal that scream against the grayed and ancient architecture of the city.

My favorite moment of this episode was a seemingly simple shot of Hannibal lowering his motorcycle helmet – it was a perfectly centered close up of the highly reflective visor with no camera reflection. And I know in the day and age we can make giant dinosaurs, but the equal simplicity and detail of this effect made me gasp a little.

The show concluded with the reintroduction of Hannibal’s signature: A monstrosity made into beauty. This time he created a giant heart, presumably made from the dinner guest who so foolishly suggested a threesome.

I still marvel at this show. It’s so brilliant. It’s warped and horrifying and repulsive and yet manages to surpass every other drama currently on television in beauty and skill and talent. This third season is a gift – I never thought the show would get renewed once, let alone twice, but I am so grateful it did. When one takes into account that we will likely never meet Clarice Starling, it would seem that Bryan Fuller’s decision to introduce Frances Dolarhyde and the “Red Dragon” story line indicates he is aware that this season is a gift as well. If the show sticks to the novels as much as the team claims, this might be last time we see Hannibal Lecter in an episodic television show. I truly hope that isn’t the case, because as long as this team continues to make quality art about a cannibal I’ll certainly be glued to the screen.

Maybe that’s not something I should freely share. Eh. I’m gonna watch an episode of “Pushing Daisies” to cleanse my palette.