Red Dragon

Arguably the most exciting thing about the return of Hannibal next year is Bryan Fuller’s promise that the second half of season three will essentially be a ‘Red Dragon miniseries’. For many Lecter fans (this one included), Red Dragon remains the best of the novels, a masterclass in how to craft truly compelling crime fiction in which the lines that separate the killers and those who hunt them are often blurred. It is a novel in which the villain is the most sympathetic character, with a backstory of abhorrent abuse and deep tragedy fuelling his miserable, self-loathing existence. It is undoubtedly the novel that set the template for the television series.

One of the most remarkable things about Red Dragon is that, while it is marketed as a Hannibal Lecter novel, Hannibal appears in only two brief scenes. His presence is felt all the way through, but he is scarcely seen. Expect this to change in Fuller’s adaptation though, as keeping Mads Mikkelsen on screen as often as possible is something this series must continue to do.

Yet the tormented Francis Dolarhyde is one of the most fascinating and affecting villains in the history of crime writing, and it would be a shame if any of his story was truncated in favour of more Hannibal and Will. Thankfully, Fuller has expressed in interviews just how excited he is to bring Dolarhyde to life. So, as usual with this particular adaptation, the character is almost certainly in safe hands. Add to this Fuller’s description of Will viewing Dolarhyde as a ‘Hannibal he can help’ and suddenly the pursuit of this new killer takes on a new personal significance to Will that goes beyond abstract sympathy.

Of course, the exploration of territory established in Red Dragon gives us an idea of how several other lingering season two plots may be resolved. While it is unlikely that questions of Will’s sanity will be entirely put to bed, on some level he has to have been vindicated by the exposure of Hannibal. Does this mean we will now see a Will Graham operating unencumbered by the interference of a suspicious FBI? Will his unorthodox methods still be frowned upon or, as is the case in Red Dragon, will they be prized? Will has always been a reluctant agent, but expect his resistance to be stronger than ever. He has, after all, not only been incarcerated by Hannibal, but gravely wounded as well. In Red Dragon, Will is only just coming to terms with his trauma when Jack Crawford asks him to come on to the case. This may be handled differently due to the amount of story still to come before we reach Dolarhyde, but whatever happens in the preceding episodes it is unlikely to make Will become an more enthusiastic detective.

Another character who will enjoy a degree of vindication next year is the long suffering Doctor Chilton. One of the most interesting adaptations, in the hands of Raul Esparza Chilton went from the smarmy sleazebag of the novels and films to, well, a smarmy sleazebag who somehow manages to be kind of loveable at the same time.