Note (9/16/14):

With Hannibal: Season 2 now on DVD and Blu-ray, we're re-featuring our review of the season. Also check out our new interviews with Hannibal executive producer Bryan Fuller and stars Mads Mikkelsen ("Hannibal Lecter") and Lara Jean Chorostecki ("Freddie Lounds).

Hannibal had silenced (no pun intended!) the naysayers with its excellent first season, but Season 2 truly cemented this as one of the very best TV shows on the air.We went into this year with a huge change-up, as Will Graham was locked up, accused of the crimes he now realized Hannibal Lecter had committed. Bryan Fuller took this subversion of the usual Thomas Harris dynamic and used it to its fullest extent, as the early episodes involved Will as the genius, (perceived) killer who was still a valuable resource to the FBI.

Hannibal: Bryan Fuller's Post-Season 2 Finale Discussion

Loading

Loading

Loading

At the same time, Fuller realized this was a storyline that shouldn’t go too far, and wisely constructed Season 1 in two distinct segments, wrapping up the “Will as prisoner” section in the first six episodes. These episodes found Will at odds with Jack and Alana while forging a closer, ill-fated bond with Beverly. There was also some excellent material for Dr. Chilton, whose own narcissism and instinct for self-preservation mixed with his intelligence and growing awareness of just what a threat Hannibal was.It all culminated in the absolutely fantastic “Yakimono”, which was basically the first of two amazing finales Hannibal would deliver within one season. The excitement of Miriam (Anna Chlumsky) turning up alive turned out to simply be the next step in Hannibal’s twisted traps, as Miriam was a ticking time bomb of sorts – set to go off at just the right time, aimed at a perfectly-placed target in Chilton.Yes, Hannibal’s rise to supervillain status was cemented in Season 2, and it was glorious and terrifying to behold. Hannibal had always operated on a level that was a bit bigger than life and that got pushed even further this year, as we learned just how intricate, complex and masterful Lecter’s plans were and saw how amazing his abilities were, as he manipulated people in ways both subtle and extreme. In the wrong hands, it could have all fallen apart, but the wonderful writing and directing, combined with Mads Mikkelsen’s confidant performance – always exuding intelligence – made it work.Meanwhile, we got to see Will Graham in a much better place, at least as far as his own comprehension of what was occurring and willingness to make huge moves of his own. After seeing Will mentally spiraling throughout Season 1, it was very gratifying to see him now so much more in control and, even as Will was put through one terrible situation after another. Hugh Dancy again brought the right mixture of vulnerability and inner strength to Will, and he and Mikkelsen played beautifully off one another.The second half of Season 2 began with a couple of episodes that were, relatively, just a bit less engaging, as Will was freed, Hannibal was still believed to be innocent and the status quo was restored – as much as you can say status quo when it involves people turned into grotesque beehives. But there was always the engaging question of what Will was thinking and planning as he got ever-closer to Hannibal, and how much Jack might still suspect Hannibal.Opening the season with the flash forward to Jack and Hannibal’s brutal, nasty fight, with a potentially fatal turn of events for Jack, was an audacious and spectacular move. It put a ticking time clock on the entire season and let us knows, even in the quietest moments, that something very bad was going to occur soon.In the meantime, we met siblings Margot and Mason Verger, who had their own mini-arc over several episodes. At first, I wasn’t sure if Michael Pitt’s rather big, mannered performance fit in on a show that mixes grisly and shocking imagery with quiet, subtle acting. But I was soon won over, as we got to know Mason more and saw just what a monster he was – and how his “Look at me!”, repellant behavior purposely stood in contrast to Hannibal’s mask of kindness and gentleness towards those around him. Hannibal’s instant dislike of Mason was one of several times Fuller was able to inject humor into the macabre situations this season.One of the only problematic aspects of the season as it progressed was Alana and her seemingly unwavering belief in Hannibal’s innocence and Will’s guilt. In the early episodes, it was actually very interesting to see her sympathetic portrayal as someone who was horrified to think her friend was a killer, but wanted to help him, sure he’d been pushed into his actions by Jack not heeding the consequences in Season 1. But the more the likes of Beverly and Jack began to believe Will and start suspecting Hannibal, the more frustrating it became that Alana just didn’t see it. Thankfully, Alana began to come around on her own, not due to a shocking moment in the season finale, and was firmly on Will’s side again by the time all hell broke loose at Casa Lecter in the finale……And what a finale it was. As exciting as the Jack/Hannibal flash-forward was, there was some concern that it might deflate the actual finale a bit. After all, we’d clearly seen the biggest thing that would happen in the final moments of the season, right? What else could be bigger than that? The answer was dark as hell but also incredibly exciting, as it turned out Jack would only be the first character to have a possibly fatal encounter with Hannibal inside his home. Within just a few minutes, Jack, Alana and Will all lay bleeding and dying, while Hannibal Lecter walked free. Oh, and Abigail was revealed to be alive… and then had her throat sliced by Hannibal! And Bedelia (Gillian Anders) was revealed as being Hannibal’s companion (and accomplice) at the very end!As thrilling as this all was, it wouldn’t matter if we didn’t care about these characters. But Hannibal has given us a terrific group to follow, played by excellent actors, as we get to know more about what makes everyone tick – from Jack and Alana to Freddie Lounds -- who showed she did have a human side now and again -- to recurring presences like Bedelia and Miriam. Jimmy and Brian still seem, for the most part, oddly underutilized for such frequent appearances, but hopefully that will change in Season 3.Of course, the center of this series is Hannibal and Will, and their dynamic is simply fascinating. Season 2 explored even further the idea that Hannibal truly liked and even loved Will and saw him as a kindred spirit he’d never encountered. The fact that Hannibal is a truly terrible and terrifying presence is never lost, even as we see the side of him that seeks companionship, in the only way he knows how. Much of the season played with our perception of Will, purposely withholding information, and making us wonder just how far gone he was, as he seemed to be falling under Hannibal’s sway. Even when we learned he was playing a long con with Hannibal and still wanted revenge (much of it for Abigail…), it still was clear he had found much to connect with in the man/monster he was intent on stopping.I realize I’ve made it to the end of my review and only mentioned some of the specific visual horrors we saw in Hannibal: Season 2 in passing. But make no mistake, not only did Hannibal not back away from the “HOW THE HELL IS THIS ON NETWORK TV?” moments this season, it went even further. A man tearing himself off of the mound of corpses he’s been sewn to. The aforementioned human beehive. Mason Verger slicing his own face off. Hannibal continued to be an amazing gift to those seeking visceral horror delights. And yet it’s a testament to this show that this aspect is like an added treat (or, for others, an added moment to turn away from the screen) rather than the main draw, given how much this show has to offer.