Best of the Small Screen: Network Dramas, No. 6

 


Welcome to this year's exploration of TV, the Best of the Small Screen. Throughout the year I'll be looking at my favorite shows in four categories: Network Sitcoms, Network Dramas, Cable Series and Streaming Series. We'll cap the exploration with my Top 10 shows of all time regardless of format. Check back each Saturday for another installment in the countdown!

Will Graham: I don't find you that interesting.
Dr. Hannibal Lecter: You will.

Hannibal (2013-2015)
Starring: Mads Mikkelsen, Laurence Fishburne, Hugh Dancy, and Caroline Dhavernas
Favorite Episodes: "Aperitif," Episode 1.01, "Fromage," Episode 1.08, "Savoureux," Episode 1.13, "Mukozuke," Episode 2.05, "Futamono," Episode 2.06, "Mizumono," Episode 2.13, "Digestivo," Episode 3.07, "The Great Red Dragon," Episode 3.08, "The Wrath of the Lamb," Episode 3.13
About: Hannibal Lecter is an iconic character in popular culture. Ripped from the novels by Thomas Harris, he's been the subject of myriad films and shows. The character has been played by many actors, including Sir Anthony Hopkins, who won an Academy Award. I was already a fan of the films made from Harris' novels before NBC announced a new series, Hannibal. I had no idea what to expect. What I got was something that was incredibly well made, beautifully laid out and brought these characters to life in a way I had never expected. Bryan Fuller created a breath-taking take on Hannibal Lecter and his back-and-forth with Will Graham, something we'd only seen hinted at in films. The first two seasons were about that cat-and-mouse, while the third finally got into the traditional story that fueled the films Manhunter and Red Dragon. Dancy was great as Graham, but it was Mikkelsen as Lecter that really made the series hum. He is incredible in the role and that's a big part of the reason the series was so compelling. The other was the incredible visual palette. It treated these horrific crimes as art and it was impossible to look away. It wasn't a show for everyone and it certainly pushed the bounds of network television, but it was unlike anything I've ever seen. It made an impression and still does. When I think of network dramas that stuck with me through the years, it's easy to come back to Hannibal.

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