I finally caught up with the #Hannibal series and have several thoughts.

I put this series off because I didn't think I would like it. That was a really hard decision for me because I will watch anything with Fishburne in it.

Anything.

I read all 4 books by Thomas Harris and thought the films based on them ranged from excellent to "why." The books arced in similar fashion.

So I'm not one of those people who is stuck on Anthony Hopkins' portrayal (though that wouldn't be the worst reason in the world for a delayed viewing). Hopkins was a god in Lambs, a minor deity in Hannibal, and, well, he's in Red Dragon somewhere.

My concern was that a TV series was one time to the well too many, and that the series would have to differ greatly from all previous source material to even work poorly.
I was both right and wrong.

The series reimagines the entire Harris universe in ways both good and bad. It removes Clarice Starling, giving the series a hard male-centrism. Other characters changed ethnicity, gender and the manner in which they were introduced...and retired. These changes are largely fine.

The use of special effects is amazing. The setting shifts to amplify dialogue-heavy scenes is masterful. The casting is a warm bath. Some of the crime scenes are so gruesome even I was shocked, and I watch horror for breakfast.

And yo, as a foodie, the cooking displays are complicated in all the right ways. Everything looks absolutely delectable, and then you remember that the cuisine is 50% human.

Peep those Parmesan Crumbled Lamb Brains. WHUT.

Of course, the show lives or dies on the titular character, and I was extremely wary of the Mads Mikkelsen casting. I liked Mikkelsen fine in other things, but there really wasn't a precedent in his career that made me think this would work.

Again, I got that one wrong too.

Mikkelsen is coy, graceful and extremely physical when the occasion calls for it. He brings charisma that was only hinted at in the Hopkins portrayal. Of course, he had almost 40 episodes in which to spread those wings, so it stands to reason his portrayal would be more nuanced.

That's all the good stuff.

And yet, there are a few less-than-awesome notes.

There was a lot of visual self-indulgence. Every season could have been one episode shorter, and the second season double that. There was a lot of navel-gazing with the Graham character. Season 3 ripped so much from the Red Dragon movie I thought they just cut scenes in.

There were many storylines requiring such suspension of belief that episodes would jump several sharks per season. Halfway through it was if there were no laws, that anybody could get away with anything, which is usually the province of the villain, not everybody onscreen.

I get that writing it that way elevates the stories above a police procedural and turn it into a character study but things often got ridiculous along the way. Fortunately the show would almost always find its footing again (though it might take an episode or two to get it done).

All in all, Hannibal is a strong series that works despite what source material you may have lodged in your head. It's smart, beautifully shot, occasionally jaw-dropping in its audacity, and honors the Lecter character.