Antipasto

If you catch up with "Hannibal" via DVR or NBC.com, I might actually suggest you begin with the amazing and beautiful second episode, and not the Season 3 premiere. I enjoyed the season opener, but not quite as much as everyone else did. (Seriously, guys, if you think I am alone in lauding this program, google a few reviews.) The first episode falls firmly for me into the "good, but not great" category; I'd give it an 8 out of 10.

We've got an interesting basic story that pays very close attention to Thomas Harris' source novels and Ridley Scott's 2000 film treatment, and we've got great directing, cinematography and acting. Gillian Anderson shines, outperforming even the terrific Mads Mikkelsen in the title role.

It was creative and different, with a dramatic change in point of view, tone and setting, as Hannibal absconds from Baltimore to Florence with the extorted Bedelia du Maurier. It held some nice thematic surprises, as the script humanizes Hannibal unexpectedly — and this is helped by flashbacks in which we actually get to see Eddie Izzard's bad guy from Season 2 get one up on him in some verbal sparring. (I am entirely unfamiliar with Izzard's comedy performances, but damn if he doesn't make a sweet super-villain. The guy's got perfect diction and line delivery, and can be damn frightening when he wants to be.)

But, for me, this episode failed in terms of momentum and tension. It does very little to move the overarching narrative forward — so little that I suggest it could be seen as ancillary material appropriate for a webisode or DVD extra. (Yes, I do realize that Hannibal "missing" Will Graham is important in setting up themes and character relationships for the rest of the season, but … whatever.) This is really a kind of … "milieu" episode that establishes his arrival in Europe and the means to arrive at his cover identity. The fates of the victims of the Baltimore massacre? They're unknown to us.

We can't feel too much tension — of Hannibal's two murder victims, one is hardly known to us, and the other is flat out unlikable. We can't identify with them. Nor can we take any pathological satisfaction in Hannibal's modus operandi. He kinda shows up and says "Bonsoir" a bit undramatically, and we cut to another scene.

I had the occasional nitpick as well.

1) The viewer is asked to identify with Bedelia. For some reason this character has never worked for me. It certainly isn't Anderson's fault. She's fantastic. Maybe the problem is me.

2) I actually do really like Mikkelsen. But his stoical approach to the character is nowhere near as satisfying as Anthony Hopkins' iconic, nuanced, expressive, darkly charming take on the character.

3) We live in an age of Google image search. Does no one in Florence notice that "Dr. Fell" looks nothing like an online photograph?

4) After the climax of Season 2, shouldn't Hannibal be easily recognized as the world's most infamous fugitive and alleged serial killer? Is his image nowhere on CNN.com?

5) What about facial recognition? If a photo of Faux Fell is ever uploaded, might Interpol or the FBI locate him at once?

6) Seeing Dana Scully (sorry — BEDELIA) sexually harassed at the dinner table just makes me angry. Fox Mulder needs to appear and kick some ass. Actually … scratch that. Send John Dogget.

7) I don't like seeing Hannibal appear with even a putative "spouse." He's a lone wolf, to me, anyway.

8) The dialogue, yet again, is occasionally too overly stylized for me. Even genius people communicate prosaically in their everyday lives. Do these people sound like Shakespeare when they say "Pass the salt," or ask what time to set the alarm clock for the next day?

9) Once or twice, the dialogue is just … bad. Bedelia: "Your peace is without morality." Hannibal: "There is no morality — only morale." (You can't call it Shakespeare if it's trying too hard.)

10) The symbolism and the references to the feature films are maybe a little too heavy-handed. I'm talking the hand-on-the-shoulder during the lecture, and seeing one character bashed over the head with a bust of Aristotle. ("When Academics Attack.")

Don't let my compulsive griping get to you if you are a fan of the show, however. This wasn't a bad episode, just not the best. And the second episode of Season 3 is goddam PHENOMENAL.

After the stunning finale of Season 2 I was very curious to see, if they managed to sustain the intense psychological drama and aesthetic imagery as well as finally getting to know what fate some of the characters have met after the events of the last episode.

Compared to Season 2 the focus has, at least for this episode, shifted towards a slower pace, more close-up and slow-motion shots, which are outstandingly appealing to the eye. Even though a little slower, they managed to maintain a suspenseful and dark atmosphere. – Besides grotesque yet brilliant imagery, it offers new insights into characters and concocts a toxic mix of abuse, power, and morbid fascination, ready to reach boiling point.

While it lays bare pieces of the past many cliff-hangers remain unresolved, which are, however, prone to be answered very soon as the storyline converges in Italy. After this I am certainly looking forward to seeing how this new plot line unravels and how the old questions are answered. All in all it was a very good start into this season and it certainly laid the foundation for the episodes to come – it was a tasty Antipasto, there to leave you hungry for the rest of this Italian meal.

Antipasto was a very good episode and pretty much what i expected about it , this episode was pure art i felt like i was watching an art film in a theater , the details and choreography was excellent, i loved the interactions between Hannibal and Bedelia and loved the ending 5 minutes which was great , but if you expected this episode will be intense after the excellent season 2 finale then you will felt little let down but as the Hannibal crew had said that this premiere was like a pilot of a new series so i was pretty much knowing that it will be a calm and clever episode about the settling of Hannibal in Rome , i felt this episode was a hint of calmness before the storm comes and this storm will be quite disastrous and everything of first half of this season will be fold into the red dragon story which will be in the second half of the season and i am keenly looking forward to enjoy the Francis Dolharyde portrayal by Richard Armitage and also the portrayal of Chiyo of Lady Murasaki by Tao Okomato it would be pretty great this season you should only have to believe in this show and its crew members.

Hannibal season 3 opens up with a bang, but not in one of thoughs big bangs, more of a small artistic bang (if you know what I mean).

Seeing that the season 2 final was the best episode of the entire series thus far - it was hard to picture Antipasto delivering on that level. Well even though it doesn't quit live up to the season 2 final - Antipasto is quit accomplisment, not only in its directing, but in its acting, and of course its beautiful cinematography.

Yes, it felt kind of weird not to see will (Hugh Dancy) in the first episode, but I was perfectly fine to watch hannibal and bedila travels in Europe, it was both compelling and beautiful to watch unravel.

Overall episode Grade = A- Or Number Grade = 9.2/10

That was an amazingly great step up and change of scenery for the show ,, starting off in Florence,, gosh i'v walked in Florence and it was glorious moment for me ,, now seeing Hannibal embracing that city and that era of Dante ,, is so glamorous and nifty. There are still so many questions from last season haven't been answered yet but they're giving us little by little a sniff of what to be shown this season ,, of where the personality of Hannibal, Will Graham and Dr. Bedelia are evolving so fast to a new sophisticated level of excitement and affections.

I really was wondering for the past 8 months how the story is gonna get better and if it's gonna stay on the sets that we got used to ,, but then they hit you with this .. why not Italy!! .. and why not mixing Hannibal character with the most charismatic infatuated city in Italy !! ,, so now Hannibal is eating Internationally and trying to improve the flavor of his food :D

and sure not forgetting to mention the cinematography and visuals through the multi-camera closeups .. so delicious ;D

Can't wait to see how things are going to grow ,, noting at the last 5 minutes of the episode were splendid and so disturbingly catchy when you see how Hannibal is back to his old habits and so longing for Will Graham's appearance :)