My Hannibal Experience

I've been wanting to write this post
for a while, but just didn't get around to doing it until now.

HANNIBAL.

Oh my goodness gracious...

where to begin?

Rewind to my teen years.

Ah, those glorious carefree days when I could eat all the junk food I wanted 

and never gain a pound!!! Where were we?  Oh yes. Sorry- got distracted there.

Like many folks, I was first introduced to the character Hannibal Lecter 

by watching "Silence of the Lambs" when I was 16 years old.

 Anthony Hopkins was amazing.  I was horrified and intrigued by the 

entire movie. It stuck with me for a long time.

"Hello, Clarisse..."

Eeeek! *Freaked out squeal while hiding behind a pillow*

I haven't watched the other films

in which Hopkins portrays Dr. Cannibal Lecter.
Maybe I will someday.

*      *      *      *     *

When I heard that our dear Richard

had been cast in a role in the Hannibal TV series...

I was excited for him, yet disappointed because I wanted to avoid

being sucked into the world of Lecter again.
It's just a creepy place, and I'm a wuss!

On a wussy scale of 1 to 10, I am a 9.  Solid 9.

I thought, "Sorry, babe... I'm gonna sit this one out.
Call me when you decide to do some smexy period piece again."

But then...

I stood.

Sit the hell down, Richard!!!

Don't you know I avoid viewing anything

too suspenseful/creepy/horrific???

Actually, I DID sit there, but I was bored one

April night and decided to check out Hannibal on Amazon Prime.

(Damn you, AP, it's partially your fault!)

I watched the first episode and was like:

I'm scerrrred!
The blood!  The gore!  The creepy deer antlers!
(I know I use the word "creepy" a lot in this post.)
The cannibal cooking!  How in the heck are they allowed

to show this kind of stuff on prime time TV?
This is like Rated R material.  I guess TV ratings aren't

so strict these days.

I knew the show would be suspenseful and scary.

I guess it didn't help that I watched episode 1 late at night,

in the dark while it was raining outside.

*cue daunting background music*

I was a little bit traumatized and decided

I wouldn't continue watching the series.  Too-da-loo, handsome
Will Graham and sexy, yet menacing Hannibal Lecter!

A month later, I watched episode 2.

I don't know why I decided to give it another try, but I did.
I'm glad because Hannibal is a wonderfully written and acted show.

One of the best I've ever seen.  Yes, there are many chilling

events that take place.  Yes, I may want to pee my pants

at times... but once you get past that (just change your undies,

you'll be fine), the real meat of the story (sorry... shouldn't mention

meat, should I?) are the dynamics between Will, Hannibal and at

times, Jack Crawford.  Very enthralling!

Side note:

I can't help but wonder if I became desensitized

to the shocking murder scenes after the first few episodes?
(That is a topic for another post, I guess.)

I knew I liked actor Mads Mikkelsen (Hannibal)

after seeing him in "A Royal Affair"

and Hugh Dancy (Will) in many films,

but wow.  They are better than ever in this series.

So, if you are like me, as in a Wimpy McWimpkins,

and too afraid to view Hannibal... just give it a try.

If it's too much for you to handle, I understand.

But you may find yourself watching another episode,

and then another, sitting on the edge of your seat, 

wondering what will happen next!

I ended up loving Season 1 and 

enjoyed Season 2 even more.  Hopefully

Season 3 will surpass them both!

Awesome cast.  I can't wait to see Richard join them!
(Well, some of them... *sniff*)

Don't be too scary, Richard!

Now...

I have a bone to pick (get it?) with Dr. Lecter.

Why can't he just make a freaking hamburger and fries!?

I mean, he has to be all fancy-shmancy all the time, making 

dishes nobody has ever heard of before.

If he tried to serve me "Langue d’agneau en papillotte
served with a sauce of duxelles and oyster mushrooms"

I'd know right then and there he was a sick bastard. 

Ew.

Just no.

I guess I don't have a refined palate.