Hannibal 2x01: "Kaiseki"
PREVIOUSLY ON: EMPATH & CANNIBAL:
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You ready?
Holy shit, they really weren't kidding about this in medias res thing. The abrupt, non-sequitur quality is actually really dreamlike. There's no dialogue, just Crawford slowly walking into Hannibal's kitchen (may I call you Hannibal? I feel like we've been through a lot together, most of it inflicted by you), meat-slicing is in progress (obviously meat is people), and Jack (if I may?) just has this look. He knows. But what does Jack know? Given what happens in about two minutes, I suspect he walks into that house with an idea of what really happened to Miriam--and a certainty of who did it. And there's this look on Hannibal's face in response, this smile, and suddenly everybody knows that everybody knows--
@winston_graham: *tumbleweed floats by hannibal and jack* *wild west music plays*
And Jack reaches for his gun and Hannibal just LOBS A KNIFE STRAIGHT THROUGH HIS HAND AND JUMPS THE FUCKING TABLE and Jack PULLS THE KNIFE OUT OF HIS HAND AND STARTS SWINGING AT HIM WITH IT, HOLY SHIT WHAT IS GOING ON, and a TOTAL FUCKING BRAWL BREAKS OUT and Crawford's gun is immediately kicked under a cabinet and then Hannibal is FLUNG INTO ONE and did I mention it was a glass-fronted cabinet and about the time Jack throws him again into some wood paneling there's this fantastic "omg FFFFFFF" look of fear on Hannibal's face that might be for Jack's benefit à la " Fromage," but I really kinda think it's real.
@HettiennePark: I was off that day, but went 2 set just 2 watch these 2 masters shoot this ridiculous scene: [FULL CLIP OMG]
@BryanFuller: THIS FIGHT SCENE TOOK 20 HOURS TO FILM AND 2 WEEKS TO REHEARSE
@BryanFuller: AFTER THE #HANNIBAL VS. BUDGE (@DemoreBarnes) FIGHT FROM LAST SEASON, LAURENCE SAID "You know, I'm really good at fight scenes, too."
YEAH, YOU COULD SAY THAT. And the thing is, Jack spent season one sending other people to get snacked, so we've never really gotten a sense--Hannibal hasn't gotten a sense--of what this character can do without sunglasses and a shotgun. And you have to understand what Jack's up against--right now, Hannibal is going after Jack with everything he can lay hands on, not limited to but including pepper mills and HIS OWN FUCKING APRON. So he's agile enough to JUMP A FUCKING TABLE (I will never in my life get over that), strong enough to punch Jack to the floor, and quick-witted enough to weaponize his natural habitat: the kitchen. Hannibal Lecter chose refrigerator door! It's SUPER EFFECTIVE:
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@BryanFuller: LAURENCE FISHBURNE CALLED THE FRIDGE DOOR GAG "THE BUGS BUNNY" AFTER LOONY TOONS
@MrAaronAbrams: FISHBURNE vs. MIKKELSEN "THE FRICTION IN THE KITCHEN"
@MrAaronAbrams: FISHBURNE vs. MIKKELSEN "THE SHOVIN' BY THE OVEN"
(And, you know, proper credit to everyone involved with the sound and editing, because they're the difference between "bopping someone on the head with a fake pepper mill" and "SHIT! HOLY SHIT! OH! GODDAMN!!," which is what I kept shrieking through the entire clip when I first saw it.)
Currently, Hannibal is also strong enough to DRIVE A KNIFE THROUGH THE CUTTING BOARD with which Jack is trying to defend himself--apparently through the sheer demon power of MURDER RAGE--and it is awesome. Like, I didn't know I had been waiting all my life to watch Hannibal Lecter chase someone around a kitchen with a butcher knife, but you learn something new everyday, I guess. And yet, Fancy Cannibal is getting his ass handed to him, because, despite all he's up against, it turns out that Jack Crawford is the kind of person who will wrest that cutting board away and SLAM HANNIBAL UPSIDE THE HEAD WITH IT, THEN PICK HIM UP AND THROW HIM OVER HIS HEAD TO THE FLOOR.
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I know Hannibal took some damage on purpose to make himself look like the victim in the "Fromage" fight, but I am pretty sure he was not planning on this. Like, that is some Bamm-Bamm shit right there, y'all. That is some Loki and the Hulk shit right there. It is just totally, totally nuts. There's a great behind the scenes featurette where Mads Mikkelsen even says that if Hannibal wants to win, "I have to cheat." Which, you know--what else are you going to do when Jack Crawford takes his blood-soaked necktie and starts strangling you with it? Here's the kicker: it's shot to mirror the scene where Hannibal strangled Miriam. Exactly. And there's just a terrible (self-?) loathing, grieving look on Jack's face once he's done choking Hannibal out. Which makes me think Jack found out--somehow, I don't know--what Hannibal did to her. Or maybe he has just been possessed by the avenging angel of irony, I don't know.
But I knew Jack was fucked the moment we saw Hannibal quietly get his fingers in under the necktie. Yeah. He can breathe. He can breathe just fine. So Jack just totally does not see it coming when his presumably defeated cannibal jams a shard of glass into Jack's carotid artery--with just unerring accuracy, by the way, and a slow creepy smile. So Jack ends up in a wine closet with arterial blood jetting out of his neck, and Hannibal's trying to body-slam the door in--
@manatee73: the door was fine. The six guys behind it propping it up had the shit kicked out of them.
--and, right after that instantly iconic moment where Hannibal decides to get serious about this whole double-wielding murder rage thing, we gently cut to:
TWELVE WEEKS EARLIER
Yeah. The fight was real. It was A Thing That Really Happened. (And there are lots of behind-the-scenes pictures on the Storify notes.) I talked about this as a shift in the show's approach to suspense at ridiculous length elsewhere, but here's basically what I think they're doing: they’re not "showing us the bomb." They’re showing us the explosion.
So twelve weeks earlier, Jack's having a pleasant, if solemn, dinner chez Lecter (here's the clip) to the imminently civilized strains of a Schubert impromptu. Dramatic irony: it's what's for dinner. Also, fish. And fish are people.
@allohillary: @BryanFuller so what part of a person tastes like fish?
@BryanFuller: STOMACH LINING (?)
Gorgeously plated, though.
@BryanFuller: JANICE POON'S ILLUSTRATION FOR #KAISEKI pic.twitter.com/KCMOhPWu21
Kaiseki, she writes, "is the highest form of Japanese cuisine - which, even at its lowest form is more refined, symbolic and artful than any other. Based on a deep and ancient philosophy of nature and seasons, it is a dozen-plus course meal of small plates that are meticulously prepared and served in formal, codified order on antique dishes of subtle beauty. At about $350 per person." So that's our theme for the season; apparently the word can also mean "analysis," which is fantastic. Of the script itself, she says, "Drinking in its images: orange-fleshed sea urchins and yellowtail balancing on a fishbone. [...] Laurence loves yellowtail sashimi and so does Mads -- their chopsticks flying through the retakes."
@redheadedgirl: Interesting choice with the white plaid suit. White being the Japanese color of death.
"This course is called mukozuke," Hannibal tells Crawford. "Seasonal sashimi, sea urchin"-- which is what Hugh Dancy said he most wanted to eat--"water clam, and squid," explaining that kaiseki is "a Japanese art form that honors the taste and aesthetic of what we eat." "Well, I almost feel guilty about eating it," says Crawford, who is nonetheless here to eat the hell out of your aesthetics. "I never feel guilty eating anything," replies Hannibal (drink!). But Crawford "can't quite place the fish." "He was a flounder" (sip, because I need you to pace yourself), says Hannibal, adding, "I last prepared this meal for my aunt Murasaki, under similarly unfortunate circumstances." (I don't know precisely what those circumstances would be in this continuity, but last I heard, there might still be hopes of getting David Bowie for the uncle, maybe in the third season?) No, but seriously, those circumstances would be...? Hannibal plucks plucks Bedelia's wisdom like a boutonnière to go with that white suit: "A loss. This is a loss. Will is a loss and we're mourning a death." "Will's death is on me, not you," says Jack. So--they're talking about Will's metaphorical and/or potential/future death? DO WE FORGET CANNIBABY SO SOON?
Hannibal generously insists that "it's on both of us," particularly in the way that Hannibal killed Abigail Hobbs and framed Will for cannibalistic serial murder, as you do. (And, truly, he does seem to blame himself for failing Will as a murder therapist.) But Jack replies, "I can't stop thinking that Will may be convicted of five murders while I am only maybe convicted of one." "Well, you're not on trial." "I will be," retorts Jack, "in the halls of the FBI. And so will you. I mean, according to Will Graham, this was all you." "Will was your bloodhound," says Hannibal, ever so reasonably: "You can't ignore where he points. You have to investigate me. It's in my best interest. And yours." "Yes, it is. But I also can't ignore the fact that my bloodhound went mad before he pointed in your direction," says Jack. Hannibal: "We can't define Will only by his maddest edges." "We can't define Will at all." And the scene ends with Hannibal considering this.
And now: glorious, peaceful, melancholy fishing.
@DeLaurentiisCo: Hugh had to be trained in fly fishing to go to his happy place.
@BryanFuller: THE RIVER IS WILL GRAHAM'S MEMORY PALACE
From the new AV Club walkthrough with Bryan Fuller: I thought, okay, let’s keep that vibration of a mind palace idea and its rich, textured, detailed recording of Hannibal’s life and save that for Hannibal, and keep something that is much more soulful and serene and peaceful for Will Graham.
@DireRavenstag: Fishing, Will? The entirety of the twisted, glorious hellscape of your mind at your disposal and you go fishing? *stares*
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@DireRavenstag: Then again fishing IS the patient, calculated pursuit of an innocent in an attempt to trick it into driving a spike through its own face...
@winston_graham: the fishing scene was the happiest i've ever seen will. too bad it was a nightmare
And then we see that Will's actually sitting in a cage at the Baltimore State Hospital for Broken Ponies, because everything is terrible.
@BryanFuller: THERAPY CAGES ARE A THING pic.twitter.com/E8r93ZX7pB
Not a great thing, but yeah. Will finally looks up at his interlocutor: "What did you say?" "I said, how does that make you feel?" says Chilton (DRINK!). Yeah, I hear WA WAWA WAWA WA when Chilton talks, too. "Makes me feel... like... I'm sitting in a dunking tank and you're lobbing softballs, hoping to make a splash. But you keep missing the target." Will is basically surviving on metaphors and super-unleaded hate right now, because if he were to make direct statements, all that would come out of his mouth is GOOOOO FUUUUUUCK YOURSEEEELF. "Fortunately, I have time for a few more lobs," smarms Chilton. "You are in my hospital. You're my patient now, Will." "I'm not talking to you, Frederick," says Will (lol "Frederick"). "I want to talk to Dr. Lecter."
Speak of the devil--possibly literally--Will closes his eyes and goes back to his Fishing Palace, where the Wendigo rises direly from the water, because Will Graham can't ever have nice things.
After the credits, here's Cynthia Nixon as Kade Prurnell, and if that name strikes your ear a bit strangely, well, the folks at TV Tropes figured out weeks ago that it's an anagram for... PAUL KRENDLER, ohhhh nooooo.
@BryanFuller: CYNTHIA NIXON PLAYS KADE PRURNELL FROM THE OFFICE OF FBI OVERSIGHT #HANNIBAL #EMBRACETHEMADNESS #YOURANAGRAMSARESHOWINGDRLECTER
Given what a consummate sexist meathead Krendler was in the Hannibal book/movie, I don't know how a gender-flipped version is supposed to translate, or if this is just an in-joke homage...? But, for what it's worth, OHHHHHHH NOOOOOOO. Right now, she's here to talk about the fact that Alana (who is sitting next to Jack) had apparently filed a report called "Putting Will Graham Into the Field With Issues Like His: Could You Not."
"Were you aware that Dr. Bloom would be filing this report?" Well, yes, actually--Alana gave him a heads-up: "I told her she should do... whatever she felt was necessary. Evidently, she felt it was necessary to file the report." "These are allegations of misconduct. It's damning stuff, Jack," says Prurnell--Alana breaks in, "I never stated anywhere that this was misconduct--in my opinion, it was a lapse in judgment." Yeah, but apparently "a lapse in judgment is misconduct. There'll be an internal investigation." "There should be," says Alana, like, yes, that is what grownup real-people professionals do when shit goes wrong, why is this a problem? But Prurnell throws her pen down: "A federal examiner is someone who arrives at a battlefield after the battle and bayonets the wounded. You have wounded Agent Crawford. Who do you think is gonna be getting the bayonet?" ...Oh. "There is... a general desire... to see this go away... quickly... and quietly. In light of that, Dr. Bloom, I would greatly appreciate it if you would recant your report." Oh, so this is how it's gonna be--she's not the audience proxy being like "no seriously what the hell were you people thinking"; she's the Head Disappearer of Fuck-Ups. Alana cries, "No! Will Graham's life has been destroyed! How that happened has to be a matter of record... I'm sorry, Jack." "Dr. Bloom is not easily swayed," Jack says calmly (bless) (although maybe there is some swaying that needs to happen) (COUNTDOWN TO TRAGIC IRONY).
"This is going to get ugly," says Prurnell.
"It already has," says Jack.
Over in Rockville, Maryland, a couple of Parks & Rec workers are trying to clear fallen branches and debris out of a river: "Looks like someone's blasting beaver dams again!" The intrepid Buck goes wading in to investgate: "It smells real bad down here! Probably dead beavers!" he shouts, because people in Hannibal don't know they're in Hannibal. They do, however, know a big pile of corpses when they fall into them, though.
@MrAaronAbrams: Zeller's been "blastin' beaver dams" if ya know what I'm sayin'.
@BryanFuller: Boo. You whore.
@MrAaronAbrams: Not my finest tweet boss. Maybe don't write the word beaver in stuff for a while.
@HettiennePark: Beavers are people. #someonemustbehornybesidesthestag
So, while Buck extricates himself from the Dead Marshes, let's take a break to discuss a concept my psych really, really loves: triangulation. The way she explains it, we often draw third person(s) into a relationship to relieve the stress or intensity of it, because when boundaries aren't strong enough, an unhealthy emotional "fusion" and loss of self can result. Think of the family diplomat, child who becomes a go-between or "surrogate spouse," or (if you extrapolate beyond family systems theory) even just the friend you're venting to when you say, "Well, you can go tell HER that I SAID..." Sometimes it drags an innocent party into the crossfire and prevents communication; other times, I really do believe that venting occasionally to a third party is a constructive way to relieve the pressure of a two-person dynamic.
And this show is all the hell full of triangulated relationships. Bella Crawford goes to Hannibal rather than talk directly to her husband. Jack goes to Hannibal to talk about Bella and about Will. Will tells Alana, " I like you as a buffer," in his relationship with Jack. Will and Hannibal discuss their mutual relationship with Abigail a lot, and even Alana talks with Hannibal about the relationship dynamics with Abigail once or twice. And, most blatantly, Alana drags her dynamic with Will into the discussion while Hannibal's SO BLATANTLY putting the moves on her, in order to deflect it. Interestingly, Beverly is the one who cuts through the bullshit and talks directly to Will rather than to Crawford about him: " Are you okay?" (Honestly, I think that's why she comes across as his truest, strongest friend, whereas Alana is loyal and nurturing, but confused.) And there isn't anyone for Bedelia to talk to about Hannibal, and I think that's why their dynamic is so unnerving: given the secretive nature of whatever the hell is going on with them, there's no way for her to release interpersonal tension at all; she's inescapably bottled into that relationship. And of course, he's always discussing Will with her-- he even says, "When the pressures of my personal and professional relationships with Will grow too great, I assure you--I'll find a way to relieve them." I mean, at the time, he was talking about murder, but as far as Bedelia knows, she's calling him out on that idea of emotional fusion ("You have to maintain boundaries"). Essentially, he's triangulated Bedelia into his relationship with Will so he can talk out what's going on--and she's not giving him the validation he wants. By contrast, I think that's exactly what the problem with Franklyn and his desire to befriend/become Hannibal was--for once in his life, Hannibal was like, "Um, no, there needs to be a boundary between us, you have to go." But when someone says that to him, he doesn't want to hear it.
So now: Bedelia Du Maurier, just dropping truth bombs all over the place. "Will Graham has asked to see me," Hannibal tells her in session. "I would like to see him." (" The fancy fleshmeat wants to visit! Aww. My Will HAS been lonely.") "I continue to be curious about the way he thinks... despite all that's happened," like the way Will rejected his murder inspirations at gunpoint. "He's still influencing you," says Bedelia (which is really interesting, given how we've only ever heard them talking about Hannibal wanting to influence people). "Will Graham asking to see you betrays his clear intent to manipulate you." And I really wasn't expecting anyone to realize this so quickly. She tells him! She straight-up tells him that Will's going to play him! "And if I agree to see Will?" "It betrays your clear intent to manipulate him," she says. "I miss him," he says plaintively. "You are obsessed with Will Graham." "I'm intrigued." "Obsessively," says Bedelia, who is just the best. "And he will take advantage of that."
"Will is my friend." NO, HE'S NOT. Seriously, even Bedelia's like, it's so precious that you think that: "Why? Why is he your friend?" "He sees his own mentality as grotesque but useful... like a chair of antlers." (Line from Red Dragon! Don't drink every time this happens or you will DIE.) "He can't repress who he is," continues Hannibal. "There's an honesty in that I admire." Yeah, but it's not really the stuff of treehouses and sleepovers, is it? Bedelia: "I imagine there's an honesty in that you can relate to. What can't you repress, Hannibal?" IS THIS A QUESTION YOU REALLY WANT TO BE ASKING? In reply, he smiles.
So of course he goes to visit Will in his lonesome dungeon cell (watch here). (Shit, his cell is bigger than my college dorm room. I'm not even kidding about that.) And the interesting thing is that so much of this scene is shot from inside the cell; while I definitely agree that the imagery may be foreshadowing the eventual reversal of their positions, I think there's also an emotional dynamic here: lonely Hannibal's being kept out, rather than Will being kept in.
Given that he first appears as the Ravenstag, this is for the best.
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"Hello, Will." "Dr. Lecter." (Still that power differential after all this time.) "Lost in thought?" "Not lost. Not anymore," says Will, with a bitter little laugh. "I used to hear my thoughts inside my skull with the same... tone, timbre, accent, as if the words were coming out of my mouth. Now... my inner voice sounds like you." (Of course Hannibal looks subtly pleased.) "I can't get you out of my head."
"Friendship can sometimes involve a breach of individual separateness," replies Hannibal. 1) There's that concept of emotional fusion. 2) I'll sit here and wait until you stop laughing. "YOU'RE NOT MY FRIEND," says Will, standing up and going right up to him because ARE YOU SERIOUS. "The light from friendship won't reach us for A MILLION YEARS. That's how far away from friendship we are." BUT FRIENDSHIP IS QUALITY, WILL: "I imagine it's easier to believe I am responsible for those murders than it is to accept that you are." "SURE IS." Hannibal tries to psychiatrize: "Your inner voice can provide a method of taking control of your behavior, accepting responsibility for what you've done. Giving your thoughts words encourages clarity." Please allow Will to play you the Go Fuck Yourself Impromptu in F Major: "OH, I HAVE CLARITY. ABOUT YOU." "Our conversations, Will, were only ever about you opening your eyes to the truth of who you are." And by who you are I mean my murder friend.
"What you did to me is in my head, and I will find it," says Will, stepping up close to the bars. "I'm going to remember, Dr. Lecter, and when I do, there will be a reckoning."
"I have huge faith in you, Will. I always have," he says--with a smile. Like he's--proud? Which reminds me of the time Hannibal said he " sincerely" hoped Will would catch the Chesapeake Ripper, and you know, I think he meant it. I mean, I know a lot of his shenanigans are meant to be "radical therapy" for these characters, but if Will succeeding at a challenge means that Hannibal's life will end, literally or figuratively--? I really don't know what to make of this man sometimes, I swear.
It's a busy day for Hannibal, though--first a visit to his vengeful BFF, and now, over at the BAU lab, getting his mouth swabbed for DNA in loving closeup, because Beverly has no idea how completely useless it is to shake a murder wizard down for evidence.
@BryanFuller: THE EVIDENCE SWAB IS SWABBING PIG JOWL NOT #HANNIBAL CHEEK
@HettiennePark: I suggested selling that Q-tip on Ebay. But production wasn't down with that. #HANNIBALdna
@cleolindajones: I hope #notforeating trends some day. RT @redheadedgirl: BEVERLY IS NOT FOR EATING FANCY CANNIBAL #notforeating #NOTFOREATING #Hannibal
"I'm amazed what falls off the best of us when moving through a room," he muses, leaning over Beverly's shoulder as she seals up the swab. "Lessons learned from cellular decay: enjoy the world while we have it--and give a little bit back," she says, friendly enough. And then, because Hannibal hasn't said anything suspicious in thirty seconds: "When possible, I try to leave an indelible mark wherever I go." What, with your teeth? (Bear in mind, though: " I never think about living beyond that span of time. Except by reputation.") "Hopefully not with your DNA," she retorts. Apparently it's Take Your Cannibal to Work Day again, because he's just strolling around her lab, making himself at home: "How long will you have my suits?" "You might want to think about supplementing your wardrobe." "I frequently do." What, there's some retail therapy in Hannibal's future? Also, don't tell lies, I don't see any flashy plaids on that rack at all. You are withholding suitage, sir.
"You know, this is just a formality," says Beverly. "Nobody expects to find anything. Except for maybe Will Graham." "He'll have to be disappointed. The beauty of what you do, Ms. Katz, is in its certainty. It'll be your evidence that convicts Will." Guys... guys, is he trying to flirt with Beverly? In case he needs to influence the case away from himself--or to direct it away from Will? Or--triangulating someone Will actually would speak to into their relationship? PLEASE, MISS BEVERLY, HOW DO YOU FRIEND?
Also, if you've ever wanted to see what someone being "shifty" looks like, well--check out this gif set, because he is looking shifty as fuck.
Back to the evidence: "Well, I found enough of it. No need to infer or intuit or trust." "So much simpler than psychiatry. Will is doing his best to understand where he is... and why." Okay, that's enough: "You were supposed to protect him." GET HIIIIIIIIM. "From himself?" asks Hannibal carefully; she says, "Yeah. I'm not mad at you." NO, BE MAD AT HIM. "Not any more than I'm mad at myself. We all missed it, whatever it was--is." "We all are not suspects," says Hannibal, looking shady as all hell. "You're not a suspect," she replies, a little surprised: "You're the new Will Graham."
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So here's Jack and the Investigators Three at the I Can't Believe It's Not Beavers crime scene; Beverly's examining an impressive row of gnarly, half-covered corpses (so yeah, maybe look away from this part), including one that Buck visibly stepped on, while the Investigators Dude are still wading around in the water. ("We found another body!" yells Brian.) Jack greets Hannibal with, "Thank you for coming, Dr. Lecter," to which he replies, "Jack, what can I do for you?" (I'm sorry, I'm unreasonably fascinated by the power dynamics of the names these characters choose to call each other. Particularly since Jack usually refers to him as "Hannibal." So--he's trying to re-establish a professional relationship here, whereas Hannibal's insisting on the I Do So Have Friends, Shut Up dynamic?) Of course, it's just not the same--the EMPATHING IN PROGRESS sign has been taken into evidence, but how about a psychological profile? And Hannibal looks enchanted by ~a whole new world~ behind the yellow tape.
"This way, doctor. This is the fourth body we've recovered so far. There's at least one more down there. Hard to say [how long they've been down there], but someone went through a lot of trouble to make sure that they were well preserved. They've been coated in some kind of resin," Jack tells him. "The big one was partially sealed, rotting from the inside out. The other three look like they were embalmed," Beverly chimes in. Jack: "Whatever he's doing, he's still figuring out how to do it."
So now Hannibal's peering down at the bodies, same as everyone else; I hope everybody is REALLY missing Will's empath trances right now. But he does comes up with an insight: "Were they injected with silicone?" And because I'm a big ol' nerd, I flashed back to the end of the Silence of the Lambs book where Lecter does just that to change the shape of his nose after he escapes. In this case, it's "a technique for making resin-coated models out of fish. Helps the body retain shape in death." (Magically knowing everything about everything: point to you, Fancy Cannibal.) And Hannibal realizes: "He's making human models." "You make models of things that you want to keep," Crawford points out. "These were tossed in the river." "Maybe they were imperfect," suggest Hannibal, and now it's Jack's turn to realize: "These are his discards."
Now, an elegant closeup (fancy pen for fancy cannibal) as Hannibal signs a letter he then hands to Bedelia: "I'm giving you informed consent to discuss me as your patient." Uh, with whom? "Jack Crawford." And oh, man, I love how totally, totally alarmed Bedelia looks by the idea of anyone finding out the weird-ass things Person Suit's been saying to her in confidence: "Disclosure of patient information should be limited to the requirements of the situation. What the shit are you thinking is the situation, Hannibal?"
"Will Graham made accusations. Jack's only being thorough." "You're keeping Agent Crawford close," she observes. "We share an obsession. I got to be Will Graham today," Hannibal says dreamily. Mommy, Mommy! Today I got to be THE BEST AT HELPING. "I consulted at an FBI crime scene. I stood in Will's shoes, looked through his eyes, and I saw death... how I imagined he would see it."
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HOO BOY.
@Battista_j: Oh good God, this is so completely weird. #Hannibal is becoming Will and Will is becoming Hannibal. It's serial killer Inception.
@cleolindajones: OH GOD IT'S LIKE FRANKLYN TRYING TO BE HANNIBAL
@aMoTPodcast: "How do you think Will's wardrobe would look on me?"
Because yeah, it does remind me of two things: "I found myself looking at my friends through your eyes, imagining what your diagnosis might be. I become you" (said Franklyn, cosplaying as Hannibal); "But if I kill her... like he would kill her... maybe I could understand him better" (said Gideon, trapped in his weird metafictional existence as Generic Off-Brand Hannibal Lecter). And I'm pretty sure it's not a coincidence that the first season dealt extensively with the idea of a covetous desire for identity.
Bedelia: still freaked out. "Why would you be inviting the scrutiny of the FBI?" YES WHY. "I'm being as open and honest as I know how," he says. Bedelia: not impressed. "You maintain an air of transparency... while putting me in the position to lie for you. Again." BADLY DONE, EMMA. But then he says, with a sly look: "You're not just lying for me." (Ohhhhh no. What does that mean? I thought the whole thing was that a patient attacked Bedelia but then swallowed his tongue Because Hannibal and we inferred that that's why she humors him despite being retired because seriously, what the hell was it like watching some shit like THAT, and--? But there's something shady on her end? And here I'd given up on the 1940s Bedelia thing.) "How far will this flirtation with the FBI go?" she asks quietly. "It would seem Jack Crawford is less suspicious of me than you are," he says, to which she replies, "Jack Crawford doesn't know what you're capable of." "Neither do you," he says, SMILING. Bedelia: VISIBLY GULPING.
@aMoTPodcast: Omg, that smirk on his fuckin' face. Bedelia, you need to get the hell out of dodge.
@cleolindajones: Move. Move away. Walk out of the house and move to a mountain cave far far away, never stop running, never look back
@BryanFuller: "Neither do you." BEDELIA, YOU IN DANGER, GIRL https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uxBfukKmATo
And now, since I'm a little over the LJ space limit, I'm going to have to break into two posts again. It's already done, so go on and click through. Up next: HAPPY DOGGY TIME.
CONTINUE: PART TWO.
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You ready?
Holy shit, they really weren't kidding about this in medias res thing. The abrupt, non-sequitur quality is actually really dreamlike. There's no dialogue, just Crawford slowly walking into Hannibal's kitchen (may I call you Hannibal? I feel like we've been through a lot together, most of it inflicted by you), meat-slicing is in progress (obviously meat is people), and Jack (if I may?) just has this look. He knows. But what does Jack know? Given what happens in about two minutes, I suspect he walks into that house with an idea of what really happened to Miriam--and a certainty of who did it. And there's this look on Hannibal's face in response, this smile, and suddenly everybody knows that everybody knows--
@winston_graham: *tumbleweed floats by hannibal and jack* *wild west music plays*
And Jack reaches for his gun and Hannibal just LOBS A KNIFE STRAIGHT THROUGH HIS HAND AND JUMPS THE FUCKING TABLE and Jack PULLS THE KNIFE OUT OF HIS HAND AND STARTS SWINGING AT HIM WITH IT, HOLY SHIT WHAT IS GOING ON, and a TOTAL FUCKING BRAWL BREAKS OUT and Crawford's gun is immediately kicked under a cabinet and then Hannibal is FLUNG INTO ONE and did I mention it was a glass-fronted cabinet and about the time Jack throws him again into some wood paneling there's this fantastic "omg FFFFFFF" look of fear on Hannibal's face that might be for Jack's benefit à la " Fromage," but I really kinda think it's real.
@HettiennePark: I was off that day, but went 2 set just 2 watch these 2 masters shoot this ridiculous scene: [FULL CLIP OMG]
@BryanFuller: THIS FIGHT SCENE TOOK 20 HOURS TO FILM AND 2 WEEKS TO REHEARSE
@BryanFuller: AFTER THE #HANNIBAL VS. BUDGE (@DemoreBarnes) FIGHT FROM LAST SEASON, LAURENCE SAID "You know, I'm really good at fight scenes, too."
YEAH, YOU COULD SAY THAT. And the thing is, Jack spent season one sending other people to get snacked, so we've never really gotten a sense--Hannibal hasn't gotten a sense--of what this character can do without sunglasses and a shotgun. And you have to understand what Jack's up against--right now, Hannibal is going after Jack with everything he can lay hands on, not limited to but including pepper mills and HIS OWN FUCKING APRON. So he's agile enough to JUMP A FUCKING TABLE (I will never in my life get over that), strong enough to punch Jack to the floor, and quick-witted enough to weaponize his natural habitat: the kitchen. Hannibal Lecter chose refrigerator door! It's SUPER EFFECTIVE:
(x)
@BryanFuller: LAURENCE FISHBURNE CALLED THE FRIDGE DOOR GAG "THE BUGS BUNNY" AFTER LOONY TOONS
@MrAaronAbrams: FISHBURNE vs. MIKKELSEN "THE FRICTION IN THE KITCHEN"
@MrAaronAbrams: FISHBURNE vs. MIKKELSEN "THE SHOVIN' BY THE OVEN"
(And, you know, proper credit to everyone involved with the sound and editing, because they're the difference between "bopping someone on the head with a fake pepper mill" and "SHIT! HOLY SHIT! OH! GODDAMN!!," which is what I kept shrieking through the entire clip when I first saw it.)
Currently, Hannibal is also strong enough to DRIVE A KNIFE THROUGH THE CUTTING BOARD with which Jack is trying to defend himself--apparently through the sheer demon power of MURDER RAGE--and it is awesome. Like, I didn't know I had been waiting all my life to watch Hannibal Lecter chase someone around a kitchen with a butcher knife, but you learn something new everyday, I guess. And yet, Fancy Cannibal is getting his ass handed to him, because, despite all he's up against, it turns out that Jack Crawford is the kind of person who will wrest that cutting board away and SLAM HANNIBAL UPSIDE THE HEAD WITH IT, THEN PICK HIM UP AND THROW HIM OVER HIS HEAD TO THE FLOOR.
(x)
I know Hannibal took some damage on purpose to make himself look like the victim in the "Fromage" fight, but I am pretty sure he was not planning on this. Like, that is some Bamm-Bamm shit right there, y'all. That is some Loki and the Hulk shit right there. It is just totally, totally nuts. There's a great behind the scenes featurette where Mads Mikkelsen even says that if Hannibal wants to win, "I have to cheat." Which, you know--what else are you going to do when Jack Crawford takes his blood-soaked necktie and starts strangling you with it? Here's the kicker: it's shot to mirror the scene where Hannibal strangled Miriam. Exactly. And there's just a terrible (self-?) loathing, grieving look on Jack's face once he's done choking Hannibal out. Which makes me think Jack found out--somehow, I don't know--what Hannibal did to her. Or maybe he has just been possessed by the avenging angel of irony, I don't know.
But I knew Jack was fucked the moment we saw Hannibal quietly get his fingers in under the necktie. Yeah. He can breathe. He can breathe just fine. So Jack just totally does not see it coming when his presumably defeated cannibal jams a shard of glass into Jack's carotid artery--with just unerring accuracy, by the way, and a slow creepy smile. So Jack ends up in a wine closet with arterial blood jetting out of his neck, and Hannibal's trying to body-slam the door in--
@manatee73: the door was fine. The six guys behind it propping it up had the shit kicked out of them.
--and, right after that instantly iconic moment where Hannibal decides to get serious about this whole double-wielding murder rage thing, we gently cut to:
TWELVE WEEKS EARLIER
Yeah. The fight was real. It was A Thing That Really Happened. (And there are lots of behind-the-scenes pictures on the Storify notes.) I talked about this as a shift in the show's approach to suspense at ridiculous length elsewhere, but here's basically what I think they're doing: they’re not "showing us the bomb." They’re showing us the explosion.
So twelve weeks earlier, Jack's having a pleasant, if solemn, dinner chez Lecter (here's the clip) to the imminently civilized strains of a Schubert impromptu. Dramatic irony: it's what's for dinner. Also, fish. And fish are people.
@allohillary: @BryanFuller so what part of a person tastes like fish?
@BryanFuller: STOMACH LINING (?)
Gorgeously plated, though.
@BryanFuller: JANICE POON'S ILLUSTRATION FOR #KAISEKI pic.twitter.com/KCMOhPWu21
Kaiseki, she writes, "is the highest form of Japanese cuisine - which, even at its lowest form is more refined, symbolic and artful than any other. Based on a deep and ancient philosophy of nature and seasons, it is a dozen-plus course meal of small plates that are meticulously prepared and served in formal, codified order on antique dishes of subtle beauty. At about $350 per person." So that's our theme for the season; apparently the word can also mean "analysis," which is fantastic. Of the script itself, she says, "Drinking in its images: orange-fleshed sea urchins and yellowtail balancing on a fishbone. [...] Laurence loves yellowtail sashimi and so does Mads -- their chopsticks flying through the retakes."
@redheadedgirl: Interesting choice with the white plaid suit. White being the Japanese color of death.
"This course is called mukozuke," Hannibal tells Crawford. "Seasonal sashimi, sea urchin"-- which is what Hugh Dancy said he most wanted to eat--"water clam, and squid," explaining that kaiseki is "a Japanese art form that honors the taste and aesthetic of what we eat." "Well, I almost feel guilty about eating it," says Crawford, who is nonetheless here to eat the hell out of your aesthetics. "I never feel guilty eating anything," replies Hannibal (drink!). But Crawford "can't quite place the fish." "He was a flounder" (sip, because I need you to pace yourself), says Hannibal, adding, "I last prepared this meal for my aunt Murasaki, under similarly unfortunate circumstances." (I don't know precisely what those circumstances would be in this continuity, but last I heard, there might still be hopes of getting David Bowie for the uncle, maybe in the third season?) No, but seriously, those circumstances would be...? Hannibal plucks plucks Bedelia's wisdom like a boutonnière to go with that white suit: "A loss. This is a loss. Will is a loss and we're mourning a death." "Will's death is on me, not you," says Jack. So--they're talking about Will's metaphorical and/or potential/future death? DO WE FORGET CANNIBABY SO SOON?
Hannibal generously insists that "it's on both of us," particularly in the way that Hannibal killed Abigail Hobbs and framed Will for cannibalistic serial murder, as you do. (And, truly, he does seem to blame himself for failing Will as a murder therapist.) But Jack replies, "I can't stop thinking that Will may be convicted of five murders while I am only maybe convicted of one." "Well, you're not on trial." "I will be," retorts Jack, "in the halls of the FBI. And so will you. I mean, according to Will Graham, this was all you." "Will was your bloodhound," says Hannibal, ever so reasonably: "You can't ignore where he points. You have to investigate me. It's in my best interest. And yours." "Yes, it is. But I also can't ignore the fact that my bloodhound went mad before he pointed in your direction," says Jack. Hannibal: "We can't define Will only by his maddest edges." "We can't define Will at all." And the scene ends with Hannibal considering this.
And now: glorious, peaceful, melancholy fishing.
@DeLaurentiisCo: Hugh had to be trained in fly fishing to go to his happy place.
@BryanFuller: THE RIVER IS WILL GRAHAM'S MEMORY PALACE
From the new AV Club walkthrough with Bryan Fuller: I thought, okay, let’s keep that vibration of a mind palace idea and its rich, textured, detailed recording of Hannibal’s life and save that for Hannibal, and keep something that is much more soulful and serene and peaceful for Will Graham.
@DireRavenstag: Fishing, Will? The entirety of the twisted, glorious hellscape of your mind at your disposal and you go fishing? *stares*
(x)
@DireRavenstag: Then again fishing IS the patient, calculated pursuit of an innocent in an attempt to trick it into driving a spike through its own face...
@winston_graham: the fishing scene was the happiest i've ever seen will. too bad it was a nightmare
And then we see that Will's actually sitting in a cage at the Baltimore State Hospital for Broken Ponies, because everything is terrible.
@BryanFuller: THERAPY CAGES ARE A THING pic.twitter.com/E8r93ZX7pB
Not a great thing, but yeah. Will finally looks up at his interlocutor: "What did you say?" "I said, how does that make you feel?" says Chilton (DRINK!). Yeah, I hear WA WAWA WAWA WA when Chilton talks, too. "Makes me feel... like... I'm sitting in a dunking tank and you're lobbing softballs, hoping to make a splash. But you keep missing the target." Will is basically surviving on metaphors and super-unleaded hate right now, because if he were to make direct statements, all that would come out of his mouth is GOOOOO FUUUUUUCK YOURSEEEELF. "Fortunately, I have time for a few more lobs," smarms Chilton. "You are in my hospital. You're my patient now, Will." "I'm not talking to you, Frederick," says Will (lol "Frederick"). "I want to talk to Dr. Lecter."
Speak of the devil--possibly literally--Will closes his eyes and goes back to his Fishing Palace, where the Wendigo rises direly from the water, because Will Graham can't ever have nice things.
After the credits, here's Cynthia Nixon as Kade Prurnell, and if that name strikes your ear a bit strangely, well, the folks at TV Tropes figured out weeks ago that it's an anagram for... PAUL KRENDLER, ohhhh nooooo.
@BryanFuller: CYNTHIA NIXON PLAYS KADE PRURNELL FROM THE OFFICE OF FBI OVERSIGHT #HANNIBAL #EMBRACETHEMADNESS #YOURANAGRAMSARESHOWINGDRLECTER
Given what a consummate sexist meathead Krendler was in the Hannibal book/movie, I don't know how a gender-flipped version is supposed to translate, or if this is just an in-joke homage...? But, for what it's worth, OHHHHHHH NOOOOOOO. Right now, she's here to talk about the fact that Alana (who is sitting next to Jack) had apparently filed a report called "Putting Will Graham Into the Field With Issues Like His: Could You Not."
"Were you aware that Dr. Bloom would be filing this report?" Well, yes, actually--Alana gave him a heads-up: "I told her she should do... whatever she felt was necessary. Evidently, she felt it was necessary to file the report." "These are allegations of misconduct. It's damning stuff, Jack," says Prurnell--Alana breaks in, "I never stated anywhere that this was misconduct--in my opinion, it was a lapse in judgment." Yeah, but apparently "a lapse in judgment is misconduct. There'll be an internal investigation." "There should be," says Alana, like, yes, that is what grownup real-people professionals do when shit goes wrong, why is this a problem? But Prurnell throws her pen down: "A federal examiner is someone who arrives at a battlefield after the battle and bayonets the wounded. You have wounded Agent Crawford. Who do you think is gonna be getting the bayonet?" ...Oh. "There is... a general desire... to see this go away... quickly... and quietly. In light of that, Dr. Bloom, I would greatly appreciate it if you would recant your report." Oh, so this is how it's gonna be--she's not the audience proxy being like "no seriously what the hell were you people thinking"; she's the Head Disappearer of Fuck-Ups. Alana cries, "No! Will Graham's life has been destroyed! How that happened has to be a matter of record... I'm sorry, Jack." "Dr. Bloom is not easily swayed," Jack says calmly (bless) (although maybe there is some swaying that needs to happen) (COUNTDOWN TO TRAGIC IRONY).
"This is going to get ugly," says Prurnell.
"It already has," says Jack.
Over in Rockville, Maryland, a couple of Parks & Rec workers are trying to clear fallen branches and debris out of a river: "Looks like someone's blasting beaver dams again!" The intrepid Buck goes wading in to investgate: "It smells real bad down here! Probably dead beavers!" he shouts, because people in Hannibal don't know they're in Hannibal. They do, however, know a big pile of corpses when they fall into them, though.
@MrAaronAbrams: Zeller's been "blastin' beaver dams" if ya know what I'm sayin'.
@BryanFuller: Boo. You whore.
@MrAaronAbrams: Not my finest tweet boss. Maybe don't write the word beaver in stuff for a while.
@HettiennePark: Beavers are people. #someonemustbehornybesidesthestag
So, while Buck extricates himself from the Dead Marshes, let's take a break to discuss a concept my psych really, really loves: triangulation. The way she explains it, we often draw third person(s) into a relationship to relieve the stress or intensity of it, because when boundaries aren't strong enough, an unhealthy emotional "fusion" and loss of self can result. Think of the family diplomat, child who becomes a go-between or "surrogate spouse," or (if you extrapolate beyond family systems theory) even just the friend you're venting to when you say, "Well, you can go tell HER that I SAID..." Sometimes it drags an innocent party into the crossfire and prevents communication; other times, I really do believe that venting occasionally to a third party is a constructive way to relieve the pressure of a two-person dynamic.
And this show is all the hell full of triangulated relationships. Bella Crawford goes to Hannibal rather than talk directly to her husband. Jack goes to Hannibal to talk about Bella and about Will. Will tells Alana, " I like you as a buffer," in his relationship with Jack. Will and Hannibal discuss their mutual relationship with Abigail a lot, and even Alana talks with Hannibal about the relationship dynamics with Abigail once or twice. And, most blatantly, Alana drags her dynamic with Will into the discussion while Hannibal's SO BLATANTLY putting the moves on her, in order to deflect it. Interestingly, Beverly is the one who cuts through the bullshit and talks directly to Will rather than to Crawford about him: " Are you okay?" (Honestly, I think that's why she comes across as his truest, strongest friend, whereas Alana is loyal and nurturing, but confused.) And there isn't anyone for Bedelia to talk to about Hannibal, and I think that's why their dynamic is so unnerving: given the secretive nature of whatever the hell is going on with them, there's no way for her to release interpersonal tension at all; she's inescapably bottled into that relationship. And of course, he's always discussing Will with her-- he even says, "When the pressures of my personal and professional relationships with Will grow too great, I assure you--I'll find a way to relieve them." I mean, at the time, he was talking about murder, but as far as Bedelia knows, she's calling him out on that idea of emotional fusion ("You have to maintain boundaries"). Essentially, he's triangulated Bedelia into his relationship with Will so he can talk out what's going on--and she's not giving him the validation he wants. By contrast, I think that's exactly what the problem with Franklyn and his desire to befriend/become Hannibal was--for once in his life, Hannibal was like, "Um, no, there needs to be a boundary between us, you have to go." But when someone says that to him, he doesn't want to hear it.
So now: Bedelia Du Maurier, just dropping truth bombs all over the place. "Will Graham has asked to see me," Hannibal tells her in session. "I would like to see him." (" The fancy fleshmeat wants to visit! Aww. My Will HAS been lonely.") "I continue to be curious about the way he thinks... despite all that's happened," like the way Will rejected his murder inspirations at gunpoint. "He's still influencing you," says Bedelia (which is really interesting, given how we've only ever heard them talking about Hannibal wanting to influence people). "Will Graham asking to see you betrays his clear intent to manipulate you." And I really wasn't expecting anyone to realize this so quickly. She tells him! She straight-up tells him that Will's going to play him! "And if I agree to see Will?" "It betrays your clear intent to manipulate him," she says. "I miss him," he says plaintively. "You are obsessed with Will Graham." "I'm intrigued." "Obsessively," says Bedelia, who is just the best. "And he will take advantage of that."
"Will is my friend." NO, HE'S NOT. Seriously, even Bedelia's like, it's so precious that you think that: "Why? Why is he your friend?" "He sees his own mentality as grotesque but useful... like a chair of antlers." (Line from Red Dragon! Don't drink every time this happens or you will DIE.) "He can't repress who he is," continues Hannibal. "There's an honesty in that I admire." Yeah, but it's not really the stuff of treehouses and sleepovers, is it? Bedelia: "I imagine there's an honesty in that you can relate to. What can't you repress, Hannibal?" IS THIS A QUESTION YOU REALLY WANT TO BE ASKING? In reply, he smiles.
So of course he goes to visit Will in his lonesome dungeon cell (watch here). (Shit, his cell is bigger than my college dorm room. I'm not even kidding about that.) And the interesting thing is that so much of this scene is shot from inside the cell; while I definitely agree that the imagery may be foreshadowing the eventual reversal of their positions, I think there's also an emotional dynamic here: lonely Hannibal's being kept out, rather than Will being kept in.
Given that he first appears as the Ravenstag, this is for the best.
(x)
"Hello, Will." "Dr. Lecter." (Still that power differential after all this time.) "Lost in thought?" "Not lost. Not anymore," says Will, with a bitter little laugh. "I used to hear my thoughts inside my skull with the same... tone, timbre, accent, as if the words were coming out of my mouth. Now... my inner voice sounds like you." (Of course Hannibal looks subtly pleased.) "I can't get you out of my head."
"Friendship can sometimes involve a breach of individual separateness," replies Hannibal. 1) There's that concept of emotional fusion. 2) I'll sit here and wait until you stop laughing. "YOU'RE NOT MY FRIEND," says Will, standing up and going right up to him because ARE YOU SERIOUS. "The light from friendship won't reach us for A MILLION YEARS. That's how far away from friendship we are." BUT FRIENDSHIP IS QUALITY, WILL: "I imagine it's easier to believe I am responsible for those murders than it is to accept that you are." "SURE IS." Hannibal tries to psychiatrize: "Your inner voice can provide a method of taking control of your behavior, accepting responsibility for what you've done. Giving your thoughts words encourages clarity." Please allow Will to play you the Go Fuck Yourself Impromptu in F Major: "OH, I HAVE CLARITY. ABOUT YOU." "Our conversations, Will, were only ever about you opening your eyes to the truth of who you are." And by who you are I mean my murder friend.
"What you did to me is in my head, and I will find it," says Will, stepping up close to the bars. "I'm going to remember, Dr. Lecter, and when I do, there will be a reckoning."
"I have huge faith in you, Will. I always have," he says--with a smile. Like he's--proud? Which reminds me of the time Hannibal said he " sincerely" hoped Will would catch the Chesapeake Ripper, and you know, I think he meant it. I mean, I know a lot of his shenanigans are meant to be "radical therapy" for these characters, but if Will succeeding at a challenge means that Hannibal's life will end, literally or figuratively--? I really don't know what to make of this man sometimes, I swear.
It's a busy day for Hannibal, though--first a visit to his vengeful BFF, and now, over at the BAU lab, getting his mouth swabbed for DNA in loving closeup, because Beverly has no idea how completely useless it is to shake a murder wizard down for evidence.
@BryanFuller: THE EVIDENCE SWAB IS SWABBING PIG JOWL NOT #HANNIBAL CHEEK
@HettiennePark: I suggested selling that Q-tip on Ebay. But production wasn't down with that. #HANNIBALdna
@cleolindajones: I hope #notforeating trends some day. RT @redheadedgirl: BEVERLY IS NOT FOR EATING FANCY CANNIBAL #notforeating #NOTFOREATING #Hannibal
"I'm amazed what falls off the best of us when moving through a room," he muses, leaning over Beverly's shoulder as she seals up the swab. "Lessons learned from cellular decay: enjoy the world while we have it--and give a little bit back," she says, friendly enough. And then, because Hannibal hasn't said anything suspicious in thirty seconds: "When possible, I try to leave an indelible mark wherever I go." What, with your teeth? (Bear in mind, though: " I never think about living beyond that span of time. Except by reputation.") "Hopefully not with your DNA," she retorts. Apparently it's Take Your Cannibal to Work Day again, because he's just strolling around her lab, making himself at home: "How long will you have my suits?" "You might want to think about supplementing your wardrobe." "I frequently do." What, there's some retail therapy in Hannibal's future? Also, don't tell lies, I don't see any flashy plaids on that rack at all. You are withholding suitage, sir.
"You know, this is just a formality," says Beverly. "Nobody expects to find anything. Except for maybe Will Graham." "He'll have to be disappointed. The beauty of what you do, Ms. Katz, is in its certainty. It'll be your evidence that convicts Will." Guys... guys, is he trying to flirt with Beverly? In case he needs to influence the case away from himself--or to direct it away from Will? Or--triangulating someone Will actually would speak to into their relationship? PLEASE, MISS BEVERLY, HOW DO YOU FRIEND?
Also, if you've ever wanted to see what someone being "shifty" looks like, well--check out this gif set, because he is looking shifty as fuck.
Back to the evidence: "Well, I found enough of it. No need to infer or intuit or trust." "So much simpler than psychiatry. Will is doing his best to understand where he is... and why." Okay, that's enough: "You were supposed to protect him." GET HIIIIIIIIM. "From himself?" asks Hannibal carefully; she says, "Yeah. I'm not mad at you." NO, BE MAD AT HIM. "Not any more than I'm mad at myself. We all missed it, whatever it was--is." "We all are not suspects," says Hannibal, looking shady as all hell. "You're not a suspect," she replies, a little surprised: "You're the new Will Graham."
(x)
So here's Jack and the Investigators Three at the I Can't Believe It's Not Beavers crime scene; Beverly's examining an impressive row of gnarly, half-covered corpses (so yeah, maybe look away from this part), including one that Buck visibly stepped on, while the Investigators Dude are still wading around in the water. ("We found another body!" yells Brian.) Jack greets Hannibal with, "Thank you for coming, Dr. Lecter," to which he replies, "Jack, what can I do for you?" (I'm sorry, I'm unreasonably fascinated by the power dynamics of the names these characters choose to call each other. Particularly since Jack usually refers to him as "Hannibal." So--he's trying to re-establish a professional relationship here, whereas Hannibal's insisting on the I Do So Have Friends, Shut Up dynamic?) Of course, it's just not the same--the EMPATHING IN PROGRESS sign has been taken into evidence, but how about a psychological profile? And Hannibal looks enchanted by ~a whole new world~ behind the yellow tape.
"This way, doctor. This is the fourth body we've recovered so far. There's at least one more down there. Hard to say [how long they've been down there], but someone went through a lot of trouble to make sure that they were well preserved. They've been coated in some kind of resin," Jack tells him. "The big one was partially sealed, rotting from the inside out. The other three look like they were embalmed," Beverly chimes in. Jack: "Whatever he's doing, he's still figuring out how to do it."
So now Hannibal's peering down at the bodies, same as everyone else; I hope everybody is REALLY missing Will's empath trances right now. But he does comes up with an insight: "Were they injected with silicone?" And because I'm a big ol' nerd, I flashed back to the end of the Silence of the Lambs book where Lecter does just that to change the shape of his nose after he escapes. In this case, it's "a technique for making resin-coated models out of fish. Helps the body retain shape in death." (Magically knowing everything about everything: point to you, Fancy Cannibal.) And Hannibal realizes: "He's making human models." "You make models of things that you want to keep," Crawford points out. "These were tossed in the river." "Maybe they were imperfect," suggest Hannibal, and now it's Jack's turn to realize: "These are his discards."
Now, an elegant closeup (fancy pen for fancy cannibal) as Hannibal signs a letter he then hands to Bedelia: "I'm giving you informed consent to discuss me as your patient." Uh, with whom? "Jack Crawford." And oh, man, I love how totally, totally alarmed Bedelia looks by the idea of anyone finding out the weird-ass things Person Suit's been saying to her in confidence: "Disclosure of patient information should be limited to the requirements of the situation. What the shit are you thinking is the situation, Hannibal?"
"Will Graham made accusations. Jack's only being thorough." "You're keeping Agent Crawford close," she observes. "We share an obsession. I got to be Will Graham today," Hannibal says dreamily. Mommy, Mommy! Today I got to be THE BEST AT HELPING. "I consulted at an FBI crime scene. I stood in Will's shoes, looked through his eyes, and I saw death... how I imagined he would see it."
(x)
HOO BOY.
@Battista_j: Oh good God, this is so completely weird. #Hannibal is becoming Will and Will is becoming Hannibal. It's serial killer Inception.
@cleolindajones: OH GOD IT'S LIKE FRANKLYN TRYING TO BE HANNIBAL
@aMoTPodcast: "How do you think Will's wardrobe would look on me?"
Because yeah, it does remind me of two things: "I found myself looking at my friends through your eyes, imagining what your diagnosis might be. I become you" (said Franklyn, cosplaying as Hannibal); "But if I kill her... like he would kill her... maybe I could understand him better" (said Gideon, trapped in his weird metafictional existence as Generic Off-Brand Hannibal Lecter). And I'm pretty sure it's not a coincidence that the first season dealt extensively with the idea of a covetous desire for identity.
Bedelia: still freaked out. "Why would you be inviting the scrutiny of the FBI?" YES WHY. "I'm being as open and honest as I know how," he says. Bedelia: not impressed. "You maintain an air of transparency... while putting me in the position to lie for you. Again." BADLY DONE, EMMA. But then he says, with a sly look: "You're not just lying for me." (Ohhhhh no. What does that mean? I thought the whole thing was that a patient attacked Bedelia but then swallowed his tongue Because Hannibal and we inferred that that's why she humors him despite being retired because seriously, what the hell was it like watching some shit like THAT, and--? But there's something shady on her end? And here I'd given up on the 1940s Bedelia thing.) "How far will this flirtation with the FBI go?" she asks quietly. "It would seem Jack Crawford is less suspicious of me than you are," he says, to which she replies, "Jack Crawford doesn't know what you're capable of." "Neither do you," he says, SMILING. Bedelia: VISIBLY GULPING.
@aMoTPodcast: Omg, that smirk on his fuckin' face. Bedelia, you need to get the hell out of dodge.
@cleolindajones: Move. Move away. Walk out of the house and move to a mountain cave far far away, never stop running, never look back
@BryanFuller: "Neither do you." BEDELIA, YOU IN DANGER, GIRL https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uxBfukKmATo
And now, since I'm a little over the LJ space limit, I'm going to have to break into two posts again. It's already done, so go on and click through. Up next: HAPPY DOGGY TIME.
CONTINUE: PART TWO.