Alana Bloom just wishes everyone would leave Will alone, as she shares in response to Hannibal’s inquiry as to why she’s avoiding bringing up his name during their intimate dinner for two. How intimate we know not where it’ll go, but it’s clear that Hannibal is capable of winning any kind of friend he wants, Alana is not an altogether unwilling quarry, and the dance has been underway for apparently some time. Such the pair they would make, actually, it would be quite something to know them. (Until it all falls apart, of course, but onward.)
So Jack may be obsessed with the Ripper and grooming Will to catch him, but it appears from the body count that we may have two killers in play. One lovely job, a complete bisection, has kicked off the organ removal MO fest, and whom we ourselves know to be Hannibal’s victim: one Andrew Caldwell of time long past who drew Hannibal’s blood and had the unwitting insolence not only to question whether Hannibal had any embarrassing medical conditions but also to suggest the lack of character to lie about it. And then he handed over his business card for “recordkeeping” purposes.
Recordkeeping, indeed. Thus begins a juxtaposition, a montage of genuine artistry, wherein against a backdrop of sweeping operatic opulence, Jimmy Price and Brian Zeller describe the attentions to the bodies countered to Hannibal’s ten-Michelin-star preparations, victims pulled from a horrifying rolodex of meticulously mounted business cards matched to lovingly handwritten recipes. When said and done, Hannibal’s freezer is full, and the morgue a grisly party. It’s a truly macabre revelation into Hannibal’s ticking, followed by some mercifully effective comic relief from Jimmy and Brian.
We now begin to see what lurks within Hannibal beyond what we know intellectually. He gazed downward as he gripped Miriam, but as he approaches Andrew we meet his gaze, and it bears no resemblance to the congenial, even winsome, smile he graces upon friends (he actually laughs sincerely at one point).
We now begin to see what lurks behind what Hannibal’s psychiatrist refers to as his meticulous construction; he calls it his “person suit,” she prefers “human veil.” Dr. Bedelia Du Maurier (played in perfect foil and exquisite crystal clarity by Gillian Anderson, more please) thinks she knows Hannibal, continues to see him as her only client given that he ignores her retirement and despite his desire to be friends (um, sounds familiar…).
When asked why, she maintains clear relational boundaries while stating it’s because she’s seen far enough behind the veil to know the truth of him, and she likes him. Sure, and Will surmises he was an orphaned, institutionalized infant failing to thrive, who managed to survive despite neglect. Major misreads by both, but hey, they’re not psychic (and at least Bedelia’s esteem likely grants her the immunity Clarice Starling enjoys).
The second, less meticulous killer is caught, this feather in Beverly’s cap. Spotting an ambulance driving away from a scene, she hones on one Mr. Silvestri; with Hannibal in tow for the fun (chiming in with a rapt “This is very educational” upon learning about vehicle tracking technology), the team catches Silvestri red-handed (literally). And as Hannibal steps in to assist the victim while Silvestri is secured, he gazes out at Will, hand engaged in internal cardiac massage, and Will starts to see, almost to see, not quite to see…
Will brings wine for the dinner party, decompresses the catch of the day, and muses aloud about the Ripper’s fixation on organs (Hannibal suggests he takes the organs because organs are important, have personalities, and these victims don’t deserve to keep them). Watching Hannibal prepare said organs and listening to him elucidate his high-end techniques, Will idly inquires as to why Hannibal gave up surgery. Hannibal lost a patient, which to him amounted to killing him, so Hannibal channeled his love of anatomy into the culinary arts (we so often miss what is right in front of us, don’t we?), and can happily report that no one’s ever died from his therapy. Hannibal hopes Will will stay, but Will decides to be on his way, and ducks out as the full table raises laudatory glasses over the astonishing feast, none of which is vegetarian.
Bon appétit.
Stray Thoughts:
– A huge thank-you to Sam Woolf for stepping in last week to help me out in a scheduling crunch ~ and for doing it so beautifully! (I’m really loving these Stray Thoughts, may need to make it regular feature.)
– In fact, I’m very pleased to announce that we’re going to be taking Hannibal in tandem from here out: kindred spirits, twice the love, twice the fun!
– Watch for the homage to The Shining in this episode. Brilliant! And in case I haven’t told you lately, Hannibal crew, thank you for producing one of the most striking, beautiful, well-crafted, and faithful productions ever to hit American television. Wanted to go into that today but really going long, yet really couldn’t wait another week.
– NBC jettisoned an earlier episode, Ooeuf, but it may be available online and so we’ll have to work that in as an addendum at some point if possible (was cut reportedly due to content, so will have to report back). It’s mission-critical, however, as it focuses on Hannibal’s relationship with Abigail, and will be a key insight into what drives (better said, will make) his relationship with Clarice. Stay tuned on that one…
– The next episode is called Fromage. That’s “cheese” in French, and Franklin crashed Hannibal’s cheese merchant’s milieu. Oh no, Franklin…
