Despite widespread critical acclaim, and a loyal cult audience, NBC's serial killer drama Hannibal was canceled after only three seasons. There's no doubt that The Silence of the Lambs is one of the greatest horror films centering on serial killers in pop culture history. Some would still try to proclaim that the 1991 Oscar-winner doesn't qualify as horror, but those people, while entitled to their opinion, are off base. If a movie that focuses largely on one serial killer who wears his victims' skin as a suit, and another who literally eats people, isn't horror, then nothing is.
Considering The Silence of the Lambs' cultural profile, making a TV series centered on Hannibal Lecter would never have been an easy proposition. After all, Anthony Hopkins' portrayal of the cannibalistic killer is what truly made him an A-list icon, and is still arguably his most famous role even after nearly 30 years of additional characters added to his resume, including Odin in the Marvel Cinematic Universe.
Yet, against all odds, Hannibal creator Bryan Fuller managed to craft a take on Thomas Harris' literary world that sometimes meets and even surpasses elements of the films starring Hopkins. Hannibal's critical acclaim never really waned, but it still got cut short after a mere 39 episodes.
Why Hannibal Was Canceled Despite Critical Acclaim
As with many acclaimed TV shows that ended too soon, the primary reason NBC canceled Hannibal was low ratings. Hannibal's ratings were dangerously low even during its first season, and only steadily got worse as the years went on. Unlike most shows airing on the big broadcast networks though, Hannibal was an international co-production that NBC only paid to license and show in the U.S. This meant they didn't put any money out toward its making, so were more willing to tolerate lower ratings. By season 3 though, Hannibal was regularly drawing below a 0.5 in the prized 18-49 demographic, a miserably small number.
Additionally, producer Martha De Laurentiis would suggest a contributing factor to Hannibal's bad ratings, that being that the series was heavily pirated. Granted, one can't necessarily assume that every pirated viewing was a lost live viewing, but it's understandable why De Laurentiis might be angry that so many more people wanted to see Hannibal than actually bothered to watch it on NBC. In the years since Hannibal's cancellation, Bryan Fuller and the cast have repeatedly teased a possible revival, but as of yet, nothing has resulted. While Hannibal season 3 ended on a high note, it's safe to say most "Fannibals" would still welcome season 4.