Not all shows can be binged for reasons that vary from length to content. But Hannibal is a show that lends itself well to the binge-watching format, though, of course, it is also great if watched over more time. Hannibal, created by Bryan Fuller, is a unique series that both challenges and inspires the viewer throughout its many episodes. The show offers a modern update on the story of the fictional Silence of the Lambs serial killer, Hannibal Lecter, but quickly leaves behind the trappings of a procedural show and arrives at something that would now be considered prestige television. Its smart storytelling and near-poetic quotes will leave viewers hungry to consume episode after episode, especially once it becomes clear the story is actually a romance.
Once audiences immerse themselves in the artistic yet chilling world of the show, which turns corpses into fine dining and murder into high art, they'll never want to leave it, creating the perfect recipe for a binge. Hannibal is currently available to view on Hulu and rent on Amazon and Apple.
Hannibal Is A Quick Watch
From a purely technical standpoint, Hannibal is a great show to binge-watch because there's only a finite amount of it. Unfortunately, the show was canceled in 2015, but at three seasons of 13 episodes each, it's just the right length to sit down and consume in a short space of time.
While fans are still campaigning hard for more of the show, the episode count works well for now because it entices viewers who do not have much time to come aboard and binge.
The Action Is Slow-Burn
Hannibal can be compared to a chess match between its two intelligent leads. Both Will and Hannibal make their own kinds of masterfully calculated moves as they try to find a victory in the game between them. What begins as a friendship becomes a complicated cat-and-mouse dynamic as Hannibal tries to convince Will that their worldview is one and the same. Will fights with Hannibal on this point and about whether he is truly a killer, but he also fights with himself, making much of the action and manipulation into a more cerebral exercise. Slow manipulations and pointed speeches, subtle intimations and microexpressions, these are the tools the show uses to create a slow-burning narrative that only comes to a boil when the time is right.
This kind of slowly unfolding plot makes Hannibal perfect for a binge-watch because viewers can still experience the beauty of the measured narrative but do not have to wait too long to understand where everything is heading.
Every Episode Builds On The Next
Some shows, even dramas, allow the viewer to be able to sit down at pretty much any episode of a show and generally be able to grasp what is happening, but this is not the case with Hannibal. Hannibal is a show that challenges its viewers and asks them to be constantly paying attention to the events transpiring in its narrative. Hannibal's plot may be a slow-burn, but there is always a lot of things happening at once, on and off-screen. At any given moment, Hannibal alone always has at least three motivations for his behavior. And small scenes that go by in a flash turn out to be crucial for understanding the plot. For instance, a momentary scene in which Hannibal pricks his thumb on a fishing lure and sits down to tie a thread around it becomes integral episodes later. Each episode requires that knowledge acquired previously be used to fully understand events, even during Season 1, widely considered the most procedural.
Hannibal's continuous form of storytelling makes the binge-watch a perfect format. Viewers can go from one episode to the next without having forgotten the pertinent details they need to make sense of the story.
The Cliffhangers Are Intense
Hannibal is an absolute masterclass in dramatic endings. Season 1 concludes on a jaw-dropping note and Season 2 on a harrowing one, and, in this way, the ability to binge-watch is a blessing. Fans no longer have to experience the exquisite agony of waiting to see how Hannibal's major twists will unfold; they can simply press play on the next episode. So for those viewers who do not like to be in suspense very long after an intense conclusion, binge-watching Hannibal is absolutely the way to go.
Of course, not even a binge-watch can save fans from waiting for a possible Season 4 of Hannibal.
More Subtleties Can Be Retained
Hannibal is a show that is heavy on symbolism and full of subtle details and slowly uncovered nuances. In some ways, binge-watching can allow viewers to pick up on more patterns as they watch. For example, seeing repeated instances of metaphors and the recurrence of symbols in a shorter amount of time can help make them more overt. Pinpointing the relevance (and presence) of the Ravenstag (a feathered deer that showcases Hannibal and Will's connection), Hannibal's smashing of teacups, or the many building references to mythology throughout Hannibal's scenes, can become easier as more of the show is absorbed.
Hopefully, as they watch, the avid viewer will become primed to seeing these subtleties and can thus experience them more deeply.
It's Hard To Leave The World Of Hannibal
Hannibal is a show with a very specific aesthetic and style. Though it is set in a kind of "reality," it incorporates elements of the surreal and often plays like a fever dream. Few things are what they seem on Hannibal, and determining what is real and what is imaginary is a tall order that often has no clear answer. Adding to this are the visuals of the show, which include a lot of interplay between light and shadow, as well as a lush, highly stylized setting and a soundscape that is like nothing else.
This kind of backdrop creates a very evocative viewing experience that sucks the watcher in. It can be hard to leave behind the world of the show once someone is immersed in it. The binge-watch format thus allows the viewer to experience the best of Hannibal without interruption.
Fans Will Want To Watch Hannibal Again
The most obvious reason to binge-watch is that it's the quickest way to be able to watch Hannibal again. Hannibal is a multi-layered show that shifts like a kaleidoscope as viewers consider it from different perspectives, and one viewing is simply not enough to uncover everything it has to offer. A binge-watch will allow fans to have the first watch under their belt, so they can go back and experience everything more fully a second time around.
When it comes to complex shows like Hannibal, sometimes it's best to take everything in at once and then go back and parse through the details more slowly.