Hannibal: Yakimono Rewatch
April 17, 2015 11:41 AM - Season 2, Episode 7 - Subscribe
Will is released from Chilton's Asylum, while the discovery of Miriam Lass gives Jack new hope in finding the Chesapeake Ripper.
AKA "Dr. Chilton's Horrible, No-Good, Very Bad Day."
I didn't have time to do a thorough look for differences and omissions, but the script is available here.
One of the more shocking episodes of the season. Jack is his usual negligent self when he puts Miriam in a room with Hannibal and that ends up working out just great for everyone. But at least Will gets his dogs back, though is also where he really decides it's time to become a better murder husband.
I also find the soundtrack on this one to be particularly delightful. Still plenty of weird clanging noises and dread, but also some light noir-ish elements.
AKA "Dr. Chilton's Horrible, No-Good, Very Bad Day."
I didn't have time to do a thorough look for differences and omissions, but the script is available here.
One of the more shocking episodes of the season. Jack is his usual negligent self when he puts Miriam in a room with Hannibal and that ends up working out just great for everyone. But at least Will gets his dogs back, though is also where he really decides it's time to become a better murder husband.
I also find the soundtrack on this one to be particularly delightful. Still plenty of weird clanging noises and dread, but also some light noir-ish elements.
The edit window wouldn't work... I forgot Miriam. Poor Miriam. I try, and fail, to think of a happy ending for her. Perhaps she remembers it was Hannibal and just goes round and shoots him in his basement. She goes on the run, but the preponderance of evidence in Hannibal's basement means she didn't really need to. She turns up at Will's and Molly's house in Florida, knocks on the door asking for the use of their shower, and moves in. When Jack comes down looking for her to testify she tells him to fuck off too. Alana still never speaks to Will again because someone has made Hannibal look bad and she's certain this is all Will's fault, somehow, like it usually is.
Hannibal survives but is incapacitated such that he can't engage in his typical antics behind bars. Chilton doesn't even bother to taunt him, because he's not important enough to be worth it, and anyway the bad food is punishment enough. A good time is had by all, except Hannibal, of course.
posted by tel3path at 1:30 PM on April 17, 2015 [1 favorite]
Hannibal survives but is incapacitated such that he can't engage in his typical antics behind bars. Chilton doesn't even bother to taunt him, because he's not important enough to be worth it, and anyway the bad food is punishment enough. A good time is had by all, except Hannibal, of course.
posted by tel3path at 1:30 PM on April 17, 2015 [1 favorite]
Chilton is in this completely other show where he's the comic put-upon murder suspect in a farcical version of Double Indemnity - I never had so much sympathy for Chilton as when he becomes this prissily exasperated foil from here on out.
posted by The Whelk at 3:01 PM on April 17, 2015 [2 favorites]
posted by The Whelk at 3:01 PM on April 17, 2015 [2 favorites]
I am looking forward to seeing what terrible calamity befalls Chilton's in the coming season.
posted by sparkletone at 3:05 PM on April 17, 2015
posted by sparkletone at 3:05 PM on April 17, 2015
At some point he just becomes a sassy head in a jar
posted by The Whelk at 3:09 PM on April 17, 2015 [2 favorites]
posted by The Whelk at 3:09 PM on April 17, 2015 [2 favorites]
The Futurama crossover I never knew I wanted.
posted by sparkletone at 3:20 PM on April 17, 2015 [5 favorites]
posted by sparkletone at 3:20 PM on April 17, 2015 [5 favorites]
Even though Chilton's bad character helps to seal his fate - he was partly right. Will was not able to argue Jack down once he arrived, so no way Jack could be trusted if Chilton stopped running and turned himself in. At the same time, running away wasn't ever going to be the answer either.
What really won me over was the moment when Chilton drops the sass and asks Will, like a normal human showing normal curiosity and fear, why Hannibal has spared him.
My season 3 want is for Chilton to be his usual narcissistic self with everyone else, but as soon as Will hoves into view, to drop the sass act and talk to him respectfully and without some performative agenda. Narcissists don't typically function like this, of course; and he would always revert to character; but I could see Will being the genuinely only person Chilton respects *and around whom Chilton respects himself*.
posted by tel3path at 3:38 PM on April 17, 2015
What really won me over was the moment when Chilton drops the sass and asks Will, like a normal human showing normal curiosity and fear, why Hannibal has spared him.
My season 3 want is for Chilton to be his usual narcissistic self with everyone else, but as soon as Will hoves into view, to drop the sass act and talk to him respectfully and without some performative agenda. Narcissists don't typically function like this, of course; and he would always revert to character; but I could see Will being the genuinely only person Chilton respects *and around whom Chilton respects himself*.
posted by tel3path at 3:38 PM on April 17, 2015
I have plans to watch this tomorrow, with COMMENTARY but nothing in this episode beats this
posted by The Whelk at 10:00 PM on April 17, 2015
posted by The Whelk at 10:00 PM on April 17, 2015
Wait. Chilton survives? How did I miss that?
posted by brundlefly at 4:05 PM on April 18, 2015
posted by brundlefly at 4:05 PM on April 18, 2015
Oh wait I was an episode behind okay watching now:
Interesting how people being processed by the medical team is an ongoing motif, and it's always victims.
Not anything against the actress playing Miriam cause she's great but the fact that she's playing Miriam means she can't literally be Clarice - but wow man does she knock it out as a trauma survivor and someone who was just like, woken up after years. The face she pulls when she heard the Ripper hasn't been caught, like just her forehead muscles move and it's enough to go from polite to completely terrified.
Also, in keeping with the idea of taking problematic elements of the books and giving them to other characters in order to do them without doing them, Miriam gets all the crazy pants Clarice hypnotherapy in the basement stuff that's better off not there.
The two shadow figures becoming one, there never was a copycat, there never was a ripper, it was always one person.
Alana makes a very public show of supporting Hannibal in the interview, very ...public. I assume it's for him, not Jack.
Love those percussion beats set to fades and focus changes.
I totally have Chilton's blazer in this episode. And I love Chilton's film noir sax motif, cause that's the movie he's inside.
I don't think finding Miriam had the unsettling effect on Jack Hannibal hopes, it was so implausible and werid that Jack is suddently ....interested. added to everything else. The catch a fish speech from Will is basically them agreeing to be in a conspiracy.
Will's mind palace time reserving pendulum, tying into Hannibal's desire to reverse time.
"it's theatre" I mean, that's the lynchpin for the season, shows being put on for people.
Hugh Fancy's decision to talk to Alana with a mocking smile like "look I'm fine I'm friendly while I tell you awful truths" was great. He's ...well he's acting like Alana is allready under Hannibal's spell and making fun of her for buying it, or getting in with him for protection. It's very I Know something You don't know.
You know that gun pointed at Hannibal in his kitchen is like, the hottest thing that's ever happened to him. Imagine someone who could do that? Get that close? Such attractive bait. will even says Hannibal helped him cultivate his desire to kill, that's like third base for Lecter. And Will knows it.
Alana is the first and loudest voice in fingering Chilton as the ripper. Even Jimmy points out this is nuts.
I love Chilton's house. It's so blank and cold and stylish and cold and TRYING SO HARD. There's nothing of him in it, total image, impersonal, i bet he paid someone to design and finish the whole thing.
I love that wphe trips over luggage and he get a glimpse of Chilton's, let's face it, nice ass.
And he gets the film noir bassoons for the film noir opening! Like this is literally how Dark City opens.
HIS CAR, so flashy and again trying hard. Oh Chilton, you started as a villain, and now you're a put upon foil. I love this Chilton. I may be slightly this Chilton. He's self aggrandizing even when fleeing for his life. "You just threw up an ear!" Even at his lowest, he still has his completely outsized pride. Well ...until later.
Poor pathetic Chilton! Again the team investigation, only for victims.
Alana just radiates contempt for him in the intervuew, only the lowest and beaten can say the truth. "don't say I didn't warn you Dr. bloom."
For all the horror and blood and monsters this show presents, the scariest fucking thing is still Will showing up in Hannibal's office with his hair all neat, talking about his feelings about Hannibal, wanting to continue his treatment, the do not pass go, cannot back stop in the plot to seduce Hannibal Lecter.
William Lecter and what he represents for Will's soul is terrifying, it's like in a superhero movie where there's this powerful object and it can save the day but everyone who uses it becomes a homicidal monster, but you have to use it ...just a,little....aaaagh.
posted by The Whelk at 8:03 PM on April 18, 2015 [3 favorites]
Interesting how people being processed by the medical team is an ongoing motif, and it's always victims.
Not anything against the actress playing Miriam cause she's great but the fact that she's playing Miriam means she can't literally be Clarice - but wow man does she knock it out as a trauma survivor and someone who was just like, woken up after years. The face she pulls when she heard the Ripper hasn't been caught, like just her forehead muscles move and it's enough to go from polite to completely terrified.
Also, in keeping with the idea of taking problematic elements of the books and giving them to other characters in order to do them without doing them, Miriam gets all the crazy pants Clarice hypnotherapy in the basement stuff that's better off not there.
The two shadow figures becoming one, there never was a copycat, there never was a ripper, it was always one person.
Alana makes a very public show of supporting Hannibal in the interview, very ...public. I assume it's for him, not Jack.
Love those percussion beats set to fades and focus changes.
I totally have Chilton's blazer in this episode. And I love Chilton's film noir sax motif, cause that's the movie he's inside.
I don't think finding Miriam had the unsettling effect on Jack Hannibal hopes, it was so implausible and werid that Jack is suddently ....interested. added to everything else. The catch a fish speech from Will is basically them agreeing to be in a conspiracy.
Will's mind palace time reserving pendulum, tying into Hannibal's desire to reverse time.
"it's theatre" I mean, that's the lynchpin for the season, shows being put on for people.
Hugh Fancy's decision to talk to Alana with a mocking smile like "look I'm fine I'm friendly while I tell you awful truths" was great. He's ...well he's acting like Alana is allready under Hannibal's spell and making fun of her for buying it, or getting in with him for protection. It's very I Know something You don't know.
You know that gun pointed at Hannibal in his kitchen is like, the hottest thing that's ever happened to him. Imagine someone who could do that? Get that close? Such attractive bait. will even says Hannibal helped him cultivate his desire to kill, that's like third base for Lecter. And Will knows it.
Alana is the first and loudest voice in fingering Chilton as the ripper. Even Jimmy points out this is nuts.
I love Chilton's house. It's so blank and cold and stylish and cold and TRYING SO HARD. There's nothing of him in it, total image, impersonal, i bet he paid someone to design and finish the whole thing.
I love that wphe trips over luggage and he get a glimpse of Chilton's, let's face it, nice ass.
And he gets the film noir bassoons for the film noir opening! Like this is literally how Dark City opens.
HIS CAR, so flashy and again trying hard. Oh Chilton, you started as a villain, and now you're a put upon foil. I love this Chilton. I may be slightly this Chilton. He's self aggrandizing even when fleeing for his life. "You just threw up an ear!" Even at his lowest, he still has his completely outsized pride. Well ...until later.
Poor pathetic Chilton! Again the team investigation, only for victims.
Alana just radiates contempt for him in the intervuew, only the lowest and beaten can say the truth. "don't say I didn't warn you Dr. bloom."
For all the horror and blood and monsters this show presents, the scariest fucking thing is still Will showing up in Hannibal's office with his hair all neat, talking about his feelings about Hannibal, wanting to continue his treatment, the do not pass go, cannot back stop in the plot to seduce Hannibal Lecter.
William Lecter and what he represents for Will's soul is terrifying, it's like in a superhero movie where there's this powerful object and it can save the day but everyone who uses it becomes a homicidal monster, but you have to use it ...just a,little....aaaagh.
posted by The Whelk at 8:03 PM on April 18, 2015 [3 favorites]
I don't think we see the mocking smile towards Alana in this episode though? He actually has a very friendly orientation towards her when he arrives home. I think he even has false hope that the new dog is a homecoming gift.
And then he gets "This is Applesauce. She's mine. I rescued her SINCE SOME PEOPLE JUST WON'T COOPERATE WITH MY EFFORTS TO SAVE THEM, you ungrateful little shit. My boyfriend will kick your ass!"
And that's when the conversation turns to Will politely pointing out unpleasant truths to Alana (and Tumblr is outraged at this scene because a) he's slut shaming her! and b) he and Jack didn't warn her that they were conspiring on an undercover mission against Hannibal!)
This scene is important because it's the first time since he said "you don't believe me" to her in Kaiseki, and the last time until Mizumono, that he relates to Alana as himself. In all the following scenes, that's when he breaks out the mocking smile. He's doing the thing he's been doing all season - intentionally showing people what they want to see in him. In this scene where he states the plain truth and responds as the real him, he gets fingers-in-ears and total rejection. He knows that the real him + the truth is a product nobody wants to buy, so he has to sell something artificial.
So hilarious that Alana, on the basis that she now thinks Will is a psychopathic murderer, goes to his house in the middle of nowhere totally alone, and then asks him if he's going to try to kill her boyfriend a second time or can they let their guard down about that one? Because if you're worried that a psychopathic murderer might be in a plot to kill you, you should ask them about it! They are truthful like that.
posted by tel3path at 5:53 AM on April 19, 2015
And then he gets "This is Applesauce. She's mine. I rescued her SINCE SOME PEOPLE JUST WON'T COOPERATE WITH MY EFFORTS TO SAVE THEM, you ungrateful little shit. My boyfriend will kick your ass!"
And that's when the conversation turns to Will politely pointing out unpleasant truths to Alana (and Tumblr is outraged at this scene because a) he's slut shaming her! and b) he and Jack didn't warn her that they were conspiring on an undercover mission against Hannibal!)
This scene is important because it's the first time since he said "you don't believe me" to her in Kaiseki, and the last time until Mizumono, that he relates to Alana as himself. In all the following scenes, that's when he breaks out the mocking smile. He's doing the thing he's been doing all season - intentionally showing people what they want to see in him. In this scene where he states the plain truth and responds as the real him, he gets fingers-in-ears and total rejection. He knows that the real him + the truth is a product nobody wants to buy, so he has to sell something artificial.
So hilarious that Alana, on the basis that she now thinks Will is a psychopathic murderer, goes to his house in the middle of nowhere totally alone, and then asks him if he's going to try to kill her boyfriend a second time or can they let their guard down about that one? Because if you're worried that a psychopathic murderer might be in a plot to kill you, you should ask them about it! They are truthful like that.
posted by tel3path at 5:53 AM on April 19, 2015
But still, if Alana really is that guileless, and is only in this position because she didn't have the right information - why haven't we had a scene where Alana asks in the exact same guileless non-roundabout way - no nonsense about feeling paranoid and such:
"Hannibal, is it true about you being a serial killer?"
"No dear, don't be silly"
Well then we could say how was Alana supposed to know. But I call negligence in forgetting to ask the question! This could so easily have been cleared up with the application of some basic forensic interrogation methods!
posted by tel3path at 5:59 AM on April 19, 2015
"Hannibal, is it true about you being a serial killer?"
"No dear, don't be silly"
Well then we could say how was Alana supposed to know. But I call negligence in forgetting to ask the question! This could so easily have been cleared up with the application of some basic forensic interrogation methods!
posted by tel3path at 5:59 AM on April 19, 2015
"Alana makes a very public show of supporting Hannibal in the interview, very ...public. I assume it's for him, not Jack."
It's for Miriam too - letting her know she won't necessarily have the law on her side if she does identify Hannibal.
posted by tel3path at 7:42 AM on April 19, 2015
It's for Miriam too - letting her know she won't necessarily have the law on her side if she does identify Hannibal.
posted by tel3path at 7:42 AM on April 19, 2015
Interesting point about Miriam's reappearance not having the desired effect on Jack. I feel like Jack spends this entire episode watching the vases switch to faces and back again, continuously. I feel like he seems like the same person working on unchanged assumptions but for a lot of the time he's stepped back and observing. I think that putting Alana in the interrogation room with Hannibal "to get him talking" was Jack deciding to take a step back and watch how Alana operates in relation to Hannibal. Notice that Alana is so motivated by reward - the opportunity to control the investigation - that she never questions why the FBI has her involved in this case, and Hannibal thinks he knows the answer when there's really more to it than that. I've never been clear a to whether his rationalization about the fingerprint was for Alana's benefit or something he really wanted to believe himself.
I doubt he ever expected to get a usable testimony from Miriam in court given how traumatized and confused she is. I think his taking her to Hannibal's office was his way of observing how Hannibal tampers with memory.
But then there are times when he wanes back to the blue-pill state of mind, seizes on the idea that it's Chilton, pursues him for a final showdown, etc etc.
Also interesting that when one Sleeping Beauty wakes up another is immediately recruited in her place, just as when one scapegoat is released another is immediately recruited in his place.
posted by tel3path at 7:52 AM on April 19, 2015
I doubt he ever expected to get a usable testimony from Miriam in court given how traumatized and confused she is. I think his taking her to Hannibal's office was his way of observing how Hannibal tampers with memory.
But then there are times when he wanes back to the blue-pill state of mind, seizes on the idea that it's Chilton, pursues him for a final showdown, etc etc.
Also interesting that when one Sleeping Beauty wakes up another is immediately recruited in her place, just as when one scapegoat is released another is immediately recruited in his place.
posted by tel3path at 7:52 AM on April 19, 2015
...but yeah, part of this is the gradual realization that he's been putting misplaced trust into two of his closest advisors, not just one. So much of what Jack believes is because of the trust he has in Alana, even though he often gives the impression that he's dismissive of her - those are just the moments when he speaks it, but it's against a background of his generally trusting her judgement
I think that Jack most of all was reliant on Alana because she was the one supplying the mercy that he himself doesn't dare give in to. He was all gung-ho about ACCUSE ABIGAIL OF ALL THE THINGS!!!!1!!!!! While Alana was like, eh, maybe she's guilty enough to be kept on indefinite involuntary psychiatric hold... maybe... if you go along with me she might confess eventually, Jack, but not, like for the foreseeable future? And Jack grunts but goes along with it. Likewise the factually nonsupportable idea that encephalitis is what drove Will to commit a bunch of murders vs the ACCUSE WILL OF ALL THE THINGS idea that Jack now can't completely bring himself to believe because Will isn't just some stranger that he can put out of his mind.
When Alana chucks mercy away as a childish thing to be outgrown, it's as if part of Jack himself goes missing and he has to recreate himself somewhat to compensate for this missing piece.
posted by tel3path at 8:00 AM on April 19, 2015
I think that Jack most of all was reliant on Alana because she was the one supplying the mercy that he himself doesn't dare give in to. He was all gung-ho about ACCUSE ABIGAIL OF ALL THE THINGS!!!!1!!!!! While Alana was like, eh, maybe she's guilty enough to be kept on indefinite involuntary psychiatric hold... maybe... if you go along with me she might confess eventually, Jack, but not, like for the foreseeable future? And Jack grunts but goes along with it. Likewise the factually nonsupportable idea that encephalitis is what drove Will to commit a bunch of murders vs the ACCUSE WILL OF ALL THE THINGS idea that Jack now can't completely bring himself to believe because Will isn't just some stranger that he can put out of his mind.
When Alana chucks mercy away as a childish thing to be outgrown, it's as if part of Jack himself goes missing and he has to recreate himself somewhat to compensate for this missing piece.
posted by tel3path at 8:00 AM on April 19, 2015
Jack is just so obviously desperate to find a solution That makes freaking sense that you can almost see him convincing himself YES IT WAS CHILTON ALLL ALONG while even the science team in incredulous.
I like how it only takes a single episode before someone points out it can't be Chilton cause the ripper is an experienced and skilled surgeon and Chilton ...isn't.
posted by The Whelk at 10:18 AM on April 19, 2015 [1 favorite]
I like how it only takes a single episode before someone points out it can't be Chilton cause the ripper is an experienced and skilled surgeon and Chilton ...isn't.
posted by The Whelk at 10:18 AM on April 19, 2015 [1 favorite]
On a minor, non-spoiler note for next season: They had the wrap party for season 3 last night. Aaron Abrams said on twitter, "I feel [this morning] like I just emerged from a horse so yes the Hannibal wrap party was appropriate."
So whatever awaits us is done being filmed at least. From what I can tell, they still have post work to do on at least the finale though (there's been mention of watching dailies much too recently for it to all be edited and such).
posted by sparkletone at 11:10 AM on April 19, 2015 [1 favorite]
So whatever awaits us is done being filmed at least. From what I can tell, they still have post work to do on at least the finale though (there's been mention of watching dailies much too recently for it to all be edited and such).
posted by sparkletone at 11:10 AM on April 19, 2015 [1 favorite]
We interrupt this programme to alert you that de Laurentiis Company have announced that episode 302 will register on the Mizumono pain scale.
How can they do this to us?
posted by tel3path at 3:23 PM on April 20, 2015
How can they do this to us?
posted by tel3path at 3:23 PM on April 20, 2015
I (do not) WANT TO BELIEVE.
posted by sparkletone at 8:23 PM on April 20, 2015
posted by sparkletone at 8:23 PM on April 20, 2015
FINALLY SOME S3 PROMO THINGS
one little gifset but still
they're playing their cards really close to their chest this year as opposed to last year. I think we are gonna have some realllll surprises.
Oh please, dark!Alana, oh please. Stop fighting yourself alana, spread those raven wings and adapt, evolve, become. You know you want to. Just crack Kade's skull like a boiled egg and dig right in. Om nom.
Also, Willelia 5eva except that it can't be because Molly. But a quick, post-Lecter-defeating fling would be nice.
posted by tel3path at 6:47 AM on April 24, 2015 [1 favorite]
one little gifset but still
they're playing their cards really close to their chest this year as opposed to last year. I think we are gonna have some realllll surprises.
Oh please, dark!Alana, oh please. Stop fighting yourself alana, spread those raven wings and adapt, evolve, become. You know you want to. Just crack Kade's skull like a boiled egg and dig right in. Om nom.
Also, Willelia 5eva except that it can't be because Molly. But a quick, post-Lecter-defeating fling would be nice.
posted by tel3path at 6:47 AM on April 24, 2015 [1 favorite]
I think this and the preceding episode are my favorites of the whole series so far. It's all just masterfully constructed. So many pieces get moved around so radically. And Chilton somehow manages to smarm his way right into my heart!
posted by showbiz_liz at 12:19 AM on May 14, 2015 [1 favorite]
posted by showbiz_liz at 12:19 AM on May 14, 2015 [1 favorite]
It really, on reflection, shows more reasons why Hannibal needed Will so badly. If what he's got are Jack, Alana and Chilton to play with, and Jack is his chief opponent, then it would be like beating someone with their hands tied behind their back if Will weren't in the game too.
I read somewhere about the 'ludic' style of love and Hannibal's love for Will would seem to be a prime example of that.
Without reviving any arguments about how dumb or smart the other characters are, they have to seem dumb when you're in either Hannibal's or Will's perspective, which you always are. Both Hannibal and Will (to the extent Will engages in that kind of comparison, I think he takes others' perspectives to the point of maybe overestimating them in some ways) are streets ahead of the others as far as intelligence is concerned, and yet the other characters are supposed to be the best in their field, and yet they are frustratingly and obstructively dumb so much of the time, and yet they still are the best in their field.
To make it work, the writers would have to either write Hannibal and Will far above the writers' own intelligence level - which isn't possible because intelligence greater than one's own is inconceivable by definition - or else make the other characters into dumb animals. Dumb but lovable and in need of protection, on a par with all of Will's dogs except Winston. And even poor Winston suffers from being above the common pack, lol, maybe he broke away from his previous owners because he was desperate for a meeting of minds. [1] Is Applesauce Winston's only true counterpart? How starcrossed they must be, then.
So we have major factions of the audience going "they are dumb!" And opposite factions going "any reasonable person would have done the same!" And both sides are right.
Poor Chilton, he's like Robert Sean Leonard's character from Dead Poets Society who *didn't* shoot himself and went into medicine like Dad wanted him to. i swear that grand piano is not just for show, and he plays it alone at night and nobody hears him, and if only he'd followed his heart to Broadway he would have fulfilled his chance to really shine. Instead, he gets a house full of body parts and a bullet in the head.
[1] One of our dearest cats moved in with us because she was so highly intelligent and appreciated the connection she had with my dad, which her existing family couldn't give her. She was the smartest fucking cat I ever met, no question.
posted by tel3path at 1:02 AM on May 14, 2015 [2 favorites]
I read somewhere about the 'ludic' style of love and Hannibal's love for Will would seem to be a prime example of that.
Without reviving any arguments about how dumb or smart the other characters are, they have to seem dumb when you're in either Hannibal's or Will's perspective, which you always are. Both Hannibal and Will (to the extent Will engages in that kind of comparison, I think he takes others' perspectives to the point of maybe overestimating them in some ways) are streets ahead of the others as far as intelligence is concerned, and yet the other characters are supposed to be the best in their field, and yet they are frustratingly and obstructively dumb so much of the time, and yet they still are the best in their field.
To make it work, the writers would have to either write Hannibal and Will far above the writers' own intelligence level - which isn't possible because intelligence greater than one's own is inconceivable by definition - or else make the other characters into dumb animals. Dumb but lovable and in need of protection, on a par with all of Will's dogs except Winston. And even poor Winston suffers from being above the common pack, lol, maybe he broke away from his previous owners because he was desperate for a meeting of minds. [1] Is Applesauce Winston's only true counterpart? How starcrossed they must be, then.
So we have major factions of the audience going "they are dumb!" And opposite factions going "any reasonable person would have done the same!" And both sides are right.
Poor Chilton, he's like Robert Sean Leonard's character from Dead Poets Society who *didn't* shoot himself and went into medicine like Dad wanted him to. i swear that grand piano is not just for show, and he plays it alone at night and nobody hears him, and if only he'd followed his heart to Broadway he would have fulfilled his chance to really shine. Instead, he gets a house full of body parts and a bullet in the head.
[1] One of our dearest cats moved in with us because she was so highly intelligent and appreciated the connection she had with my dad, which her existing family couldn't give her. She was the smartest fucking cat I ever met, no question.
posted by tel3path at 1:02 AM on May 14, 2015 [2 favorites]
...according to the shooting scripts, Alana directly accuses Chilton of mind-messing Will to believe that Hannibal was guilty.
According to her own stated belief systems, that should mean Will was once again "innocent" of trying to kill Hannibal, regardless of the fact that he did in fact do so, because he was subjected to "manipulative methods". It contradicts her earlier accusation that, by attempting murder of his own volition, Will challenged her whole "framework of assumptions" about him - if he was just brainwashed yet again, then she should still consider him the same brainwashed chump he always was, and no more responsible for his actions now than before.
Or maybe she means: you didn't have encephalitis when you tried to kill Hannibal, therefore you must have been in your right mind albeit mistaken about who the culprit was. And there's no excuse for making that choice lucidly, no matter what the provocation.
If the latter is the case, that would explain why she maintains her anger at Will even after she's accused Chilton of putting ideas in his head.
But then do you suppose she took time out of her day to confront Miriam and tell her that what was done to her doesn't excuse what she did? I doubt it - Alana doesn't have any interest in Miriam beyond the threat she poses to Hannibal. Once Chilton is shot, both he and Miriam are eliminated as threats to Hannibal and Alana doesn't have any further interest in either of them.
Actually, I wonder why nobody thought to accuse Freddie. She also knew the cases and had a fixation on incriminating Will, combined with no hesitation about trespassing and tampering. She had financial incentive to produce a good story, narcissistic incentive to publicize her own crimes, and is observably amoral. What if that hair wasn't "contaminating" evidence in Amuse-Bouche - what if the hair itself was evidence? Duh! They overlooked all those sproingy red ringlets at every single crime scene because Freddie was hiding in plain sight!
But then you know Freddie would be way ahead of them in pushing back against every accusation. She's useful, and she's also not an easy target, whereas Chilton is an easy target, and Will was easily mistaken for an easy target.
Granted, she doesn't have surgical skills - that we know of - but then Chilton was in the hospital when Abigail was killed, following the very surgical misadventure that led him to be unable to digest proteins. They would have to re-pin Abigail's murder on Will, except that they demonstrably, evidentially now know that Will couldn't have killed Abigail without an accomplice... who couldn't have been Chilton cuz he was in the hospital. But it makes sense if you don't think about it.
(I mean I guess they could have accused Miriam but she comes across as so armless...)
posted by tel3path at 2:06 PM on May 15, 2015 [1 favorite]
According to her own stated belief systems, that should mean Will was once again "innocent" of trying to kill Hannibal, regardless of the fact that he did in fact do so, because he was subjected to "manipulative methods". It contradicts her earlier accusation that, by attempting murder of his own volition, Will challenged her whole "framework of assumptions" about him - if he was just brainwashed yet again, then she should still consider him the same brainwashed chump he always was, and no more responsible for his actions now than before.
Or maybe she means: you didn't have encephalitis when you tried to kill Hannibal, therefore you must have been in your right mind albeit mistaken about who the culprit was. And there's no excuse for making that choice lucidly, no matter what the provocation.
If the latter is the case, that would explain why she maintains her anger at Will even after she's accused Chilton of putting ideas in his head.
But then do you suppose she took time out of her day to confront Miriam and tell her that what was done to her doesn't excuse what she did? I doubt it - Alana doesn't have any interest in Miriam beyond the threat she poses to Hannibal. Once Chilton is shot, both he and Miriam are eliminated as threats to Hannibal and Alana doesn't have any further interest in either of them.
Actually, I wonder why nobody thought to accuse Freddie. She also knew the cases and had a fixation on incriminating Will, combined with no hesitation about trespassing and tampering. She had financial incentive to produce a good story, narcissistic incentive to publicize her own crimes, and is observably amoral. What if that hair wasn't "contaminating" evidence in Amuse-Bouche - what if the hair itself was evidence? Duh! They overlooked all those sproingy red ringlets at every single crime scene because Freddie was hiding in plain sight!
But then you know Freddie would be way ahead of them in pushing back against every accusation. She's useful, and she's also not an easy target, whereas Chilton is an easy target, and Will was easily mistaken for an easy target.
Granted, she doesn't have surgical skills - that we know of - but then Chilton was in the hospital when Abigail was killed, following the very surgical misadventure that led him to be unable to digest proteins. They would have to re-pin Abigail's murder on Will, except that they demonstrably, evidentially now know that Will couldn't have killed Abigail without an accomplice... who couldn't have been Chilton cuz he was in the hospital. But it makes sense if you don't think about it.
(I mean I guess they could have accused Miriam but she comes across as so armless...)
posted by tel3path at 2:06 PM on May 15, 2015 [1 favorite]
Hit this one in my rewatch today and just completely dissolved into laughter at the end. I forgot how delightful it is for Will to turn up all scrubbed and hair-gelled and sport-coated to work through his feeeeeelings about Hannibal in resumed therapy. Murder husbands forever!
posted by Stacey at 11:01 AM on May 26, 2015 [2 favorites]
posted by Stacey at 11:01 AM on May 26, 2015 [2 favorites]
Oh, the longing gazes...
I think I mentioned this before but, I only began watching the series after seeing people rave over the first season on Tumblr. And, Tumblr being what it is, I just knew that all the mushy crap I'd been seeing about how Hannibal Lecter's greatest desire was to be BFFs with some fragile, floppy-haired, puppy-obsessed empath was all cracked-out fandom nonsense. Because of course it was. How could it not be?
And then I watched it.
And then season 2 happened.
posted by showbiz_liz at 12:41 PM on May 26, 2015 [2 favorites]
I think I mentioned this before but, I only began watching the series after seeing people rave over the first season on Tumblr. And, Tumblr being what it is, I just knew that all the mushy crap I'd been seeing about how Hannibal Lecter's greatest desire was to be BFFs with some fragile, floppy-haired, puppy-obsessed empath was all cracked-out fandom nonsense. Because of course it was. How could it not be?
And then I watched it.
And then season 2 happened.
posted by showbiz_liz at 12:41 PM on May 26, 2015 [2 favorites]
Hannibal, being a fanwork, tends to follow fanlogic
so OF COURSE HE IS
posted by The Whelk at 2:26 PM on May 26, 2015 [2 favorites]
so OF COURSE HE IS
posted by The Whelk at 2:26 PM on May 26, 2015 [2 favorites]
Exactly! "Oh, nothing, I just rang your doorbell and then spun around so as to super-casually present my ass as I slooooowly glance over my shoulder and smolder at you, Dr. Lecter."
posted by Stacey at 4:05 AM on May 27, 2015 [4 favorites]
posted by Stacey at 4:05 AM on May 27, 2015 [4 favorites]
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As rue72 pointed out, it's a farce.
It's yet more hilarious that Jack thinks he's in a Western, Alana thinks she's in a romance, Chilton thinks he's in a film noir (with good reason! he gets a jazz soundtrack and his home decor is LITERALLY BLACK AND WHITE!!1!!!!), even Hannibal thinks he's in a PBS special about The Great Composers. Those poor guys in the Science Basement are working their fingers to the bone because they still think they're in a crime procedural.
Only Will understands that he's watching a farce, and all he can do is watch. He is so perfectly 3000% done with this shower of useless fuckups (science bros excepted).
If it weren't for the fact that HE KNOWS Hannibal would just follow him to the ends of the earth, I'd say he deserved a medal for not just signalling to the dogs to get in the car and driving off to Florida, never to return.
Yeah, yes. Alternate ending: Hannibal for whatever reason doesn't pursue him, he has a series of gradually increasingly nice days with his dogs and then with Molly, Jack comes down to say "but don't you want to catch the Ripper?" and Will replies, "No. Fuck off." and slams the door in his face. Alana never speaks to him again, which comes as something of a relief. Chilton has a temporary lapse of narcissism, long enough to send him a thank you note for the use of his shower.
posted by tel3path at 1:23 PM on April 17, 2015 [5 favorites]