As we all know (or if not you can read about it here) Bryan Fuller
unfortunately decided to forgo episode four of Hannibal this week. He has
stated that this decision should not pose problems in terms of continuity although
just in case, a mini web-series including snippets from the episode has been
uploaded to the programme's official website. This swiftly brings us on to episode
five, entitled Coquilles. In the words of Jack Crawford, “prepare yourself for
this one” as it is quite possibly the most gory and emotionally-heavy installment of the series so far.
As each week has progressed so has Will Graham’s profuse
amount of sweating, resultant from his plagued psychosis of all things socio-pathic.
Now sleepwalking has been added to the mix, which after meeting with Dr.
Lecter, is thought to be a result of losing control or to cover up aggression.
It’s true – Graham has in a way been manipulated into returning to work for Crawford. Lecter brings this up of course, as part of his slow but
continual path in presumably pitting both against one another. Furthermore the
boundaries between serial killer and criminal profiler are dissipating for Graham; he is increasingly
becoming “too close”. Regardless, Graham struggles to think cohesively and
therefore questions his abilities in remaining to work for the FBI (don't worry - he stays... for now.). Undoubtedly,
failing to catch this week’s serial killer was a key instigator of this doubt.
Okay - the mushroom fiasco from episode two was a
pretty nasty affair. However, this week’s contender named the ‘Angel Maker’ was
most definitely a tough opponent as he mutilated and displayed his victims to
form praying angels. This enabled the episode to showcase arguably its most
gory and disturbing imagery, yet retained that ever-present visual flare that
somehow makes each relevant frame captivating enough to form a piece of art. Graham
profiled the ‘Angel Maker’s motive as protection – he had a brain tumour and
was afraid of dying in his sleep so created guardian angels to watch over him
(something also linked to a childhood trauma of his). Eventually he mutilated
himself into an angel, embracing death and beating Graham to his arrest. As always, the
serial-killer-of-the-week is a narrative device, a catalytic
mechanism to characteristically develop our key protagonists. This week was no
different as, not only did he throw Graham off course, but the ‘Angel Maker’s back
story of a brain tumour also linked to Crawford’s discovery that his wife had cancer . His revelation provided the episode with its most emotionally-heavy subject
matter (and a moment of brilliant acting by Laurence Fishburne). Just in time, as Crawford's character development was almost non-existent
up until now. Topic aside, it was great to finally see
a more emotional side to him in dealing with such heavy personal issues.
Lecter, therefore, was situated in the background this
week, although still managing to shine (and showcase an impressive sense of smell) when he has Crawford and his wife to dinner. The food he delivers looks
exquisite and is consequently shot in food-porn territory. However it’s a
clever little trick as we continuously question the ingredients, further emphasised
by the tantalizing dialogue exchanged. When Crawford’s wife alludes to being a
vegetarian, Lecter insists that all of his meat is from an “ethical butcher”,
someone who is kind to the animal before eating it. “I’m afraid I insist on it”
he says, as if to give a massive wink to the audience. It’s a true credit to
the cast and crew that short sequences such as these can even carry the whole
episode if needed.
Not that it is needed however, because as usual, another week - another
stellar episode has passed, leaving us hungry for more. Subject matter was particularly
heavy, whether it was Graham battling with his psychological demons or Crawford
and his wife facing those of a more cancerous nature. It was dealt
with in a smart, well-written and strongly performed manner forever keeping our eyes peeled and ears open. Just in case solid drama was not enough however, the show’s gory
crescendo managed to reach a new level, once again showcasing how tough imagery can be constructed in
an eerily compelling way.
What were your thoughts on this week's episode? Post a comment!
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