The Person Suit: A Hannibal Podcast

  Our rewatch of Season 2 concludes with a deep-dive breakdown of the pinnacle of the series, “Mizumono.” We discuss the melancholy and dread that build towards the inevitable bloodbath, and why it is necessary to return our characters to the event that started them on this road to doom and transformation. We applaud using […]

  The penultimate episode of Season 2, “Tome-wan,” welcomes Bedelia back while saying buh bye to the Vergers. Rachael gives Bedelia side-eye but loves her anyway. Amberlee is perplexed by the various Wills, and Rachael is utterly baffled by her vague note, “Hannibal is an ass,” but we both agree that it probably applies to […]

  The Great Hannibal Rewatch nears the end of Season 2 with the antepenultimate episode, “Kō No Mono.” We discuss how the theme of destruction and creation affect our characters as Hannibal and Mason fight for control of their pawns while Jack and Will enact some well-intentioned manipulations of their own. We debate the merits […]

  Reciprocity is the name of the game in Season 2 episode 10 of Hannibal, “Naka-choko.” Will meets the team at a tableau of his own making after viciously beating Randall to death. We discuss the difference between “becoming” and “design,” Will falling for his own design, and the intimate hand-washing scene. Will welcomes Freddie […]

In our rewatch of Season 2 episode 9 of Hannibal, “Shiizakana,” we talk a lot about the various types of love, friendship, and the way we interpret intimacy. We deconstruct Will's dream and Hannibal and Will's loaded therapy sessions. Amberlee's question regarding the relationship between the title and episode significance results in a tumble down […]

  The Great Hannibal Rewatch continues with Season 2 episode 8, “Su-zakana.” Will re-enters the field despite being really not an FBI agent and we all have a good laugh. We analyze Will’s desire to protect Peter Bernardone, the parallel victimization of Will, Peter, and Margot Verger, and Alana’s role in the interrogation room. Jack […]

  Season 2 episode 7 of Hannibal, “Yakimono” wraps up the first half of the season in style. Hannibal’s grand plan continues to play out as he watches from the sidelines, and we are in awe of how masterful it is. We discuss Miriam’s return from the grave and Hannibal’s horrendous abuse of her. In […]

  The Chesapeake Ripper is killing again and Hannibal is throwing a dinner party in Season 2 episode 6 of Hannibal, “Futamono.” Hannibal continues to use people as materials as he puts the final touches on his grand composition. We applaud Jack’s careful investigation, debate Alana’s big move and lack of self-interrogation, and remain impressed […]

  Season 2 episode 5 of Hannibal, “Mukōzuke,” picks up where “Takiawase” left off when Freddie the Pirate finds Beverly’s body in the observatory. We discuss the first death of a series regular, Hannibal’s decision to honor Beverly, instead of humiliate her, and the poignancy of the grief montage. Water imagery makes a return to the […]

  Season 2 episode 4 of Hannibal, “Takiawase” focuses on themes of suffering, caregiver abuse, and agency. This episode finds Bella and Jack grappling with her declining health. We discuss Bella’s decision to end her life, Hannibal’s role as the ferryman, and the juxtaposition of this storyline with the killer of the week. Will manipulates his way […]

  Our Hannibal rewatch continues with the much maligned Season 2 episode 3, “Hassun,” during which we experience a courtroom drama through a Hannibal lens as Will’s case makes it to trial. We analyze themes of false hope and a balance of opposites as personified by Will, Hannibal, and Alana, discuss the significance of Will’s dreams, […]

  Art is people and people are art in Season 2 episode 2 of Hannibal, “Sakizuke.” Our characters wrestle with preconceived notions of identity as they race to track down The Muralist. We discuss Hannibal’s potentially deliberate manipulation of Team Sassy Science, Will’s definitely deliberate manipulation of Alana and Hannibal, and Jack’s continued journey of self-reflection. […]

  We’re back with a rollicking discussion of Season 2 episode 1 of Hannibal, “Kaiseki.” This episode opens with a culinary clash and we waste no time discussing the emotional impact of the fight given that we know what comes next. The main job of this episode is to establish the new dynamic now that […]

  Our rewatch closes the book on Hannibal's debut season with a super-sized discussion of the finale, “Savoureux,” and a wrap up of our favorite things from Season 1. Rachael is high on the show's depiction of the consequences of violence, while Amberlee is excited to get to scrappy S2 Will and his crazy hair. […]

  The Great Hannibal Rewatch continues this week with Season 1 episode 12, “Relevés.” Our characters grapple with themes of friendship, loyalty, and identity in an episode so full of subterfuge that only Will Graham could sift through it. Georgia Madchen’s fiery death inspires Will to reopen the Copycat case, which spurs Jack and Hannibal […]

  Season 1 episode 11 of Hannibal, “Rôti,” features our favorite recurring characters, contains the most stunning and powerful hallucinatory sequences of the season, and explores identity and the consequences of caregiver abuse via the parallel tales of Abel Gideon and Will Graham. We discuss Chilton’s twitchy, kinetic behavior, penchant for fluid accents, and parallels to […]

  Season 1 episode 10 of Hannibal, “Buffet Froid,” kicks the abuse narrative into overdrive as Hannibal’s gaslighting of Will reaches new levels of awful. We discuss the terrors of abuse by caregivers and the feeling of isolation that so often comes with mental illness. Will’s desire to connect with Georgia gives us hope for […]

  Themes of leaving a legacy and public perception abound in Season 1 episode 9 of Hannibal, “Trou Normand.” We debate the merits of the serial killer of the week, Abigail’s attempt to exercise agency, and Will’s fear that both everyone and no one notices what he’s going through. Jack deals with Will as well as can […]

  The Great Hannibal Rewatch continues with Season 1 episode 8, “Fromage,” and once again performance is a major theme. We discuss Tobias’ murder theatrics as a courtship of Hannibal, their barely veiled exchange at the music shop, and Hannibal’s ultimate mercy killing of everyone’s favorite cheese person, Franklyn. Jumping into themes of dissonance and […]

  Season 1 episode 7 of Hannibal, the absurdly hilarious “Sorbet,” is all about loneliness and the accompanying dull ache. We discuss the mirrored therapy sessions and the connections they draw between Franklyn and Hannibal, the poignancy of Franklyn’s situation, and what role Bedelia really plays in all of this. Rachael suggests that Hannibal’s dishonesty […]

  Our Hannibal rewatch continues with Season 1 episode 6, “Entrée.” This Jack-centric episode fills us in on the story of Jack’s broken pony and his persistent hunt for the Chesapeake Ripper. We break down the themes of obsession and connection running through the episode and analyze the parallels between Jack’s minor breakdown over Bella’s […]

  It’s time for Season 1 episode 5 of Hannibal, “Coquilles,” and our Katz & Dogs ship has reached full shippiness. I mean really, is Beverly not The Best Friend Ever? We break down the callbacks, foreshadowing, and metaphor in the episode, discuss the emotional resonance of Bella’s cancer, and praise the inclusion of a […]

  Hannibal Season 1 episode 4, “Œuf,” deals interestingly with themes of constructed families, nature v. nurture, and motherhood. Unfortunately this gets lost underneath the competing storylines. Or does it? This week we tackle these themes and seemingly discordant sequences while also marveling at Hannibal’s evolving table settings and utter lack of houseguest manners. Also discussed: […]

  Our Hannibal rewatch continues with Season 1 episode 3, “Potage.” We wade into this Abigail-centric episode discussing everything from Freddie’s monetarily motivated moments and the importance of costuming, to themes of darkness and light, communication, and manipulation. Everyone is sassy, Hannibal is Mr. Burns, the police are inept, and pillows are made of hair […]

  Season 1 episode 2 of Hannibal, “Amuse-Bouche,” marks the beginning of our love affair with Katz & Dogs, delves deep into themes of connectedness and interpersonal communication, and introduces us to the despicable Freddie Lounds. We discuss our Freddie feelings, whether or not she is also The Worst Ever, and our desire for more […]

  Our Hannibal rewatch begins with an epic discussion of Season 1 episode 1, “Apéritif.” We begin discussing the major themes that carry through the entirety of the series, try to remember our reactions during our initial viewings, contemplate the importance of perspective, and suggest a title for Hannibal’s new book: Teacups and the Art […]

  Season 3 of Hannibal came to an end last week with “The Wrath of the Lamb,” and as we enter into the long, dark teatime of the hiatus we hope that this super-sized podcast will give you a small something to fill the void. We discuss the episode as both a season finale and […]

  The penultimate episode of Season 3 of Hannibal, “The Number of the Beast is 666…” has come and gone and it was hilarious! Srsly? Srsly! From Chilton’s quantifiably bitchy tantrum to Hannibal’s jailhouse slurp we giggle over everything, well, except the horrifying torture and immolation. We discuss Will and Bedelia’s mystifying mutual therapy session, […]

  Season 3 episode 11 of Hannibal, “…And The Beast from the Sea,” left us with a couple very important questions: What has the FBI been doing all this time? Are they actually trying to solve the case or are they just waiting for the next full moon? We discuss the good and bad points […]

  Season 3 episode 10 of Hannibal, “…And the Woman Clothed in Sun,” elegantly, and even eloquently, exposed us to the conflict brewing within Francis. We briefly discuss self-perception and the various dichotomies and dualities in the show, the sweetest gesture on the show to date, and Francis’ confusion and fear over his relationship with […]

  We know families come in all shapes and sizes but Season 3 episode 9 of Hannibal, “…And the Woman Clothed with the Sun,” showed us that they all love differently too. Hannibal showed us another way he loves his family, Francis remembered how he did not love his, and Will had nightmares about losing […]

  With a time jump and new antagonist, Season 3 episode 8 of Hannibal, “The Great Red Dragon,” effectively resets the series. We give our first impressions of Francis Dolarhyde, discuss the effectiveness of the opening sequence, and praise Richard Armitage’s masterful performance. Speaking of new characters, this episode also introduces us to Will’s life […]

  Season 3 episode 7 of Hannibal, “Digestivo,” was the culmination of two and half seasons worth of story. It set the groundwork for the upcoming Red Dragon storyline and could even serve as a satisfying series finale. Join us as we pick apart the break up scene, debate when Will decided he was so […]

  Season 3 episode 6 of Hannibal, “Dolce,” was all about the ladies, and we enjoyed every minute of it. We talk about Bedelia’s masterful plan to get herself out of this mess she’s gotten herself in to, how lucid she was when talking to Jack, and how well things seem to be coming together […]

  How about those last five minutes of Season 3 episode 5 of Hannibal, “Contorno”? Most exhilarating and cathartic sequence ever? Are we being hyperbolic? Maybe. We don’t care; we’re probably watching it on a loop right now. We discuss the importance of pairing that action with that music, Hannibal’s verbal tactics, and how much Jack […]

  After last week’s disappointing announcement we discuss Season 3 episode 4 of Hannibal, “Aperitivo,” while holding out hope that someone will #SaveHannibal. This episode, originally intended to be the season opener, plays with structure in some really neat ways. We discuss how this decision affects the first chunk of the season, how the structure works […]

  The internet was abuzz with reactions to Season 3 episode 3 of Hannibal, “Secondo.” Some viewers decried it for being too slow while others lauded the carefully crafted character development. We discuss both sides of the argument and which side we are on before moving on to episode specific topics including: Dracula, the specifics […]

  Season 3 episode 2 of Hannibal, “Primavera,” was just dreamy. We discuss the imagery in Will’s dreams, the importance of water and rushing rivers of blood, the significance of the dying ravenstag, and the possible reasons behind Abigail’s appearance. Journey with us to the underworld as we breakdown the use of liminal spaces, the […]

  Bonsoir Fannibals! What a season opener! Despite the lack of Will Graham, Season 3 episode 1 of Hannibal, “Antipasto,” was everything we could have wanted and more. The flashbacks! The innuendo! The hat! We talk at length about Bedelia’s striking fashion choices, her role in Hannibal’s antics, why she may have agreed to accompany him […]