It was inevitable, and now it’s official: NBC has just announced that they won’t continue their acclaimed TV series Hannibal beyond its current season. The doctor had already battled terrible ratings during his second season, but as the third one couldn’t attract more live viewers, it has now been viciously stabbed in the back and been left out in the snow, to slowly bleed out in the cold.
However, it has not been turned into one of those ghastly pieces of art made from deer and human flesh. Not yet.
Don’t count your remaining fava beans yet, as it may not be completely over for Mads Mikkelsen’s fantastic interpretation. It’s possible that Netflix or another channel picks up the series, just like Yahoo chose to continue Community. Hannibal is obviously more expensive than Troy & Abed in the Morning, and it was always a hard sell to begin with, but until producer Bryan Fuller says it’s over for good there’s still hope for more. The reality of an impending cancellation had already been addressed in several interviews, and Fuller always seemed optimistic he’ll be able to finish Hannibal’s delicious menu.
In the current third season, the first few stellar episodes brought in elements of the novels Hannibal and Hannibal Rising, while the second half of the season will weave in major elements of Red Dragon. Fuller was still in negotiations over using Clarice Starling, for a later Silence of the Lambs season.
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