Boy am I glad that I stumbled onto this series. I was pretty bored with all of the current TV shows which I've been watching (well, that's really only Dexter and True Blood at the moment) or they've been on break. Hannibal hooked me right from the first episode and after seeing the whole season I'd say it's right up there among my favorite TV shows.

Mads Mikkelsen is a fantastic and charismatic screen presence and his portrayal of the understated and calm Hannibal is very unsettling and mesmerizing. I've loved his diverse roles in Casino Royale, After the Wedding, The Hunt and The Royal Affair and he doesn't disappoint in this show either. Hugh Dancy is also great as the tormented FBI profiler Will who can get inside the mind of a psychopath and imagine the crime occurring again. As time goes on this weighs on his psyche more and more. I loved his portrayal of a man with Asperger's Syndrome in Adam, he really seems to have a knack for portraying these kind of roles. The relationship between Will and Hannibal in the show is very interesting and filled with suspense as Hannibal subtly manipulates Will. The supporting cast is extremely solid as well.

The visuals of the show are very arresting, some of the murder scenes are especially striking. I also really liked the scenes where Hannibal is preparing food and presenting it to his guests. Those scenes are really beautiful in a twisted way.

One of the most critical parts about the show however is the sound design. The sound effects are tremendously creepy as is the music. They're used very effectively to create a creepy and disturbing atmosphere. There's an almost hypnotic feeling to the show's mood and tone.

The killers Will faces in the show are very interesting and imaginative. I also liked that they weren't just "killer of the week" variety but that the killers are actually tied into the story in meaningful ways.

Season 1 of Hannibal was really gripping and it's definitely my favorite of the newer TV shows. After such an intense season I'm really eager and excited to find out how they continue the story in season 2. However, I'm kind of hoping that the show won't go on for too many seasons because I have a feeling that it would get way too implausible. But so far so good.