We have come through the last couple of years with some excellent TV programming. dialog, writing, directing, acting some of the episodes if not entire seasons trashing anything that was showing at the local megaplex. Just like most here I was highly skeptical at the idea of a made for TV Hannibal, as Robert Downey is to Iron Man and Hugh Jackman is to Wolverine.......for me Anthony Hopkins was to Hannibal Lecter. Well no more. When telling people about this show, that's what I use as an approach. When you think of Hannibal Lecter you tend to think of Anthony Hopkins. Well not anymore, what a tribute to Mads Mikkelsen that he could take this amazing pop culture character and and so firmly attach his name to it. If you have been skeptical or just not "seeing" you're doing yourself a great disservice in not checking this out. I absolutely LOATHE that comcast now charges for past seasons of network shows, but this is the only one that I would ever say is worth purchasing and viewing before season 3 gets here. Hannibal is excellent television.