I started out enjoying Hannibal thoroughly as a psychologically rewarding take on the character, and the prospect of an engaging cat and mouse game between Will and Lector. Over the course of three seasons I saw that promise dissolve into a gore-full shockfest, which I did enjoy in the way shows like that are enjoyable, but I had hoped this show would become more.

The writers did away with the cat and mouse eventually and made everyone around Hannibal so horribly inept that it was hard to imagine his Brilliance let alone see it (except as a chef/connoisseur). They repeatedly introduced good characters and proceeded to fumble around with their story arcs, reducing the show to a intertwined brooding incoherent mess.

It was interesting to see how the Book and Movies were referenced and subsumed, enough to make me go revisit them which was an enjoyable indulgence. But by the third act all semblance of a story or structure were cast aside for egregious overindulgent psychological musings of macabre characters that you just wished would shut up already, in an attempt to make the writing appear intelligent I suppose. The promise it held in the initial season set up the finale to be a disappointment.

Amazing background score, some great visual work, good but faltering storytelling and direction. I would rate Season I at 9/10 for the immense promise it held, Season II 7/10 for it still kept me interested, and Season III a 5/10 for what a shadow of itself the show became.