If this show was made by HBO it would've won every award and be considered a classic. Instead it came out on NBC, way ahead of its time when shows like CSI and Law and Order dominated prime time TV. And because of that no one watched it, and it was cancelled in the middle of its third season.

I watched this show when it came out and thought it was outstanding. And given the reviews it seems to have lasted the test of time artistically. It finally made it to Prime and of course people liked it and finally watched it. The Hannibal Lecter story is an old one and one with a lot of commercial success. On a platform like Max today I think the trailer would attract the right crowd, a younger crowd eager for a darker Lecter story. The biggest hurdle would be casting Lecter himself. A character Anthony Hopkins made so iconic, it's hard to imagine someone else as him.

Boy did Mads nail Hannibal. I'm one of those weirdos that read the books and he seamlessly brings some of Hopkins iconic mannerisms together with how Hannibal was originally in the books, and wow... Again, had this come out on HBO I think he would've won every award. I don't want to blaspheme, but he's probably better than Hopkins. Written perfectly as a background character to Will Grahams story which is exactly how Hannibal should be.

The one Hannibal flop was the Hopkins driven sequel to Silence of the Lambs, "Hannibal." In it, Hannibal is the main character, with his every move detailed. What happens is Hannibal takes on a comical unbelievability. Seeing him cut off a guys skull and eat his brains. Come on. Hannibal Lecter works better in the dark background. Letting the audience imagination fill in the details of his grisly crimes. And that's how the TV show portrays him.

The cast is amazing, truly superb. I give it a 9 because I can see where it could've been better if not made for network TV. And because of the early cancellation season 3 is definitely weaker than season 1 & 2. I'll save my ten in hopes they can continue this story somewhere. But it has to have Mads.