So many feels to start with this. Ellen Muth? Georgia Madchen? Like as in girl? Like a Lass? As a zombie? It didn’t look like anyone blamed a toilet seat for her condition but I had to imagine a world where “Dead Like Me” was just all in a zombie girl’s head. I kind of pictured that if Miriam Lass was intended to be Reggie that maybe George got to see her in the end. BUT MAYBE NOT.
Last week I was a little meh and the thing is, with a show like this, even the meh episodes are a lifetime better than 99% of shows on television. Like a friend asked me about what I thought of “Elementary” and I had to admit to her that 1. I haven’t been watching it since “Hannibal” aired, 2. I always thought the premise suffered by being haphazardly stapled to Sherlock Holmes but was otherwise decently well-acted and scripted, but nevertheless 3. every time someone said Sherlock’s name I wondered where Benedict Cumberbatch was and when we’d get more episodes of that much better adapted to the core material BBC version.
But on with the show and by show I mean recap.
Girl lives alone with a canary out in the country. It makes mes ad what kind of culture I live in where a dude living alone wouldn’t seem like an open invitation to violence, but a woman? Oh yeah, she’s going to die horribly! Like Will has basically the same setup and he’s batshitloco, yet I’m more afraid for the woman. But whatever. I guess zombiegirl came in through the roof, which lonelygirl fixes with a plastic bag for the night. When she gets back to bed, she has company. Under the bed. Who gives her a Glasgow smile from which she drowns on her own blood.
Will has a session with Hannibal. He looks a little ill and I wonder if he’s starting to think that if Will is so whiny about Abigail killing a man in self defense, maybe he’s not going to be the fun life partner he was hoping for. He looks a little tired and bored with Will not getting that everyone else in the world is prey and he should have some fun with it or just move on with it because he’s not going to be able to put the air back in the balloon anyway. This is kind of how my cats look at me. “Geez, it was just a squirrel. Why the sads?”
Basically Will feels like he’s fading. Like he’s a zombie (he doesn’t put it that way but later in the episode when he hears about zombiegirl’s symptoms he’s like, “so that’s how it works”) As a fun little test, Hannibal asks Will to draw a clock with hands pointing to the time it is now to help ground him to a certain time. Except that isn’t why Hannibal wants it and you see Will draw it out and it looks all, you know, clock-y, until Hannibal looks at it and it’s all Dali clock-y on one side. He doesn’t mention this to Will.
Will loses time while gutting a fish and comes to in lonelygirl’s room making what appears to be a real fucking mess out of the crime scene. Jack is not pleased and walks out for a talk. He has Had it, Officially, with Will being crazycakes. Only not so officially that he tells Will to take a vacation. The tissue the team finds left behind is dead.
Back at Hannibal’s office, Will explains that the grandiosity of the violence he felt in the not-real world of his reconstruction felt more real to him than his regular life. Further, he explains that the kind of crazy he knows he is isn’t the kind of crazy he’s experiencing and that he should see a doctor. Like, one that could see if there’s a tumor. Hannibal happens to have a referral for him. But! There is a but! If there’s nothing physically wrong, Will has to admit he’s crazycakes and this is life now.
Apparently this is what Hannibal wants for him because he takes him to an old colleague.
DR. SUTCLIFFE NAMED AFTER PETER WILLIAM SUTCLIFFE, BRITISH SERIAL KILLER CALLED "THE YORKSHIRE RIPPER" http://t.co/djORAEoLZz #FEEDYOURFEAR
— Bryan Fuller (@BryanFuller) May 31, 2013
Hannibal knows that it’s autoimmune encephalitis, like swollen brain. He smelled it. Dr. Sutcliffe asks what that smells like. He doesn’t realize that when it comes to meat, Dr. Lecter is an expert. Then Hannibal shares the clock illustration and that about confirms it. Which, fair enough, but why, Dr. Sutcliffe reasonably wonders, not mention this to Will. Good question! Well, ‘cause Hannibal’s never seen anyone walking around all empathetic and encephalitic before and Will’s a close friend so he can keep an eye on it and observe until it gets too out of hand.
To be fair, this is the sort of thing that research doctors are paid to do. But, I’m thinking that maybe Hannibal needs to visit Dr. Gillian Anderson so she can tell him that the fly of his person suit is down. Even when you’re new to having friends, experimenting on them isn’t on the menu. Uh. Menu. They’re not on the menu either. Just, you know, having BFFy secrets like knowing who a young lady killed = good, keeping secrets from your BFF like that their insanity is caused by brain swellings = bad. It’s okay. We’ve all gotta start somewhere.
Oh, I should probably mention not killing doctors who help you fool your BFF but actually, that was a good call. I mean, what did Dr. Sutcliffe get out of it other than really great ham? Well and I guess that good Mengele feeling you get from experimenting on live people who don’t consent? Or maybe that he was getting uneasy about the deception and really, that ham was only so good.
Also, kids, let this be a lesson about second opinions. Especially if your doctor is later given a Glasgow smile that may or may not have happened because of a zombiegirl.
So maybe Hannibal’s feeling the heat from Will and realizing that he can’t shut it down. And if Will is struggling so hard with a self defense killing, he’s probably not going to be cool that Hannibal’s killing people for food. Either way, he’s broaching the subject with Jack that maybe Will doesn’t have the stability for field work.
Speaking of. Will goes to lonelygirl’s house to revisit the scene of the crime for his own purposes. He notes the time and place and marries himself to it and then gets a glimpse of zombiegirl. Of course, it’s hard for him to know what’s what because, crazy. He gets a zombie arm sleeve for his trouble and then loses time when he is outside. He thinks maybe zombiegirl having the same time and space issues he is and announces the time, place, and that she is alive.
Will brings Beverly Katz with him to go over the crime scene and explains what he experienced. He has no idea what he did with the body sleeve but she knows there was bloodless dead skin around the scene so now she’s just putting the facts together as to what is going on. He adds that she isn’t able to see faces and that maybe the Glasgow smile was an attempt to pull off the “mask” that zombiegirl perceives instead of a face. That’s going to work out really well for Hannibal later when he frames her for Dr. Sutcliffe’s murder by handing her the scissors. ETA, scissors? that’s some determined Glasgowing.
Apparently Will’s empathy is in overdrive because he straight up asks Hannibal if he’s working on a paper about him. His only request is that the paper be published posthumously. “Yours or mine?” “Whichever comes first.” Oh, Will. That doesn’t even make sense. What difference would it make if Hannibal was dead?
Hannibal introduces Cotard syndrome which Will learns more about when he meets zombiegirl’s mother later. Hm, the symptoms do sound like someone he knows… The worst part, though, is when the mother says that while there were several diagnoses for her daughter, no one could do much but “manage expectations.”
While Will is sleeping, zombiegirl watches. From behind the fishing lure. That we saw Hannibal fiddle with in Ceuf. Is that where/how the infection happened? Yeah I’m kinda stuck on that scene.
Jack worries now that he’s breaking his pony and it’s his lack of leadership that leads to this. But again falls short of firing Will, rationalizing to himself that he’s, uh, the stable rock which Will could trust as a foundation. Yeah. Can’t see how that could go wrong.
Will demands more tests, though not a second opinion because he goes back to Dr. Sutcliffe. While he’s in the MRI, he loses time, which is actually a blessing ‘cause that whole process is freaky. He comes out alone. No Dr. Sutcliffe. Like, at all because he’s dead in his office.
Beverly has to comfort Will that he didn’t do it. There’s more dead person on the blade. Will feels bad that he attracted zombiegirl and maybe she thought he was the doctor. Only no! It was Hannibal with a killy Dexter suit (they should share their suits, only he’s in Miami and dresses kind of like a dork.)
Zombiegirl winds up under Will’s bed (seriously, waterbeds from now on) and the dogs aren’t upset until midnight exactly. That’s when Will wakes up and notices anyway. He jumps down and explains to her that she’s alive, you know, other than her skin and he gets some help and they put her in a big chamber like a burn victim. Hannibal prepares a report for Jack and hopes that zombiegirl doesn’t come to. ‘Cause then he’ll have to murderate her and she won’t taste very good. But I’m sure he’ll figure something out. Not that he has much to worry about. She can’t see faces.
Next week, Dr. Gideon returns! Well, escapes which is a return for us. Hannibal sics her on Dr. Bloom. He really needs to work on this friend thing.
LOL I appreciate your take on friendship. It tells me a lot about our relationship. While sometimes you may give me pause, I am now certain you’re clear on some key points. It’s reassuring. Besfrenz4eva, bb!
I am totally not experimenting on you. At all. Or a little. And all subject matter may or may not be published posthumously. Depending on who dies first. That’s what friends do for each other. Publish posthumously.
Now I know the real reason you stuck it out when you found out I’m batshitloco. You realized you had valuable study material on your hands. It all makes sense now!
I suggest Hannibal and Will begin co-writing erotic gay fiction. That could do wonders for their friendship. Source: personal experience
You do learn a lot about a person writing porn with them. Someone needs to whisper in Hannibal’s ear.
I loved this recap; you always articulate your thoughts in such a comedic fashion!
I, too, feel sad that we live in a world where single women living on their own are automatically seen as in danger.
Your whole analysis of Hannibal being bored with Graham, and comparing it to your cat, just killed me. “Geez, it was just a squirrel. Why the sads?” Bwa ha ha ha!
Do you think Lecter killed Sutcliffe just to make sure that he was the only onw who knew about Will’s condition? Or because he was afraid Sutcliffe might back out of the agreement? Or – possibly – because he unwittingly insulted Lecter’s pet empath?
Yep, most DEFINITELY waterbeds from now on. Georgia, you break my heart, but BRRRRR. (Also what was up with your hair, was it dirty or did you die it or what?)
ZombieDye! Maybe the dirt. Or the lighting. I dunno. I was staring at her freaky eyes!
I figured Sutcliffe was just a matter of time but I’m not sure it was really personal so much as Will was asking for more tests. Killing Sutcliffe doesn’t really guarantee that Will won’t actually seek a second opinion, but for Sutcliffe to be killed in such a way that Will feels responsible for may serve as enough of a distraction to keep Will from getting more tests before Hannibal either puts out the fire himself or just kills him.
It’s hard to say if Hannibal has a clear vision of an end game and his lack of an end game is working to his advantage because most of the time the other characters are left with, “But why would he do that? It makes no sense.” But what makes sense to them comes from a totally different perspective than his. I definitely see a lot of cat in Hannibal. Someone needs to tell him to stop playing with his food.
One thing I thought about when it came to Will’s brain was the Hannibal movie where at the end he serves Krendler’s brain straight out of his head to Starling. He’s capable of very delicate surgery, apparently. If he needs to resolve the swelling, perhaps he can. Or maybe he just wants a fattened lobe to nom on.
I totally thought Georgia looked gorgeous. Then again, I think Rick Genest is ridiculously attractive. I guess I dig zombies, or at least the living who resemble zombies. Scary, isn’t it?
I think Hannibal’s lack of an apparent end game is his strongest point. In dealing with an empath, a lack of clear motive gives him just enough wiggle room not to give the game away. It’s like in scifi properties where a psychic is anticipating a future move by a character and the character purposely randomizes their actions to cloud that sixth sense. I approve.
The thing is…to me, Hannibal seems bored. Will gives his life new meaning and intrigue. However, he’s still feeling out what kind of goal he has for him. He’s not yet sure what Will is best suited for. So he’s playing his cat and mouse and he’s exploring and getting to know the boundaries. Now he’s found some, and he’s pushing them bit by bit.
Whether justified or not, Hannibal believes himself to be equal to the task of preserving Will should he want him preserved. He feels little need for other doctors. It also plays into his game if Will is pushed (again) to increased dependence on him.
You just love jaundice. A little malfunctioning liver and you’re all excited.
I’d like to to be more but I have to suspect that Will gives Hannibal’s life new meaning in the way that a gecko who gets in from outside gives my cats lives new meaning right up until it’s tortured and mutilated. Then they’re back to being bored.
If only Jack had a laser pointer, he could save Will.
Well, with all the government cutbacks, you can’t expect the FBI to have access to that kind of tech. Sorry bout it.
Yeah, the ‘ayes did rather have it. That being said, they weren’t wholly unlikely. Just very, very strange looking. It was her cheek bones that got me; that was some seriously good makeup!
Oh my, I didn’t think of that, but naturally Will would want more tests! Such a good theory, and such a sneaky, devious cannibal you are Dr Lecter!
I really like the insights we get into what Hannibal thinks of Will – like he’s clearly disappointed that Will didn’t show up that one time, and clearly relieved to see him alive – but I get the feeling he’s going to be very cruel to Will, not just subtly but directly, before this is over – and that’s not even takign Gideon into account!
Speakign of Hannibal and cats, I’m reminded of Terry Pratchett: ‘If cats looked like frogs, everyon’d see what nasty little buggers they really were.’ (Not knocking your cat; I’m sure it’s a sweetie!) Still, I do wonder in my heart of hearts if this show would have been so successful if Mads Mikkelsen looked less like a cat…
And oooooooooo I most definitely did not think of that. You think Hannibal might be going prospecting? Or trepanning? Or fattening Will’s brain up? AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!
The rest of this season and the next one (I love typing that, the next one, eee!) are going to be magnificent!
The eyes just, uh, caught my eye more than the rest of her did. I don’t really remember much about her hair or think about it until you pointed it out. That was most creepy to me from under the bed. It was awesome makeup!
I have three feral rescues and they are vicious little animals. I’ve also never seen a rat in person who wasn’t in a cage and my neighborhood apparently has a big problem with them. Cats are very useful and loveable as long as they don’t see you as prey. I feel like Hannibal’s weighing whether Will is prey or not.
I thought it was really interesting where they were talking about fattening up pigs and discussing Will’s brain. I’m not sure even Hannibal knows yet which way he wants to go with it. He likes the idea of Will as a friend but I think Will’s moralizing is making him tired. Eat the brain or fix the brain? How to decide?
God yeah, when I first saw her under the bed it was the eyes that got my first, you’re right, and I SQUEALED. They were so big and dark and filled with blood! The team always does such a good job, to say nothing of the corpses this time around…
they sound like little darlings ;D So good that you’ve given them a good home! I think that Will’s gone a bit above prey, in that Hannibal is actually concerned about whether he’s alive or dead – right now, I think Hannibal thinks of him as a project.
Which actually be the same thing as prey, backtracking now…
This is just so exciting and tense. Again, I love that about this show; we have absolutely no idea where it’s going to go next, eeeeee!
Psycho thinking. “It’s okay because I won’t let encephalitis kill him. Maybe I’ll kill him instead but it’s okay not to tell about the encephalitis because that won’t be the actual cause of death. That makes me a good friend.”
You are the bestest friend EVER, Hannibal.
It had not occurred to me that Mads looked like a cat! But he does! Thank you for this insight into why I think he’s so attractive. Clearly I’m drawn to the predator-you-can-cuddle vibe.
Mads: http://images2.fanpop.com/image/photos/8900000/Mads-Mikkelsen-mads-mikkelsen-8948614-1680-1050.jpg
A cat: http://www.petinsurance.com/healthzone/pet-articles/pet-breeds/~/media/All%20PHZ%20Images/Article%20images/havana%202Bbrown%202B00%202Bcat%202B001.ashx
A lion! http://www.wallpaperdev.com/stock/lion-wallpaper.jpg