Any fan of the original Hannibal movies would have been vehemently adamant that no one – and I mean no one – could play Dr Hannibal Lecter as well as Sir Anthony Hopkins. I mean, the man won an Oscar, for chrissakes, despite being on screen for barely 16 minutes.
And then along came Mads Mikkelsen, with his Eastern European purr and sexual psychopath persona. It was a younger Dr Lecter, a calmer Dr Lecter, and – let’s be honest – a hotter Dr Lecter. ‘Hannibal‘ the TV show won over millions of new fans, as well as old ones of the franchise.
So how does NBC reward a loyal fan base? They cancel it three seasons in. Jesus Christ, this is Community all over again.
Showrunner Bryan Fuller had nothing but kind words to say about the network that cancelled his show. “NBC has allowed us to craft a television series that no other broadcast network would have dared,” he said, “and kept us on the air for three seasons despite Cancellation Bear Chow ratings and images that would have shredded the eyeballs of lesser Standards & Practices enforcers.”
The critically acclaimed show had a rabid #Fannibal fanbase, but succumbed to terrible ratings. I don’t know, maybe stick it online or something? ~SIGH~
“‘Hannibal’ is finishing his last course at NBC’s table this summer, but a hungry cannibal can always dine again,” said Fuller. “And personally, I look forward to my next meal with NBC.”
He statement might have been a thinly veiled job application for future NBC projects, but on Twitter, things were another story. He issued a call to arms for #Fannibals to watch the damn show on NBC, give it a huge ratings boost, and prove that it’s a show worth keeping:
WE HAVE 10 EPISODES OF #HANNIBAL TO WATCH ON NBC THURSDAYS. LET’S WATCH TOGETHER AND SHOW HOW STRONG THE #FANNIBAL COLLECTIVE CAN BE.
— Bryan Fuller (@BryanFuller) June 22, 2015
ALSO, #SaveHannibal
— Bryan Fuller (@BryanFuller) June 22, 2015
If this rings any bells, it’s because ‘Community’ fanbases did the same thing during the ill-fated fourth season, which worked to some degree – it got to a fifth season, which allowed for syndication and a new home on Yahoo.
Production company DeLaurentiis Co were much more candid that Fuller about the show’s future options, tweeting:
NBC did cancel the show. We are exploring options with other potential partners. #SaveHannibal 🙂 https://t.co/cqhMclYakT
— DeLaurentiis Co (@DeLaurentiisCo) June 22, 2015
Second, we are exploring other options for future seasons. #Hannibal
— DeLaurentiis Co (@DeLaurentiisCo) June 22, 2015
#Hannibal was always in danger of cancellation due to subject matter, and others have expressed interest in partnering with us.
— DeLaurentiis Co (@DeLaurentiisCo) June 22, 2015
We hope to bring you future seasons. Let’s focus on the amazing #Fannibal family we have formed, and move forward together! #Hannibal
— DeLaurentiis Co (@DeLaurentiisCo) June 22, 2015
C’mon, Netflix, this is YOUR TIME TO SHINE.
via Variety
