If this week’s episode of Hannibal, “Futamono,” has a theme, it’s pretty clearly “change.” Of course, with this being Hannibal, this change is more a growing of fangs than turning over a new leaf. Many characters finally see that Will (Hugh Dancy) has a bit more bite than previously thought after Hannibal’s near murder last week. Hannibal (Mads Mikkelsen) makes his next move by going after someone close to Will, and Chilton (Raúl Esparza) becomes a little less malevolent and a little more comic relief.
Speaking of change, it would seem spring has sprung with all the flowers and blooming imagery. This is no doubt a reference to Alana Bloom (Caroline Dhavernas) who features heavily in the episode as Hannibal’s revenge pawn. After Will tells Jack (Laurence Fishburne) his cannibal theory, we cut to Bloom and Hannibal cooking. They discuss the attempt on his life and ponder how to move on. For Hannibal, there is only one solution. He tells her, “I need to get my appetite back.”
Cue the first of many blooms this episode, and we end on a murder victim intertwined in a tree. His abdomen is cut open and full of flowers. Jack notices that there are different poisonous flowers standing in for different organs. It’s too bad he doesn’t pick up on a little more. With this victim, not only has Hannibal collected much of the meat for his planned dinner party, the overabundance of blooms gives away his designs on Alana Bloom.
Back behind bars, Will and Abel (Eddie Izzard) talk between their cells. We can see a little mouse run in the wall between them. This series never skimps on the details, be it a rodent in prison or the fabulous table settings. Will warns Abel that both he and Chilton are in danger. “Anyone who gets too close gets got.” Abel gives away some key details that Chilton records and later shares with Jack.
If Chilton wasn’t suspicious before, he is now.
Hannibal comes to talk to Will, who moments before imagined himself going through a physical change while everyone sees him going through an emotional one. Will sees himself sprouting black horns from his back, perhaps a sign that he is indeed feeling more dangerous, as Bloom characterizes of him: “He’s dangerous because he’s not scared.” In their confrontation, Hannibal acknowledges the change as well, telling him, “I think you are more in control now than you have ever been.” He then tells Will he will, “give Alana Bloom your best” and leaves to prepare his dinner party.
Visually there’s a lot of great food to see tonight. This was likely one of the most food-heavy episodes thus far, and was definitely a triumph for Hannibal’s Janice Poon. Between the cooking scenes, dinner party scene, and a scene later in the episode involving a cooked leg, this was one episode that did not skimp on the cannibal cuisine.
The dinner party itself is almost comical, with Jack looking around at the food and partygoers in slow motion, clearly wondering if everyone is eating people. Chilton is trying to act natural and failing. He seems extremely suspicious and uncomfortable as he talks with Jack and utters “Hannibal the Cannibal” for the first time in the series. As he stares at Hannibal across the room, Hannibal winks at him. Chilton’s normally cool demeanor is no longer intact, and honestly, it’s a welcome change for the character.
Alana Bloom stays after the party and Hannibal makes his move. This time revenge does not involve murder, but instead sleeping with the woman Will has feelings for. This is a bit of a surprise new route of revenge for Hannibal. He leaves during the night to pay a visit to an ailing Abel Gideon.
Earlier Abel had been beaten and thrown off a staircase, landing him in a hospital bed. Hannibal kidnaps him, leaving behind another murder victim strung up with fishing line and lures similar to the ones Will made. Later, Abel’s leg is his main course. “You intend me to be my own last supper?” he asks Hannibal. Despite his hesitation, they both have a bit of Gideon for dinner.
Jack had taken some food to go from the dinner party, and had the gourmet grub analyzed, but the results reveal no human; a relief for Jack. However, the lures do turn up human meat. Not just any humans either, People Will could not have killed. He is innocent. It’s about time Jack starts realizing the truth. His seemingly willful ignorance has become a running joke among Hannibal fans at this point and to carry it on any longer might have been a hindrance to the show.
“Futamono” ends on a surprise. Based on water found in the tree murder victim’s lungs, and bark from the lures, the investigators pinpoint a location where some of the murders may have taken place.
And that’s where Jack finds Miriam Lass (Anna Chlumsky), his missing trainee.
This sixth episode this season may not have been the strongest, but it was still solid and full of surprises. Whereas Hannibal’s first season had a few episodes that were not “bad” but definitely missed their mark a little bit, this second season has yet to have a truly disappointing episode. Let’s hope the rest of the season tastes just as good.