Despite poor ratings, NBC has renewed their Hannibal TV show twice. Now, the network has moved the series to Thursdays, one of the biggest nights of television (albeit during the summer months). Will the numbers improve? Cancelled or renewed for a fourth season? Stay tuned.
Based on the Red Dragon novel by Thomas Harris, Hannibal revolves around the early relationship between FBI investigator Will Graham (Hugh Dancy) and Dr. Hannibal Lecter (Mads Mikkelsen), a forensic psychiatrist who becomes an infamous cannibalistic serial killer. Others in the cast of this thriller series include Laurence J. Fishburne III, Aaron Abrams, Caroline Dhavernas, Scott Thompson, Tao Okamoto, and Gillian Anderson.
The ratings are typically the best indication of a show’s likelihood of staying on the air. The higher the ratings (particularly the 18-49 demo), the better the chances for survival. This chart will be updated as new ratings data becomes available — usually the next day, around 11:30am EST/8:30am PST. Refresh to see the latest.
6/22 update: NBC has cancelled Hannibal after three seasons. The remaining episodes are expected to air.
7/2 update: Efforts are still underway to find a new home for the series.
Final season averages: 0.38 rating in the 18-49 demographic with 1.31 million total viewers.
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For comparisons: The second season of Hannibal (which aired on Friday nights) averaged a 0.86 rating in the 18-49 demographic with 2.54 million viewers.
Note: Note: These are the Live + Same Day Ratings which include “live” viewing plus delayed DVR viewing, up until 3am local time that same night. Ratings marked with an “*” are the fast affiliate ratings and will be updated with the Live+SD numbers when they are made available. Typically, networks get paid for C+3 ratings which includes DVR viewing within three days of the original airing when commercials are watched. Those numbers are rarely released to the press.
What do you think? Do you like Hannibal TV series? Would you like to see it cancelled or renewed for a fourth season?
I watched the series from beginning to end. I thought it was excellent! How anybody could say the acting was poor is beyond me. The writing was fantastic and boy was I sorry to see it conclude…..the way it ended was pretty much perfect. LOVED the cinematography in this series and the use of “slow motion”…..amazing. At first I couldn’t figure out the very end but then realized Hannibal’s wife (Gillian Anderson) had cut off her own leg……I guess Hannibal “taught” her well. Unbelievable……..
Have to admit I’ve not watched even one (1) episode of this series..But early on I was very tempted too…As Some time back I became VERY impressed with the acting performances of Mads Mikkelsen..& his ability to excellently portray his role(s) with seemingly very limited ‘dialog’. His acting in his role in the “Bond” movie was perhaps the ‘most’ dialog I recall! There was one movie where he portrayed a (one eyed) captured Nordic slave forced to fight chained to a post in a mud ‘ring’ to the death..which he ALWAYS won…Never saying a word & then returning to his… Read more »
Stupid entertainment sells. Hannibal is not stupid, but brilliant and entertaining, thought provoking too. I am sad, mad and not surprised it has been cancelled.
I absolutely love this series. I even like season 3 (I can’t understand all the hate….). The problem is that the Hannibal series is deep and highly psychological. On a good world it would be great. However, we live in a country limited by “nicki minaj” and “honey booboo”.
Hannibal is a fantastic show. My husband and myself have enjoyed it immensely. We’re extremeley disappointed the show is being cancelled. The cast is wonderful and will be missed.
Terribly disappointed to see ‘Hannibal’ cancelled. Great imagery, acting, direction and superb cinematography made this show one of my favorites. Would definitely follow on Netflix if possible.
I love this series. I told my husband its quality is in between Dexter and The Killing. In my opinion it is Way better than The Killing, in terms of writing and visual esthetics. I don’t think the writing for this series is way better than Dexter but they’re close. Now the visuals for Hannibal surpass Dexter by a million years. To whom do I write to oppose the cancelation of this series?
For God!!! we need more Hannibal PLEASE..#SaveHannibal Brazil
The cast is wonderful and the show is very well produced. I love it and would like to see it re-newed.
NBC what a network they love to keep all those stupid no story line shows on and drop amazing writing,acting shows.They always say low ratings but the cant grasp that people these days are too busy to watch shows right when they air .they have to understand PVR’s,netflix ,apple tv,and also DL’s ,i understand they have to make room for new shows,and alot of new shows have bad time slots so there percentage of surviving is slim! im just about done watching tv just when a person gets hooked on a show it gets cancelled! makes you wonder if thats… Read more »
probably one of the best written and most visual shows in tv and ,it barely gets promoted and the change release dates and time slot ,it’s like the one the show to fail..the only thing i ask is for a finale that gives everyone closure or give the show to netflix
It had it’s highest ratings after the 1st year airing right after Grimm. Then they moved it… now they moved it again to air during the summer. Totally agree that the 9 month hiatus really killed the show. NBC should have brought it back sooner even if they brought it back mid season again like in January or February. It’s airing right after a show that everyone can watch online, so unless you have followers to turn the TV on right then and there, what were they thinking??? Oh right to probably try and get a hand in the “summer”… Read more »
The show is one of the best written on TV. But instead of showing reruns like on the weekends to try and capture new people to catch up and watch this season . They keep the show off the air for nine months. Too long between last season and this season. That why the ratings were so bad last night. Plus who knew it was coming back. Nbc barely advertised it. This will be the last season. May not even make it thru the summer.
Totally agree with everything you said! If NBC wants to keep this show on they really need more advertisement for the show and they need to rerun it over the weekend. And waiting 9 months for new season is way too long! I think this show is better suited for cable where this kind of show is more accepted and watched. And with cable they don’t require the number of viewership to keep a show going like network channels do.
I understand the ratings for this show are lower than many others. It is very well written, complicated and deep in meaning. The premise is difficult for many to follow and the dream sequences are too ethereal for many people to comprehend. In short, you have to be intelligent and I little twisted to like and follow this show. That is why I absolutely love it!!!!! Definitely renew for many more seasons.
It’s not all that complicated. But the writing is sometimes quite good, but then last season some of the brain games in the prison became as exciting as watching paint dry. What might play well in a book became tedious on screen.
I’ll check it out, but if it doesn’t get back to the cleverness of the first season I’ll tap out.
The first season was honestly the least clever of all three seasons. Season 2 was fantastic and Season 3 is soooo high quality.
I agree with the first comment on every level.